I am starting this record of my “local patch” which lies within the Clwydians Hill AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; national designation) and includes part of the Alyn and Chwiler Living Landscape (North Wales Wildlife Trust Designation). See attached Map below.
I will start with my own list of bird sightings over many years past and will add regular updates. Please feel free to add your own observations and, especially to record any bird sightings, recent or historical, that will add to the list of 118 species below.
Whooper Swan Unusual sighting of 2 on Star Crossing pool very briefly
Mute Swan One fly-over
Greylag Goose Common all year, nesting
Canada Goose Common all year, nesting
Shelduck One fly-over
Mandarin Duck A single male on Star Crossing pool was my only sighting
Wigeon Once only on Star Crossing pool
Teal Frequent on Star Crossing pool from late Sep to mid-April; max 52
Mallard Nesting in all wetland areas
Gadwall Winter visitor, Ysceifiog Lake
Shoveler Often makes a brief stop-over in winter; max 18
Tufted Duck A few pairs nest and larger numbers winter
Goosander Small flocks usually stay for a while in early winter; max 14
Pheasant Released locally and present all year
Red-legged Partridge Rarely seen, but present (5 records)
Black Grouse Nests near Moel Famau, but rarely seen
Red Grouse Less common than Black Grouse (not seen recently)
Quail Rare; heard calling once in the 1990s (July)
Cormorant An occasional flyover in winter
Little Egret Seen 1-2x only
Grey Heron Often seen, at any time of year
Little Grebe Nested in 2016 and 2018
Black-necked Grebe Once only in the Wheeler valley
Red Kite Seen 3-4 times a year
Hen Harrier Very rare on passage (not seen this century!)
Marsh Harrier Twice on passage
Goshawk Rarely seen
Sparrowhawk Common locally, but secretive in summer
Buzzard Very common, seen daily in good numbers
Woodcock Last seen several years ago, now uncommon
Snipe One fly-over
Moorhen Nests on larger ponds and lakes
Coot Usually present on any pond, nesting
Lapwing Often present in summer, probably tries to nest locally
Curlew Seen 2x on passage in April
Little Ringed Plover One spring migrant on Star Crossing pool
Black-headed Gull Sometimes joins Common Gulls in winter
Common Gull Large numbers in fields in winter only
Lesser Black-backed Gull Common flyover
Herring Gull Common flyover
Great Black-backed Gull Occasional flyover
Stock Dove Quite common but local (northern part of AONB)
Woodpigeon Abundant throughout
Collared Dove Common near human settlements
Short-eared Owl Seen a few times when it nested ca 10 years ago
Tawny Owl Common nesting bird in woodland
Cuckoo One or two pairs in the hills in summer
Swift Frequent in summer or on passage; max 33
Kingfisher Seen on pools and on the River Alyn
Nightjar Uncommon and local in upland pine forest clearings
Green Woodpecker Uncommon in the hills
GreatSpotted Woodpecker Very common nesting bird in woodland
Kestrel Common in the hills only
Hobby Seen twice on passage
Peregrine Infrequent; seen more often when nesting locally
Chough A once-only sighting of 2 birds calling in flight
Magpie All too common
Jay Fairly common in wooded areas
Jackdaw Abundant throughout
Rook Abundant throughout
Carrion Crow Abundant throughout
Raven Common resident as singles or pairs
Goldcrest Common
Blue Tit Abundant throughout
Great Tit Abundant throughout
Marsh Tit Now quite uncommon, nested Pantymwyn in 2009
Coal Tit Common throughout
Skylark Breeds thinly in the hills
Sand Martin Nests in nearby sand pits
Swallow Nests in farm buildings
House Martin Nests near human settlements
Long-tailed Tit Quite common
Wood Warbler Uncommon nesting visitor to open woodland (declined)
Chiffchaff Common throughout
Willow Warbler Common in uplands and scrub
Blackcap Common nesting bird in woodland
Garden Warbler A rather sparse nesting visitor
Whitethroat Common in open country
Lesser Whitethroat Nested in Pantymwyn up to 2014, at least
Grasshopper Warbler Once or twice on spring passage
Sedge Warbler Nesting 1-2x near River Alyn
Nuthatch Common nesting bird in woodland
Treecreeper Fairly common in woodland, inconspicuous
Wren Abundant throughout
Starling Nests sparsely near villages/farms
Dipper Nests on River Alyn at Loggerheads and elsewhere
Ring Ouzel Regular spring migrant in the hills, late March- early May
Blackbird Abundant throughout
Fieldfare Sporadically common winter visitor to higher ground
Song Thrush Common nesting bird in woodland
Redwing Fairly common winter visitor, sometimes in large flocks
Mistle Thrush Common nesting bird in woodland
Spotted Flycatcher Uncommon, usually near buildings in summer
Pied Flycatcher Nests sparsely in woodland (once used garden nestboxes!)
