Purple Sandpiper

January Birding

For most birders that first outing of the new year is always extra special. It doesn’t matter what one might see from Robins and House Sparrows through to Golden Eagles or Firecrests, all species carry with them an additional excitement factor of being “first for the year”. When else for Read more…

Ynyslas

Ynyslas Queen Eider

There’s no better way to kick start a new birding year than with a lifer. And what if that lifer could be a species which you’d never expected to see in Britain? Well, that would be just dandy! So it was that we found ourselves at a freezing Ynyslas on Read more…

View from Ynys-Hir

Aberystwyth and Ynys-Hir

It seems that we may be in for a spot of winter weather after all if the last week is anything to go by. Both Thursday and Friday saw good levels of snowfall across the Brecon Beacons and let me assure you that there’s nothing quite so frustrating as sitting Read more…

My Life Outside blog

Owl Telescopes and Ynys-hir

We took a trip north on Saturday to the wonderful RSPB reserve at Ynys-hir. It’s new found fame after featuring on the BBC’s Springwatch series was much in evidence with a tripling of staff in the shop (to three) and the highest visitor numbers that I have ever seen. I Read more…

My Life Outside blog

RSPB Ynys-Hir

Most of our time on Saturday was spent at Ynys-Hir, the RSPB reserve on the banks of the River Dyfi. For those that don’t know it I highly recommend a visit. The range of habitats on offer is really rather exceptional with mature woodland blending into open grassland, mudflats, salt Read more…

My Life Outside blog

RSPB Ynys Hir

This weekend I took a visit up to the RSPB reserve at Ynys-Hir for the first time in at least 18 months. The reserve is located about 10 miles inland from Aberystwyth and incorporates a range of habitats including mature woodland, estuary and peat bogs. I have never visited before Read more…