Local Wildlife

[SteveH]

The Welsh mountain zoo sometimes have birds go astray ?.....

[Hugo]

The North Wales Bird Trust at Bodafon Farm also have some escapees too but I couldn't contact them this afternoon so I  just left a message

[Hugo]

I've tried to encourage the smaller birds into our back garden by providing feeding places in different parts of the garden.  I've also got three bird baths around the place and fill them up regularly so that the birds always have water to drink or bathe in.
Watching the Blackbirds bathing in the water is such a delight,  they are just so comical with their wings splashing  water every where.  Quite often after the Blackbirds have had a bath I've gone out and refilled the bird bath  as they have emptied the water with all the splashing about that they do.

[Ian]

There is at least one golden Eagle in the hills above Conwy Valley, Hugo. I've actually seen it, so I know it's there.

[Hugo]

You are very lucky to have seen such a magnificent bird like that.     

[Ian]

I remember the shadow falling over us as we were walking. Almost floating as it drifted onto an outcrop. Farming friends knew of it, and have seen it several times, so whether it's an escapee or a recent immigrant, I don't know. The last mating pair I know of was in the Glyders, about 35 years ago.  I thought they'd all gone.

[Hugo]

I had a friend come over to see me many years ago and he travelled through mid Wales with the sun roof down and he saw a large bird that he had never seen before.
When he looked at my book on birds he was able to identify it as a Golden Eagle,  so that was a great start to his holiday.

[Hugo]

Have any of your farming friends had any livestock losses in the area where the bird was seen?     If they have, it could be resident to that area.

[Ian]

Their neighbours have to foxes, they suspect. But no unexplained ones, as far as I know.

[Hugo]

If there is no evidence of the Golden Eagle attacking livestock it could be that the bird is from Ireland and just passing over.   I wish that I had seen that Eagle like bird properly when I was driving through Pwllycrochan Woods as that was very impressive too.   My other car has a video camera on it and I could have played it back and identified it.   As it was that road is so bad I had to keep my eyes on the road and only got a brief look at the bird. 

[Ian]

Would its territory extend to here, d'you think?

[Hugo]

It's nearer than Scotland so it's a possibility.   

[Ian]

On the B5381 at the highest point there's a very large Raptor that we always see sitting on a pole. Never seen it in flight but it's much larger than a Buzzard.

[Bosun]

Ian, I have also seen that bird, and in flight, but always whilst I was driving so I could not get that good a look at it, and by the time I had safely stopped and got the binoculars - of course it was gone. I have wondered what it was and have been reluctant to voice any suggestions in the presence of proper 'twichers' in fear of ridicule so I am grateful for your confirmation that I am not imagining things.

[Ian]

It's a magnificent bird, whatever it is. My wife's the Ornithological enthusiast - I'm just an enthusiast :-))