Practically Perfect In Every Way

With the prospect of some decent flooding, I headed down to Dolydd Hafren in Powys this morning. By a nose, it just beats the RSPB’s Ynys-Hir as my favourite birding destination.

Whilst you are not going to get rarities galore – although it does produce good birds on a regular basis – its magnificent location overlooking an ancient flood meadow of the river Severn and its superb pair of tower hides make for an excellent site. Link: http://www.montwt.co.uk/hafren.html

It is also an absolute bugger to find as there is no signpost from the lane and despite having visited the reserve on a number of occasions I still struggle to locate the entrance. Perhaps this is a good thing, as you are very unlikely to meet another soul, leaving one to enjoy the peace and tranquillity.

Despite relatively few visits, Dolydd Hafren has produced a number of firsts for me: Goosander, Green Sandpiper, Tree Sparrow and Great White Egret. However, none of these birds will top a certain mammal I watched fishing here in May – my first and only Otter.

Today it was a bit of a struggle to be honest; the flooding had spilled over most of the path and splashing through the wet fields I felt I was getting a unique insight into the everyday life of a wading bird! Having said that, there is probably an iphone ‘app’ for that already – I wonder if there is an ‘app’ for making those bloody irritating adverts vanish too?

From the far hide, I could see the full extent of the flooding – biblical would be my best description as I was greeted with scenes more reminiscent of the Ganges basin than Montgomeryshire!

This had certainly had an affect on bird numbers: there were none, apart from small numbers of Teal and Mallard, plus a score of Curlew cowering on one of the few remaining exposed sections of riverbank.

An hour’s vigil produced very little else apart from a couple of Grey Herons and a Cormorant, so with rising water levels, I decided to call it a day and head for Coed-y-Dinas.

Safe in the hide at this little bijou wildlife sanctuary next to the A483 at Welshpool, I watched the rickety old oaks reluctantly bending in the gale and half expected to see Mary Poppins herself fly past on the high winds. Not many birds today, but for me anyway, Dolydd Hafren is still practically perfect in every way…

Until later.

Some Like it Otter

A trip down to the wonderful Dolydd Hafren reserve in Montgomeryshire on May 1st to catch up with my first UK great white egret yielded something of a surprise.

After summarily failing to locate the Egret, I turned my attention to scanning the shingle riverbank for scurrying Little Ringed Plovers and bobbing Common Sandpipers. After locating two LRPs enjoying brief sexual congress, I caught a dark object diving in the river a few metres away. Dismissing this as a fishing cormorant, I moved my scope back to enjoy another spell of voyeurism, only again to have my attention diverted by an otter popping his head out of the water! Incredible.

Almost dumbfounded by my good fortune, I watched the otter fishing for the next thirty minutes until sadly it ventured upstrean and out of view. I was surprised at how thickset and powerful these aquatic predators are; it would be impossible given good views to mistake one for a mink.

Given the raft of negative stories concerning the gradual degradation of our natural environment it was pleasing to witness for myself that otters seem to be recolonising their former haunts; a sure sign that some waterways are improving. I hope it wont be too long before my next close encounter. Insh Allah.

After the otters disappearance things picked-up on the avian front. Five whimbrel dropped down onto a shingle bank, five common sandpipers revealed themselves, plus another two thankfully more bashful LRPs arrived on the scene. The GWE also decided to honour me with its presence, flying out of a ditch it had been skulking and heading for the river for a good preen. Other birds of note where four goosanders and two singing garden warblers.

However, today there was only one star of the show.

Until later.