NE Wales birdingwatching (1 Viewer)

[bartolli]

I regularly go walking/birdwatching in ne wales, so thought I'd start a thread of sightings/fieldtrips. Please feel free to add your own!

Catchup: several weeks ago got my first pied flycatcher (male) by the riverside in Carrog, also several sand martins nesting in the bridge at Carrog,
& then at least 2 pairs redstarts nesting near the bridal path at nant-y-madwen, nth of carrog;

Last week got a pair of linnets nestbuilding on the panorama walk nth of Llangollen, also loads of stonechats and whitethroats. Further up the walk a female green woodpecker flew up out of the heather. and at the Eglwyseg Plantation there were at least 3 redstarts (inc 1 juv) posing and calling nicely. Also in the area the ubiquitous meadow pipits and several wheatear. Unidentified tiny warblers in the heather next to the path on the way down. this seems to be an excellent place to go birding! Park at the end of the panorama walk and 1m stroll + gentle climb up to the plantation.

Yesterday on moel famau heard and saw another redstart.

I'll keep adding my own to this thread, hope it is of interest but please feel free to contribute!

Happy birding!!

 

[Peugeot]

Hi
I've been up on the panorama path myself,but only in the car........................never again!
I agree it looks superb for birding,and I'm surprised that no one has the place as a 'Patch'.
Please let me know how you get on if you get up there regularly.

 

[bartolli]

Last week went on an 8m ramble around Llanferres, heading west to the Clwyd Gate and then back up the valley along sides of Gyrn, Eithinen & Fron Hen before crossing the valley to go along Bryn Alyn.
Excellent walk, although slightly sparse on bird activity. Highlights were the many buzzards on the slopes of Eithinen using the updrafts to "hover" & hunt. We must have seen at least 6 different buzzards. In the same area a kestrel was hunting although the swallows didnt like it and were harrying it till it left.
During the walk we crossed the River Alyn twice, levels were very low and there was no sign of any of the usual dippers.:-C

 

[bartolli]

Today was nominated annual blackberrying day, so headed off to the usual spot near pontfadog in the Ceiriog Valley

On the way stopped off at Gresford Flash, the usual culprits were there: loads of coots, gulls, canadas, mallards, a few greylags. also a solitary great crested grebe and one female tufted duck.

On the lane up the hill from pontfadog there were quite a few swallows gathering on the phone lines. While picking blackberries, two buzzards were circling, although they were high up I noticed a very small bird harrying them.
After picking the quota of blackberries went for a short 2m walk.
Saw literally hundreds of pheasants, everywhere I turned there were groups of 20 or 30 of them, although they all looked a bit ragged.
Near Tynant, I was delighted to spot a treecreeper in the wood.
Several chiffchaffs were also spotted.
Stopped for a butty near Pennant, loads more pheasants! quite a few bunnies and found 2 gswoodies in the trees.
Walking up the lane there were several very friendly hens!

The definite highlight was on the path down past Bryn-y-ffynnon. I'd just climbed over a stile when I glanced right and saw something reddish on a fencepost before it flew off. Could it be a redstart? Stopped and finished my butties while waiting. Eventually, I saw 2 birds on the fence posts, must have been maybe 100m away, couldnt quite make out for sure what they were with my 10x minibins. At one point I thought "just a robin", although I was sure I recognised the redstarts call.
When one flew off, the light caught it just right and I picked up the red chest, black head and white stripe, def a redstart! I managed to take a few optimistic photos, as one does!

When I got home and loaded the photos on the PC, as expected most were unidentifiable silhouettes. There were 3 that I was delighted with given the distance. One of the birds is def a male, the other either female or juvenile who knows! Utterly delighted to see these given how late in the season it is!
B

 

[bartolli]

Another walk around llanferres today. About 7 buzzards , 2 kestrels, treecreeper, gsw, 1 dipper + 2 kingfishers on river alyn.

 

[bartolli]

went back to stake out the river last week, trying to get some decent kingfisher pics, they didnt show but a dipper turned up again. Also a large flock of long tailed tits in the tree above where I was hiding!
Later in the day, after collecting some sloes B , at Loggerheads another dipper by the wooden bridge to the right of the stone bridge on the main path.

 

[bartolli]

Spur of the moment trip to Wepre Park this pm. Several grey wagtails and single dipper on Wepre Brook below Ewloe Castle.

