Sorry to put a downer on the party but I would like to make everyone aware of berry pickers operating in our area. Yesterday staff at Coleg Powys informed me that a group of people, apparently from Sweden, asked if they could pick the berries in the car park i.e the ones waxwing and other bird species are currently subsisting on. One member of staff also told me they had seen a couple of people "strip a tree of its berries" on Treowen estate on Weds night. It is thought the berries are for use in commercial cultivation.
Hopefully this is just a one off, however I have informed MWT this morning and Tammy has done an excellent job informing their staff and the council to be vigilant, just in case. Likewise, Please can you all keep an eye out for people picking berries on a large scale, especially this weekend when colleges, business estates etc are quiet.
Notable Recent Sightings
| 17/11 | Firecrest | 2, Castle Caereinion |
| 07/11 | Barnacle Goose | 1 among Canada Geese, Llyn Coed-y-Dinas |
| 07/11 | Hawfinch | a few, Lake Vyrnwy, also Bramblings |
| 01/11 | Short-eared Owl | 1, Cefn Coch Wind-farm |
| 01/11 | Great Grey Shrike | Gregynog |
| 28/10 | Great Grey Shrike | Lake Vyrnwy, also 1 on 30th at Eunant |
| 25/09 | Gannet | 1 juv grounded near Caersws |
| 07/09 | Nightjar | 1, photographed near Pontrobert |
| 17/07 | Quail | RSPB Lake Vyrnwy, also heard 20/06 and 08/07 |
| 24/04 | Long-eared Owl | 2, RSPB Lake Vyrnwy |
| 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 |
Friday, November 30, 2012
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Thanks to Chris for making this widely known. It is hard to believe that it is commercially viable to come from Sweden to do this, but we should all be alert to it. I am grateful to Tammy for the information that "it could be an offence under the Theft Act 1968 if it is without permission and for sale or commercial purpose" The last 5 words are critical, and there is more information at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11584156
ReplyDeleteIf this happens during the week suggest best to immediately talk to Lee Davies the College Estate Manager - reception will get him for you. At the weekend when the College is closed up it may be worth calling Newtown Police
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