Cardiff docks: Female flew from the Bob Martin site towards the fuel storage plant, Landed on a fence but not long enough to take a pic, then flew off into the fuel site.

January 28th. A Common Gull was the first we have seen here, along with three colour ringed LBBG’s two of which were ringed on Flat Holm. Also, Goosander 9 two drakes Kingfisher 1 Mute Swan 2 and the long stayer Shelduck.

See i was at WWT Llanelli on Friday, watch 2 Peregrine course havoc, moment after they attack the Greenshanks is what i call “Panic of the Little Egret” – first the scream – second the drive – third lets be cool what the problem

Sully Cricket field east to the caravan site and back along the shore, just as the tide had turned. There were 57 Black-headed Gulls on the sports field, and along the shore a nice little selection of waders, with 20 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Plover, 14 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and 20+ Turnstone. A lone Rock Pipit on the shore and an amazing 10 with 4 Pied Wags on the cricket pitch. Also logged a flyover Curlew, 6 Crow, 2 Greenfinch and a few Herring Gulls. There were birds roosting on Sully Island bnut I didn’t have my scope.

Whilst taking part in the annual RSPB garden bird watch this morning I was very surprised and overjoyed to briefly see a Water Rail skulking, almost invisibly, amongst shrub stems and dead leaves . it was presumably eating the fallen sunflower hearts from the feeders above, dropped by the quarrelsome Greenfinches and House Sparrows. Also of some note was 2 Blackcaps, male and female. The feeders are amongst shrubs opposite my home and adjacent to Pwll y Waun pond.

In the garden [Penarth] this morning we had both male and female Blackcaps together. The male had frst appeared on 18th. He feeds on the fat balls but the female was finding invertebrates in a nearby dense Box bush. Later at Cosmeston a Kingfisher shot across W lake and settled in the reedbed edge [long way away for photos], and by the Mile Road a very active Goldcrest tried to avoid the lens! In W paddock there were 15 Fieldfare and 2 Mistle Thrush.

3 male and 1 female sitting up at Kenfig by the old feeding table – noon 26 Jan

Stepping out on to our back patio this morning, looking for LT Tits that I could hear, I became aware of a nearby, silent, single, male Bullfinch checking out the Hawthorn buds ( and deciding that no, they were not fat enough yet), before flying off, silently, on his own. Later, in the same vicinity, the gloaming was lit up by a bright, white-rumped bird flying away from me, so this time sex unknown.

24 Jan 2023 i took a trip to Forest of Dean – number one target was Hawfinches sucess with big tick – My 194 of my British life list – but failed with second Goshawk and Bramblings, the plus was seeing 60 Mandarin ducks and good set Pic’s of Treecreeper

21/1/23 apologies for late posting.

Sixteen folk joined us on the GBC Public Walk this very cold morning – good to meet up with old and new friends. We found 40 species, there were large numbers of wildfowl on the pool, 67 tufted duck! But the highlight of course was the Slavonian Grebe.

Full List-

Canada Goose , Greylag Goose , Mute Swan , Gadwall , Wigeon , Mallard , Teal , Tufted Duck , Goldeneye , Feral Pigeon,  Woodpigeon, Coot , Great Crested Grebe , Slavonian Grebe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Sparrowhawk , Buzzard , Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow Blue Tit, Great Tit , Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit , Goldcrest , Starling , Redwing, Blackbird, Fieldfare , Robin , House Sparrow Dunnock , Pied Wagtail , Chaffinch , Bullfinch

Thanks to Dave Carrington for leading , and many folk for finding and showing us birds in their scopes.

I carried out a rescheduled WeBS count at the Rhymney Estuary this morning [due to high tide being too early on Sunday]. -2 deg when I set out! Main highlight was c.1500 Redshank. Tide was very high with a lot of Green Point under water. Only other waders were 50 Dunlin. Otherwise 23 Teal, 22 Mallard, 13 Shelduck, a solitary drake Pintail, 6 Shoveler, 2 Buzzardss sitting on adjacent pylons, 4 Rock Pipits and a Meadow Pipit. At the Heliport Bay another 14 Pintail, 24 Shoveler and 18 Shelduck. Sun glare made ID-ing wildfowl offshore impossible – all just silhouettes.
Later at Cosmeston at around midday a Little Egret flew over the dipping pond and headed towards the coast.

A wander round this morning produced 31 species. Highlights were 1 Green Woodpecker in E paddock, on W lake around 80 Teal, 150 Tufted Duck [both lakes], 6 Pochard, 2 Gadwall, a Chiffchaff flycatching in Sully Brook by the main entrance near Lavernock Road, plenty of common passerines in Cogan Wood but no show by Marsh Tit although one was seen earlier [Great, Blue & Coal Tits & Nuthatch]. I spent about 30 mins nar the Hawfinch spot but no show today.

11.30 ish. this morning at Cosmeston. 2 Hawfinch flew out of large tree opp the small copse on left past dragonfly pond. 1t landed briefly in tree by the snipe enclosure, then disappeared. Not relocated. There were C.90 Teal W lake and 1 Common Gull on the posts [1st one fr a while]. Finally caught up with the HF after several tries since the beginning of the year. Couple of shots below of a smart Mistle Thrush in the Medieval Village field.

This morning decide to walk on second day snow add to by heavy foot crunching frost, through the woodland made special as the warm of the sun started burn off the frost which rised in a mist among the trees, yes for Coal – Great – Blue Tits – Nuthatches – Great Spotted Woodpecker – Song Thrushes – Chaffinches – Goldfinches – Wren and at the bridge nice to see pair of Dippers the target for year list

Only thing missing was Bird of Prey until driving home across the moor at the back of Masons Arms when right in of my car big Red Kite swoop on a bit of road kill, Wow could do anything as too many car behind, time i turn only Magpie left.

Very very cold this morning. At the fatball feeder in the garden we had our first Blackcap for quite some time, a smart male, plus a few other vistors such as the Robin, a Blackbird, Great and Blue Tits and some Long-tailed Tits. I managed to grab some photos through the kitchen window so the quality not so good.
At Cosmeston some of the paths were treacherous, even those laid to gravel. West lake had 7 Pochard, about 12 Teal, the usual Tufties [about 100 in total on both lakes] and a couple of Gadwall although I suspect more of each of these skulking in the reed edges, especially the Teal.
Slightly irritating to see that a load of money is being spent on resurfacing part of the car park and re-laying kerb stones and a gravel path, yet still the so-called conservation area has obvious open access locations along the west perimeter where people go in to walk dogs, picnic etc etc, despite persistent protestations by myself and others.

Barn Owl flew across road about 1915 Tuesday

Birds of note this morning; 2-Chiffchaffs,6-Bullfinches 3m 3f, 15-Snipe the most i’ve seen here this winter.

Some Photos From above trip, Lovely to see So many enjoying the day. Many Photos taken at distance & heavily cropped. Brilliant day Out. Lovely Looking at the Birds through Scopes. Thanks Bob.