A VISIT TO LLANDEGFEDD RESERVOIR (OR LAKE)?

Easter Sunday I decided to take a trip to Llandegfedd Reservoir or as it is now called Llandegfedd Lake.

I got there about 9am and parked up at the damn end to have a quick scan to see what was about. Sand Martins were flying above me Pied Wagtails just over the damn wall and Meadow Pipits were seen flitting about around the water's edge and landing on fence posts giving their distinct pipit call.

meadow pipit

looking from the damn wall towards the visitors centre

It was a lovely Spring day and I was very hopeful  of seeing some good birds, (an Osprey was seen a couple of days previous so I was full of anticipation). I got back in the car and headed towards the Fisherman's car park at the north end of the reservoir where most of the hides and inlets are.

There were a few people at the car park to my surprise, but not deturbed I set off to see what was about.

I walked up to the Bert Hamar hide and to my disappointment there wasn't a lot of birds about, some Gulls a couple of Cormorants and a few Canada Geese were all that was on offer. Having said that walking through the trees there were quite a few woodland species as well as the newly arrived migrants the Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

bert hamar hide

looking back up towards the damn very quiet

canada goose

some more canada geese gathered in a field beside the res

I managed to get a pic of the three warblers I could hear, the Blackcap picture is just a record shot it was the best of a bad bunch that I had rattled off.

chiffchaff

willow warbler

blackcap

I headed back hopefully to get to the other places at the reservoir where there was a good chance of seeing some good birds, but by the time I got back near the car park there were hoards of people, some couples, some families and some families and couples with dogs that were not on leads and were being allowed by their owners to swim in the water. It was like walking down the prom at some seaside resort. I went into the inlet hide to escape the mayhem where I watched this Great Crested Grebe.

great crested grebe

I then decided to go through the crowds to the green pool hide. There wasn't a lot to be seen a Coot, Moorhen and some Mallards. I sat there for quite a while but nothing else turned up which is hardly surprising with the number of people that were now at the res.

the view from green pool hide

male mallard

As you walk around the green pool hide there's a field right next to the golf course which had these holiday pods in, I couldn't believe my eyes.

holiday pods at a SSSI unbelievable 

I decided to pack up and go home, there was obviously no point in hoping that something interesting was going to turn up so I called it a day.

In conclusion - I think visiting Llandegfedd Reservoir or as it's been called now lake on a sunny bank holiday or perhaps any sunny weekend to go birding is a definite no no.

I understand Welsh Water trying to open the place up for tourism but it's supposed to be a SSSI (site of special scientific interest). Why not keep the day trippers up around the visitors centre where there is still plenty of space for them to wonder and leave the fishermen, birds and birders like myself in peace. I remember a time when you had to pay to go birdwatching (unless you were a GOS member) but it was well worth it as you were always likely to see something out of the ordinary and it was beautifully quiet and peaceful. Llandegfedd is still a great site and still will attract some good birds, such as the Osprey that I mentioned earlier that was seen here a few days ago. There has also been some good work done to the hides, but all the boat trips now going on there and the footfall of loads of people trampling all over the site can't be good for the future of this once birding jewel of Gwent.