Bramblings near Dolfor

Had about 30-40 Bramblings in a flock of Chaffinches feeding on beech mast on road leading up to P&L windfarm earlier today

Venus Pool Security Issue

Apparently cars have been broken into at Venus Pool, Shropshire today - so beware if you are visiting there. All the more reason to stay in Montgomeryshire!

Dotterel@Ceri Ridgeway

Juv Dotterel caught last night in one of the fields straddling the Monts/Shropsire border. Also ringed 4 out of 7 Jack Snipe, 2 out of 20+ Snipe and 11 Golden Plovers. 1st Woodcock of the season also seen.

5 green sandpipers , 4 little grebes and 2 water rail heard also a female peregrine plus all the usual at Dolydd hafren today

Winter thrushes have arrived

Good sized flocks of Redwing (possibly with Fieldfares, but didn't hear them) flying round Y Figyn and Y Frochas commons today. Thought I heard a few Redwing in Pontrobert this morning too, but I can't be sure.

Great Grey Shrike returns

Great Grey Shrike, Hafren Forest at usual place plus large flock of Fieldfare.

LCYD

Drake shoveler this pm. Also (of note) 3 snipe and 2 wigeon visible.

Llyn Coed y Dinas

2 Whooper Swans flew in this afternoon (4pm). Also 1 common sandpiper present.

Lymore/LCyd/Lake Vyrnwy

Lymore - quick check this morning and around 20 Wigeon have turned up.
LCyd - Great White Egret still showing at 5pm.
Lake Vyrnwy - Willow Tit showing very well on the feeders by the RSPB shop (easy pickings, but its nice once in a while!).

Llyn coed y dinas and Dolydd hafren

great white egret flew into Llyn coed y dinas at 08:05 also present 1 common sandpiper . visible migration taking place at Dolydd hafren with skylarks swallows and meadow pipits flying through 2 tree pipits showing briefly with the meadow pipits before flying off also present 1 green sandpiper 1 yellow wagtail 2 grey wagtails 5 garden warblers , blackcaps, 1 lesser whitethroat, water rail heard , 27 curlew, big number of teal present with 50 + unfortunately unable to see them due to state of reserve !

My Montgomery Images

As one of the guilty repetitive posters of images may I inform the blog that my amateur status images of Montgomery birds are all available for viewing on my public `flikr` account. Upon accessing `flikr` type in TREVOR ROGERS look for a image of a Red legged partridge, bingo!!
I have had the greatest fun taking some of these images, in particular the `Jays` last winter.
Thanks everyone.

Oddballs at lcyd 4.10.13

PM yesterday over 100 Canada Geese flew in, the below two were among them, are they hybrids?

Bad Year for Montgomeryshire Barn Owls

Via Chris Griffiths -

2013 has proven to be another bad year for the Barn Owl in Montgomeryshire. Only 14 known pairs bred producing 49 owlets. The last time a figure as low as 14 pairs was recorded  in the county was in 1994.

The severe snows during March proved to be fatal. Deep snow lay on the ground for up to 3 weeks and the owls were simply unable to hunt.

Every pair of birds that did breed this year, did so to the West of Caersws, in the lower altitude areas of the county towards the coast. Not a single pair was confirmed breeding to the East.

On a positive note (we have to remain positive) a fledging rate of 3.5 is very encouraging. Also the dry, warm summer will have helped the dispersing owlets to hunt alone and reach suitable body weights before winter sets in.

May I once again take this opportunity to thank all landowners and thank all the public for reporting your Barn Owl sightings over the last 12 months

Fishing Methods

As a fisherman, it is fair to say that Cormorants are not at the top of the list of my favourite avian species. However they have been very successful in recent years, and this is one of the factors. This morning, after a long lie-in until 9 am, 8 of them drifted down from the Oak Tree at L.CyD and commenced their communal feeding tactics, forming a rough line, diving, and driving a shoal of small fish before them, with conspicuous success. Most of us will have seen this before.
But here's what I found the interesting bit. The Great White Egret purposefully flew to the area of bank closest to the Cormorant flock, and in the next minute caught and ate 5 fish - more than it had had during the previous 20 minutes of observation.
There are obvious parallels with marine mammals, gulls and gannets, and I suppose with the scavenging of animal carcasses by species that could not have effected the kill themselves.
Also present 1 male Gadwall, 1 Common Sandpiper, 2 Snipe, 20 Tufted Duck, 7 Wigeon, 1 Dabchick.

llyn coed y dinas

great white egret 2 common sandpipers and a snipe 10 am

Golden Plover

10 flying South over the Rhyd, Carno this AM. Two more on field by Llyn Mawr and another one on Garreg Hir this PM. Usually good numbers on Garreg Hir now, but too misty to see more today.