Robin Abundant throughout
Redstart A common nesting bird in the hills
Whinchat Now uncommon on passage, rarely nesting
Stonechat Fairly common nesting bird in the hills
Wheatear A few pairs nest in the hills, declining
Dunnock Abundant throughout
House Sparrow Common near human settlements
Tree Sparrow Very sparse resident in farmland
Grey Wagtail Nests on the River Alyn
Pied Wagtail Fairly common, mostly in the hills
Meadow Pipit Nests in the hills, winter flocks in lower fields
Tree Pipit Very sparse upland nesting visitor
Brambling Regular winter visitor in small numbers at Pantywmyn
Chaffinch Abundant throughout
Bullfinch Fairly common, almost abundant in Pantywmyn
Greenfinch Common resident
Linnet Fairly common in the hills
Lesser Redpoll Nests in upland pine woods, winter visitor to feeders
Crossbill Regular nesting bird in upland pine forests
Goldfinch Very common throughout
Siskin Nests in stands of pine, winter visitor to feeders
Yellowhammer Locally fairly common but sparse generally
Reed Bunting Uncommon nesting bird (little suitable habitat)
I will start with my own list of bird sightings over many years past and will add regular updates. Please feel free to add your own observations and, especially to record any bird sightings, recent or historical, that will add to the list of 118 species below.
Whooper Swan Unusual sighting of 2 on Star Crossing pool very briefly
Mute Swan One fly-over
Greylag Goose Common all year, nesting
Canada Goose Common all year, nesting
Shelduck One fly-over
Mandarin Duck A single male on Star Crossing pool was my only sighting
Wigeon Once only on Star Crossing pool
Teal Frequent on Star Crossing pool from late Sep to mid-April; max 52
Mallard Nesting in all wetland areas
Gadwall Winter visitor, Ysceifiog Lake
Shoveler Often makes a brief stop-over in winter; max 18
Tufted Duck A few pairs nest and larger numbers winter
Goosander Small flocks usually stay for a while in early winter; max 14
Pheasant Released locally and present all year
Red-legged Partridge Rarely seen, but present (5 records)
Black Grouse Nests near Moel Famau, but rarely seen
Red Grouse Less common than Black Grouse (not seen recently)
Quail Rare; heard calling once in the 1990s (July)
Cormorant An occasional flyover in winter
Little Egret Seen 1-2x only
Grey Heron Often seen, at any time of year
Little Grebe Nested in 2016 and 2018
Black-necked Grebe Once only in the Wheeler valley
Red Kite Seen 3-4 times a year
Hen Harrier Very rare on passage (not seen this century!)
