Well done to all invovled!

 

The weather was set fair for another 'just past' sunrise visit to the Blaenavon Landscape. The track that led me past horse grazed fields at Garn yr erw with their eclectic mix of animal shelters and supporting bathroom clutter was lined with Hawthorn that was just coming into leaf. The trees at this altitude tend to be several weeks behind their lowland counterparts when it comes to leaf burst, nonetheless their fresh greenness set against the mornings blue sky was a satisfying sign that spring had now arrived.

A Chiffchaff and Green Woodpecker could be heard calling from the nearby Garn Lakes Local Nature Reserve (LNR) as I progressed around the foot of a steep coal tip and in sight of Hills Pit chimney. A male Wheatear sang strongly from the top of this conical- Madonna's bra -tip as if to assert his position as 'king of the castle'. At the chimney more Wheatear sparred for control of this elevated stone structure flying strongly between nearby fence posts and ground level exposed stonework before ceasing an opportunity to momentarily claim the chimney for themselves. It was clear that these early spring migrants had arrived in force and were keen to get on with the immediate requirement of establishing a breeding territory. 

Past the chimney the terrain leveled to briefly ease the contours on the map - does anyone read maps these days? Here a number of former industrial ponds, most still supporting open water but with others in clear need of management, are an unappreciated ecological and archaeological feature of this wonderful landscape. I was instantly greeted by the familiar vocalizations of nesting Canada geese. These loudmouth non-native invasive species are now so numerous that paired birds claim ownership to what seems to be sub-optimal habitat in which to raise a brood. Birds not only called loudly from the immediate vicinity but others could be heard from out of sight locations throughout this wetland landscape. Birds that were visible were often encountered grazing sheep-like on vegetated coal spoil tips.

The small number of trees around these ponds are mostly Hawthorn and Goat Willow but are punctuated by several stunted, weather beaten and decaying Crab Apple trees that are clearly a remnant of historical boundary planting. Whilst the pragmatic side of me claim them to be native Crab Apples I hold on to a romantic notion that they could be a rare or long lost breed of native apple and if so will be in urgent need of conservation. I've tried to match the fruit with others online but this has just led me up the garden path to a position of frustration and hopeless resignation that I'll never confidently identify this apple without specialist intervention.

I searched the still largely leafless trees for territory claiming birds. Skylark sang heartily high against the strong raising sun as I picked out a pair of Reed Bunting low down in a willow tree, and further on a pair of Stonechat one of four pairs encountered on this visit. The female had turned her back on me whilst the resplendent black, red and white male stood proudly at treetop occasionally knocking together those pebbles to let me know he was there. A single Linnet flew strongly overhead before I flushed a Snipe from the confines of a stand of Purple Moor Grass.

Further on two medium sized ponds were my focus of attention. Once again these former industrial ponds that last year supported breeding Tufted Duck as well as Common Toad and a typical yet notable community of upland odonata, were now occupied by Canada Geese. Recent work on the lower pond to re-establish a water management regime to help control water levels to moderate flood risk and enhance habitat was refreshing to see. This simple yet cost effective intervention will have wide ranging and long lasting sustainability benefits. Well done to all involved! More please!

An eye out for the Golden-eye lichen

 

It seems the once thought to be extinct in the UK Golden-eye lichen is making something of a comeback in the South Wales valleys. Recent records from Parc Penallta, Caerphilly and the Merthyr area suggests its worth searching those stumpy Hawthorn trees that are such a feature of the upland margins for this attractive eye lash lichen. With this in mind I made a short but unsuccessful visit to search a group of trees near to Garn Lakes Local Nature Reserve (LNR) Blaenavon, before moving on to look for early summer visitors in the Pwll Ddu quarry area.

Despite the day being bright and sunny there was a cold brisk wind as I kitted up for what was to be a bracing walk around Pwll Ddu. Call me strange- and trust me I've been called a lot worse- but I enjoy tracking down March dates for species such and Chiffchaff and Wheatear. However this year a two week overseas holiday in the middle of the month had removed a chunk of available time for recording these birds. Chiffchaff is always the easier of the two as I often record my first singing birds from the comfort of my back garden. Wheatears are different, effort is required to either visit a coastal location or to get out in the chilly uplands.

