Circular walk today around part of Clydach Vale Country Park in the Rhondda Valley. Started at the lower lake, up to the windfarm on the ridge, descent to the upper lake, then followed the Nant Clydach back to the lower lake.

Great spotted woodpecker calling as I got out of the car. Coot, moorhen, mallard , little grebe and black-headed gull on the lower lake, along with a flotilla of domestic fowl!

Roving tit (blue, coal, great, long-tailed) and finch (siskin, chaffinch, goldfinch) flocks on the climb. Just a solitary mallard on the upper lake, but a dipper on the Nant Clydach and a sparrowhawk back at the lower lake.

Late afternoon, a kestrel hunting west of the minor road from Hirwaun Industrial Estate to Penderyn was the best I could do there on the raptor front.