Merlin, Firecrest & Jay

First off, apologies for the lack of updates. I simply have not got round to it! Any readers left?

It's been a truly beautiful autumn morning. The weather was dry, calm and cool with the sun slowly breaking through a veil of cloud over the bulk of Cadair Idris, making for a  nice start to the day.

My attention turned once more to migrant counting at Uwchmynydd and a fine Merlin dashed across the road on arrival. Unfortunately, after an hour I gave up disappointed with low numbers of birds on the move. Click on the image below for the details:

Good to bump into Marc Hughes aka MarcBuzzard (and definitely worth a follow on Twitter) who joined me for a while and then had a wander around the area, finding a Woodcock near Ty Newydd Campsite.

Selected species in Porth Meudwy included: Great Spotted Woodpecker, 28 Blackbird, a Fieldfare, 10 Redwing, one Mistle Thrush, two Blackcap and three Chiffchaff. A flyover migrant Jay was being pressured by the local Crows to continue. A couple of Brambling called overhead while Marc picked up a Lapland Bunting on the move with a flock of Skylarks.

Finally, a brilliant male Firecrest ( a new bird or is t the same one hanging around?) was found just below the Tir Glyn campsite.

Aerial Plovers

I could watch Golden Plover flocks all day, especially when they take to the wing. This is when they're transformed from the shy, slow moving waders of open grassland and moors to sky dancers; often circling endlessly across the sky back and forwards from horizon to horizon. Whenever I see them - and even more so when I hear them - I'm taken back to wilder landscapes than the farmland that dominates so much of the peninsula.

From searching for golden-spangled breeding birds on long hot May days, across upland bogs white with Cottongrass, high above the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire's lovely Peak District, to watching resting flocks of autumn migrants on Unst - the most northerly of the Shetland Isles - they've always been a delight to encounter. A flock of c.100 circling the Llanengan floods late afternoon today were as captivating as ever.

A single adult Mediterranean Gull, 47 Teal, 16 Wigeon and 60 Curlew were virtually the only other birds present but the Goldies stole the show.

Redwing

It's been a rather cold, dull and wet day but a fine Redwing calling over the house - my first this autumn - was a good start.

Later, I had a message from Steve Stansfield reporting a Citrine Wagtail on Bardsey - first for the island, and probably another one to add to my 'flown over the house' list...

Anyway, this is a bit of a late post, but the avian excitement yesterday on the mainland was probably just a statistically significant Jackdaw movement ;-p as witnessed by yours truly at Mynydd Mawr. I see by using the 'Migration Pattern' page of Trektellen that there were some big numbers moving in Europe. If you're as fascinated by migration as me and have never had a play with this remarkable database then get on the case (or throw your binoculars away). Full count from yesterday below:

With a relatively uneventful session on the hill I called into Porth Meudwy for a quick look on my way home. First surprise was a group of eight Mistle Thrushes by the car park, my highest count here, as was a flock of 17 Magpies (presumably a post-roost group).

Other selected species included; two Grey Wagtail, six Blackbird, 13 Robin, 10 Blackcap, three Chiffchaff, 17 Goldcrest, a single Coal Tit, a flock of 10 Red-billed Chough over to the east, Lesser Redpoll, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting and a flyover Common Snipe. 

Continental Jays?

I set the alarm for another unearthly hour and was rewarded by a brilliant starscape and silver moon on waking. The ritual of breakfast, gathering food, flask, optics etc was quickly over and I was out on the road again, heading west. After some very heavy showers the morning dawned dry and cold with the wind in the northwest and expectations high.

Visible migration was again on the agenda but sadly the results were a little disappointing - click the Trektellen screengrab below for full details:

The two Jays were seen by an unknown birder who I met in Porth Meudwy after completing the count where I was pleased to see another couple of these smart corvids - presumably they're Continental birds as big numbers are presently being reported from both sides of the North Sea.

With the sun hitting the top of the valley after a cold night plenty of birds were busy flycatching and eating the blackberries, haws and elderberries. Blackcaps were most evident with 19 logged plus a total of three Chiffchaff. I was fortunate enough to refind both the Yellow-browed Warbler and the male Firecrest and was able to view both from the same location at one point (in the bottom section of the valley in the willows by the stream). By this time the sun was really warming the place up and it tuned out to be a gorgeous day.