 

[bartolli]

7m hike today from Nant Mill, then south & west past the resevoirs, up the hill and north to New Brighton (not Wirral!).

2 buzzards, 2 kestrels including one getting harried by a crow, also 1 jay & 1 meadow pipit.

Loads of redwing flocks everywhere around the walk, including a flock of >50 above new brighton, also in with this flock were a few fieldfare. same location a v large flock of goldfinches.

Marsh or Willow (?) tit on the edge of plas power wood, also pied wagtails.

Didnt see anything of interest on the reservoirs, only loads of mallard.

Highlight was hundreds of red-legged partridges on the hill between the reservoirs and Fron deg. Every 10-15 yards another batch would fly up chukka-ing away! Loads of them!

Also 3 black grouse in same area.

 

[bartolli]

2 dippers + a kingfisher on R.Alyn by llanferres yesterday pm.

 

[bartolli]

Just had a murmeration of approx 10,000 starlings over my house in saltney!
Been here 25 yrs and this is the first time I've seen it here, apart from at raf sealand.
Approx half went down into trees behind st marks rd, but then changed their minds and streamed back up.
Eventually they all headed southwest further into wales. Brill!
Wonder if the weather further north has driven them this way!

 

[oldgiteggy]

I'm visiting Chester this weekend... any suggestions for places to visit at the moment?

 

[bartolli]

I'm visiting Chester this weekend... any suggestions for places to visit at the moment?

RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands is always good. In the same area are Burton and parkgate marsh for owls and the great white egret thats hanging around, also water pipits reported near neston. Check out the wirral and west cheshire thread for regular sighting reports.

Lesser spotted woodie at marbury cp near northwich and the welsh side of the dee estuary is also good. depends how much time you have.
If you are limited for time prob burton mere and the nearby marshes are best bet.

 

[bartolli]

2 dippers on small stream by rhewl last week.

 

[bartolli]

Went on a dipper hunt today around llanferres. A bit dipperssapointing , only catching a quick glimpse of one as it whizzed upstream. But did see a pair of treecreepers, a mistle thrush and a very nice horse with two lovely foals!

 

[bartolli]

Much better dipper hunt yesterday!
good views of one gathering nesting material near llanarmon, then a pair near plymog as well as 6 buzzards over slopes of Bryn Alyn.
A huge flock of chaffinches below llanferres included a few brambling.
Then another dipper and a grey wag by colomendy.
Finished the day off with a quick look at Gresford Flash, among all the yuckducks, gulls, moorhens, coots and geese, were a single male pochard, 2 great crested grebes (inc briefl courtship display) and distant view of what appeared to be a goldeneye but too distant to be sure.

 

[bartolli]

This pm at gresford flash: 2 tufted ducks, 1 pochard, 1 cormorant, 3 great crested grebes, 4 buzzards over + all the usual ducks/geese.

 

[bartolli]

Great Grey shrike at Worlds End

Wonderful day out at World End yesterday, what gorgeous weather!
Plenty of mipits and skylarks and entertaining song flights inbetween watching the great grey shrike perching and hunting! never realised the ggs could hover.
Excellent views thro scope but 200m away and this was the best I could manage digiscoping.

 

[bartolli]

Oh, also managed this digiscoped vid of the shrike:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyHn...DvjVQa1PpcFPDYCWlMMvfCvFF6P2yP2qHqTgHEBLfjrw=

 

[Gandalf_22h]

post

Wonderful day out at World End yesterday, what gorgeous weather!
Plenty of mipits and skylarks and entertaining song flights inbetween watching the great grey shrike perching and hunting! never realised the ggs could hover.
Excellent views thro scope but 200m away and this was the best I could manage digiscoping.

Very nice. Glad you got to see and vid it bartolli. :t::t:

 

[Jeanie]

Had a great morning at World End in spite of the rain. Got there at 8 am and saw 5 Black Grouse lekking very close to the road. There were several more distant groups of BG. Saw 2 Red legged Grouse. Went to the larch wood car park and from the top of the path had decent but distant views of the Grey Shrike. Walked back along the road for better views.
Then had a look at the wood near car park and a mixed flock flew in. Saw Siskin, Goldfinch, a Crossbill and then nearly fainted with delight as we saw our first ever Redpoll. Loads of them showing very well.
What a way to spend a morning!!