Birding With a Friend

I went out birding today with a new friend Alan McBride.  We met in France earlier this year and yesterday Alan and i went north through Carmarthenshire and into Ceredigion.  Alan has spent over 30 years living in Australia so is keen to get familiar again with European birds.  We started at Gwynfrryd and Dinas and predictably found Pied and Spotted Flycatchers, Wood Warbler and Redstarts. A Dipper flew down river and Grey Wagtails were also about. A Cuckoo called, Tree Pipits sang from the hillsides and a single Yellowhammer singing was good news.

Yellowhammer singing

We moved on up around Lyn Brianne and  noted a few Wheatears, Whitethroats and Whinchats. We pressed on noting the usual Red Kites and Buzzards and ended up in Tregaron.  We first went up to the Teifi Pools where I have not been for years.  It was pretty dead up here except for a few Meadow Pipits and Wheatears.  A visit to Strata Florida did not bring much more.




Meadow Pipit - Alan McBride


We stopped at Cors Caron for a walk and admired the birds on the feeders.  Two splendid Redpolls were in attendance and a Great Spotted Woodpecker made regular appearances.  In glorious sunshine we went out on the boardwalk admiring great clumps of Bogbean and Cotton Grass and spent a while admiring the aerial ability of a few Swifts.  Way in the distance we caught a glimpse of Eddie the Golden Eagle which has been in the area for some years looking enormous against the kites and buzzards nearby.




Swift _Alan McBride


It had been a good day and it made even better by supper at the YTalbot back in town.  Our evening finished with another drive across the Cambrian mountains although we saw few birds.