Overhead, hirundines were passing through with 19 Barn Swallow and 25 House Martin. While watching these a group of Common Buzzads were located very high up in the clouds (two adults and four 1st years - presumably also on the move).

The usual suspects were around the valley including twenty Robins, two Blackbirds and a single Song Thrush were also seen. Where are all the Redwings and Fieldfares? Very late arriving this year. Small groups of Chaffinch were again dropping in, a Lesser Redpoll buzzed overhead and a few more Skylarks headed over. A couple of Coal Tits could also have been migrants as they were the first I've seen here for a while.

After bumping into Eddie again I was relieved when he connected with the Yellow-browed' before we had a drive around Uwchmynydd, checking Pwll Cyw (quiet apart from a few Goldcrests, Chiffchaff and a nearby Northern Wheatear) and Ystolhelyg. A nice Red Kite was a bonus bird drifting overhead. After dropping him back in the valley an Adder slithered across the track as I departed.

On reaching home received a message that a probable Richard's Pipit was at Porth Colomon today (no further details) and a Firecrest was at the crossroads by Ffynnon Saint just west of Aberdaron. This was still showing late afternoon.

Leaf Warblers

Fooled by a bad weather forecast I was up later than planned to a cold, mostly grey but dry morning. I reckoned that a quick look in the valley would be a good idea and arrived mid-morning.

Immediately it was obvious that there were a few more migrants around than yesterday with several thrushes exploding out of the dense cover and several pulses of Barn Swallows moving NE, totalling 141 birds.

A fine Peregrine (always a delight to see) zoomed over, spooking a flock of Herring Gulls. Then I finally connected with what has been a site 'bogey bird' for a very long time as I heard then saw a stonking male Firecrest make it's way quickly down the valley. I've seen and found several of these lovely 'crests in various parts of North Wales over the years (even in my old garden) but, despite many historical records, I'd never actually seen one in Porth Meudwy. I was here with Jesse Wilkinson once who called one just yards from me but as I reached him the bloody thing disappeared (same thing happened with a Barred Warbler a few years ago). So, finally I connected (and I take back all the malicious rumours I have spread about the veracity of some of the historical accounts)!

Total counts of selected species (for those who are interested) were: 15 Robin, five Blackbird, six Song Thrush, six Blackcap, three Chiffchaff, 17 Goldcrest, 7 Blue Tit (not quite Falsterbo but I had to include this for Eddie who's only interested in common birds), a few Chaff', Gold' & Bullfinch plus a couple of Siskin.

I was chatting at the cove with Idwal, one of the local lobsterfishermen, about various things he'd seen during a lifetime at sea locally (Sunfish , balls of Herring, countless dolphins etc) when he mentioned a turtle (presumed Leatherback') that he saw powering through the Bardsey Sound some 40 years ago. As he put it "I told no one then, as we did not know about turtles in the area... and I thought I might get locked up in a small room!". He was not insane - what a lucky chap!

Anyway, the Urbanski Birder then arrived at record speed after my text about the Firecrest and we proceeded to work our way back up the track. While checking various things out I noticed a small green warbler - Yellow-browed! Another great bird. Unfortunately, I could not get Eddie on to it as the thing dropped into cover and failed to re-emerge in the next half hour. This was the 7th or 8th one of these cracking little Sibes that I've (co-)found in the valley over the years but I've a special affection for them and every one is a total delight to see and hear. Four hours after arriving I set off home a happy birder... 

Bird of the Day

Here's a screenshot from the amazing Trektellen website detailing the species I counted at Mynydd Mawr this morning. Apologies if the text is a little small (simply click on the image for a full screen version).

Anyway, as can be seen there was some fantastic passage - at several points I simply did not know where to look as the sky was full of birds.

Although I saw no rare or scarce birds today (although a brief blast of probable Lapland Bunting was just too distant to confirm) it really was worth the early start. Bird of the day was a single vocal Rook that headed purposefully out over the Irish Sea towards Ynys Enlli and beyond! The great thing about vis migging here is that best is yet to come as numbers of migrants increase steadily as the autumn progresses.

