20 folk enjoyed the nice sunny day for the first GBC outing of 2023. We spent 3 hours at Cosmeston, slightly irritated by the loud gunfire due to a local clay pigeon or pheasant shoot, which seemed to have kept some birds away or at least hidden in cover. West lake had the usual Tufties plus 8 Pochard and 6 Gadwall, 4 Great Crested Grebes and 2 Little Grebes and a brief Kingfisher was seen by a few. A small flock of Teal few around [possibly disturbed from a pool hidden in Cogan Wood by the gunfire, but they didn’t drop in]. In Cogan Wood after some patient watching most had views of a Marsh Tit as it dashed in and out to snatch up sunflower hearts deposited in a favourite place. The same location produced Blue, Great and Coal Tits, plus Long-tailed Tit and Nuthatch. West paddock gave us Green Woodpecker but no Hawfinch showed.
Some of us went over to Cardiff Bay by the Ice Rink where we saw the female Scaup and 2 female Goldeneye and a fly-by drake Goosander. After that, round the other side at Porth Teigr, by Roath Basin, we had nice views of the male Black Redstart.
In all we logged 47 species – the full list is here.