News from today via outher channels. A drake Lesser Scaup was at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve, and Waxwings were till hainging around at Cosmeston, seen this morning in trees by the concrete road that runs past the Medieval Village. I oassed there late morning but couldn;t find them. At the dipping pond a pair of Moorhens have 5 tiny chicks.
Month: March 2024
Hendre Lake
1m-Gadwall at Hendre Lake this afternoon.Can’t ever remember seeing one there before.
Sker Pt area and Kenfig Pool – GBC trip
Thanks to the 16 souls who came to KNNR today and walked out to Sker and those who stayed to view Kenfig Pool. Pretty successful even tho the tide was falling, with 45 species in all [subject to scrutiny]. At Sker there were at least 6 Wheatear around the farm area and a Greenshank accompanying a Redshank, was an unexpected bonus on the flood. At Sker Pt we had a flock f 28 Golden Plover that eventually settled and another flock of around 50 flew over. Alan Rosney managed to wheedle out 4 Purple Sandpipers with Turnstones – I managed to see one but sadly not everyone managed to get eyes on. There were 2 Ringed Plovers and a few Oycs. On the pool, 2 prs of Wigeon, 4 Shoveler, a few Gadwall, 1 drake Scaup, 4 Goldeneye but sadly no hirundines. Seversal Willow Warblers were singing. All in all an enjoyable few hours, and surprisingly warm. A few record shots posted below, individually casptioned where necessary. The sun corona/halo was impressive. John WIlson Full list here [subject to anything I’ve forgotten]. At the perched pipit is a Meadow although I did wonder whether it might be Tree, but concensus was Mipit. Bottom pic possibly a WIllow Warbler due to the primary extension.
Cyfarthfa to Penmoelallt
A circular walk this morning from Cyfarthfa Park to Penmoelallt and back produced 40 species, including:
Goosander and Great Spotted Woodpecker at Cyfarthfa Park;
Dipper and Kingfisher on the Taf Fechan (just upstream from Pont y Cefn);
Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, Green Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Raven and Crossbill in Penmoelallt.
Treasurer required!
A request from your committee. Can you help GBC to function in 2024-2025 by taking on the essential role of Treasurer, as our current treasurer Ceri Jones, retires at the upcoming AGM. Both members and non-mebers are welcome. If it’s not for you perhaps you could spread the word, or put someone in touch if you know anybody with a financial background who would be willing. Ceri is obviously on hand to give guidance.
Re the AGM, watch out for the notice with full details, which will be published here and linked to from Facebook and ‘X’.
Cuddling crows
How sweet – take at Kenfig – Saturday 23 March 2024
Cosmeston
In the cold this morning there were around 30 Sand Martins feeding over E. lake and over the trees on the west side, plus more over W. lake and some at some height above. Two Chiffchaffs and 2 Blackcaps were singing and a Sparrowhawk hunted along the edge of Cogan Wood by the dragonfly pond.
Grangemore Park off Penarth Road
22nd March: Willow Warbler 1 Chiffchaff 3 Cetti’s Warbler 3 Great Crested Grebe 1
Flemingston Moor and Sully
Flemingston Moor is once again very flooded after recent rain. Waterbirds present this morning included 2 Teal, 6 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall (4 years to the day since my last record here), 13 Mallard, 8 Greylag Geese, 81 Canada Geese, 9 Mute Swan, 1 Cormorant, 15 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 13 Coot and 5 Moorhen.
Also present: Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Chiffchaff (1 singing) and 2 Great Black-backed Gull.
On the way home a Kestrel was hunting alongside Hayes Road, Sully.
Kenfig NNR
Nine folk came on the GBC Kenfig public walk on Saturday 16th March. Great to see everyone on a chilly , damp and overcast day, and we were able to find 47 species between us! The highlights were, a Scaup, Sand Martin – here at last! Pintail, a Skylark singing, a nest building Coot, a Great Crested Grebe also nesting in front of the hide, while some of the group hiked down to the coast to find Purple Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Turnstone and Golden Plover, some in breeding plumage.
Full list-
Canada Goose , Greylag Goose , Mute Swan , Shoveler , Gadwall , Wigeon , Mallard , Teal , Pochard, Tufted Duck , Scaup
Feral Pigeon , Woodpigeon , Collared Dove , Coot , Great Crested Grebe, Golden Plover , Ringed Plover, Curlew Turnstone , Purple Sandpiper, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Grey Heron
Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Raven , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Skylark , Sand Martin, Cetti’s Warbler , Chiffchaff , Wren
Starling , Blackbird , Robin , Stonechat , House Sparrow , Dunnock , Pied/White Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch
Bullfinch
Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading
Chiffchaff
Four on the Ely Trail , Canton on 16th March.
Sully Island, Beach and playing fields
A ‘high’ high tide this morning pushed some of the gulls and waders off the beach and on to the playing fields. Birds seen on the WeBS count included 4 Curlew, 21 Oystercatcher, 1 Dunlin, 53 Turnstone, 5 Shelduck, 38 Black-headed Gull, 30 Herring and 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull.
