I mentioned to Tom Chinnick (Gwent County Recorder) that I still hadn't seen a Wood Warbler and he was good enough to point me to the right spot which is halfway up the Sugarloaf in Abergavenny. I drove up there in early May and pulled into the little car park.
As soon as I got out of the car I heard a Goldcrest calling and sure enough it was right there on the branch in front of me, joined almost immediately by a male and they wasted no time in mating.
The gate just visible in this second photograph goes in front of a cottage and leads to the entrance to the walk through the valley.
On the way down I saw a Pied Fly Catcher and heard my first Wood Warbler. Before I focus on the main course I'll just post a couple of other spots as this is such an excellent area for birding spanning as it does a wooded river valley with closed leaf canopy and open moorland.
Jays
Following the path up the hill towards the Sugarloaf I saw this Redstart on a fence by the farm.
I know these are only 'record shots' - the light wasn't particularly good at this point!
Male Redstart
Female Redstart
I also saw these handsome Linnets.
Another pretty pair - Blue Tits
From here the views are spectacular !
Up in a tree and then on a wire I saw what I believe (from the absence of a huge spur) to be a Tree Pipet.
Rounding the hill onto the Sugarloaf itself I saw this Mistle Thrush, one of a number up there.
As I approached the first parking space area I heard a bird calling from a hedgerow that turned out to be a Yellowhammer!
In a nearby tree I heard a Willow Warbler calling and captured this one mid-snack
On the hillside I saw lots of Meadow Pipits and heard and saw a Sky Lark.
Mippit with nesting material.
Walking up and over the side of the Sugar Loaf back into the woods I saw a Coal Tit
and this (not sure, any help appreciated)
Finally tracked down the source of all the noise the elusive Wood Warbler! Here are a few photos,
Wood Warbler
Last but by no means least (as it took quite a while to put together) I've included a video. I've been working my way through the common warblers and I've only got the Garden and Dartford to go for the set. Icterine, Yellow Browed and Marsh Warblers are on my wish list but all fall into the category of rarities in this part of the world.
