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

Monday, May 04, 2020

Magpie and Swift

First Swift from the garden this morning, much more of a usual date than the one on 22nd April which I reported.
Meanwhile in Llanfyllin, my friend just failed to stop a Magpie attacking and killing a Slow Worm. In my garden they have destroyed 2 Blackbird nests.
Anyone have fond feelings for Magpies?

Posted by at

6 comments:

  1. Michele Becker5 May 2020 at 13:06

    Actually I love magpies. If the blackbirds are so stupid they nest where they can be found so be it. If you have never watched a magpie tease a fox by pulling it’s tail, or seen them work together to catch and kill mice and rats then you have seriously missed out. Now cats on the other hand….

    Richard Becker

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  2. Simon Boyes5 May 2020 at 13:36

    I don't share Michele's love of Magpies! ("Stupid" probably means "first time breeders".) Our local Mistle Thrushes have built a nest in a fork in a sycamore close to the house with no protection of any kind, and only 2m off the ground. We are quite relieved that they decided not to use it at all, since it would have been the easiest meal for Magpie or Jay or cat.

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  3. Michele Becker5 May 2020 at 19:10

    They were Richard's thoughts not mine!
    Even so predator/prey interaction is a natural phenomenon although we do not like to see it happening on our patch to "our" birds. Under natural circumstances predators do not have a great effect on numbers but in the depleted state in which our wildlife finds itself then any predation may lead to a decline in the population of the species predated. So, in the end, it is up to us humans to ensure what we do will enhance wildlife and not be detrimental to it. Then predator and prey interactions can continue as it always has.

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  4. Chris. T.5 May 2020 at 19:25

    Great! So there is room for debate on this blog. Regrettably, we do not have "natural circumstances", and therefore I would argue that the greater numbers of corvids, including Magpies, are having a disproportionate effect on their prey. So, I could argue that controlling the numbers of these predators would "enhance wildlife". Is Richard as enamoured by Grey Squirrels?

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  5. Simon Boyes6 May 2020 at 12:27

    I agree Chris that circumstances aren't normal these days - modern agricultural methods favour the corvids and don't leave breeding songbirds or waders much chance. Our neighbours are dairy farmers who mob-gaze on the intensive New Zealand system. No field margins, and the edges are sprayed anyway. Few insects in the cowpats. When the herd moves on, the crows and magpies appear in droves.

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  6. Michele Becker6 May 2020 at 20:20

    I quite agree that we are not in "normal circumstances" but you have to think as to why this has come about. People demand cheap food and farmers are encouraged to produce it. In the UK we slaughter approximately 2.6 million cattle; 10 million pigs; 14.5 million sheep and lambs and 950 million chickens every year. Up until a few years ago subsidy was paid on a per capita basis. Hence the more animals the more cash. Luckily that stopped. But subsidy continues and keeps in business those farmers who should not be but is also paid to large landowners who have huge shooting estates as it is now paid on land owned.
    What you are seeing with crows and magpies on the farm near to you will be opportunistic feeding on the cow pats left behind as they will have (hopefully) beetles in them. We also see many crows around here as the neighbours feed their sheep by dispensing pellets two-three times a day so the crows line the fences waiting. Why scavenge for food when it is delivered daily.
    Thus it is the system we should be attempting to change not looking for a quick fix of culling birds that are increasing because of what we do.
    On the case of grey squirrels - yes they are a pest and have brought disease but they did not materialise out of thin air. Again it is us humans that are the culprits by introducing them into the country. They are only trying to survive like the rest of us.

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