After walking up and around the mountain (noting a few Chough, Northern Wheatear and more Mipits) I worked my way back down along the road. Another Grey Wagtail, a Barn Swallow and Yellowhammer were by Pwll Bron-llwyn at Llanllawen, the small pool and willows at Ystolhelyg were heaving with Goldcrests (12+) then the valley beckoned.

As I arrived at Porth Meudwy I bumped into Eddie again and we spent the rest of the afternoon walking down, along the coast to Porth Simdde then back along past Cwrt, before doing the valley again! It felt promising but despite a thorough examination of the cake there was no icing on it so to speak.

A party of 15 Barn Swallows zipped overhead, a couple of Rock Pipits were by the cove,19 Robin, four Blackbird, three Song Thrush, three Blackcap, three Chiffchaff and eight Goldcrest were in the valley with three Bullfinch but, surprisingly, little else.

Porth Simdde held a few more Blackbirds and four Blackcap while a couple more Wheatears were on one of the ploughed fields at Cwrt where the Little Owl was again sunning itself at the window inside one of the outbuildings! With a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers seen on Enlli and one ringed at Penygroeslon today and a change in the weather, with the rain beating down as I write this things seem promising for a decent arrival in the next few days. Fingers crossed... 

Flood Ruffs

After my previous post about the Llanengan floods and waxing lyrical about ye olde records from there I've been either avoiding the rain, busy and/or away, but found myself staring at the site yesterday afternoon as massive thunder clouds rolled across the sky, the showers came down and brilliant rainbows appeared when the sun broke through.

Hundreds of large gulls, 80+ Curlew, 23 Eurasian Wigeon, an early Goldeneye, a few Teal, two fine Ruff, plus single Lapwing, Dunlin and Bar-tailed Godwit were making the most of the transient floodscape while a Grass Snake was dead on the road in Llangian - presumably 'washed out'. A minimum of 30 alba wagtails were around and a smart Yellow Wagtail flew north.

With the rarities coating the northern and eastern parts of the UK I reckoned that some must have made their way this far west and had a quick look in Porth Meudwy as the sun was setting. A couple of Spotted Flycatchers were the best sighting as most other species seemed to be getting their heads down ready to roost.

This morning I reached Porth Meudwy in much brighter conditions, although a cool NW was blowing. A couple of hours spent slowly grilling every bush revealed... not much!

Hirundines comprised 11 Barn Swallow and a single House Martin, Robins seemed to be eveywhere (especially in the upper valley) with a  minimum of 23 present, while three Blackbirds were lurking in the undergrowth. As was a large grey wabler that I saw enter and fail to reappear (it did look suspiciously like a Barred' on the brief flight views but will consign it to my large 'ones that got away' list).

Just six Blackcaps, three Chiffchaff, 13 Goldcrest and a single Spotted Flycatcher were logged. A few finches - including two Bullfinches - were the best of the rest, while a couple of hawker dragonflies, several Red Admirals and a lovely Comma represented the non-avian fliers.

Medication

Today saw me join Rhys Jones on the south part of the peninsula. It's been one of those weeks and a few hours of ornithological therapy was much appreciated.

First stop was Llanengan where the flooded fields looked great for hordes of waders. I do have to wonder what's passed through here over time (like so many local sites!). Marc Hughes found a well-twitched Glossy Ibis here back in October 2005, a Golden Oriole was seen in the village a few years ago, there are historical records of Bittern, Greenland White-fronted Goose and regular visits by small numbers of Whooper Swan... am I forgetting anything else people?

Talking of historical records, I'm always intrigued by the tale of a White-tailed Sea Eagle seen 'near Abersoch' for two weeks in November 1910 before the poor thing was shot in the wing, captured and sent to an aviculturist in Wrexham. I can well imagine the bird hunting the fowl over the flooded Afon Soch! Check out the great books by H.E. Forrest The Vertebrate Fauna of North Wales (1907) and the updated supplement entitled A Handbook to the Vertebrate Fauna of North Wales (1919) for other fascinating tales from the old days.

