Birds To See Inland In West Wales
Meadow Pipit
Walks around on open moors and marshes and flocks on fields in winter. Pale grey or brown above with dark streaks and prominent white-edged black ‘frill’ at top of wing when at rest. Very streaky breast – cream or pale orangish buff. It flutters about jerkily doing squeaky chirps.
Merlin
Farmland and coast. Flies low. Male: small – size of dove; grey/blue above; black tail tip; buff with orangey tinge underneath. Very speckled. Female much bigger; dark brown upper with cream underparts streaked brown. Wings sharply tapered. Tail blunt or spread in broad fan.
Nuthatch
Woodlands or gardens. Very distinctive with rusty-yellow underside, grey/blue on top with wide black eyestripe extending down neck. Pale throat. Will land upside down to devour nuts from feeder with sharp precision.
Peregrine
Much larger than Merlin. Male: dark grey head and back with pronounced horizontal grey barring on underside and fluffy legs, yellow at ankle and feet. Nests on cliffs and likes to catch pigeons and waders on the wing. Females much bigger.
Pied Flycatcher
Likes old woods, particularly oak with clearings. Very recognisable with striking black and white plumage. They have been tempted into Welsh woods with nesting boxes.
Pied Wagtail
It’s that little grey bird with black and white tail and head which you can see hopping about with wagging tail often in supermarket carparks or bits of wasteland. But they love water, too.
Red Kite
Now quite common in Ceredigion, this striking bird of prey is often seen gliding overhead with its deeply forked tail fanned out. Grey head and rusty underparts with white patch behind angle of wing.
Redpoll
Carduelis genus. Likes trees but also comes down to feed. Very streaky underparts, black bib. Male: pale rosy breast and dark red forehead. Birch and larch preferred food. Flocks bounce around in flight and make loud rattling ‘check’ sound.
Redstart
Mostly woodland – prefers oak, but during migration can be seen on coast. Males like to sit in top of tree to sing. Elusive, they flit about with wide blunt tail unmistakeably rusty red. Male has big black bib and grey upper with orange underside. Female browner all over but has same tail.
Reed Bunting
Mostly beside water but may appear in winter fields. Male: black head in summer (grey/brown winter) with white collar. Streaky brown/black back tinged with yellowish brown. Freckled greyish underparts. Female: dark crown and white eye stripe. Tail: blunt. Black with broad white patches on sides.
Sand Martin
Makes holes in sand or earth banks often beside water. In flight: brown upper, wings and breast band. Underparts white. Wings very pointy and tail has shallow notch. Much smaller than swift.
Siskin
Carduelis genus. Likes conifers but comes to mixed woodland and gardens in winter. Loves peanuts. Smaller than sparrow. Male: yellow/green breast and black wings with yellow stripes. Female: greyer than male, whiter underparts; more delicate streaks.