rezMole
Well-known member
Having only ever done day trips before, my girlfried (Sue) and I decided a while ago to go to Wales. She always wanted to see Red Kites, so Wales seemed the best place. As our life lists were not much over 100, we expected to add maybe 10 to that, but revised it down to 5 - we're not very experienced!
Set off on Tuesday morning for a B&B near Gigrin Farm and arived at lunchtime. Just time to freahen up before going to Gigrin. Wow! The red kites were just wonderful. It was great to see buzzards at close range too, and all those rooks! Saw 30 different species in all (4 new to us were: Red Kite; Redstart; Rook; Raven). A good start.
After evening meal we went for a walk down by the river, but the thunder and rain cut that one short.
After breakfast the next day, we went over to Ynys-hir RSPB, not really knowing what to expect. As it turned out, it was one of our best and most enjoyable days out ever (only being doing this since December last year!) We planned our route around the reserve carefully, taking in all the hides and missing out the short-cuts. Unfortunately, we got a littlelost and ended up on one of the short-cuts. Best thing to happen to us as it turned out. Sue spotted a brown "lump" on the side of a large tree. Half-jokingly, i said it was an owl. It looked like the back of an owl. We walked back, so we could see round the side of the tree, and it WAS an owl, a Tawny. Fantastic. Managed to get a quick photo before it noticed us and flew off to another tree. We crept along the footpath, slowly and quietly, but it obviously saw us coming and flew off deeper into the trees. We decided not to follow, a couple of decent views was enough for us. We saw 64 species in all during the day (with a magnificent 8 new ones: Siskin; Skylark; Common Sandpiper; Little Egret; Tawny Owl; Spotted Flycatcher; Whinchat; Stonechat).
After the one hour+ drive back, and a meal, we were knackered. But we had heard there was a Peregrine just a couple of miles down the road at Elan Valley. So we went for a look, and found it relatively easily. Only stayed half an hour - 6 species (1 new being Peregrine).
Having to get back home by 3 the next day, we were originally going to pop back to Elan for a couple of hours, but tried a local reserve (Gilfach Nature Reserve) instead. Only 13 species and very wet legs! But well worth it. Some great views of treecreepers. Whilst we were watching them, i spotted a green woodpecker. Not a new one for me, but it was for Sue. Got a few decent photos of that one. Huh, she had caught up one on her life list (she is a few behing my because i went to Bempton last year!). I was, of course, happy for her as she had been looking for a Green for some time! Anyway, i got it back on the way back to the car - a nice yellowhammer sat on a large rock (she saw one a few months ago, which i missed).
All-in-all a thoroughly enjoyable 3 days away from it all. We returned home already planning future 3 or 4 day trips (Norfolk, Anglesey, Scotland?). Met some very friendly, helpful birders on our travels too. The highlight? Difficult really - all those Red Kites? The Green woodpeckers close up? No, had to be the Tawny Owl.
I'd certainly recommend Ynys-hir (64 species is our highest ever for one site).
Adding 14 to each of our life-lists was far more than we expected - that target of 150 by the end of the year might even be achievable!!!
The only disappointent for me was not seeing a Chough - but then, i thought they were everywhere in Wales. Found out they're not. Never mind - i can wait until next year.
Set off on Tuesday morning for a B&B near Gigrin Farm and arived at lunchtime. Just time to freahen up before going to Gigrin. Wow! The red kites were just wonderful. It was great to see buzzards at close range too, and all those rooks! Saw 30 different species in all (4 new to us were: Red Kite; Redstart; Rook; Raven). A good start.
After evening meal we went for a walk down by the river, but the thunder and rain cut that one short.
After breakfast the next day, we went over to Ynys-hir RSPB, not really knowing what to expect. As it turned out, it was one of our best and most enjoyable days out ever (only being doing this since December last year!) We planned our route around the reserve carefully, taking in all the hides and missing out the short-cuts. Unfortunately, we got a littlelost and ended up on one of the short-cuts. Best thing to happen to us as it turned out. Sue spotted a brown "lump" on the side of a large tree. Half-jokingly, i said it was an owl. It looked like the back of an owl. We walked back, so we could see round the side of the tree, and it WAS an owl, a Tawny. Fantastic. Managed to get a quick photo before it noticed us and flew off to another tree. We crept along the footpath, slowly and quietly, but it obviously saw us coming and flew off deeper into the trees. We decided not to follow, a couple of decent views was enough for us. We saw 64 species in all during the day (with a magnificent 8 new ones: Siskin; Skylark; Common Sandpiper; Little Egret; Tawny Owl; Spotted Flycatcher; Whinchat; Stonechat).
After the one hour+ drive back, and a meal, we were knackered. But we had heard there was a Peregrine just a couple of miles down the road at Elan Valley. So we went for a look, and found it relatively easily. Only stayed half an hour - 6 species (1 new being Peregrine).
Having to get back home by 3 the next day, we were originally going to pop back to Elan for a couple of hours, but tried a local reserve (Gilfach Nature Reserve) instead. Only 13 species and very wet legs! But well worth it. Some great views of treecreepers. Whilst we were watching them, i spotted a green woodpecker. Not a new one for me, but it was for Sue. Got a few decent photos of that one. Huh, she had caught up one on her life list (she is a few behing my because i went to Bempton last year!). I was, of course, happy for her as she had been looking for a Green for some time! Anyway, i got it back on the way back to the car - a nice yellowhammer sat on a large rock (she saw one a few months ago, which i missed).
All-in-all a thoroughly enjoyable 3 days away from it all. We returned home already planning future 3 or 4 day trips (Norfolk, Anglesey, Scotland?). Met some very friendly, helpful birders on our travels too. The highlight? Difficult really - all those Red Kites? The Green woodpeckers close up? No, had to be the Tawny Owl.
I'd certainly recommend Ynys-hir (64 species is our highest ever for one site).
Adding 14 to each of our life-lists was far more than we expected - that target of 150 by the end of the year might even be achievable!!!
The only disappointent for me was not seeing a Chough - but then, i thought they were everywhere in Wales. Found out they're not. Never mind - i can wait until next year.