Saddled with a pair of wired Springers for a couple of days there was only one thing for it: a lap of Llyn Brenig in the hope of buying a few hours peace and quiet later on.As with Anglesey, Mynydd Hiraethog seems to deal in a stock trade of wind and pervading greyness in the winter and today was no different.
Parking at the north end and heading south along the east shoreline birding was a little slow to begin, with a trio of Greylag Geese on the lake about my lot.
A Kestrel then appeared over one of the small islands and proceeded to cause a commotion resulting in a small wader being flushed. It was a little murky, but from the size and flight of the bird it looked to be a small ‘calidris’ wader – an interesting bird here this time of year.
Pressing on I was soon heading back north along the west side of the lake where things began to pick up a little with small posses of Crossbill flying overhead plus a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
I nearly jumped out of my skin a few minutes later when a bird was then flushed from the side of the track by one of the spaniels. A fleeting glance at the bird before it disappeared into the trees was enough to confirm a startled Woodcock.
As the skies began to brighten a few raptors started to appear: first a Buzzard, then a pair of Kestrels and as I was walking over Goes Maen Llwyd a pair of Ravens.
Not far from the car park I noticed a few walkers heading towards me and as I nosily put my bins on them I caught three birds fly up from the heather in front of them. Initially I thought they must be Snipe but as they flew towards me they revealed themselves to be Dunlin!?
I must admit to being pleasantly surprised a little puzzled to find Dunlin up here in the late autumn. Are they birds that have bred locally and stayed on; are they simply on migration; or are they going to over-winter on the lake?
Who knows…?
Llyn Brenig
4 Goldeneye
17 Crossbill
1 Woodcock
3 Dunlin
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Stonechat
3 Kestrel
1 Buzzard
2 Raven
2 Reed Bunting
Until later.
Kingfisher at Bagillt Marsh this evening; that's four different locations I've seen a Kingfisher on the Welsh side of the Dee Estaury this autumn: Point of Ayr, Bagillt, Connah's Quay and Shotton Steelworks NR...
ReplyDeleteAfter last winter I feared for the health of the Kingfisher population and not seeing any in their usual haunts in the early part of this year made me fear the worst, but I must admit that recently I've been tripping over Kingfishers and even finding them where I've never seen them before such as the Brickfields Pond in Rhyl and the new Rhuddlan NR.
ReplyDeleteLong may our exotic looking friends prosper!
Mark M.
Hi Mark
ReplyDeleteI heard an interesting article recently,where they had found that certain species of birds that had suffered large declines during the recent hard Winter,had deliberately laid very large clutches of eggs this Spring,to try to bring their population levels back up again.
I don't know how reliable that fact is,but personally I have definitely noticed very large numbers of Wrens,Blue Tits,Long Tailed Tits,Goldcrests,and Kingfishers on my recent outings.
Cheers Denzil
Hi Paul,
ReplyDeleteFYI
When least expected (having a pint in The Pump House pub)I was amazed to see a kingfisher flying between the boats at the Albert Dock - Liverpool.
Keith D
Keith D
Hi Paul
ReplyDeleteAnother 'First Light' patrol of Shotton Pools NR,produced some good Birding again,and it was nice to see Stonechats back on the 'Patch'.
SHOTTON POOLS NATURE RESERVE
'THE PATCH'
128 SPECIES RECORDED IN 2010
LATEST ADDITION - 12-11-2010 - TREECREEPER
CORMORANT 20
BLACK HEADED GULL c150
PIED WAGTAIL - ROOST - 32
CHAFFINCH - ROOST - 63
LAPWING 22
COMMON TEAL 11
TUFTED DUCK 15
SHOVELER 10
GADWALL 16
MALLARD 64
LONG TAILED TIT 28
LESSER REDPOLL 19
REED BUNTING 10
REDSHANK 11
COOT 9
GREY HERON 5
POCHARD 7
GOLDENEYE 3
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER 2
COAL TIT 2
REDWING 2
BULLFINCH 2
STONECHAT 2
STOCK DOVE 2
KINGFISHER 1
RAVEN 1
GREY WAGTAIL 1
TREECREEPER 1
LITTLE EGRET 1
COMMON SNIPE 3
JACK SNIPE 1
Cheers Denzil