Marsh Harrier Twice on passage
Goshawk Rarely seen
Sparrowhawk Common locally, but secretive in summer
Buzzard Very common, seen daily in good numbers
Woodcock Last seen several years ago, now uncommon
Snipe One fly-over
Moorhen Nests on larger ponds and lakes
Coot Usually present on any pond, nesting
Lapwing Often present in summer, probably tries to nest locally
Curlew Seen 2x on passage in April
Little Ringed Plover One spring migrant on Star Crossing pool
Black-headed Gull Sometimes joins Common Gulls in winter
Common Gull Large numbers in fields in winter only
Lesser Black-backed Gull Common flyover
Herring Gull Common flyover
Great Black-backed Gull Occasional flyover
Stock Dove Quite common but local (northern part of AONB)
Woodpigeon Abundant throughout
Collared Dove Common near human settlements
Short-eared Owl Seen a few times when it nested ca 10 years ago
Tawny Owl Common nesting bird in woodland
Cuckoo One or two pairs in the hills in summer
Swift Frequent in summer or on passage; max 33
Kingfisher Seen on pools and on the River Alyn
Nightjar Uncommon and local in upland pine forest clearings
Green Woodpecker Uncommon in the hills
GreatSpotted Woodpecker Very common nesting bird in woodland
Kestrel Common in the hills only
Hobby Seen twice on passage
Peregrine Infrequent; seen more often when nesting locally
Chough A once-only sighting of 2 birds calling in flight
Magpie All too common
Jay Fairly common in wooded areas
Jackdaw Abundant throughout
Rook Abundant throughout
Carrion Crow Abundant throughout
Raven Common resident as singles or pairs
Goldcrest Common
Blue Tit Abundant throughout
Great Tit Abundant throughout
Marsh Tit Now quite uncommon, nested Pantymwyn in 2009
Coal Tit Common throughout
Skylark Breeds thinly in the hills
Sand Martin Nests in nearby sand pits
Swallow Nests in farm buildings
House Martin Nests near human settlements
Long-tailed Tit Quite common
Wood Warbler Uncommon nesting visitor to open woodland (declined)
Chiffchaff Common throughout
Willow Warbler Common in uplands and scrub
Blackcap Common nesting bird in woodland
Garden Warbler A rather sparse nesting visitor
Whitethroat Common in open country
Lesser Whitethroat Nested in Pantymwyn up to 2014, at least
Grasshopper Warbler Once or twice on spring passage
Sedge Warbler Nesting 1-2x near River Alyn
Nuthatch Common nesting bird in woodland
Treecreeper Fairly common in woodland, inconspicuous
Wren Abundant throughout
Starling Nests sparsely near villages/farms
Dipper Nests on River Alyn at Loggerheads and elsewhere
Ring Ouzel Regular spring migrant in the hills, late March- early May
Blackbird Abundant throughout
Fieldfare Sporadically common winter visitor to higher ground
Song Thrush Common nesting bird in woodland
Redwing Fairly common winter visitor, sometimes in large flocks
Mistle Thrush Common nesting bird in woodland
Spotted Flycatcher Uncommon, usually near buildings in summer
Pied Flycatcher Nests sparsely in woodland (once used garden nestboxes!)
Robin Abundant throughout
Redstart A common nesting bird in the hills
Whinchat Now uncommon on passage, rarely nesting
Stonechat Fairly common nesting bird in the hills
Wheatear A few pairs nest in the hills, declining
Dunnock Abundant throughout
House Sparrow Common near human settlements
Tree Sparrow Very sparse resident in farmland
Grey Wagtail Nests on the River Alyn
Pied Wagtail Fairly common, mostly in the hills
Meadow Pipit Nests in the hills, winter flocks in lower fields
Tree Pipit Very sparse upland nesting visitor
Brambling Regular winter visitor in small numbers at Pantywmyn
Chaffinch Abundant throughout
Bullfinch Fairly common, almost abundant in Pantywmyn
Greenfinch Common resident
Linnet Fairly common in the hills
Lesser Redpoll Nests in upland pine woods, winter visitor to feeders
Crossbill Regular nesting bird in upland pine forests
Goldfinch Very common throughout
Siskin Nests in stands of pine, winter visitor to feeders
Yellowhammer Locally fairly common but sparse generally
Reed Bunting Uncommon nesting bird (little suitable habitat)
