Thanks to Tony Coatsworth for this image of a Whooper with two Mute Swans at L CyD this morning. It flew north at 1050: Tony adds, 'the local Mute Swans weren't interested in him so he flew off.'
I have updated the post about the Great Northern Diver with all that I now know of this unusual incident.
Sam Sharpe has written in the Whats App Group that the Great Grey Shrike was still in the same spot on the edge of Dyfnant Forest on 25 Nov.
This juvenile Great Northern Diver crash-landed in a garden near Anchor in recent stormy weather. It was taken to a local vet, who checked it over, found it uninjured, and brought it for further rehab to Cuan House Wildlife Rescue, in Much Wenlock. There it was cared for, ringed and later released in a suitable location (believed to be a West Midlands reservoir).
I now know the date was 8 Nov. Congratulations to Newtown vet Ian Saxon, and to Cuan House for their care and the successful outcome. The photo comes from the Shropshire Star, who called it a 'diver duck' and wrote that it was 'ringed to ensure he doesn't get into any more trouble.....!'
This portrait comes from the Chelmarsh Ringing Group, whom Cuan House called in to ring it. Thanks to them, especially to James the ringer.
One mystery remains: is it a good record for Montgomeryshire, or for Shropshire or even Radnorshire? It arrived 'near Anchor' - which is a group of houses on the border of these three counties!
This Water Rail was one of three at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas on 18 Nov. A great capture by Tony Coatsworth. There were 2 Pintail there also.
And here is the Great Grey Shrike, still in the same (inaccessible!) spot on the edge of Dyfnant Forest on 19 Nov. I thought about cropping or editing the photo, but when Sam Sharpe described the weather (when it was taken) as 'absolutely appalling,' I decided to leave it in its atmospheric splendour. Click on the photo for more detail. Also there were 2 Woodcock and 8 Waxwing.
Many thanks Tony and Sam.
Following the previous Waxwing post, RSPB staff also found 3 Dotterel and a Great Grey Shrike on a remote part of the Lake Vyrnwy estate, on 16 Nov. This area, immediately west of Dyfnant Forest, is unfortunately well away from roads or public footpaths. The shrike was still there on 17 Nov. The Dotterel is a very late record, but not unprecedented. There are two previous Welsh records in November, and one in December. Many thanks to Gethin Elias, James Tipping and Sam Sharpe for the records.
Thanks again to Sam Sharpe! This time it's to let the Whats App Group know that there were 25-30 Waxwings just west of Lake Vyrnwy this morning. By midday, they had gone! They are quite likely still in the county, as much of Monts is south and west of the lake - that's their probable direction of travel.
