We would be staying in Aberystwyth, but had planned to visit the lovely RSPB reserve at Gwenffrwd-Dinas, in Mid Wales. We had visited here before, it is a beautiful small reserve, with a trail that takes you through Alder and Oak woodland alongside a fast flowing boulder scattered River Towy. Journey time from Hampshire was just under four hours, and after setting off early we pulled into the car park just before 9.00 am. It was cloudy and cool, and from the surrounding trees a Willow Warbler sang.
After a cup of coffee and some breakfast we set off along the trail, a boardwalk at first that led down to the river through a small bog. More Willow Warblers sang from the trees, along with a Redstart that was impossible to see. At the bottom of the boardwalk we came across at least three sing Wood Warblers, in Hampshire it is possible to get the birds to react to playing their song,m but here with at least three birds in close vicinity all declaring territories they paid no attention, so it was just fleeting glimpses, but an opportunity to enjoy their lovely trilling song.
From the board walk we followed the path alongside the river. The river seemed quite high and the water was fast, there had been overnight rain and maybe this was contributing to the state of the flow. It was a peaceful spot though, no traffic noise, just bird song and the sound of the rushing water.
Away from the river the sides of the valley head upwards at an acute angle, all carpeted with grass and bluebells yet to fully emerge beneath the spindly branches of the Oak trees.
The trail scrambles over loose rocks, with a combination of steps and hand rails in places to help, despite this it was not the easiest of going, and you spent more time watching what you were doing rather than looking out for birds.
I was hoping for Dipper but there was no sign. A bird bobbing on a rock turned out to be a Common Sandpiper but it was gone before I was able to get really good views. The nearest we came to anything that looked like a Dipper on the rocks was a Wren singing from a huge boulder.
The scenery around us though was amazing, the gnarled barks of the spindly Sessile Oak trees set against a wonderful bright green background of the emerging leaves and grasses.
The riverside trail wound it's way up and down and alongside the river before finally the river comes out of the many rocks and the flow calms down. Here the path headed on a flatter route with a smooth ridge running down to the water. Bluebells can be seen in amongst the grass, but probably not fully out yet.
We walked to the end of the reserve, our path blocked by a wire fence. Below us on the water we saw two Dipper fly off and out of sight so we stood and waited to see if they would return. There were small trails produced probably by the sheep through the bluebells on the ridge of the valley side, and we wandered along these scanning the river below, and the trees above us.
Willow Warbler and the odd Redstart could be heard singing, and some movement around a fallen log turned out to be a male Pied Flycatcher which sat nicely on a dead branch.
A specialty here, and a bird I was looking forward to catching up with. They are smart little birds, the black and white plumage deceptively camouflaging the birds in the branches. As they sit perched the wings are dropped low, and they flick the wings and the tail.
The scenery around us was striking, the dark barks of the oaks winding their way through the canopy and standing out against the greens of the foliage.
Standing still and watching and waiting is one of the best ways to see birds in woodland, and this paid off with a pair of Pied Flycatchers appearing in the trees around us.
They take a prominent perch just below the canopy from which they also watch and wait for insects.
As they move around you see the flicking of the wings and flashes of white.
I didn't manage to get any shots of the female, she lacks the black colouring, this is replaced by a more greyish brown colour, but retains the white in the same places.
The male though was happier to sit out in the open.
Then finally one a little closer just above my head.
While waiting we were not alone, all around us were sheep with several lambs. As we decided to walk on around the trail we had to pass by some lambs, their new white coast standing out against the dark trees and the green foliage.
The trail turns away from the river and heads around the hill, this takes us to the south side, at the same time the sun was breaking through the clouds. Away across the field we could hear a Cuckoo calling, and in the trees more Willow Warblers. The spectacle here though was not ornithological, here it was definitely botanical. Spread out through the trees and up the sides of the hill were carpets and carpets of bluebells.
Being on the south side and with the warmth of the sun the bluebells were far more advanced, however I would say that they were still not 100% out, but nonetheless still a beautiful sight.
Depending on the light, the scene would change.
There has been a concern that Spanish variety of bluebell would eventually wipe out the British variety, but it appears that the British bluebell has a higher fertility over its Spanish rival which means it has a higher resistance. The way to tell the difference between the two, the British bluebell is a darker blue, and the "bells" droop over, while the Spanish variety is much more upright. The bluebells here were all very much British and looking spectacular.