The information post that advises dog walkers to keep their animals on a lead to prevent disturbing ground nesting birds or to not get shot for worrying sheep is largely ignored. And so it was the case on this day! I made my way to the first limestone quarry full of expectation as I knew Wheatears had arrived in the locality thanks to social media posts. Alas no amount of sheltering from the cutting wind was enough for this quarry to support a sight of this characteristic white-rumped bird. And so it was the case for the other quarries in this area. Slightly crest fallen it was time to get back to the car and to head home. Am I the only one that thinks the natural world conspires to take the piss out of people me? As after a couple of hours in the cold searching for Wheatears two birds showed well on a dry stone wall less than 20 metres from the car park- along with a pair of Stonechat. There must be somewhere a small operational committee comprising of a representative from taxonomic group that oversees the movements of birds etc. just to have a laugh at my expense. The thought then crossed my mind that I could of sat in the comfort of my car listening to Iron Maiden just waiting for the birds to alight on the wall and fence posts in front of me. But then that's pure laziness or is it?

Gwent Ornithological Society Talk

 

It was great to present a talk about the Natural Heritage of the Blaenavon Landscape to members of the Gwent Ornithological Society last week at Goytre Village Hall.  The society is close to my heart having been a member since I was fourteen years of age, so that's over 50 years ago.

My talk was based on my naturalist activities in this post industrial landscape. Whilst it focused on birds it also included some rare plants and insects as well as promoting this landscape as an important pond area with many wetland features. 

Many thanks to all attendees. 

Blaenavon white out

 

A break from the demands of retirement allowed enough time to get out into the Blaenavon landscape following the recent heavy snow fall. Day one's visit was spent around Canada Tips and Cefn Garn yr erw and day two took in the landscape around Garn yr erw and Garn Lakes Local Nature Reserve (LNR). 

Day One - This excursion involved parking just off road near to Keepers Pond. Here the snow was thick and the wind biting as my son and I walked towards Canada Tips. It was no surprise that we weren't the only ones enjoying the snowy landscape. Whilst there were many people around the visitor hotspot of the Keepers Pond, that incidentally was totally frozen, others, many families with young children, were using the coal tips of Canada Tips for a spot to sledging. We stayed just enough time to take some winter landscape photos before moving on to Cefn Garn yr erw.

At the top of Garn Lakes LNR we took the incline of old haul road to Cefn Garn yr erw only to be greeted by two off road quad bikes and a Land Rover Discovery. A kestrel passed us on the way to try its luck around the trees of nearby enclosed farmland. Due to the extensive snow fall it was only stands of gorse and some over mature heather that were able to show above the extensive white carpet, but this didn't stop a single meadow pipit from eking out a living in these harsh conditions.

Day Two - The following day we were purposefully out early to avoid the crowds enjoying the white out. Thankfully at this time it was quieter yet as were reached the top of the Cefn Garn yr erw haul road a mountain biker stopped to talk to us about birding and how he was concerned about bird declines. He was refreshingly engaging going on talk about a friend of his from the midlands who was a keen birder.

From Cefn Garn yr erw were turned south towards into the wider upland expanse of Garn yr erw itself. We followed a route taking us past several frozen ponds punctuated by stands of reedmace towards Hills Pit chimney. Here the virgin snow showed a trial of well marked footprints of  a nighttime fox. A red grouse called in the distance before two bullfinch alighted in the top of a nearby pond side willow tree.

It was taxing walking through the heavy snow and by the time we'd reached Hills Pit chimney the cold was penetrating our feet so were dropped down and crossed the road to continue our walk through Garn Lakes LNR. Here even a slight drop in altitude and the presence of semi mature trees was enough to see an increase in bird activity. More bullfinch, magpie, house sparrow and blackbird were visible. Passing the largely frozen lower lake of the reserve a small area of unfrozen water acted as a focal point for wintering wildfowl including, coot, mallard and moorhen. Here too it was great to bump into Alan and Margaret Underwood. Alan is a keen photographer and dragonfly recorder and was quick to share his news on finding a willow emerald damselfly on his garden pond in Abergavenny. 

