Aberystwyth: Birdwatching in Mid-Wales

Birds, scenery and much more in Wild Wales.
Aberystwyth is the city of Ceredigion, on the coast of central Wales.  Famous to me because of the sure presence of Red Kites--a bird that is pretty rare generally but abundant here.

I have joined a small birding group to explore the hills and coast of central Wales.  It has been great to have the expertise of local bird guide John Davies, who knows every nook and cranny of these complex hills and valleys. We stuck to one county and found 66 different species.  This is the tail end of summer and the earliest touch of winter.  So we might get anything in our sights. I could not miss the Red Kites soaring around above our hotel.

As often is the case, there were many other interesting things to look at as we poked around.  My companions were interesting people from England; and I became aware of George Borrow--who wrote the original travel guide to Wales, getting Victorian society interested in travelling to Welsh beauty spots.  I am following in his footsteps.

But this an up-to-date place too.  It is the site of a very popular police drama set in and filmed in Aberystwyth and environs.  BBC has produced Hinterland which has turned out to be an international success.  To my chagrin, I can only get it in welsh while i am in Walse though it is in English too. But where we watched a beautiful stream for dippers, a murderous episode had been set-- so we had stories for our wait.

Aberystwyth
A coastal city, these guys resisted the Normans longer than most other parts of Britain. But in the 14th C, they were brought within the realm and have been a Normanl/Welsh city ever since.  The University here has its roots in the earliest days and is still an important university especially in agricultural research.  I like it because it has a beautiful old main building on the waterfront.  With such a beautiful building, learning must surely prosper.

The remains of the Norman Castle are also on the waterfront and delightfully had the last of the season's House Martin, White-bellied swallows and sand martins flying in and out of the arrow slits.






Coastal explorations
Seabirds and shorebirds are migrating and our county has something for all kinds.  We have long seen the last of the common sea birds but the gannets are still abundant--yay, I love gannets.  Also, a first for me--Manx shearwaters.  Just the babies since the parents have flown south already.  But small rafts of babies floating out in the water, flapping and diving to get strong enough for their own southward voyage.

Curlews, turnstones, oystercatchers fed at the tideline on sandy shores and then, of course, a peregrine came in for lunch.  We did not see anyone becoming lunch but the falcon created clouds of flying birds.

Cliffs abound and Chough were gathering preparing to move south.  This rare bird is usually seen in ones or twos on rocky cliffs if at all but we watched 8 birds on a cliff for more than an hour.  Heaven, to me.



Small birds of the fields, forest and rivers--they re so hard to find and figure out.  John to the rescue.  He knows where the dippers nest, we found all the tits, even a tiny Goldcrest Britain's smallest bird.



Red Kite Feeding Center
Red Kites (pictured on top of blog) almost reached extinction in Britain and has declined seriously in its range in Western Europe.  For the last century and a half, they have been deliberately persecuted by farmers, gamekeepers and sometimes governments.  But Ceredigion County Wales is a bright Spot where their population is recovering.

At the Bylch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre, we watched during their feeding session.  Kites are typicaly scavengers and the warden of the center has meat scraps for them.  We saw about 200 kites there for the feeding.

Wild Wales Tourism
Wales became a tourist destination for Victorian society because of its wild beauty and opportunities for "hill walking."  George Borrow wrote one of the earliest books promoting the area after he had traveled through so many nooks and crannies.  In 1862 he published Wild Wales, which has remained popular and in print to this day. He has become something of a cult figure now with the George Borrow society and annual meetings to walk his routes.  I have to admit that I knew nothing of George Borrow but I do think that my interest in wandering around and poking into odd spots may owe something to his Victorian spirit. I had the pleasure of staying at the George Borrow Inn along the old coaching route between the Welsh coast and England.  He stayed here in 1854 during his exploration and the current hotel is still based on the old coaching inn.  Its location on the crest of a deep valley is stunning.

They pride themselves on "honest fare, well prepared."  Everything comes with potatos and peas,  Several choices are beef pie, chicken and leek pie.  I can attest that they are well prepared and delicious.  George probably ate the same food.

More Scenery.  This is a beautiful place.  George Borrow is right.

Bird photos from Royal Society for Protection of Birds.