We would walk a little way along the path, and then stop enthralled by the sights that greeted us.
Here a panoramic view of the hillside, bluebells as far as the eye could see.
Some areas denser with a very intense blue.
Again some more views of the bluebells swarming up the hill.
Photographs never seem to give justice to this annual natural spectacle, but these come close.
Hard as it was, I took myself away from the bluebells and looked out across the valley to the other side of the valley, and the distant moor. Trees dotted amongst the bracken, throwing shadows against the dead bracken fronds
Willow Warblers had been singing almost everywhere, and one showed itself on the edge of the wood.
And while watching the Willow Warbler, a smart male Redstart appeared close by. I was fortunate to get this chance as almost as soon as it appeared it was off, something that all the birds seemed to be doing today.
Making the way back to the board walk we had some better views of Wood Warbler, but still it was too mobile to get close with the camera. Walking back to the car park there was a female Pied Flycatcher and another Redstart also along the board walk.
We sat at picnic tables to have lunch, and used the time to watch the birds coming to a natural bird table. This was dominated by a pair of Nuthatch, but there was also a Great, Blue and Marsh Tits coming as well.
It was the Nuthatch though that stole the show.
The Nuthatch would chase any other bird away, the large sharp bill being the ultimate decision maker.
They get into some interesting positions.
Extremely photogenic.
We left the reserve to make our way to Aberystwyth, the road crosses the moor and took us past Lyn Brianne a large man made reservoir that was pretty much dead for birds, the only ones we did see were a pair of Goosander on one of the valley fingers.
I had hoped for more birds crossing the moor, every thing looked perfect, but nobody seemed to have told the birds.
We were staying in a small hamlet just outside Aberystwyth, a place called Plas Tanybwlch, a grade two listed building that was once owned by Uli John Roth a member of the German metal rock group the Scorpions. The history of the building is extensive, being made up of both Georgian and Victorian buildings, it was once used as a quarantine house for sufferers of Typhoid, had stars and cosmic signs painted on the ceilings during it tenure as a rock star's house, until finally being converted into apartments most recently, some of which are rented out for holiday use.
We sorted ourselves out, settled in, and then it was time for me to explore. The apartment looked out over Cardigan Bay, and we could see the town of Aberystwyth from the main window. A footpath led down to the beach with a small wood on one side and open fields on the other. As I reached the beach I disturbed a male Wheatear, which I then re-found on the beach.
It was a beautiful afternoon, although the wind coming from the north west was bitterly cold for the time of year.
Back from the beach a pair of Stonechat were showing on the fence.
And they were joined by a Rock Pipit.
The town of Aberystwyth means in Welsh "Aber" which means estuary, and Ystwyth which is the name of the river, one stream of the river ran along the northern side of the grass plain that lay behind the beach, and on reaching the river I realised that the path looped around and that by following the river I could return to the road and be able to make my way back to the apartment.
The river side walk was out of the bitingly cold wind, and in the shelter the sun was warm and I was regretting the extra layer. The warmth of the sun brought out a few butterflies in the shelter of the long grass, this Small Copper being the pick of the bunch.
Swallows and House Martins skimmed across the grass in the adjoining field and would fly out over the river. A little further along a high bank on the far side of the water was riddled with small holes and I wasn't surprised to see Sand Martins joining the other two hirundines here.
The river was shallow, fast running with crystal clear water. I was on the look out for Dipper, the conditions were ideal, and my suspicions were confirmed when talking to a man he told me that he had watched a pair from the bridge collecting moss a few days ago.
I made my way around to the road bridge and stood watching the water. Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers snatched flies from the surrounding trees and in mid air as I waited but there was no sign of the hoped for Dipper. It was time to move on, it would be possible to come back again.
Walking up the hill the light was turning into that lovely golden evening hue. In the centre of the field was a partially leafed Oak tree that has been shaped and bent by the winds coming off Cardigan Bay. What shadow there was cast dark shapes across the green grass.
Back at the apartment we had dinner and watched the sunset into the sea from the windows in the lounge, and day of differences, but also of great beauty, tomorrow will be another opportunity to return to some favourite places.
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