Chiffchaff singing in the same place as yesterday, this morning. Treecreeper on tree opp the end of the Med Village path. Pr Shoveler sheltering under the trees by W lake reed bed, 1 drake Pochard that I could see, 4 Gadwall and the usual Tufties. No sign of Scaup.

Cosmeston late morning. Chiffchaff singing on path between the 2 lakes. 2 mistle thrush W paddock. Jack Snipe just flushed from adj the wire fence of the ‘snipe paddock’ which is the wire fenced area on LHS past the end of the W paddock hedge. It flew 50 yds and landed on the other side somewhere. Also 3 Greenfinch there – bit of a rarity at Cossie.

A drake Scaup was asleep in the middle of W lake Cosmeston this morning. Presumably the bird from Cardiff Bay [which was originally found at Cossie].

Two hawfinch feeding by the log.  Two jay, lots of great tits,  blue tit, chaffinch.

Circular walk on Thursday 7 March starting and finishing at Taffs Well railway station:

Gwaelod-y-garth and Garth Hill – Dipper, Siskin, Jay, Goldcrest, Green Woodpecker, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing Mistle and Song Thrush, Skylarks, Meadow Pipit and Buzzard

Craig-yr-Allt/Twyn Garwa – Bullfinch, Raven, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers

Mynydd Meio/Nantgarw – Ravens, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Red Kite and Sparrowhawk

My first chiffchaff of the year today in 19 species seen this afternoon. Also goldcrest, mute swan, Mallard, tufted duck, great crested grebe, Moorhen, coot, black headed gull, herring gull, heron, Magpie, Carrion Crow, blue tit, great tit, long tailed tit,robin, blackbird and goldfinch.

Cosmeston early morning: 7 Pochard and 5 Gadwall on the West Lake, 3 Chiffchaff (1 singing), a few Fieldfare and Redwing in trees on west side of play area, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling, several Coot nest building, 4 Little Grebe and 8 Great Crested Grebe (some displaying), Cetti’s Warbler in the East Lake reedbed and a Water Rail calling from the West Lake reedbed.

Sully Island – 2 Great Black-backed Gull on the mud and stones below the Captain’s Wife car park as the tide dropped; overhead a Raven mobbed by Jackdaws.

Barry Docks – a Skylark singing over what’s left of the rough ground at the eastern end of the Waterfront.

Flemingston/Llanbydderi Moor – 13 Lapwing, Stock Dove, Greylag Goose and Common Gull.

2nd March, another singing Chiffchaff in Sanatorium Park.

DIPPER nest building

CHIFFCHAFF singing, KINGFISHER seen twice and probable 2 heard loudly calling. DIPPER singing and another heard.

Walk around Pontypridd area today starting and finishing at Treforest railway station:

River Taff at Treforest – Dipper, Grey Wagtail, 2 Cormorant including one fishing
Glyntaff cemetery and fields/lanes up to Eglwysilan Road – Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Raven, Bullfinch
Cefn Eglwysilan – 2 Stonechat, Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting, and on the top near the trig point lots of singing Skylark
Woods adjacent Pontypridd Golf Club – Treecreeper, nest-building Nuthatch, Buzzard
River Taff at Pontypridd (Berw Road) – Goosander pair, Grey Wagtail, Moorhen
Craig-yr-hesg Nature Reserve – Jay, Siskin, Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Fieldfare
Barry Sidings CP/Mynydd Gelliwion/Maesycoed – Grey Wagtail on River Rhondda, in forestry Siskin, Redpoll, Crossbill, at least 5 singing Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 2 Bullfinch

The AdW Little Gull reported in Cardiff Bay yesterday was still present this morning until around midday. Difficult to find as it wasn’t doing much flying when I was there. Scanned back & fore with the scope for around 20 mins. then suddenly with the scope stationary it flew into view [viewing from the barrage sails]. For the short while it was in flight it was incessantly chased by a 1st yr Black-headed Gull until forced to land on the water again. Unless it’s flying, v diff to pick up with just binos.

First singing Chiffchaff. Grangemoor Park, one Cetti’s singing. Greenfinch singing at three sites.