Highlights – Swallow, Sand Martin, Chiffchaff, Goldeneye, GCG, Lapwing displaying and Purple Sandpiper. In the afternoon we visited Parc Slip to see the new elevated hide and scrapes – very impressive.

The drake Green winged teal showed for approx one minute  at 2PM today before disappearing back into the reeds (PP, CG).

A chiff chaff was in my garden at lunchtime. Jackdaws nesting in two chimneys and a blackbird on eggs in the Bay Tree.

hi , I saw one peregrine on top of the town hall tower in walsall last week as i got of the university bus in town. its great to see it and now hope they will breed again . walsall rspb are having a peregrine watch on saturday april 5th from the art gallery –hideous building but good for scopes etc!  i`ll miss it as on a girl guiding event in birmingham.

heard my first chiffchaff last sat at a wildlife trust event at moseley bog and joy`s wood celebrating spring.  its near birmingham and a great reserve with great wildlife and great archaeology  going back to triassic times and used in bronze age up to last century. ,sue

Red Kite over aleck with Stadium at 1500 hrs today 🙂

Two L. glaucoides put in a brief appearance this afternoon from 14:35-14:45. One or the other (or possibly even a different bird) was there briefly at 14:15 or so, this bird was last seen gaining height and disappearing off, wings looked very white but not really sure as not photographed and not seen that well through binoculars.

Photos of the other two birds below to add to the discussion on the GRC blog. Having looked at the photos I would say today’s L_glaucoides b appears to be the one referred to as Kumlien’s No 2 in the blog. The other bird photographed today appears to have pale outer primaries although as I only managed 2 grabbed shots as most of the gulls took off before I had a chance to find the second bird on the ground and only picked it up as it flew past so the light and focus isn’t great.

P.S. also Red Kite high over heading west just before these two turned up.

L_glaucoides a1

L_glaucoides a2

L_glaucoides b1

L_glaucoides b2

L_glaucoides b3

The Marsh Tit was feeding off the dragon tree again. I’ve not seen it there for a while.

Reasonable pic at

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/passerines/h1a5e4b89#h11f013c3

….it’s just too fast for me to get it on one of the branches!

1st yr little gull present at 11, but no obvious sign of boneys seen earlier by Lol. Also Sand Martin’s inspecting nest holes in old dock by Dr. Who. Amusing to see 6 birds all trying to inspect the same hole!

Bonapartes gull sitting on the water between the Barrage and the sails.

not showing much of a hood ?

also Wheatear on the path and green area just beyond the sails.

 

Drake Green-winged Teal further away than Eurasian Teal. Notice strong vertical white bar at side of breast on the GWT (record shot taken yesterday)

Today: The drake has proved very elusive this morning but has finally shown itself again on the flooded scrape area south of the main reedbed, and therefore in East Glam. Picked up again around midday and viewed from the haul road. (CJ)

Just had an e-mail to say that the L-t Duck was at Knap Lake Barry this morning.

3 snipe including 1 in “chipping” display, 1 lapwing on the pool shore, plus several others around Dowlais Top. 3F and 1M goldeneye, 3 GC grebes, 1M wheatear, 3 kites, buzzard, kestrel etc. nothing unusual among the gulls. A small mammal survey produced both common and pigmy shrews as well as field voles.

My wife Emma saw an Osprey drifting North over our garden at about 10.20 this morning.

A Green-winged Teal – found by Darren Coombs – is at Kenfig Saltmarsh, on the East Glamorgan side. 

Male goosander on the lake was a site first for me today.

Bonaparte’s and Little Gull in the Bay late morning, in with Black-headed Gulls close to the barrage.

7 Goosander (2m) the highlight of a cold walk around Bute Park this PM. Also 2 Teal(1m) 2 Mistle Thrush and 1 Kingfisher. 1 GS Woodpecker heard.

The Kumlien’s Gull still present at Fendrod Lake this morning.