(via SueL) Late afternoon here in Llandegley I was preparing to watch the Starlings flying over going to roost when I heard a familiar sound in the hawthorn tree. I was not disappointed the winter Thrush had arrived.
Ring-necked Parakeet @ Builth
(via GaryJ) One individual seen twice feeding on a sunflower head outside our kitchen window. Also spotted flying around the garden in preceding days. Small flick observed in the Groe.
Blackcaps @ Cefnllys
Whether passing through a bit late ,or hanging round a bit lower down , I know not , but it was kind of them to spare me a couple of days. A male and either a fem. or juv. The winter thrushes were still on the berries at Llwyn Bongam yesterday
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Ring Ouzels and Others.
Elan Valley: 11 Ring Ouzels recorded today, the main concentration being between the v c carpark and the quarry at Caban coch, due to the disturbance from visitors, best viewing times would be early morning or late afternoon. Two local legends from Anglesey, Stephen Cully and Lewi Burgess thanks for your input today. Bazz (Long time no see) also reports a few Bramblings and Mike Nuttall had a male Ring Ouzel (See image below) at Claerwen and two Goldeneye on Dolymynach. The annaul meeting of Kestrels along the Aber mountain road stands at 12, also flocks of Fieldfares 1,000 +, Meadow Pipits 50 +, Chaffinches 50 + and Skylarks 30 + passing through. And for those interested, the Salmon on the Marteg at Gifach, are now showing well, which is why there have been sightings on the Wye lately of Otters.
Dunlin @ Elan Valley
(Via David James) One flushed from a stream on the mountain tops above Penygarreg.
Golden Plover @ Ireland Moor
(via RobertT) c. 60 birds seen about 5.30p.m
Ring Ouzel @ Claerwen
Distant shot this afternoon
Goosander at Llan’dod Lake.
A moulting male Goosander and 2 Cormorants this morning.
Winter Thrushes @ Llanbister
A flock of around 30 Redwing and I only spotted the one Fieldfare and only had my phone camera from some distance, returned with my camera and watched Redwing and a few Blackbirds stripping the berries from the tree. Delightful.
Starlings @ Llandegley
(via SueL) As dusk was drawing in and the air had cooled great flocks of Starlings flew over Lower Rhos common in Llandegley. Going over to roost towards the Fforest.
Elan Valley.
And more Ring Ouzels, 2 ad winter males present in the quarry carpark at Caban coch, and at 4-30 pm, a 1st winter female was located on the berries in the v c carpark. Other birds (via Alan) 300 + Fieldfare, 100 + Reed Bunting and a single Woodcock were at Claerwen this am.
Winter is coming
(via cestrienne) Not especially startling, but a coal tit on my window feeders is a certain sign of approaching winter. They ONLY come when it gets colder…
Goosanders @ Llandrindod
Four redheads on the Ithon upstream of Lover’s Leap this morning.
More Ring Ouzels.
2 male Ring Ouzels present today in the Elan Valley, Caban coch quarry carpark.
Sprawk @ Cefnllys
Y oung male taking after dad! How long before he gets booted off the territory? He nailed a Goldfinch…oops! Can’t really cope with 2 of them dropping in, but it’s fascinating. A walk up the lane today produced a flock of Fieldfares with a few Redwings round the Hawthorns at Llwyn Bongam-rather distant tho’
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Ring Ouzel @ Elan Valley.
1,000 + Thrushes flew high over Caban coch quarry carpark this morning, also Peregrine and a female Goshawk. 100 + Fieldfare and a male Ring Ouzel (seen briefly) present, at the road side quarry and waterfalls, just south of Ciloerwynt farm, but very active and proving difficult to see due to many visitors today. A Kingfisher and Heron were on Dolymynach late afternoon.
Llan’dod Lake This am.
As well as the Goosander Ben and I also had singles of Cormorant, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Little Grebe, Water Rail and Kingfisher.
Goosander @ L’dod
Managed to walk down the lake today and behold : first fem Goosander back following Susie’s one in Builth yesterday. Sorry guys , can’t tote the camera for some weeks yet!
Goosander @ Builth
(via cestrienne) A walk along to footpath by the Wye, at 5pm on Sunday, was accompanied by many squeakings in the trees on the river; all the way along, but particularly by the bowling club. Tree-creepers – lots of them. And two female goosanders on the river; that heralds cooler autumnal weather.
Elan Valley
Good numbers of birds on the move late afternoon/evening, at least 800 + Fieldfares, 20 % Redwings at Claerwen, difficult to calculate as moving through so fast. 75 + Blackbirds and 30 + Mistle Thrushes. At the Sawmill 30 + Chaffinches and at least 2 Bramblings present, a Little Grebe and Sparrowhawk at Dolymynach, and 1,000 + Starlings were roosting at Hirnant.
Late news: Sunday 4th October, 50 + Fieldfares flew over the v c, and a Short-eared Owl was over the border at Pen rhos.
Life @ Cefnllys
Rubbish pics , but just rough illustrations! A glimpse of the Siskin hordes and one of the Robin + a Goldfinch eyeing the Bank vole.
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Fieldfare, Rhogo
About a dozen Fieldfare over this afternoon, plus 1-2 Mistle Thrushes and 1-2 Redwing. Also 2 Kestrel.
plus Juv Sparrowhawk, flying low along our lane in Howey.
Redwings, Fieldfares etc
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve started to see small groups of Redwings, Fieldfares and Starlings that have arrived in and around Davids Well. Most days also spot a Kestrel hunting towards Bwlch y Sarnau and so pleased to see a Bull finch back in our garden and the first ever long tailed tit here too.
Elan Valley
Sorcha reports 10 Redwings tho’ the Rowans are very thin this year-Hawthorns loaded however . This should improve rapidly as I have just seen a report of 12,000 Redwings and 4000 Fieldfares in off the sea @ Bempton , Yorks. Sparrowhawk bred successfully ; Kestrel and Snipe near Hirnant and Stonechats still evident. A Goldcrest spotted too. No sign of R. ouzels yet , tho reports from round the country show that they are moving down.
Redwing, Howey.
Our first Redwing of the autumn over the garden this morning. Also a nice male Lesser Redpoll with the Siskins at the feeder.
Brambling @ Cefnllys
Delighted to welcome this fine male back, tho’ I’m not looking forward to Winter!! It was Oct 31st last year , so he’s quite early . Plus Carol had a Little Grebe on the lake this a.m.
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Nantmel tip.
This am, Redpoll 40 +, Siskin 20 +, Goldfinch 20 +, a few Reed Bunting, Bullfinch, Fieldfare and a single Stock Dove.
More visitors to Cefnllys
Confinement seems to go on forever! Still it’s not uncommon these days! So the camera records the garden only. Some of the usual : anything up to 16 Siskins visible ,tho more in the trees and around the same Goldfinches; also Nuthatches and Treecreeper, plus various Tits and plenty of Sparrows. The Tortoiseshell butterfly seems to think my sling is a flower!
Golden Plover @ Ireland Moor
(via RobertT) 35+ birds about 15.00 hrs. Single Kestrel c 4p.m
Grey Plover @ Aberedw Hill
(via Colin Everett)
Seen flying with Golden Plover at 11:54 hours Wed 7/10, in grid square SO 08 50, east of the summit trig point. Flying close to the ground at about 100 metres range for 20 seconds in excellent visibility, with the cold plumage tones, white rump and black axillaries all seen very clearly. The diagnostic yodelling call was heard in the vicinity for several minutes afterwards. Only two previous Radnorshire records at the time of Peter Jennings’ 2014 avifauna.
