Cefnllys/L’dod Lake

Bird Sightings

A welcome visit from a (juv?) fox delighted our grandchildren on Thurs. We have many newly fledged birds inc a wave of House Sparrows! ( Love to swap with Gail!!!). Young Blackbirds abound and demolish our raspberries as fast as they can and the Thrush is still feeding young ( 2nd batch?).A juv Chiffchaff graces our bushes regularly attracted by all the tits I guess and the Nuthatches are frequent, vying with the juv Gs Woodies for peanuts. Greenfinches still plus odd siskins and Bullies. The lake has dwindling wildlife as the water sports expand-2 juv Grebes still and occasional bursts from Reed and Sedge Warbs. The Rats are doing so well : today we watched 4 from yet another brood taking delight in gobbling seed put down for the Muscovies by the path near Lakeside ! Despite warnings in the media , these idiots will persist! They think they are keeping the ducks/geese alive…WRONG! You are feeding the RATS!

Tobias & Spotty!

Bird Sightings

No Martina , it’s not over yet…Toby spotted a Spotty near County Hall and passed it on-finally (with MUCH patience ) I managed some pics-not the best , but better than nowt! Guessing he’s nesting actually on the building, but feeding rondabout. Plus the Greylag  who’s mixed up and thinks he’s a Canada, on the lake.

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Last bits of fun

Bird Sightings

The young blackbirds are most entertaining: following dad around for food, chirping their heads off and generally being as daft as a brush. Things will fall quiet for a while soon, but for now chiffchaff and blackcap are still singing here & there, crows and jackdaws making a racket, nutchatch chup-chupping, the odd canada goose honk. Any other bird sounds heard around where you are?

Kingfisher @ L’dod Lake

Bird Sightings

Early walk ( 08:30 to avoid being turned into a roast dinner gave a Kingfisher on the lagoon side of the island-seems very early for him. Moorhen chicks ok as is the solitary new Coot-they seem to have had a particularly bad season. Young grebe exhibiting rather keen behaviour-behaving like a torpedo to get to Pa’s fish first! Plus Swallow @ Cefnllys ( not so many this year)and young Blackbird enjoying a spot of sunbathing. Finally Tobias had a Spotted Flycatcher near the pond at County Hall-well done Toby.

Lake-Cefnllys

Bird Sightings

Typically , my joy was premature concerning the young Grebes! After hunting round the lake yesterday and today , I concluded that 2 have vanished. We just have 2 parents and 2 young. A family of mini Mallards is around and the young Moorhens by the oak have the company of a very tiny one from a second brood. Up here , the young Woodies are constant visitors and  Jays have been popping in again.

Tawny owlet

Bird Sightings

As requested by Kev, thanks for pointing out the Grebe chicks at the lake this morning 👍, here are a couple of photos of the lone parent who successfully raised one young, in the owl box in our garden.

Meanwhile in our garden, Siskens easily outnumber all other birds, Greater spotted woodpecker is now bringing one young to the feeders, a Jay is again, like last year, on the feeders, Blue tits, Great tits and Nuthatches used our bird boxes and we still have Tree sparrows visiting, but not as many as last year.

Elan.

Bird Sightings

Trying to catch up again-last week we had the Spotted Fly posing on his fav old signpost-nesting in drain right above the ticket machine at the VC!  Might have fledged all by now , but worth a look. Stonechat, Wheatears and Swallows all near Hirnant. The Wheatears now fully grown but still in a family group.

Rhogo pond

Bird Sightings

No sign of young Little Grebes , but the Tufty has plenty (aaaah!)-first spotted by Leafie. The Buzzard drifted over , but gave up on the idea of snatching one ; he was driven off by Wagtails etc. Adult Little Grebe showing well, but Wheatears seem to have vanished.

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G C Grebe update.

Bird Sightings

4 young Grebes now swimming free! Wonderful, save the presence of the LBBs-let’s hope this pair have a bit of savvy-at least they seem to , as they retreat under the willows etc. as soon as the misplaced gulls appear. Shame the gulls have forgotten they live at the coast!!! Also the 3 young Moorhens (whoever gave them that name?) by the oak are doing well despite the rats : indeed we saw mother chasing one off today. We saw five rats today and it is unfortunate so much grain is being left out around the lake.

Rock Park-Spotty

Bird Sightings

Several visits this week , avoiding  activity in the cafe etc .but eventually nailed pics of one of our lovely summer visitors-think he’s on brood 2 now; we are so lucky to keep getting these guys as they are dwindling rapidly elsewhere in the UK. Plus  Ann Morgan reports a face to face with a Badger in the Rock park at 10:30…A.M.! Now that’s a very rare confrontation! I wish…

GREAT EGRET 2

Bird Sightings

Thanks mostly to Paul ( plus a bit of help from Fred) we managed to have a few wonderful minutes @ L’dod lake last night. The Great  White Egret performed gracefully as it came in to roost, save for one unfortunate step when it cracked off a dead branch and nearly broke its neck!! If you see spots , it’s not off to Specsavers-they are 1000s of midges! A non breeding adult as it still has the yellow bill (always think it should be the other way round!). Preceded by 100+ Starlings roosting in the reeds much to my surprise-look like immatures as very brown -and several bats probably Daubenton’s.

Rhogo to Rock park.

Bird Sightings

Linnets as per up Rhogo after Franksbridge turn near grid ; Wheatear at junction; Stonechat on police notice by quarry car park and a hare;  Mistle Thrush pair by pond and one adult Dabchick  ; finally managed to grab a Spotted Fly in Rock park car park-wot a gloomy day! Where has our Summer gone?

Elan -FRI.

Bird Sightings

Good to get back, but sadly no Pied Flies today-just massive clouds of midges round Cnwch. Better luck by Vc as Spotted Fly obliged right outside the centre; Sandpiper on river up to dam and Dipper-could not get a pic! At least the Redstart obliged right by the dam.  No sign of Whinchats or Stonechats above Craig Goch, but a Curlew showed-sadly it was flanked by 2 Crows looking as if they were waiting for a chance to grab a youngster. A young Mippit posed, as Mippits do and several Wheatears showed near Pont ar Elan. Finally we spotted the whole Leafe tribe migrating near Penbont House-how lovely!!! 🙂

Great Spotted Woodpecker in Llandrindod

Bird Sightings

(via BarryH) Woodlands: A great spotted woodpecker arrived on our nuts on our cherry tree followed by a juvenile which willingly received the feast. We have 4 male bullfinches and two females (one a juvenile) on our feeders but sadly the juvenile hit our conservatory window and died. Lots of young birds, robins, sparrows, blackbirds , nuthatch,bluetits. Also, attracted to our fat ball feeders at least four jackdaws morning and evening occasionally chased of by a very large crow. A very busy time of year for our garden birds.

Latest on lake Grebes.

Bird Sightings

So , it gets better! With no rain to hinder , I managed some more pics yesterday near the lagoon and was suitably amazed to see that Mrs Great crest was actually concealing FOUR youngsters on her back! Wow! Male seen gulping a Roach in betwixt serving snacks and the mini toads struggling to dodge the boots…sadly most weren’t being successful, but doubtless fared better after dark.

News from L’dod Lake.

Bird Sightings

Well, I never thought I would be reporting this for 2021 ,but the GC Grebes have finally succeeded! Spotted this pm near the lagoon with pa catching mini fish and feeding 2( at least) young on female’s back-very well hidden amongst her plumes. Only got suspicious when seeing her just sitting about while he was busy diving around. Delighted! Thought the huge activity now taking place on the lake would interfere, but so far so good! Also Moorhens with young-praps 3.