Monster raven loony

The aim of this mornings visit to Waun afon bog was to listen out for those reeling grasshopper warbler. Although these migrants have been in the country for a couple of weeks now it doesn't seem as if they've found their way to the source of the Afon Lwyd river yet. What was evident though was that our friends the off road enthusiasts have found an alternative access across the bog and were doing what comes naturally to them i.e. making a mess. Bog, valley fen, or grassland whatever you choose to call it, this large expanse of upland habitat needs protecting and both water and grazing management, otherwise I fear for its future.

Nonetheless, todays offering was in the form of a couple of snipe, a singing reed bunting, pair of wheatear, a few linnet and a south flying swallow. The route back to the car took in a couple of large trees one of which supported a raven nest containing a single rather mature young bird - note bird is still displaying its gape.