Notable Recent Sightings

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 25 Nov
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
28/12 Hawfinch 6, Powis Castle gardens at 1028
21/12 Brent Goose 1 of pale-bellied subsp. at Dolydd Hafren
20/12 Hawfinch 1 in Llyn Coed-y-Dinas car-park
27/10 Ring Ouzel Llandinam, with Redwings & Fieldfares
27/10 Golden Plover 200-300, Heldre Hill, Long Mountain, nr Welshpool
19/10 Swallow Latest record: Dolydd Hafren
28/09 Brambling 1, Bwlchyddar, nr Llanfyllin - very early record
15/09 Yellow Wagtail 1, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
08/09 Little Egret 22, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
19/08 Hobby 1, Welshpool; and 1, Churchstoke on 18/08
05/08 Pied Flycatcher 1, by Gypsy Monument, Moel-y-Golfa nr Trewern: late record
26/07 Redshank 1, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
15/07 Little Ringed Plover 1 juv at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, with Green & Common Sandpipers
07/07 Common Tern 1, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
19/06 Egyptian Goose 2 ads and 3 juvs at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, a first breeding record for Monts
25/05 Yellow Wagtail 3 prs, Bacheldre near Churchstoke
23/05 Gadwall 1, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
20/05 Common Tern Llyn Mawr, nr Carno
11/05 Dunlin 1, Dolydd Hafren. Also 1 Hobby there
03/05 Common Tern 1, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
25/04 Lesser Whitethroat 1, Middletown
10/04 Ring Ouzel 1, Belan, nr Welshpool
07/04 Swift 1, Mochdre nr Newtown: very early
28/03 Osprey 1st arrival both at Llyn Clywedog and Cors Dyfi
28/03 Swallow 1st arrival at Derwen, Guilsfield
20/03 Little Ringed Plover 1, Dolydd Hafren
12/03 Brambling 100, incl. 1 leucistic variant, Mochdre
05/03 Kittiwake Adult found dead in flood debris near Llandinam
16/02 Pintail 4, Dolydd Hafren
11/02 Cetti's Warbler 1, by canal, Refail, nr Berriew
02/02 Cattle Egret 1, with 18 Little Egrets at Dolydd Hafren
15/01 Brent Goose 1 imm at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas, stayed to 27 Jan
12/01 Goldeneye 2, Llyn Mawr nr. Carno, with 4 Goosander and Great Black-backed Gull
09/01 Pochard 2, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas
   
See Sightings Archive for older records

Sunday, December 03, 2023

Waxwings in garden , Red Bank Welshpool

Three Waxwings visited the garden today, very foggy and image through double glazing.

Dolydd Hafren - 02/12/2023

Highlights: 3 Egyptian Geese, 2 Great White Egret, 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Sandpiper, 11 Snipe, 1 Curlew





Merlin - Belan Locks

Seen around 10:30 in the fields above the canal.

Saturday, December 02, 2023

Waxwings invading!

 

Tony Coatsworth took these two photos in Celyn Lane, Guilsfield this afternoon. I visited later and counted 21. So, in addition to Iolo's sighting in Llanfyllin and Brian's on Red Bank, Welshpool, and these 21, David Lister also had 12 in Montgomery this morning. Quite a sudden invasion!

Thanks Tony and everyone else who has reported these special irruptive visitors.


Waxwing Red Bank area, Welshpool

Single Waxwing on young Sorbus in the garden today, 12.45pm.First Waxwing to visit the garden.

Waxwing in Llanfyllin

 

Iolo Williams photographed this Waxwing in Llanfyllin yesterday. And just now I received a report of 20 Waxwings in Celyn Lane, Guilsfield. Thanks Iolo!

Friday, December 01, 2023

Merlin close to Hafren Forest

 

Many thanks to John Williams for this fine Merlin portrait taken yesterday, near Hafren Forest. 

Meanwhile, in nearby Shrewsbury, 3 Waxwings have just been reported. Keep a look out!

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Whooper Swan at Llyn Coed-y-Dinas


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.


Saturday, November 25, 2023

Great Northern Diver rescued, rehabilitated and released

 

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!


Monday, November 20, 2023

Water Rail and Great Grey Shrike photos

 

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.