Dolydd Hafren and Llyn Coed-y-Dinas notices

 A message from Tammy Stretton, Conservation Officer at MWT:

*  Dolydd Hafren will be re-opening this Saturday, 22 Feb. The track is passable with care, even without 4WD, but very muddy after the contractor's heavy machinery and tractors making frequent journeys with biomass from the chipped trees. 

* Llyn Coed-y-Dinas: the short boardwalk by the teaching shelter is currently unsafe, and is closed until Reserve Manager Rob can fix it. The hide remains open as usual. 

Thanks to Paul Davies for this Great Egret (plus Oystercatcher) at L CyD on 16 Feb. The egret plumes suggest an adult coming into breeding condition; next stage would be the yellow bill turning black. There have still been no confirmed breeding of Great Egret in Wales - ever! 

Water Rail and Whooper Swans

 

Water Rail at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas on 6 Feb: at one point it was chased out of the reeds by a mink. The rail was showing well from the hide on 7th Feb also. Many thanks to Martin Neil for the photo and the (less welcome) mink news. 

Some of the 44 Whooper Swans that appeared on the north end of Lake Vyrnwy on 7 Feb. I am not sure if this is the same flock that has been grazing at Haim Farm, Llandrinio in SJ3216 during the last week. Thanks to Andy Morris and Tony Coatsworth for news of the swans at Haim Farm, and to RSPB wardens Gethin Elias and Sam Sharpe for the Vyrnwy news and photo.
 

Leucistic Greenfinch

 

Thank you to Aneurin Lloyd for this photo of a leucistic Greenfinch at the Derwen Garden Centre, Guilsfield, on 27 Jan. Leucism is a genetic condition that causes birds to have white feathers or patches of white in their plumage. It's caused by a lack of melanin, the pigment that gives feathers their colour. Birds like this can live normal lives, attracting mates as usual (and passing the gene on), but they are more visible to predators which often make them an easy target.

Pintail at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas

 Martin Neil has sent this photo of a pair of Pintail at L CyD on 24 Jan. Other recent records there include 3 Shoveler and 14 Snipe on 22 Jan. 200 Lapwings were on the Welshpool Airport fields on 21 Jan, and a female Blackcap was in a garden at Carreghofa near Llanymynech on the same day. 

Thanks Martin, also to Tony Coatsworth, Claire Labrum and Claire Backshall for the other records.

Dolydd Hafren closure

Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust will have a contractor in at Dolydd Hafren Reserve from tomorrow, for up to two weeks. The reserve will be closed during this work.

Goldeneye

 2 pairs on Glaslyn this morning, with the males displaying vigorously! 

Also 120+ Fieldfare at Llyn Clywedog.

Blackcaps and Redpoll in Guilsfield

Thanks to Steve Edwards, who sends these three photos from his Guilsfield garden on 4 January. The Blackcaps are probably wishing they had migrated south in this cold weather! Most Blackcaps wintering in UK breed in Holland, Germany and surrounding countries. 

Brambling, and Common Sandpiper news

 

Many thanks to Zoe Anderton for reporting this Brambling in a garden near Meifod today, and to John Anderton for the photo.

Also, we have news of a rare winter Common Sandpiper in the county - they are normally in Africa in December. One was on the Dyfi, just west of Machynlleth, on 13 December. Thanks to May MacKeith and Tony Coatsworth for the record.

Starling Murmuration

 At least over 5,000 starlings have been gathering in the fields around Bacheldre and Pentreheyling during a pre roost gathering each day over the last 2 weeks around 3pm. After gathering, they head SW between the Kerry Ridgeway and A489 though I lost the flock after Sarn.

Also a female Blackcap at Pentreheyling on the 28th and 29th. 

Churchstoke Wildlife Pools

 A good mix of wildfowl present at the old wildlife park in Churchstoke on New Years Eve. 30 Wigeon, m Teal, 3 Tufted Duck, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag Goose and Little Grebe. 

Also a Stonechat, mixed thrush flock of c30 birds in nearby fields and a male Blackcap at the Co Op car park there on 28/12/24.