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south wales Birding help (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter willowa
- Start date
Andrew Rowlands
Well-known member
Hi willowa, it would help if you told us in which month you were planning to visit and how much time you were likely to have free for birding; some of those upland areas can appear very quiet at the 'wrong' time of year!willowa said:
How long since you were there last?
Cheers,
Andy.
Hi Andrew.
We hope to go early May time. The last time we went was last year. But the Curlew was about ten years ago. We wasn't looking for birds just walking dogs...I saw a Hoopoe just out with the dog not in Wales though. We are just starting to venture out birding but not having much luck at the moment.
It seems like when you deliberately go out to look for birds you don't see any...Well you do see some but not many. I am hopless with water birds... Just about learnt what comes to my garden.
I saw a Hoopoe just out with the dog. Had to look it up when I got home. It was easy to ID from the way it flew. Moth like. Nothing else like it... Amazing.
Any advice would be great.
We hope to go early May time. The last time we went was last year. But the Curlew was about ten years ago. We wasn't looking for birds just walking dogs...I saw a Hoopoe just out with the dog not in Wales though. We are just starting to venture out birding but not having much luck at the moment.
It seems like when you deliberately go out to look for birds you don't see any...Well you do see some but not many. I am hopless with water birds... Just about learnt what comes to my garden.
I saw a Hoopoe just out with the dog. Had to look it up when I got home. It was easy to ID from the way it flew. Moth like. Nothing else like it... Amazing.
Any advice would be great.
Andrew Rowlands
Well-known member
Early May would be a great time, all the main Summer visitors will be in by then and in full song.willowa said:
If you're just beginning in birdwatching, it may be a good idea to try to join in with an organised walk with a local bird group though. All those new songs can get quite confusing, a few pointers along the way will help a lot.
Checkout www.gwentbirds.org.uk and www.glamorganbirds.org.uk and see what outdoor meetings they have around the time that you will be here; if there's not a walk whilst you are here, it'll give you some idea of the better places to bird during your stay.
Plenty of time before you go, someone more local is bound to add some info :t: !
Andy.
ezerider
Member
Hi,willowa said:
If you go to Carnetown Abercynon there is a walk to the forestry, if you take the very bottom road overlooking the playing field you will come to a small wood, keep on going until you get to the end of that wood along the narrow path, and you will come out at an housing estate, you will find Siskin, coal tits, great tits, blue tits, robin, tree creeper, nuthatch, wood sparrows, long tail tits, and if you stand 30 meters away you can watch their antics.
Atricapilla
Still Wandering
If you can manage to get over to Llanharan they are in the process of turning the opencast area into a nature park ,plenty of waders so I have been told.willowa said:
Corax67
Well-known member
At that time of the year there should be plenty to see at Bryn Bach Park in Tredegar (5 minutes from Rhymney) - Great Crested Grebes with young, a good mixture of ducks plus small flocks of warblers & finches.
Trefil Quarry is ideal for Raven, Wheatear, Peregrine, Kestrel, Merlin, Little Owl & Pipits plus a remote chance of Ring Ouzel (may be a little late).
I will review my old birding logs & give some more suggestions in a couple of days.
Trefil Quarry is ideal for Raven, Wheatear, Peregrine, Kestrel, Merlin, Little Owl & Pipits plus a remote chance of Ring Ouzel (may be a little late).
I will review my old birding logs & give some more suggestions in a couple of days.
trealawboy
Well-known member
As well as the previous posts, keep checking the follwoing websites for updates
http://www.glamorganbirds.org.uk
http://www.gwentbirds.org.uk
At the moment short-eared owls and hen harriers are showing well near Blaenavon. At least one red kite is often seen near the Asda's at Dowlais/Merthyr. There's also red grouse up on the moors in this area.
http://www.glamorganbirds.org.uk
http://www.gwentbirds.org.uk
At the moment short-eared owls and hen harriers are showing well near Blaenavon. At least one red kite is often seen near the Asda's at Dowlais/Merthyr. There's also red grouse up on the moors in this area.
trealawboy
Well-known member
bobwoodcock said:
Not really plenty of waders, but it is an important breeding site for a couple of schedule one species, but there other birds use it for breeding and passage too. They are actually turning the site into a film studios with some small concessions to wildlife.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/wales/south_east/4655682.stm
Hi Willowa, there are a number of places you can go in that area. At the Dare country park near Aberdare there is a view point set up to view the Peregrines. At Gethin forest near Merthyr you should encounter Goshawk, Sparrowhawk, siskin, crossbills .Just North of Merthyr you have a series of reservoirs which are always worth a look. If you venture up onto the tops you might be lucky and see Merlin. Red Kites are usually spotted about the general area. If you check out places like Heol Senni you should see Pied fly catcher and Redstart in the woods .. At Craig Cerrig Gleisiad you should get to see Ravens, Wheatears, Stonechat Peregrine and Ring Ousel and maybe Winchat. Good weather is essential when visiting these spots as the terrain can get extreme, anyhow hope you enjoy your visit to Wales
