With February nearly over I’ve started to realise that I am running out of time to add more species to my winter list, which runs from the 1 October to 31 March. I last blogged about my list in mid-December when I had found a great grey shrike, my 80th species. Since then new species have been hard to come by with January only bringing me a greenfinch, a small number are now hanging around the Coed y Capel hide.
However birds are slowly starting to move around the country as they head back to or towards their breeding grounds. It was the classic Spring song of the skylark on the 15 February along the Blue Trail that got me to 82 species and despite some windy conditions they appear to have arrived back on the uplands with a few heard singing this week.
Golden plover at RSPB Dove Stone in 2016 by Gavin Chambers
This was quickly followed a couple of days later by the eerie sound of a golden plovers soft peeping call as it flew over the moorland, perhaps looking for a mate or suitable feeding area. Currently these upland waders are struggling in Wales but work is underway to try and improve the upland habitats in certain areas to favour golden plover. This has taken me to my current total of 83 species which is one more than my final total last winter and hopefully with more to come before the end of March, perhaps a wheatear?
Sightings from around the reserve: a great crested grebe is back at the top end of the lake along with the odd little grebe and the wintering teal flock; couple of goshawk sightings over conifer plantations; wigeon off the dam last weekend; a few fieldfare still about and generally a significant increase in bird song.
Fieldare feeding near Abertridwr by Gavin Chambers
Storm Doris’s gusts of up to 83mph across the reserve unsurprisingly caused a bit of disruption along our trails and lakeside road, which became impassable due to large fallen trees. At least 20 trees were cleared by the wardens from trails on Friday with one showing some interesting feeding habits at the top. Usually you might find these fallen on the ground under the tree, so it was quite interesting to see so many eaten cones still in place and reminding me of the swords used in fencing! Any ideas who might have been feeding on these cones?
Stripped cones on fallen tree by Gavin Chambers
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