 

A couple of labourers

 

I've been visiting Waun Pond also known as Dunlop Semtex Pond (DSP) in Brynmawr for many years now. Once upon a time I would visit weekly to count wildfowl to help build a picture of its ornithological value at a time when its future was uncertain, these days its more ad hoc. 

Its industrial label follows the factory name that was once a dominant feature of the Heads of the Valleys landscape. Now long gone and the land redeveloped as a retail park and housing development the site has a different feel to its former brutalist life. In the process of its transformation the pond area was enhanced with a walk way and public viewing areas. Unfortunately, maintenance of these improvements has been almost non existent with a recent fire of the public realm area damaging much of its infrastructure the latest example of its continued rundown. Today, the pond and its immediate environment is privately owned and managed primarily for fishing. Visiting with binoculars and camera gear often arouses suspicion amongst the resident anglers who will stand and watch my movements around the pond. On occasion I've been visited by the owner on the basis that I was a potential poacher. Whilst I have no objection to fishing I feel its often the case that owners of waterbodies see their value only through the prism of fishing and therefore lease exclusive rights to fishing clubs. This exclusivity can subsequently introduce a defensive culture amongst the predominately male users that is can be intimating for other visitors such as myself who have no other objective but to study wildlife.

 

That said my latest visit was a brief one squeezed in between a shopping trip. A single angler could be seen watching me from his waterside shelter as I scanned the pond for wildfowl. 60+ Coot, a pair of resident Mute Swan around 10 Mallard and 16+ Tufted Duck so nothing unusual, until a two brightly coloured ducks came into view. Two male Shoveler were seen feeding close to the eastern margin of the lake. I will need to search my field note books for any previous records of this species but from memory these could be my first record.

 

 

Earth Tongues

A late afternoon visit to look for Short-eared Owls around the upland habitat of Cefn garn yr erw near Blaenavon drew a blank unfortunately. However a single Red Grouse was vocal and just visible from within a small patch of heather. Other birds included a single Kestrel, a Reed Bunting and a pair of Stonechat. On an area of trackside sheep grazed grassland were about 50+ Black Earth Tongue (Geoglossum spp.). These can be found in several places in the Blaenavon landscape but they are nonetheless pleasing to find.

 

Raspberry jam

 

Not so much of a naturalist outing more of a day out exploring a couple of the sleepy historic villages of borderland Monmouthshire. First up was Skenfrith. I remember this from my secondary school days when a visit during a stay at the council run Hilston Park field centre resulted in one of the school idiots knocking down a swallows nest that was built in the porch of the local church. Despite this mindless vandalism I was pleased to see the same church was open for inspection on this visit. The visitor book therein made for useful reading with notes of appreciation from tourists from all over the world. Again from the memory of my youth there was a grocery shop in the village, but this is now long gone even so a residential property called the Old Shop had retained the frontage of this trading post. And there around its doorstop was a small thriving population of the grass called cockspur. Not a species I've encountered before but one that can be found frequently in rural Monmouthshire. 

About five miles away was the next stop on our little countryside journey. Grosmont with its castle and church with impressive steeple is cloaked in affluence. Access to both features were off the main road through the village. The castle was a tad more impressive than its Skenfrith counterpart with dry moat and wooden bridge access. Whilst my son climbed the accessible walls for an elevated view of the village I chose to look for wall plants elsewhere. Wood sage, red valerian and buddleia were prominent and to my surprise a hummingbird hawk-moth was noted busily feeding on the wealth of flowering valerian.

A pleasing afternoon ended with the purchase of a jar of homemade raspberry jam on sale via a roadside stall and paid for by honesty. 

 

Immature use of a car horn

 

 

By the time my son and I had got our act together it was late morning and the heat of the day was beginning to bite. What motivates some people, when making our way to cross the road to enter into the wide expanse of the Garn yr erw landscape a passing motorist blew his horn in a joker way. This nonsense is becoming increasingly frequent and must only be stimulated by the fact I publicly carry binoculars and camera equipment. I can only assume these idiots are newly converted right wing voters looking to ridicule anyone perceived to be slightly different and that carrying this type of (woke) gear somehow makes you fair game. I wonder what this person made of the group of camera carrying Japanese tourists we passed only minutes before in Blaenavon Town Centre? We'll keep a welcome in the hillside no doubt.

