May has traditionally been the month for many years now when
I have undertaken a trip to north and mid Wales. More recently this has been
combined with a trip to the Somerset Levels.
Last year, due to the travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, I was unable to visit either location in May.
This year, whilst travel was possible, I was again unable to visit either location in May due to the frustratingly poor spring weather. This was followed by preparing for, receiving and then recovering from a health-related procedure in early June.
Rather than missing out entirely for a second year running, I visited Somerset and Wales from 21st to 25th June, although more in hope than expectation given that the intensity of bird activity and bird song at the peak of the breeding season has passed by this time.
However, I was able to add 11 species to my UK year list: Bittern, Garden Warbler, Dipper, Chough, Rock Pipit, Wheatear, Whinchat, Wood Warbler, Treecreeper, Osprey and Ringed Plover.
After picking up a rental car, I drove down to Somerset and stayed overnight at Travelodge - Highbridge Burnham-on-Sea. Birding began on the motorway with the sighting of 2 Red Kites by the M25/M40 junction followed by a further 5 individual Red Kites between junction 6 and junction 14 of the M4.
My first full day started with an early morning visit to the brilliant RSPB Ham Wall. This has become one of my favourite birding locations in the UK in both spring and winter.
RSPB Ham Wall is a 265-hectare site at the heart of the huge area known as the Avalon Marshes. Previously owned and worked by the peat industry, it was born in 1994 when the land was acquired by the RSPB. The principal objective was to re-create vital reedbeds and wetlands and help the struggling Bittern population in the UK. The habitats that have been created are now a mature and thriving wetland made up of extensive reedbeds and open water, grassland and woodlands and, in addition to the now healthy population of Bitterns, the reserve is important for new species colonising the UK including Great White Egrets, Little Bitterns and Cattle Egrets all of which have bred in recent years.
When planning my visit, I had hoped to see a long-staying River Warbler which had first been reported on 4th June …. see here for an account of this rare visitor to the UK plus photos and videos. Unfortunately it was last seen and heard on 18th June, just a few days before my visit! This was very disappointing but I took solace in the fact that I have seen this species in the UK before (at Thorpe in Norfolk on 9th and 11th July 2010) plus additionally on many occasions in Poland and Estonia which are both part of its natural range.
As anticipated, RSPB Ham Wall was relatively quiet compared to my other visits in May but nonetheless I was able to add Bittern (possibly 2
individuals) to my UK year list. I was also able to upgrade a previously “heard
only” record of Garden Warbler to a full sighting.
Other highlights amongst the commoner species included Hobby (7), Marsh Harrier (4), Common Buzzard (1), Cuckoo (1 male heard calling), Bearded Tit (at least 1 heard calling), Great White Egret (3), Grey Heron (1), Wigeon (male and female), Common Pochard (1 male), Shoveler (1 male), Great Crested Grebe (4), Little Grebe (3), Lapwing (c.30), Swift (c.100), Goldcrest (4 males heard singing), Great Spotted Woodpecker (2) plus several Reed Warblers, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Cetti’s Warblers (all species both heard singing and seen).
Finally, I had the surprising and welcome sighting of a Scarlet Tiger Moth which I must have disturbed in the grass before it settled on my boot!
Photo: Scarlet Tiger Moth (UK moths)
Unfortunately I was unable to get any decent photos of my own at RSPB Ham Wall due to the relative quietness on the reserve plus the hazy sunshine.
Whilst I was sat in one of the hides at RSPB Ham Wall, I had a long and interesting discussion with one of the RSPB volunteer wardens about the River Warbler and much more. This included his surprising sighting of a Goldeneye with ducklings at Chew Valley Lake.
Chew Valley Lake is a semi-natural reservoir 10 miles south of Bristol and it is the largest lake in south west England. The main centre for birding is at Herriott's Bridge, the A368 causeway at the southern end of the lake.
I had already planned to visit this site hopefully to see a Garganey that had been reported for several days. I failed to see the Garganey but I did see the female Goldeneye with 5 ducklings. Whilst around 30,000 of these birds are estimated to be in the UK in winter (including at Abberton and Hanningfield Reservoirs in Essex), there are only around 200 breeding pairs which are almost exclusively restricted to lochs south of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. Therefore, successful breeding in Somerset is remarkable!