Sadly, five Dunlin was the highlight although 14 alba wagtails (mostly Whites) and a mixed flock of  Barn Swallows, Sand' & House Martins gave us something to check through. The wind was a bit of a pain today with a fresh W veering NW later although at least the sun was out. Seawatching weather even; indeed, Rhys had been at Porth Ysgaden this morning but there was very little moving apart from a few Arctic Skuas and Red-throated Divers.

Next stop was Abersoch which was surprisingly busy with various touristy types wandering around. The beach held the usual few Great Ringed Plovers and a small posse of loafing gulls that included nine fine Mediteraneans (eight adults and a second-winter - all unringed). We also managed to gain entry to some swanky eatery pub place overlooking the harbour despite me not getting changed for lunch ;-p

The fields at Penrhos beckoned afterwards. These really look 'monster' at the minute with a couple of natural scrapes having formed there after a summer of wet. On arrival something managed to flush everything off them but the birds soon returned. These were a decent flock of Curlew, 26 Dunlin and a couple of Ringed Plover. Twenty Golden Plover hunkered down out of the wind while a Northern Wheatear and a couple more White Wagtails were scatttered around. No Buff-breasted Sandpipers revealed themselves although we did try hard to string one. Visiting birders should check this place out - pull off the main road down the track to Carreg-y-defaid and walk back along the sea defences to view.

Pwllheli harbour was about as dead as it ever has been although a fine peachy Greenland Wheatear scuttled along the shore flycatching and 20 Teal were on the Cob Pool.

Red Knot

A flying visit through town on a lovely calm, hot and sunny afternoon gave me the opportunity to check the harbour as the tide dropped. Not much change on the wader front although 14 Red Knot included a beautiful summer plumaged bird amongst the 1st winters. Also here was a single Bar-tailed Godwit, a couple of Dunlin and a few more Oystercatcher.

I didn't have time to check the place thoroughly so I'm sure other birds would have dropped in, still there's always something to look at, even if it's only the weird and wonderful pedestrians passing by. I had one old guy the other day who walked along, took one look at my scope and said "well... that looks like a real lens". Having explained that it was, and a telescope at that - not a photographic one -  he did not reply but proceeded to stand staring at me from about 3 metres away for a minute, grunted and turned on his heel to continue towards town. I felt like he had seen a rare vagrant that had left him speechless (I wish). Before any of you ask, my beard is now more designer stubble than Old Testament - having snagged in my binoculars on a few too many occasions and I was smartly dressed in the usual Craghoppers green. I always find it interesting/disturbing how people react to me (and my scope)... usually a mixture of bemusement, wonder, pity, suspicion and awe...

So, have you - dear anonymous reader - had any particularly memorable encounters with the public when out bird spotting? Please keep the anecdotes tasteful as I don't want to lower the tone of this blog any more than the depths it has already reached; I am thinking tern wardens in particular - some of the tales they tell make even me blush!

Mynydd Mawr Migrants

I've enjoyed a couple of early morning sessions at Uwchmynydd logging visible migration these last couple of days. All details are again over at the phenomenal 'real-time' European migration website Trektellen.

Although there hasn't yet been huge numbers of birds - as occurs here in favourable conditions later in the autumn - a good mix of pipits (including a few Trees), wagtails and finches make the early starts worthwhile.

The Red-billed Chough flock numbered 17 today with many noisy birds arriving from a roost to the south at dawn and loafing on the hillside in the morning sun; preening, loafing and stretching. They seem to be indulging in a spot of Choga - Chough yoga! After a while the birds disperse and start feeding in the area but you are virtually guaranteed to connect with the species here.

Next stop was Porth Meudwy where I had a good long search for migrants. Four Grey Wagtails were calling around Cwrt Farm as I arrived. A few Barn Swallows were moving through while the highlight of the morning for me was suddenly being surrounded by a dense flock of over 70 House Martins. They simply dropped out of the sky to refuel on migration and began feeding over the scrub in the sheltered east side, calling constantly and sweeping around the valley sides.

Robin numbers were up to 11 birds and many of these were presumably fresh in, being chased by the territorial residents. Blackcaps seemed to be everywhere, with a very conservative count of 13 birds, although there could easily have been double that, while 10 Chiffchaff, 3 Goldcrests and a couple of Common Whitethroats added to the variety.