 

The objective of this excursion was to check for passage birds, as the ramshakled fenceline that delineates the end of agricultural enclosure and the beginning of upland common land can be ideal for bird spotting. In the great wide open as Tom Petty sang we were greeted by two very focal buzzard who were hanging about the freshly cut meadows hoping for foolhardy exposed rabbit. A stonechat sat in the middle of metal field gate and willow warblers moved stealthily through willow and hawthorn scrub. Moving along the fenceline a large party of 30 or so mainly immature swallow had gathered on the barb wire intermittently heading off across the rough grassland to feed before returning. Another stonechat arrived on a nearby lichen encrusted fencepost. 

 

Meadow pipit were frequent as we moved on to the Garn yr erw ponds. A female wheatear shifted from remnant stone wall to boulder disturbed by the coughing of a solo mountain biker. We settled at the waters edge of one pond to watch as a number of birds were using the willow trees to safety feed.. A sedge warbler and reed bunting were noted along with several willow warbler. The previously encountered swallow arrived en-bloc to drink and cool off and black darter dragonflies were plentiful.

Ants in your pants

 

Well not literally, but they were in my hair and on my neck and arms. It seemed the current warm muggy weather had promoted their frenzied activity and my mop of grey, nay white hair, was a convenient landing pad for these annoying aerial insects, a metaphorical white flag of surrender in a landscape of green, yet parched habitat. 

I was spending some time around the post industrial hinterland of Waunafon bog that sits between Blaenavon and Llanelly Hill, but strangely just beyond the boundary of the World Heritage Site designation. The grassland here was dry and straw like with the abundance of wildflowers now past their Sunday best, apart from the heather that was now showing its newly acquired finery. The bare un-vegetated coal spoil released a slight grey dust as I lazily dragged my booted sole through its crusty surface. A post breeding flock of around 60 or more vocal starling had alighted on the electrical cables that tether the buildings of Robins Haulage to nearby poles, whilst several twittering swallow were gliding to disappear into the structure itself, nesting no doubt. In the distance above Garnlydan the mountain was ablaze pinpointed by a large plume of heather infused smoke.

A few weeks previous I had found another stand of round-leaved wintergreen typically at home within the shade of the invading willow scrub that's now gradually taking over the margins of Waunafon Bog. A rare plant in south Wales but possibly under-recorded as you'll need to get off the well trodden tracks and footpaths to find it. Its a truism I feel that any obsessive biological recorder, such as I, will need to learn how to manage rough terrain if species beyond the common or garden are to be found and recorded for posterity. My advice comes from Star Trek and to 'boldly go where no man has gone before'.

Pushing through the willow and across the more open areas of tussocky purple moor grass I occasionally stumbled, without falling, when my foot and lower leg failed to find terra firma. But with some effort and a fair degree of huffing and puffing, it was not long before I found the aforementioned wintergreen, a stand of around 140 plants in full flower where the dappled sunlight had reduced competition from other bullish plant species. A charm of goldfinch moved from thistle to ground to thistle to tree and away with the less colourful immature birds dominant in its composition. A painted lady butterfly circled and landed on bare coal spoil to bask and absorb its retained warmth.

As I emerged from the wooded shade somewhat surprisingly a black Labrador dog by the name of Dylan bounded up to me in excited fashion with tail in full wagging action. In the distance its owner, who as I approached, asked if I was photographing the ants! I explained that I was an all round naturalist, but that ants were not on my photographic agenda for the day.

 

Dropping down in to the railway cutting that snakes from Waunafon Bog to connect to the active part of the Blaenavon Heritage Railway near to Garn Lakes Local Nature Reserve (LNR) the creeping willow with its silvery foliage, another rare plant in these parts, was clearly visible. In the distance a lady was walking her dog whilst simultaneously swiping at the growing number of ants. I danced around some newly deposited dogs doings before agreeing to submit to the dominance of ants and turned for home.   