Other highlights amongst the commoner species included Red Kite (2 on the approach to the lake), Hobby (5), Common Buzzard (1), Little Egret (1), Reed Warbler (heard only), Reed Bunting (2 males heard singing), Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Sand Martin.
After staying overnight at Travelodge - Cardiff Airport, I had an early morning visit to RSPB Cwm Clydach. Although there is a beautiful walk along the Lower Clydach river, the woodland was, not surprisingly, very quiet and I failed to hear or see any of the special birds of the Welsh oakwoods, namely Wood Warbler, Common Redstart or Pied Flycatcher.
However, eventually, I was able to add Dipper (a single juvenile) to my UK year list, a species that I failed to see last year due to being unable to take trips to Wales or Scotland as a result of the travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other highlights at RSPB Cwm Clydach amongst the commoner species included Grey Wagtail (3 along the river), Nuthatch (2), Common Buzzard (1 heard calling), Goldcrest (3 males heard singing), Willow Warbler (1 male heard singing) plus several Chiffchaff and Blackcap heard singing and seen.
After a relatively disappointing visit to RSPB Cwm Clydach, I drove down to the Gower Peninsula Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, specifically Rhossili and Worms Head. I have visited this area previously but not for many years since my trip itineraries for Wales have usually focused on north and mid-Wales.
The principal reason for visiting Rhossili and Worms Head was to see the breeding Choughs which returned to the area in the late 1990s and first bred in 2000. Normally I guarantee my annual Chough sighting at RSPB South Stack on Anglesey in the far north west of Wales.
The Chough is the rarest breeding crow species in the UK with around 250 to 350 pairs found primarily in coastal areas of north and west Wales, Islay in Scotland, the Isle of Man, the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland and more recently in south Wales and Cornwall.
I arrived at Rhossili and Worms Head on a beautiful sunny morning. After taking in the stunning view of Rhossili Bay, I walked along the cliffs to the viewpoint overlooking Worms Head.
So, to the Choughs. After about 2 hours, I had failed to hear or see any but eventually I heard their very distinctive calls.
On several occasions for the next hour or so, I was treated to the sight of up to 7 Choughs flying along the cliffs, engaging in rolling and tumbling display and repeatedly calling and these birds provided excellent photo opportunities. This was another species added to my UK year list and another that I failed to see last year due to not being able to take a trip to Wales as a result of the travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Here are a few photos of Choughs that I am "chuffed" with (I couldn't resist 😀) ....
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Chough
Photo: Choughs
Here are some photos of some other birds which helped me pass the time whilst waiting for the Choughs to appear ....
Photo: Fulmar
Photo: Fulmar
Photo: Fulmar
Photo: Fulmar
Photo: Great Black-backed Gull
Photo: Herring Gull
Photo: Herring Gull
Photo: Jackdaw
Photo: Rock Pipit
The only other flying species that I recorded was this ....
For the following 2 nights, I had a repeat stay at The Royal Oak Inn at Rhandirmwyn in the upper Towy valley 7 miles north of Llandovery and close to RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas.
When I arrived at Llandovery, I saw 3 Red Kites flying over the town plus
another on the way up to Rhandirmwyn. Since it was too early to check in, I
took the mountain road from Rhandirmwyn over to Tregaron. This drive and the
return, despite poor weather, enabled me to add Whinchat (2 males) to my
UK year list. Other highlights in addition to the abundant Meadow Pipits included
Red Kite (2 over Tregaron), Common Buzzard (1), Wheatear
(2), Stonechat (4), Linnet (6) and Grey Wagtail (1).
I also dropped in very briefly to RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas before returning to Rhandirmwyn and this provided me with my first record of an unseen singing male Wood Warbler for my UK year list.
After my first overnight stay at The Royal Oak Inn, I returned to RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas for a 2.5 hours visit from 6:30 a.m., specifically the trail through the oakwoods around Dinas hill.
RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas is a stunningly beautiful reserve set in the heart of mid Wales. It is a large reserve with more than 600 hectares of upland moorland and grassland, lowland farmland and verdant Atlantic Oak woodland bisected by fast flowing rivers. It sits within the Cwm Doethie-Mynydd Mallaen Site of Special Scientific Interest, the Cwm Doethie-Mynydd Mallaen Special Area of Conservation and the Elenydd-Mallaen Special Protection Area.
As with RSPB Ham Wall and RSPB Cwm Clydach, RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas proved to be hard work with significantly less bird activity and bird song than my previous visits in May.
However, patience and perseverance paid off and I was able to see all 3 of the special birds of the Welsh oakwoods: Wood Warbler (1 singing male and another heard), Common Redstart (8 including both males and females plus 3 fledglings) and Pied Flycatcher (2 males and a female). In addition to some of the commoner woodland birds, I saw a single Treecreeper (a surprisingly late addition to my UK year list) plus Common Buzzard (1), Grey Wagtail (1), Nuthatch (8), Goldcrest (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (1), Stock Dove (1 male heard calling), Mistle Thrush (1) and several Willow Warblers and Blackcaps (both species heard singing and seen).
Following my successful visit to RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas, I drove the main route across to west Wales to visit the Dyfi Osprey Project at MWT Cors Dyfi near Machynlleth. Prior to arriving at my pre-booked admission time (Ospreys have a strict booking regime during the Covid-19 pandemic 😀), I visited Borth on the coast in the hope of seeing Manx Shearwater, Gannet or any other seabirds. However, I was unlucky with these but I did see 2 Ringed Plovers on the beach, another late addition to my UK year list.
Not surprisingly, Osprey was the principal highlight at the Dyfi Osprey Project and I had excellent and extended (although long distant) views of the breeding male and female plus brief views of this year’s 2 chicks. This was another species added to my UK year list and another that I failed to see last year due to being unable to take a trip to Wales or Scotland as a result of the travel restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Ospreys can be watched live .... YouTube - Dyfi Osprey Project live stream
Here are some photos of the Ospreys although they are not of a particularly high quality due to being heavily cropped given the lengthy distance from the viewing tower to the nest plus the poor light ....
The other highlight of my visit was a lengthy and interesting discussion with the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust manager responsible for the care of the 3 reintroduced Beavers …. see here.
I returned to Rhandirmwyn via Tregaron and the mountain road and the much better weather this time enabled me to see Red Kite (3), Common Buzzard (4), Raven (5), Whinchat (2), Wheatear (2), Stonechat (4), Grey Wagtail (1), Mistle Thrush (1), Linnet (male and female plus 2 fledglings), Lesser Redpoll (2) plus Swallow and numerous Meadow Pipits and unseen singing Willow Warblers.
After my second overnight stay at The Royal Oak Inn and prior to travelling home, I drove up to Rhayader. Both RSPB Carngafallt and RWT Gilfach were initially on my planned itinerary but I only visited the latter due to deteriorating weather as the day progressed and the fact that RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas had already provided the range of species to be expected at RSPB Carngafallt.
RWT Gilfach is yet another beautiful reserve in rural mid Wales. For centuries, it was a working hill farm but now it is an area of upland heather and gorse moorland and woodland with a fast flowing river.
Again, but as expected, it was much quieter than my previous visits in May but I did record Red Kite (1), Common Buzzard (1), Raven (1), Dipper (1), Common Redstart (1), Tree Pipit (3 plus 2 others heard), Common Whitethroat (1 singing male heard), Willow Warbler (5+ singing males heard), Chiffchaff (2 singing males heard), Blackcap (1 singing male heard), Goldcrest (1 singing male heard), Nuthatch (1 calling male heard) and Bullfinch (1 male).
On leaving Rhayader for the long drive home, I saw a single Red Kite and a single Common Buzzard.
This was a relatively successful trip although the weather hindered any significant photography opportunities (other than my visit to Rhossili on the Gower peninsula) and the early summer drop-off in bird activity and bird song proved to be challenging at most sites that I visited. Nonetheless, I was pleased with the 11 additions to my UK year list.
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