Notable Recent Sightings

16/04 Purple Heron 1, Cors Dyfi
05/03 Firecrest 1, Lake Vyrnwy
05/03 Short-eared Owl 1, Lake Vyrnwy
14/01 Pink-footed Goose 1, Dolydd Hafren
03/01 Waxwing 20, Meifod; also 5 Welshpool by canal on 01/01. Last: 6 Bwlch-y-Garreg 17/03
23/12 Waxwing Newtown College, first arrivals 04/12, 47 on 23/12, 67 on 01/01, 30 on 04/02
09/12 Cattle Egret 1 roosting with 8 Great Egrets and some Little Egrets, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
02/12 Waxwing 21 Guilsfield, 12 Montgomery, 1 Welshpool, and 1 on 01/12 Llanfyllin
16/11 Dotterel 3, just west of Dyfnant Forest on RSPB land
16/11 Great Grey Shrike 1, on edge of Dyfnant Forest on RSPB land, last reported 19/01
15/11 Waxwing 25 or 30, just west of Lake Vyrnwy along the Dinas Mawddwy road
08/11 Great Northern Diver A juvenile was found near Anchor, rescued and released
30/10 Black Redstart 1 in garden at Hendomen, near Montgomery
06/10 Hawfinch 5 in treetops at Powis Castle, by main car-park
04/10 Cattle Egret Dolydd Hafren, a flock of c.30
29/09 Red-flanked Bluetail Dyfnant Forest: a county first
23/09 Manx Shearwater 1st year bird grounded in Llanfyllin; released at coast
03/09 Cattle Egret 10 at Cors Dyfi, rising to 32 on 05/09
01/06 Turnstone 1 at Caersws with Little Ringed Plovers
03/05 Wood Sandpiper 1 at Dolydd Hafren
18/04 BLACK-WINGED KITE 1 video-ed at Glan Mule, near Kerry: a likely FIRST for UK
07/04 Black Redstart Female on Carno roof
07/04 Little Ringed Plover Llandinam Gravels
25/03 Osprey Female 5F 'Seren' arrived back at Llyn Clywedog
25/03 Pied Flycatcher An early migrant near Llanfechain
22/03 Hen Harrier Female in flight near Berriew
15/03 Sand Martin 5, Dolydd Hafren
15/03 Golden Plover c.50, Heldre Hill, Long Mountain, nr Welshpool
05/03 Whooper Swan 1, between Caerhowel (Montgomery) and The Gaer, with Mute Swans
05/03 Pink-footed Goose 1, Caersws, with Canada Goose flock
05/03 Jack Snipe 2, Caersws
05/03 Hawfinch 24, Powis Castle, feeding behind orchard
28/02 Pink-footed Goose c.25, flying north over Welshpool
26/02 Merlin 1 male, chasing Meadow Pipit, Long Mountain near Welshpool
26/02 Pintail 3, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, 1 since 14 Feb
14/02 Hawfinch 1, Powis Castle car-park, very vocal
23/01 Jack Snipe 1, Moel-y-Garth near Guilsfield
17/01 Brambling 80, in beeches at Pen-y-Waen near Cefn Coch with Chaffinches
07/01 Hawfinch 2, bathing in puddle, Cwm Lane, Castle Caereinion
   
See Sightings Archive for older records

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Hawfinch Mystery, + Spotted Flycatchers.

Chris Hurell and I examined the flattened corpse of a young Hawfinch today. Bizarrely it was in the middle of The Royal Oak car park, Welshpool. Did it die there, or had the body been discarded by persons unknown? Local breeding not ruled out, I feel, but not conclusively ruled in either!

To turn to happier outcomes. Not one, but two pairs of Spotted Flycatchers have nested on my house, using open-fronted boxes. Having ringed the young about a week ago, I know they are clutches of 4 and 5. I spent (wasted!) several hours this morning trying to get the flight shot, but the sharp one still eludes me!


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3 comments:

  1. Montgomeryshire Birds25 June 2014 at 10:44

    Ref the Hawfinch - in April a flattened Chaffinch was found in the Lake Vyrnwy car park. The assumption was that it had been transported there on a car radiator grille and had fallen to the ground when the car was parked. The bird had a ring, but this did not shed any light on the actual place of demise as the ringing location was Bardsey Island!

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  2. Paul Leafe25 June 2014 at 17:30

    Who knows? I would be at all surprised if it had been from a local breeder, they're bloody secretive birds!!

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  3. BRIAN POLLARD27 June 2014 at 13:36

    Haven't seen a Spotted fly yet near Red Bank Chris so well done, especially having 2 pairs. Don't give up trying to get that bird in flight shot.
    With regard to the Hawfinch it brought back memories of one that settled on the grass just outside my office window at the Council Offices, it was within 10feet of my desk. I haven't seen one in the UK since.

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