Around the valley today

Sunny but a brisk cold wind didn't seem to bother the birds too much. Saw 4 pairs of Red Kite at various sites today. Rooks have started building nests at Garth & Caerau. Even saw my firsts of the year in 2 Small Tortoiseshell [butterfly] and 2 Eristalis pertinax [Hoverfly]. Dippers and Grey Wagtails were back at their territories and displaying. Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrest were nest building down the sewage works and at Top Llan between the Waun-y-Gilfach Houses and My. Baeden were 21 Buzzard including one pale morph and one dark morph. 27 Fieldfare, 21 Starling and 51 Stock Dove were in the fields, supported by 60 Linnet, 34 Chaffinch and 2 Reed Bunting. A male Sparrowhawk flew through briefly. A group of 13 Magpies at Lletty Farm was unusual and the sewage works Pied Wagtail flock was quite low in only 60 birds. No sign of any summer visitors/passage migrants yet though.

10 of the 13 Magpie at Lletty Brongu Farm

 Grey Wagtail

 Buzzard