Elan Valley Trip (19-22 May 2023)
Friday 19th May. We all arrived after 4pm at the Elan Valley Lodge near the Elan Valley Visitor Centre; some just squeaking in before the manager’s pre-dinner welcome briefing. Our accommodation was excellent with good food and drink. Dave and Anita had stayed there last year and recommended it for our group visit. A big thank you to them. This building was originally the school for the children of the engineers and artisans who built the dams of the Birmingham Water Supply scheme. The wonderful Welsh water goes by aqueduct, with no pumping, all the way to Birmingham. It takes three days to get there.
The Lodge is right by the Afon(river) Elan so we had a race to find the first Dipper. There were also Spotted Flycatchers about, so we were hopeful of good birding weekend.
Saturday 20th May. Many people made the most of their birding time with walks before breakfast at 8am and before dinner each day. They caught sight of the aforementioned Spotted Flycatchers investigating the down pipes on a nearby building for their nest site, along with House Sparrows doing the same. Other sightings included Grey Wagtails, a Kingfisher and Redstarts.
The manager had provided a local guide, called Phil, and we set off immediately after breakfast on a walk down the river. There were more Dippers, Mistle and Song Thrush with lots of other birds. At the little footbridge we had super views of Redstarts in the morning sunshine. What a beautiful bird! We then climbed through woods of the RSPB’s Carngafallt reserve and found all the usual suspects, such as Chiffchaff, plus Pied Flycatchers using natural nest holes and the many nest boxes that had been set up for them. In the trees behind the Lodge, early risers, had found Garden and Wood Warblers. So, we fanned out to try and find them again. We weren’t disappointed. The Wood Warbler was calling away and then came to investigate us, flitting about in the branches, just above our heads.
After a picnic lunch, we set off towards the Claerwen Dam. Phil knew where there was a Peregrine nest. There was no sign of any activity, but he suggested we wait 10 minutes. Meanwhile someone spotted a slow worm, so we all crowded round the poor thing as it disappeared into the grass. Suddenly the Peregrine was back, and we all had marvellous views of it on its nest. Just over the road Diana spotted a Wall butterfly which excited our guide because it was in his county’s recording area and not someone else’s on the other side of the river!
Next, we had a delightful interlude in bright sunshine below the Claerwen Dam wall. We found several Wheatears bringing food to chicks in nests amongst the rocks on the hillside. By the river there were Pied and Grey Wagtails, Blackcaps, Wrens, Dunnocks, Sand Martins and Swallows then after a long wait a pair of Common Sandpipers were spotted. High above us, we saw Red Kites, Buzzards and Ravens tumbling by the rocky crags. We even found a Raven’s nest.
Sunday 21st May. Another beautiful walk for the early risers spotting more Redstarts, Wood Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers. After a hearty breakfast we all set off for the Marteg and Gilfach Nature Reserve. Our guide knew the area well and we were all soon looking at and listening to a Tree Pipit. What a delightful bird. We walked slowly up the lovely valley taking in the most fantastically eroded rocks in the river with numerous waterfalls. We had our picnic lunch at the farmhouse after a very steep climb and had Redstart and a Siskin to entertain us. After lunch we drove back to the Elan Valley. We stopped at the reservoir above the Craig Goch Dam hoping to hear and see Curlews. There were none about but we were rewarded with excellent views of a Whinchat. Finally, we went back to the Elan River to look for more Dippers. There was a very well-placed bridge and we had good views of another Dipper working his way downstream doing all the things that Dippers do.
Monday 22nd May. We vacated our rooms immediately after breakfast to make way for the next guests. The Lodge had been the perfect place to enjoy a weekend in the Elan Valley. We then headed back to the Claerwen River for a lovely walk in the morning sunshine. The highlights were Hen Harriers flying high over the rocky ridges across the valley, more grey wagtails and another pair of Common Sandpipers. Before leaving we enjoyed one more packed lunch on the Elan Valley Lodge terrace. A Goosander headed up the river just as we departed.
A super end to a lovely weekend before we all set off back to London.
by Christo Impey
Species list: Blackbird Blackcap Blue Tit Bullfinch Buzzard Canada Goose Carrion Crow Chaffinch Chiffchaff Coal Tit Common Sandpiper Cuckoo Dipper Dunnock Garden Warbler Goldcrest Goldfinch Goosander Great Tit Great Spotted Woodpecker Grey Heron Grey Wagtail Greylag Goose Hen Harrier House Martin House Sparrow Jackdaw Jay Kingfisher Long-tailed Tit Magpie Mallard Mandarin Duck Meadow Pipit Mistle Thrush Nuthatch Peregrine Pied Flycatcher Pied Wagtail Raven Red Kite Redstart Robin Sand Martin Siskin Song Thrush Sparrowhawk Spotted Flycatcher Snipe Stock Dove Stonechat Swallow Tawny Owl heard Tree Pipit Treecreeper Wheatear Whinchat Willow Warbler Wood Warbler Woodpigeon Wren Slow worm Wall Brown Small White Peacock Green-veined White Orange Tip Holly Blue Brimstone Red Admiral Bloody-nosed Beetle Dung Beetle.