Old men coughing gently

 

 

Just an hour or so west is Kenfig Pool and Dunes National Nature Reserve (NNR), but it's not a site I've frequented. My last visit was some years ago when I attended an excellent stonewort course. On this occasion it was my son who provided the motivation as he was keen to try out his new camera lens on a coastal landscape. My recent retirement gave me the opportunity to choose a day of the week that looked favourable in terms of weather. And so it proved the sky was largely blue with just a few clouds and the wind was light, the ideal conditions for a trek through the dunes towards Sker Beach. 

 

We arrived mid-morning to be greeted by a group of student like individuals preparing for a days practical volunteering on the reserve. They quickly dispersed following a man driving a quad type vehicle so we made our way to the waterside hoping the catch a glimpse of the long staying celebrity American wigeon. A conversation with a fellow birder provided some useful information on the birds location on the lake; seemed it had struck up a friendship with a coot. Unfortunately the hide was occupied with the aforementioned students so we agreed to return later.

 

From the pool (lake) we made our way through the dune system towards the coastal destination Sker Beach. This was easier said than done as the previous weeks rainfall had accumulated around the base of the dunes making it difficult to follow the time worn footpaths. A number of diversions were necessary before we arrived within sight and sound of the coastal line. A group of about 25 fieldfare moved overhead and two skylark sang as we emerged on to the pebble strewn upper shoreline. We paused to take in the view of Port Talbot steelworks that framed the western seascape and its incoming tide. Elsewhere the expansive sandy beach was sparsely populated only a few Lowry type figures could be seen walking dogs in the distance. We walked to the waters-edge before moving on to the rocky spit that is Sker point. A cormorant passed overhead. Here there were more people with dogs and children enjoying the feel of an early spring, late winter day. Two horse riders galloped down the beach into the the haze and beyond. Once again pausing to take in the coastal vista I found a mermaids purse amongst the peddles and other strandline ephemera. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before we'd realised it was early afternoon so we agreed to make our way back through the dunes towards Kenfig Pool, the hide, and hopefully the American wigeon. On route a pair of stonechat showed well as did a light aircraft that provided a moment of alarm as it dived, twisted and turned overhead before moving eastwards. Eventually we arrived, albeit with growing fatigue, at the hide. By now my son was complaining of strained muscle and wasn't keen on entering a bird hide full of old men coughing gently. As it happened it was only occupied by two other people and only one could be described as old. The pool was well populated with wildfowl, the American wigeon was distant but good views of gadwall, kingfisher and goldeneye were obtained. A Cetti's warbler sang loudly from the willow scrub behind the hide. And at this point we agreed to make our way home with the satisfaction of a very enjoyable day behind us.

 

No Raptors

A late afternoon jaunt to the margins of Waunafon Bog on the outskirts of Blaenavon was intended as a raptor watching session. This large expanse of molina dominated mire habitat sits at the headwaters of the Afon Lwyd and is strategically important for biodiversity as well as for its flood mitigation potential. To date all efforts to encourage the landowner and common land farmers to work in partnership with public bodies to enhance the site for mutual benefit has failed. In the meantime the bog continues to march along its successional route with an ever increasing amount of scrub development.

The bog has become something of a winter pilgrimage for birders mainly due to the presence of overwintering short-eared owls. Unfortuntely this visit produced nothing but a charm of around 20 goldfinch and a small roost of magpie. It was nevertheless nice to talk to a passer-by about the value of the bog and short-eared owls.

 

Spring flora of churchyards: Llanfoist, Abergavenny.

Nipped into this churchyard while waiting to pick up my son from his friend. Not visited this site before so was instantly struck by its different feel when compared to the churchyards in the valleys. The vegetation was uncut allowing plants such as cow parsley to thrive. There were, as with many public sites, a good population of Spanish bluebell some complete with bluebell rust. All in all a very pleasing churchyard that's certainly due another visit

 

Spring flora of churchyards: Llanfihangel Pontymoel

Having visited this churchyard many times over the years, I'm reasonable familiar with its flora. However, I sense a decline in its value that's evident through the felling of a couple of mature trees and an a gradual extension to a more uniform grassland sward.

