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

Thursday, March 19, 2020

...........and now for some good news

Amidst all the current doom, gloom and uncertainty, it has been good to have some pleasant surprises in the neighbourhood recently.
Last Friday I certainly wasn't expecting to see a stonechat on my walk around the Wern.


This morning, we watched a mistle thrush  in the garden, stripping sizeable pieces of lichen from our damson tree, and flying off with them, although unfortunately we didn't manage to see where it took them. It would be great if a pair were nesting in the garden, as they did several years ago.
Later today, on a walk around the local lanes, there were more treats. The first, a skylark singing, and a chiffchaff too. Then moments later, a kestrel flew overhead and away towards the Breidden.  Soon the characteristic song of a yellowhammer, which was so engrossed in its repertoire that it didn't leave its perch even as I stood directly beneath it.


From the same viewpoint, my attention was drawn to the field opposite by the  calls of lapwings - 16 in total. I could hardly believe it......................................


and then, to top it all, the unmistakeable 'curlee' call of the bird I'd love to have seen, but on this occasion only heard. 
But there's always tomorrow......................and as many of us are minimising our contact with other folk, it's good to know that we can still enjoy some fresh air, and that spring is here. Fortunately, the joys of the natural world  can lift our spirits and restore a bit of calm in these troubling times.  



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5 comments:

  1. Simon Boyes19 March 2020 at 22:20

    All good records Sue and thanks for the lift to the spirits!

    ReplyDelete
  2. sue s20 March 2020 at 09:09

    Thanks Simon - have been again this morning, in the hope of seeing or hearing curlew, and was a bit concerned to see 2 loose 'Labrador-type' dogs in the field, noses down and putting up the lapwings! Not a human being to be seen!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chris. T.20 March 2020 at 09:47

    And I'm sure I saw the sun too, this morning, as I walked my Labradors, who were more interested in a calling Green Woodpecker, and an overflying Peregrine, as we sloshed through the water table, currently, it seems, above ground!

    ReplyDelete
  4. sue s20 March 2020 at 19:41

    Yes, wonderful to see the sun Chris! And I've nothing against Labradors - in fact I really like them! It was just strange to see them loose in a huge field by a busy main road without a human to be seen, especially as they appeared to be upsetting the lapwings.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Eryl21 March 2020 at 14:46

    Send some birds over here sue!. We'd love to see a yellow hammer again not to mention hearing a yaffle.

    ReplyDelete

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