We made a visit to the beautiful Gilfach nature reserve Thursday 12th June. The reserve is situated about 3 miles north of Rhayader on the A470, and is described as the farm that time forgot, which sounds about right as we virtually had the place to ourselves. We parked on the small car park at the entrance, just after the cattle grid, and walked the short walk (about a mile and half) to the visitor/educational centre. The site sits tight between the mountains, with a small river at the bottom of a v shaped valley, with mature deciduous woodland. Birds seen included, 3 pairs of stonechat, willow warblers, meadow pipit, tree pipit, skylark, 3 jays, buzzard, red kite, 2 great spotted woodpeckers, siskins, 2 pair of pied flycatchers feeding young, pair of redstart feeding young, wood warbler and cuckoo heard only. All in all a beautiful peaceful place in which I hope to visit again.
-- Edited by David Duncan on Tuesday 17th of June 2014 03:56:21 PM
Keith Mills said
Sun May 13 9:33 PM, 2012
Gilfach Nature Reserve
With 24 members of Bolton RSPB, we enjoyed a superb 4 hours of birdwatching at this site today. The Reserve, run by Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, has SSSI classification. It is in the Mid-Wales Cambrian Mountains and is a few miles north of Rhayader. It has a beautiful natural setting.
Today's sightings of interest Pied Flycatcher...12... ..males in the majority. Close views. Redstart....10 ...again mainly males seen. but good views of at least 2 females. Red Kite....5 Lesser Redpoll.....6 Siskin....4 Goldcrest....2 Tree Pipits....3 with very good views! Garden Warbler....1 Cuckoo....1..male Raven....6 Jay...1 Dipper....2 Nuthatch....several A small Lizard was seen.
-- Edited by keith mills on Monday 14th of May 2012 06:58:23 AM
Alan Prosser said
Mon May 11 10:11 AM, 2009
Day trip for Bolton RSPB Local Group on 10 May '09
Gilfach WTNR (3 miles north of Rhayader on A470)
Cracking site in a superb location. Really well managed with a great visitor centre and the friendliest and most helpful warden we have ever met.
Hen Harrier(1 male), Wood Warbler(1), Pied Flycatcher(at least 6 pairs), Redstart(1), Cuckoo(1), Tawny Owl(1), Wheatear(2), Buzzard(4), Redkite(3) plus usual birds.
Gigrin Farm
At least 90 to 100 Red Kite at feeding time including a really unusual white (leucistic is it called?) Kite which appeared at the end of the feeding session.
-- Edited by Alan Prosser on Monday 11th of May 2009 10:44:57 AM
-- Edited by David Duncan on Tuesday 17th of June 2014 03:56:21 PM
With 24 members of Bolton RSPB, we enjoyed a superb 4 hours of birdwatching at this site today.
The Reserve, run by Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, has SSSI classification.
It is in the Mid-Wales Cambrian Mountains and is a few miles north of Rhayader. It has a beautiful natural setting.
Today's sightings of interest
Pied Flycatcher...12... ..males in the majority. Close views.
Redstart....10 ...again mainly males seen. but good views of at least 2 females.
Red Kite....5
Lesser Redpoll.....6
Siskin....4
Goldcrest....2
Tree Pipits....3 with very good views!
Garden Warbler....1
Cuckoo....1..male
Raven....6
Jay...1
Dipper....2
Nuthatch....several
A small Lizard was seen.
-- Edited by keith mills on Monday 14th of May 2012 06:58:23 AM
Gilfach WTNR (3 miles north of Rhayader on A470)
Cracking site in a superb location. Really well managed with a great visitor centre and the friendliest and most helpful warden we have ever met.
Hen Harrier(1 male), Wood Warbler(1), Pied Flycatcher(at least 6 pairs), Redstart(1), Cuckoo(1), Tawny Owl(1), Wheatear(2), Buzzard(4), Redkite(3) plus usual birds.
Gigrin Farm
At least 90 to 100 Red Kite at feeding time including a really unusual white (leucistic is it called?) Kite which appeared at the end of the feeding session.
-- Edited by Alan Prosser on Monday 11th of May 2009 10:44:57 AM