As with most churchyards at this time of year there are many native and cultivar primroses. A small watercourse that runs through part of the site is flanked by ancient woodland indicator plants, such as dogs mercury, wood anemone and ramsons. The native bluebells that carpet part of the churchyard have yet to come into flower, but the increasingly widespread Spanish variety is now showing well. I've only found Solomen's seal in this churchyard, but I've yet to determine if this specimen is native or a garden hybrid. Troublingly there's also a patch of Japanese knotweed.

In terms of birds a couple of goldcrest moved between several yew trees, a chiffchaff called from just beyond the churchyard with a blackcap in the distance.

Spring flora of churchyards: Llanfrechfa

Despite having no affinity to religion, churchyards are go to locations for me. For a naturalist they are often a refuge for nature squeezed from the surrounding landscape by creeping urbanisation and intensive agriculture. Spring can be a good time to visit as many churchyards are clad with the colour of early flowering ground flora, and early enough to beat the first  'tidiness' cut of busy parishioners. These islands of semi- naturalness dovetail native plants with naturalised cultivar varieties making biological recording both exciting and challenging.

This churchyard overlooks the sheep grazed fields of Ponthir and the animal sanctuary of All Creatures  Great and Small. The green space itself wraps around a large imposing church, and, like many churchyards has an old more species rich burial area that's juxtaposed with intensively managed contemporary burial plots.

The treescape is dominated by a number of mature beech trees. There is the obligatory yew tree, along with Irish yew, cherry laurel and a few conifers. On entering wood forget-me-not and greater celandine has taken hold at the base of the boundary stone wall, and the colour of a carpet of lesser celandine and primroses is impressive but weakens as it progresses towards the modern day burial area. On closer inspection, and as expected within the abundant flowering primroses, there are a variety of colour and shapes. Here too, a chiffchaff could be heard singing in the distance with greenfinch closer by. 

 

To accompany the novelty primroses there are flowering grape hyacinth and Spanish bluebell. A detailed more forensic examination of the sward revealed several vetch species, dog and early dog violets, pignut, herb robert, red dead nettle, wood anemone and creeping cinquefoil. 

  

The big three

The big three is a bit of a misnomer. These are the three medium sized waterbodies around Brynmawr that I once studied closely through weekly wildlife counts. The sites are Dunlop Semtex Pond (DSP), Beaufort Ponds, and Machine Ponds. These days with less time and energy counting for me has become more occasional and ad hoc. However, my son's new found photography hobby is generating some new found motivation to get out during the winter months. So this is just a brief account of last weekends (05/11/2023) wildfowl counts at the 'big three', complete with some site background notes.

1. Beaufort Ponds

Tucked behind houses off the Brynmawr to Ebbw Vale road this was once the feeder waterbodies for Ebbw Vale steelworks. Always holds a small number of wildfowl. The most significant species from many years of counting was three Bewick's Swan. Can also be useful for gull watching especially when during cold spells.

Mute Swan - 1 

Goosander - 12

Tufted Duck - 14

Wigeon - 2

Coot - 14

2. Machine Pond

This pond is behind the Lakeside Retail Park and has seen investment over recent years to improve access for walkers and anglers. It has a nice developing margin of phragmites and a floating island that sadly lacks vegetation.

Kingfisher - 1

Goosander - 3 (including 2 fly over)

Canada Goose - 2

Moorhen - 1

Mallard - 12

Tufted Duck - 11

Coot - 8

also a single Stonechat

3. Dunlop Semtex Pond

This site first came to my attention following an item in the Gwent Bird Report in the 1980's by Jonathan Avon highlighting a record of a smew at the lake. Then the pond was surrounded by the derelict Dunlop Semtex Factory with its distinctive concave roof. Around its northern margin was also an area of rough semi improved grassland that supported many hundreds of orchids such as southern marsh. Nowadays a regeneration project has resulted in the demolition of the factory for a new supermarket and a housing estate on the aforementioned grassland. Most notable changes in the assemblage wildfowl has seen pochard counts fall from a peak count of over 90 birds to zero, contrasting with an increase in wigeon numbers especially from the months of September and October. This species appears to be taking advantage of extensive rafts of Nuttell's pondweed that covers large parts of the lake in late summer early autumn.

