Little Beauties

Out with the OS map again today. Starting from the village of Glyndyfrdwy (SJ4215) I headed up on to the Berwyns

by following the Nant y Pandy via a path through some very promising deciduous woodland. Eager to hone my aural identification skills, I was fortunate enough to be greeted by a keen avian choir.

However, barely a couple of hundred yards in to my walk and the dawn chours was drowned out by the sound of motorcycles hurtling around an adjacent field. Closer inspection revealed a full-on junior motorcross in action, being watched by a thin crowd of stewards and competitive dads. From Redstart to Kickstart in an instant.

Fortunately the birds were demonstrating considerable sangfroid as the majority were still in full throttle. After coughing up a lung full of two-stroke I immediately located a male Pied Flycatcher singing from the upper branches of an oak tree.

Keen to escape the infernal racket I pushed-on up a rather steep path that led out on to the open moorland. I was greeted by the call of a Cuckoo in full-on surround sound mode. At first I thought it must be the acoustics of the valley, but there were actually two birds calling; one due west of me and another further up the mountain. I could not find the bird to my right, so I continued up the climb only to be met by a fainter and fainter call.

I attempted to find the bird to the east of me again, but this bird was now barely audible too. However, just as I was about to head on a superb male Hen Harrier flew in to view! Living close to the Dee Estuary you can become a little blase when it comes to Hen Harriers, but I never lose that frisson of excitement generated by a chance encounter of this graceful raptor in its true domain - the upland moors.

Upon reaching the edge of the horrific Ceiriog conifer plantation I turned left and continued along the North Berwyn Way until meeting a bridleway that led down to the Afon Ro at the base Vivod mountain; yet another welsh mountain to feature scratch marks to its heather carpet in the form of strange geometrically arranged grouse butts.

Following an old stone wall, the path descended into the Afon Ro valley. Despite its modest proportions there was plenty of sessile oak, birch, rowan and hawthorn - most with a Willow Warbler in residence. By no means were they the only inhabitants though. The wood was teeming with Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers - the latter appearing every one hundred yards or so!

Probably by best bird walk this year. Other birds of note include: 2 Stonechat, 1 Wheatear, 1 Raven, 1 Buzzard and 2 Grey Wagtail.

Until later.