Sparrowhawk portrait

 Many thanks to Dave Lister for this artistic portrait of a male Sparrowhawk at Mochdre on 18 Nov.

Firecrest in Castle Caereinion

 

Many thanks to Aneurin Lloyd - the Firecrests returned to the ornamental pear in his garden when he DID have his camera! They remain a scarce bird in the county, but every Goldcrest needs checking for this striking face pattern.

Firecrest sighting

 A pair of firecrests seen from my front garden this morning here at castle caerenion.I never got the oppertunity to photograph them sorry.By the time i'd got the camera they had already gone.

Recent reports

 28 Oct    Great Grey Shrike, 1    Lake Vyrnwy, by RSPB Office

30 Oct     Great Grey Shrike, 1    Lake Vyrnwy, Eunant: perhaps the same bird. Also 1 Ring Ouzel

30 Oct     Mandarin Duck, 31      Lake Vyrnwy, west end

1 Nov      Great Grey Shrike, 1    Gregynog, Middle Cottage along drive

1 Nov      Short-eared Owl, 1       Cefn Coch Wind-farm      

4 Nov      Woodcock, 1                Lake Vyrnwy, first record received this season

7 Nov      Hawfinch, a few           Lake Vyrnwy, southwest side of lake in beeches; + Bramblings

7 Nov      Barnacle Goose, 1       Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, with Canada Geese, still there on 9th

9 Nov      Hen Harrier, 1              Cors Dyfi, + Water Rail and Otter

9 Nov      Pintail, 7                      Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, + 25 Wigeon and Water Rail

11 Nov    Golden Plover, 5          Cefn Coch Wind-farm

Many thanks to RSPB staff Gethin Elias and Sam Sharpe, Simon Spencer, Claire Labrum, Sam Tolhurst, Stephen Caunt, Mark Wilson, Dulcie Fairweather, Paul Davies and Tony Coatsworth for these reports. Extra thanks for the photos: Barnacle Goose by Mark Wilson and Pintail by Paul Davies.  

 

With so many good records recently from Lake Vyrnwy, all are invited to an illustrated talk by Sam Sharpe (RSPB Conservation Monitoring Officer), entitled Lake Vyrnwy and the RSPB, at Welshpool Methodist Hall, at 7.30 pm on Wednesday, 20 November. The full programme of the MWT Bird Group can be found here, by clicking the tab marked Bird Group at the top of the page.

Clearing reeds at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas

 

 

This Water Rail wasted no time in exploring the newly cleared area, to the right of the hide at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas. Many thanks to Paul Davies for this photo from 13 October. Five days earlier, we cleared a large patch of reeds to improve viewing and create variety in the reed habitat for wildlife. 

 

Young Gannet at Caersws

This juvenile Gannet was found grounded at Caersws this morning. Thanks to Sue Lloyd-Jones for the photo, and to Iolo Williams for letting me know. We don't get many Gannets in the county!

Merlin and Llyn Coed-y-Dinas sightings

 

Many thanks to John Formstone, for this Merlin portrait, taken yesterday at the Tan y Foel Quarry near Cefn Coch. 

In other news, a Cetti's Warbler has been singing its explosive song in front of the hide at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas. Thanks to Luke Reynolds for reporting this on 16 Sep; on 17 Sep we (in the MWT work party) heard it again as we trimmed willows and raked the bank in front of the hide. This morning I flushed a Snipe from its favourite bank, and briefly saw a Kingfisher. I found an old Reed Warbler's nest while removing willows from the reedbed.  

Swallows just fledged, and 2 reminders

Many thanks to John Anderton for this fine portrait of two Swallows that left the nest this morning in an outhouse near Meifod. 

And two points to note:

There will be disturbance in front of the hide at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas this Tuesday and Wednesday (September 17th and 18th), as we (a MWT work party) will be working in front of the hide, raking the bank where the Snipe winter, trimming willows and reducing reeds.

Also, our opening Bird Group meeting is at 7.30 this Wednesday in the Methodist Hall, High Street, Welshpool. All are welcome to hear Chris Townsend as he shows us around the Outer Hebrides. The full Bird Group programme can be found at the top of this page: just click the tab marked Bird Group.

 

 

Nightjar near Pontrobert

Many thanks to MWT staff member Dulcie Fairweather for this photo of a Nightjar, found by chance on southbound migration. I expect several pairs nest opportunistically in the county, mostly in the first years of conifer plantations, but they are rarely recorded.

Llyn Coed-y-Dinas photos, and Pwll Penarth news

 

Many thanks to Tony Coatsworth for these three images, taken yesterday: Water Rail, Green Sandpiper and Kingfisher. There was also a drake Pochard yesterday, an unusual bird in the county these days. Today I saw a Common Sandpiper there and two Great Egrets. Please note that the MWT work parties there on September 17th and 18th will be working in front of the hide, trimming willows and reducing reeds.

Thanks also to Tammy Stretton, for news of a Hen Harrier female or immature over Welshpool Golf Course yesterday. 

Meanwhile, I was at Pwll Penarth Reserve today with a MWT work party, preparing for major excavation operations this winter. Heavy equipment will be brought in to create new lagoons, reduce reeds and willow, and improve viewing. The soundscape was dominated all day by a trilling Little Grebe.