A Wonderful morning at Dinas RSPB

It's the third and final day in Wales, and it's a much more leisurely start. Although we are still up, Packed and on the road by 7am, and heading for one of my favourite places not only in wales but the whole of the U.K.

We are only twenty minutes down the road when the phone rings, It's Brian, he's in Wales for the week and wasn't planning on making the trip to Dinas today. He couldn't resist and is not far behind us. After giving him some brief directions we carry on and follow the sat-nav until we turn off the main roads onto much smaller windier roads, there's a stream running alongside us and we pull over by a bridge to check for Dippers. It's not long before I spot one a little further upstream, there's also a Grey wagtail feeding along the waters edge a short distance from the Dipper.

Having stopped it's not long before Brian catches up with us, he doesn't hang around and is keen to continue on to Dinas.

Pied Flycatcher

Shortly after arriving we are heading along the boardwalk. This is a fantastic place and it's not long before we are watching Pied Flycatchers, firstly the male and then male and female. they are checking nest-boxes and as usual they give super views. On the opposite side of the boardwalk in a small stream we find a pair of Common Sandpipers, they are searching for food among the rocks.

Next bird spotted is a Treecreeper, it's searching the nearby tree trunks and it's tsee-tsee call is heard often while it flits from one trunk to the next.

While I'm watching the Treecreeper with Rob, I get a call from dad who is a little further along the path. Brian has spotted a Tree Pipit singing at the top of a nearby tree.This would be a life tick for me, So I hurry along the boardwalk to where they are, I can hear it singing before I reach them. I join them just in time as it takes to the air and goes into it's flight display. One lifer and two year ticks and I am still only half way along the boardwalk at the start of the trail.

Just around the corner from here is normally a good spot for Dipper, and it doesn't disappoint, with a bird seen flying down stream almost immediately. It is not long before it's found sitting on a rock in the middle of the stream. Rob sets up his camera underneath a tree and waits for it to hopefully come closer.

Further along the trail I can hear Wood Warblers singing, they prove more difficult to locate among the trees, but with some patience I eventually manage some good views.

A Red Kite drifts over the mountain side and then two Ravens head our way. Nothing subtle about these birds as they noisily circle overhead. Scanning the hillside trees a pair of Redstarts are spotted. Dad has walked on ahead and so has missed them.

In the tree by the car park there are a pair of Garden Warblers, and dad gets a view of one as it lands in a small bush right in front of us. He still needs Redstart, but it's not long before he can add it to his year list when a superb male comes into view, firstly sitting in a tree and then on a nearby fence post.

Brian spots a small bird in a willow tree, we are hoping it's Willow Tit, But it turns out to be a Marsh Tit. Sadly no addition to my life list then. It's still a nice find and a welcome addition to the trip total.



Llyn Brianne



We leave Dinas and travel a little further North to take a look at Llyn Brianne. It's a reservoir which is  almost 300m above sea level, holding over 64million cubic metres of water, all contained by a 91metre high stone dam. It's the largest of it's kind in Europe. Just in case you are wondering, No I didn't know that, I had to look it up on Google.

A great three day trip, that started with Red Kites on the Friday, Skomer and Marloes Mere on Saturday and ended with Dinas on Sunday.With fantastic scenery and some stunning birds, I'm already looking forward to next year's return trip.