Wales day 2

Fresh from a good nights sleep I set off from the hotel at 5 o'clock for a walk along the river. it was a beautiful morning, I had noted in the grounds of the hotel Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart yesterday so there was an air of expectancy about today. You don't realise how much sound is polluted until you are in the country, here the only sound was plenty of bird song with Willow Warbler and Garden Warbler, Blackcap and a beautiful Song Thrush filling the still morning air.  I headed along the path towards a footbridge where I could gain access to the river a flash of Redstart was next, followed by a fleeting view of a Wood Warbler which was high in a Tree. There was lots of mature trees for the Wood Warblers, this one was singing well, obviously a few weeks behind in breeding this year.  A few of us had by now joined forces and as we walked along the river which was strewn with boulders and rocks typical of the location, we came a across a Goosander female, she took  flight and rewarded us with a fly about calling as she did so. Goosanders were spotted several times through our stay I think four in total and a few distant chicks. We heard a male Pied Flycatcher which showed well it had a couple of females in tow, there were a few young Grey Wagtails and a tatty parent happily playing in the river very nice. Although the sky was cloudless it was still early when we encountered our first Dipper, the camera was out and the first of many blurred photos was taken. I located the nest sight easily and we watched the male call the female off it to come out and feed. These are moments you just want to enjoy and this we did, however as the sun climed slowly up in to the sky so did the midges and it was not long before we all made a hasty retreat scratching and squashing the little blighters. breakfast was at 8 so after 3 hours in the field was most welcome. After breakfast we made our first visit to Gllfach nature Reserve. A place time forgot it is just north of Rhayader situated in the beautiful marteg valley.  As you drive along the narrow twisting road you drop steeply down to a little bridge over the river here there is a hide allowing stunning close views of Nuthatch, Pied Flycatcher Dippers, Blue and great Tits. The hide is called the otter hide. A steep climb up to the old farm house where we parked the car. The farm house dates back to the fifteenth century and is built around a wooden cruck framed medieval  frame as a welsh longhouse, the farmer lived in one end the animals in the other.. The farm yard has feeders allowing close views of Redpolls Siskins Pied Flycatchers and one that I had only seen on fleeting occasions, a beautiful male Redstart. here we stayed and whiled  several superb hours, time definitely well spent.