Coot - 80

Mallard - 22

Mute Swan - 4 ( 2 ads, 2 imms)

Moorhen - 4

Tufted Duck - 40

Wigeon - 20

Canada Goose - 8

The whoosh of a wind turbine and hum of a bike.

 

High above The British, near to Talywain is a hillside road that takes you over Mynydd Llanhilleth and past St Iltyds church before descending into Llanhilleth itself. Its a road that was once a popular resting place for stolen cars. Vehicles were booted to the top of the hill then dumped by allowing them to free fall into the Cwmbyrgwm valley below. Crash, bang, wallop! On occasion the army were deployed to winch the stricken cars out, but they soon returned. Nowadays better vehicle security and a line of roadside blockstone has reduced the local notoriety of this valley above The British, to a fading memory, only resurrected when trawling through my equally opaque slide film collection.

So above The British is upland. Species poor rush pasture and sheep grazed acid grassland amply scarred by the actions of bikers. This is where cars and bikers race without fear of the law and where fly- tipping is as part of the modern day culture of this landscape as much as sheep and skylark. Here too the occupants of misted up cars rest to eat their takeaways or partake in something stronger. It was no different when I recently took the opportunity for an evening visit to look for early spring migrants. Cars were intermittently placed along the roadside, some were clearly radio enthusiasts defined by those large aerials stuck on top of their vehicles, some others appeared full of youths smoking weed. I parked well away, as getting too close only generates puzzling looks or immature comments when I pull out my binoculars and camera, let alone a sweep net.

There was a keen wind. Bikers could be heard in the distance and a whirl of the nearby wind turbines was occasional. Here the interface between upland and enclosed grassland is delineated by dry stone walls and a number of impressive beech trees. It seemed spring had sprung, meadow pipit were moving overhead and skylark were in full song. Walls and fence posts are great for bird spotting. So when in an upland setting tracking down these features is part of a naturalists field craft. A male stonechat alighted on a wall in the distance only to be joined by a male wheatear - the first of the year. In the distance a crowd of around 200 thrushes took flight from a field only to perch in a line of beech trees, on closer inspection they were fieldfare. I watched as they glided back to their feeding ground of the tight sward of a sheep grazed field.

Early morning urban birding

Cwmbran Boating Lake and its wider green space environment of sport pitches and kiddies play areas is an urban park and as such attracts a multitude of users. Fisherman, dog walkers, runners, model boat enthusiasts and swan protectors, they all jostle for a slice of this watery cake. Because of this I've not spent much time at this site over recent years, preferring to avoid crowds in favour of less populated locations and the solitude this brings. Nonetheless, a brief taster visit for work was just enough motivation for a Sunday sunrise visit.

Its unlikely Cwmbran Boating Lake will ever become a regular venue for die hard birders, but for local patchers such as myself its always worthy of a visit, albeit at a time that avoids the crowds. On this visit there was the usually crop of urban type water birds. The four grey lag goose were new site records for me merging with the every present growing number of Canada goose. The weather battered floating island supported up to four cormorant, some resplendent in breeding season regalia. A pair of little grebe and mute swan were also keeping close to this island. Around four goosander moved freely around the lake, among the growing number of coot, mallard and moorhen. 

Shortly after sunrise the gulls started to arrive with up to 100 black-headed gull along with single figure counts of lesser black-backed and herring gull. The black-headed gull are very approachable due to the availability for free food hand outs provided by the frequency of duck feeders. So this provides the ideal setting for ring reading. In amongst the gulls were three birds carrying single metal rings and one carrying a dutch colour ring. This bird was previously noted by Craig Constance earlier this winter. I will report the record in due course.

An hour or so after sunrise, the park was starting to get busy. With dogs often flushing the gatherings of birds, I left satisfied that I'd seen enough.