Central Wales offers one of Britain's last hopes for reviving the population of red kites, once numerous across Britain, but like many others, killed off almost entirely by gamekeepers and the pesticides of modern farming, such as DDT which weakened the shells of their eggs, and other poisons used indiscriminately with devastating effects.
The banning of DDT in the 1960s, and some careful and intensive conservation work in more recent year has helped to slowly increase their numbers in Wales. The Red Kite Feeding Center on the Black Mountain is half an hour's drive from Lothlorien Cottage.
Other species that were once relentlessly persecuted are also increasing in numbers so one is now fortunate enough to be able to see sparrow-hawks, peregrine falcon and hen harriers.
Eagles in Wales?
Perhaps one day Snowdonia will once again be priviledged to be home to the eagle which gives the Welsh mountains their name of Eryri.
Exciting sighting: a report on the BBC in January 2011:
"A sighting has been made in Ceredigion of the rare golden eagle, which disappeared in Wales 200 years ago.
The bird of prey has been photographed in Pontrhydygroes, near Aberystwyth, but it is not known how it ended up there.
The RSPB said the bird, which is now seen mostly in Scotland, could have escaped from captivity or might have lost its way.
About a dozen birdwatchers descended on the village over the weekend.
There are about 450 breeding golden eagle pairs in the UK, according to the RSPB.
It is said the golden eagle prefers the wild countryside of peatlands, uplands and mountains, but is threatened by habitat change and inappropriate development.
Pontrhydygroes is in the Ystwyth Valley, about nine miles from Aberystwyth.
"Arguably, the golden eagle would be more secure in Wales than Scotland, and there's plenty of food. It normally takes rabbits and wood pigeons - animals of that size."
Jeff Page, owner the Miners' Arms pub in the village, said the bird was spotted about a month ago by local man Gareth James.
"I've seen the eagle and it's an amazing sight," he said.
"It's a massive bird. We have a lot of buzzards in the area and they're a big bird, but they're half the size of the golden eagle.
Mr Page added: "I've had a car park full of twitchers over the weekend. There was about a dozen and they've come from south Wales and from as far afield as Nottingham."
There are large populations of kestrel, which you can see hovering steadily before dropping like missiles on unsuspecting mice or voles. Buzzards can be seen drifting on the thermals on the lookout for small prey, or carrion. They have to compete with bands of coal black ravens, which often band together to mob the bigger birds.
Heather Uplands: The acidic heather uplands 1-2,000 feet above sea level provide habitat for the black and red grouse, as well as snipe.
Grassland: The softer grassland is home to the ring ouzel, a blackbird with a white cravat, and the golden plover which although still common, is being threatened by the spread of conifer forests, inhabited by few birds other than wood pigeons and blackbirds.
Ancient Woodlands: There are also the ancient woodlands which with sparkling streams and the pleasure of seeing a variety of kingfishers and dippers.
Sheltered areas of water provide home to three species of swan as well as shelduck and Canada geese.
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