Sunday 8 May 2011

Rhayader, Powys, Wales, 7th and 8th May, 2011

The weekend started out from SE London at 04.00 hours.
M.S. and Kevin arrived at my house and we set of for Rhayader, Powys, Wales.

Arriving about 09.00 hours in changable weather from blue sky one minute and grey sky and showers next minute.

At our destination, we were immediatly treated with sights of Pied Flycatcher, the bird we had come to see.

Pied Flycatcher, at least 10 pairs.
Common Redstart, 3 pairs.
Nuthatch, several.
Treecreeper.
Cuckoo, 2 m and heard 1 f.
Siskin.
Wood Warbler.
Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Raven, Red Kite and Common Buzard. fly over.
Blue and Great Tit


Pied Flycatcher, f
Pied Flycatcher, f
Pied Flycatcher, m

Pied Flycatcher, m
Common Redstart, m
Common Redstart, m

Common Redstart, m

Common Redstart, f

Common Redstart, f

Blue Tit

                            Nuthatch


Wood Warbler
Wood Warbler


We spent the whole day at this site leaving about 7.30 hours to get fish and chips in Rhayader.

We then went to Woodhouse Farm, a mid Wales Bunkhouse, £14.00 per night, who provided accomodaton for us. Excellent value for our purpose. John and Steph, the owners gave us permission to explore the farmland in the morning in order to do a count of bird species that we could find.

Usual, up at first light (me last). M.S. had allready found 2 Lesser Redpoll on the grass outside the back of the bunkhouse. The walk started at 06.30 finding

Lesser Redpoll, several.
Common Redpoll, 1, very pale, red forecrown and incredable pink-flushed breast.
Goldcrest.
Linnet.
Willow Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Bunting and Meadow Pipit
Blackbird, Robin, Blue and Great Tit, House Sparrow, Chaffinch , Goldfinch, Starling and Crow
Sand Martin, Swallow, Pied Wagtail, Red Kite, Coller Dove, Mallard and a Moorhen.

Then an hour into the survey the rain started, this was heavy rain, no choice, give up.

We were in a pub in Rhayader by 08.00 hours having the biggest breakfast ever.

Then a slow drive up to the Elan Valley reservoir, a brief look, more rain.

10.30 hours, back to yesterday location for another walk round seeing and photographing the same bird species as yesterday. Weather changing all day from good to bad light.

14.30 hours found us up at Gigrins Farm to see and photograph

Red Kite, at least 200.
Common Buzard.
Raven.


Red Kite, leucistic

Raven

Red Kite

Poor light, bad photo opportunities and the changing weather beat us at 17.00 hours so we made our way home to arrive back in London at around 22.00 hours.

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