Arrived in Aberystwyth, West Wales at Lunchtime to meet up with local birder John Davis, who is my guide for the next few days and two other visitors, Jen and Karen. Our first stop is Ynyslas at the mouth of the Dyfii estuary.
Ynyslas. Photo by Alex Jane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexjane/)
As we walk down to the estuary we survey the surrounding fields as there have been a number of good birds found here in the past few days. There is a large group of Canada Geese but nothing else and then I see two white birds making their way through the undergrowth in a distant field – it is 2 of the group of Cattle Egrets that have been around. Even at this distance, we can see the beautiful breeding plumage.
Cattle Egrets -Ynyslas
After watching them for a period we make our way down to the estuary, but there is quite a lot of disturbance and not many birds are seen apart from a Red Kite, a Little Egret and a single Oystercatcher.
Red Kite
We make our way back the way we have come and were delighted to see 4 Cattle Egrets in a much nearer field and giving much better views than before.
Cattle Egrets -Ynyslas
Our attention is drawn away by a white-headed gull in the field as an American Ring-billed Gull has been seen in the area, but this turns out to be a Common Gull (not a common summer sighting in this area).
Clarach Bay
Our next stop was at Clarach Bay where as we climbed onto the cliff-top we found a pair of Wheatear along with Red Kite, Meadow Pipit and Linnet.
Northern Wheatear. Photo by Michael Bamford (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mfmb_bentley/)
Greylag Goose [sp] (Anser anser)
Canada Goose [sp] (Branta canadensis)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)
Western Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Little Egret [sp] (Egretta garzetta)
Red Kite [sp] (Milvus milvus)
Common Buzzard [sp] (Buteo buteo)
Common Kestrel [sp] (Falco tinnunculus)
Eurasian Oystercatcher [sp] (Haematopus ostralegus)
Mew Gull [sp] (Larus canus)
European Herring Gull [sp] (Larus argentatus)
Lesser Black-backed Gull [sp] (Larus fuscus)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Eurasian Collared Dove [sp] (Streptopelia decaocto)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Eurasian Skylark [sp] (Alauda arvensis)
Barn Swallow [sp] (Hirundo rustica)
Common House Martin [sp] (Delichon urbicum)
Willow Warbler [sp] (Phylloscopus trochilus)
Common Starling [sp] (Sturnus vulgaris)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
European Robin [sp] (Erithacus rubecula)
Northern Wheatear [sp] (Oenanthe oenanthe)
House Sparrow [sp] (Passer domesticus)
Dunnock [sp] (Prunella modularis)
Pied Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla alba)
Meadow Pipit [sp] (Anthus pratensis)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)
Common Linnet [sp] (Carduelis cannabina)
Large White (Pieris brassicae)
Small White (Artogeia rapae)
Small Tortoiseshell [sp] (Aglais urticae)
