Purple Heron

 RSPB Ynys-hir

A rather chilly stroll around the reserve again today. Quite a few redstarts singing and a few garden warblers in too. Five swift were over the Ynys Feurig pool with three white wagtails and four Greenland type wheatears. Interesting to see a pair of shoveler at the Marian Mawr pools and another two drakes elsewhere so breeding may occur hopefully. Sorry to say but I have heard rumours that this species is going to be added to the quarry list for shooting on the estuary which is a great shame. On the Marian Mawr pools was a late wigeon and a great crested grebe which is the first I have seen on there in 33 years.

Later, following a phone call from Tom Kistruck I drove to Tre'r Ddol and got picked up by land rover to twitch a purple heron seen at Lodge Farm an hour earlier (found by Tom and David Anning). After patiently scoping reeds for 45 minutes the heron flew out of a ditch and gave great views as it flew slowly into another ditch.

Russell Jones

Aberystwyth prom.

 Three Whimbrel at Castle Point this morning and a Common Sandpiper on College Rocks. A small party of Swallows went north, but all I could see offshore was a Gannet.

Three Turnstones and a Purple Sandpiper also at the point then along at the harbour anther five Turnstones and six Purple Sands  by the wooden jetty.

Glandwr

 I've had a couple of queries asking for the location of Glandwr Pool  so here goes. It's  just to the east of the River Leri,  a few hundred yards upriver from the road and railway bridges at Ynyslas.

From Borth on the B4353, head north, do not turn off to Ynyslas but continue on the main road.  Cross the Leri then immediately after the railway level crossing there is a swing gate on the right hand side of the road.  

Go through and along the footpath to the railway.  Take the footpath along the left side of the river until you reach the main pool at Glandwr.  It's just before an old grain hopper, but very difficult to view as it's surrounded by reeds.  We used to climb up the riverbank but now hardly any water is visible even from the top.

Of course, you can cross the railway bridge and walk along the opposite bank for better views of Aberleri Fields and Cors Fochno.

BBS survey

 Neither of two of my BBS squares done this week produced cuckoo but since they haven't in previous years, that wasn't a surprise. But I did get a Kingfisher on a small burn near the Dihewid-Cribyn road which was new for the square. But singing Blackcaps way down. I note that the low  temperatures at the moment in the early morning replicated last year at the same date give or take a day

Ian Harrison

Stock Dove records

 I noticed that in the Ceredigion Report there was only "a few scattered records" of stock dove in the county in the 2023 breeding season. In my travels around the Penrhyncoch/ Bontgoch areas I'm regularly seeing pairs and singles and hearing them calling from suitable nesting areas. For example at and around Salem, Bontgoch, Cwmere and Penbontrhydybeddau and also at Tre'r ddol. 

I know stock dove is not the most exciting species and identifying them involves looking at every single woodpigeon one comes across! However I wonder if it would be worth local birders noting and reporting them  so that a better picture can be had of their numbers? I think they must be under-recorded.

Jerry Moore

Cors Caron

 A walk out this evening from Pont Einon to Maesglas Flash produced 2 Cuckoos, 2 Spotted Redshank, 2 Pair of Gadwall, 5 Little Egrets, 1 Great White Egret, 4 Goosanders, 2 Curlew, Reed Buntings, Whinchat,  Stonechats and 2 Wheatears.

Will Davies

Cuckoo

 Had a cuckoo last night from South Side of Foel fawr - first one I've had this spring 

Dick Squires

Cross Inn Forest

 So this morning I decided to have a look around what turned out to be a misty and sometimes drizzly Cross Inn forestry. Considering the conditions it was well worth a visit with bird song all around. Birds recorded were Carrion Crow, Raven, Jay, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Goldcrest, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Wren, Swallow, Siskin, Wood Pigeon, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, GS Woodpecker, Common Redstart, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit(my only third ever record of this here), Coal Tit, Great Tit, Lesser Redpoll, Tree Pipit and Red Kite.

Andy James

Tregaron Bog

  

A ‘flock’ of 5 Little Ringed Plovers at the southern end of Tregaron Bog yesterday evening (22^nd April).

 Arfon Williams

 

More from Glandwr

 . I had a look  (at Glandwr)  this morning, didn't see any Wheatears and only a Canada was on the pool but it seemed to have a good stand of reeds - several Reed Warblers were singing and a couple of Sedge Warblers nearby together with the usual invisible Cetti's.

Keith Worden