With the soothsayers of the meteorological office forecasting deteriorating weather as the week progresses, I grabbed the opportunity to survey my two British Trust for Ornithology Atlas squares: SH9758 & SH9856 at Mynydd Hiraethog.
It seems that this area is RAF Valley's premier pilot training region in North Wales. Ever since I first visited this area of the Denbigh Moors - an excellent upland mosiac of habitats - these magnificent men in their flying machines have been busy honing their skills in the skies above.
Indeed the only Hawks I saw today where three dark green RAF planes zipping across the horizon. There cannot have been much ornithological input into the naming of this jet; with their compact, chunky build and short, thin pointed wings they most resemble a Merlin. Similarly, the Harrier Jump-jet that is able to either hover or dash through the air with equal aplomb demonstrates the skills of a Kestrel rather than a Harrier. As for Jaguars, did nobody tell ther RAF that they are feline and lack the capacity of flight?
I began by walking around the perimeter of Llyn Bran where I was met with the soft, descending song of several Willow Warblers. Other common birds included numbers of Robin, Chiffchaff and Chaffinch. The only hirundines present where two House Swallows perched on a telegraph wire, the foot or so gap between the pair suggesting that the female was interested but that the male still had some convincing to do! On the lake a Great Crested Grebe was skulking behind a bush in the middle of the water. It also looked like another bird was sitting on a nest in the midst of the vegetation but I was a little to distant to be sure. I had noted a pair displaying to each other two months back - perhaps the same birds. I continued by walking through the eerily silent plantation, save a flyover Siskin and the odd Robin. Emerging from the trees I met the Clwydian Way as it runs through Gors Maen Llyd nature reserve. More birds here: numerous Meadow Pipits, Skylarks and two pairs of Stonechat.
The next tetrad was through more mixed habitat. I started at the hide that looks over Llyn Brenig where I began by scanning the water. This was not a pleasant experience as the local Gulls and Sheep had been utilising it as a public convenience! A modest start with a few nesting Lesser-black Backed and Herring Gulls plus an unexpected drake Pochard the only birds of note.
Leaving the hide I heard some Lesser Redpoll overhead and kindly they set down in a nearby tree. In attempting to get a better view, I almost trod on a Red Grouse!
I then moved into the pastures after passing back through the car park. Wheatears were absolutely everywhere including one bird in possession of a transit permit only: a glorious male of the Greenland race. Nothing else out of the ordinary as the birdlife again petered once I entered a small conifer block, the endpoint of my survey. I was about return my notebook to my pocket when all of a sudden: "Cuck-oo......Cuck-oo.....Cuck-oo".
Until later.
It was through new eyes that I looked at the Herring Gulls breeding on a small island at Llyn Brenig yesterday. After hearing that these birds are now in decline, I was pleased to see three new additions had been made to the clan of chip-stealers. A quintessential sound of the British Coast, it seems inconceivable that these birds could disappear, but stranger things have happened.
