MONTGOMERYSHIRE BIRDS: Unusual diet for a swan?

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, October 27, 2017

Unusual diet for a swan?

I was fascinated to watch the feeding behaviour of a juvenile swan this morning on the canal. It was plucking sloes from an overhanging blackthorn bush, then apparently dunking them in the water before eating them. It did this repeatedly for at least 5 minutes as I watched - something I'd never seen before.