The Next Generation

Another couple of days with glorious sunshine had us out walking in the Strata Florida area on Saturday. Although common sightings these days we were nonetheless delighted by good views of male and female redstart, pied flycatcher, garden warbler, wheatear and tree pipit. Whinchat were numerous on the walk and filled our ears with an astonishing variety of songs we have not heard before. At some point we were even fooled into thinking there might be a much sought after ring ouzel lurking in a gulley. But as it turned out it was "just another" whinchat showing off his repertoir.

      

We also heard the yaffling of green woodpecker but despite patient and thorough scanning of the trees in question we could not locate them and they remained unseen. A brief visit to Cors Caron (after getting lunch from the Spar in Tregaron in the form of a couple of potato dogs - a "delicatesse" which I have not had since my year as an au-pair in the States and Dave had never tasted, and will never taste again) did not reveal much apart from a few large red damselflies and singing skylark and sedge warbler.

Good news from the local river! The grey wagtails have fledged two chicks so far (yesterday afternoon) but I believe that more chicks remain in the nest as the parents often flew past the chicks with a beak full of flies ignoring their hungry calls. The chicks were not bothered by my presence or that of splashing dogs in the river so that I could sit back, relax and watch them getting fed by the parents and attempting to catch flies of their own. The dippers have also fledged two chicks; these, however are of a very shy nature. It is incredible how well the mottled coloration allows the chicks to blend in perfectly into their environment of slate grey and green vegetation touched by ever-moving dappled sunshine. Whilst watching the youngster I also had three kingfisher fly by, one of which I believe was a juvenile one as it only flew short distances, making frequent stops on overhanging branches. And we've got a new species for the local river: A pair of spotted flycatcher have taken up residence! But so far they have not been very obliging when it comes to having their photo taken.