Also present 1 Green Woodpecker, a singing Blackcap and calling Chiffchaff, singing Mistle Thrush, 14 Goldfinch, 2 Greenfinch and a Pheasant .
Barry and Flemingston
Seven Little Egret at Barry Old Harbour early this morning was my highest count for the site (previous highest 4). Also present 12 Redshank, 1 Kingfisher and a Blackcap. Later at Cadoxton Ponds a flock of 15 Siskin were busy in the trees near the Nature Centre building.
Yesterday’s WeBS count at a cold, windy Flemingston Moor included 15 Little Egret (highest count there recently is 27), 1 Cormorant, 9 Greylag Geese, 96 Canada Geese, 12 Mute Swan, 10 Mallard, 2 Coot , 1 Moorhen and 5 Herring Gull.
Llanishen and Lisvane Reservoirs
Ring-necked Duck 2 Pochard 2 Gadwall 3 Tufted Duck 53 Great Crested Grebe 3 Little Grebe 10 Common Sandpiper 1 Chiffchaff 2 mixed flock of Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls 70 Black-headed Gull 8
February 2024
Highlights: A drake Green-winged Teal was briefly at Kenfig Pool (25th). A Red-necked Grebe remained at Llanishen Reservoir. Two Ring-necked Ducks were still at Lisvane Reservoir, with a drake also found at Roath Park Lake. Cattle Egrets comprised two at Sully Moors and two at Cosmeston. A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Kenfig Rivermouth. An Egyptian Goose appeared at Flemingston Moor. A Long-tailed Duck made several visits to Kenfig Pool, where two Bitterns were also noted. A Scaup was at Cardiff Bay. Flooding at the Watermill, Ogmore Estuary, attracted up to 25 Grey Herons and 12 Little Egrets, both site high counts. Wintering Common Sandpipers were logged at Cardiff Bay and Ogmore Estuary. A Yellow-legged Gull was at Cosmeston. A Short-eared Owl was seen a couple of times at Lamby. A smart male Black Redstart graced Cardiff City Hall. A Firecrest occurred at Kenfig. Hawfinches were observed at Fforest Ganol and Cosmeston.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Blackcap
One singing on Ely Trail, Leckwith.
Bryngarw CP
3/3/24
There were 7 of us at Bryngarw Country Park on Sunday morning for our first Women’s Walk of the year. It was good to meet old and new friends in the lovely sunshine! Between us we saw or heard 28 species.
The highlights were – Mandarin Duck on the pond, a singing Pied Wagtail, several Siskin, Carrion Crow with nesting material, a Dipper flying up river, Mistlethrush, Jay, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker calling.
Full List-
Mandarin Duck , Mallard, Woodpigeon , Moorhen , Herring Gull , Grey Heron, Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker , Green Woodpecker, Jay , Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Wren , Nuthatch , Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Blackbird , Robin, Dipper , Dunnock , Grey Wagtail , Pied/White Wagtail , Chaffinch , Goldfinch , Siskin
Many thanks to everyone for coming along, and especially to Strinda for co -leading, and of course Julia, who, with her local knowledge as a volunteer, showed us special parts of the park and found us lots of birds!
Forest of Dean 29 Feb 2024
A good turnout of 19 folk met at the New Fancy View viewpoint north of Parkend at 10 a.m. on a still grey, but at least dry, day. We scanned and scanned for about an hour but sadly had no luck with the hoped for Goshawk despite this being the place to look for them. Perhaps the cold grey still conditions, and the resultant lack of lift, had put them off. There was even a lack of Buzzards. We did log a few species such as a couple of Ravens, Jay, Magpie, Crow, Mistle Thrush, fly-by Chaffinches, & Goldfinches and unexpectedly a pair of Goosander. A Coal Tit was feeding as we walked back down the steep access path.
Next we headed for RSPB Nagshead with the rather ambitious hope of finding Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. We walked the long trail, returning via the incredibly muddy lower section. No LSW sadly, but good numbers of common woodland species including Blue, Great, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Wren, Song Thrush & Blackbird.
Back to Parkend and the green by the cricket pitch, surrounded by tall trees, a Hawfinch spot. Some seed was distributed on their favourite feeding log. We waited quite some time before any bird at all was seen, then a few Chaffinch and Greenfinch came in, plus a lone male Bullfinch, but no appearance by the big beaked one. There was a lighting ‘smash & grab’ visit by a Marsh Tit which although incredibly brief, was identifiable by its obvious extensive bright white cheeks. After a while a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard and then seen in one of the tall trees, before flying off. Just as we had given up and were about to leave, a Sparrowhawk flew through.
Final stop was Cannop Ponds where we were at least guaranteed a good number of species. We parked up by the stone works at the southern end of the valley, where there are feeders, and predictably there were many Chaffinches and Tits coming down to feed on seed spread on the boulders by the lake. In Alders nearby there were a few Siskin, and a Dipper was spotted by the pond outlet, which was quite a torrent. On the water we had our first Mandarin and a couple of Little Grebes were diving. A couple of folk drove up to the northerly car park and the rest of us walked along the lakeside path. This gave us nice views of a pair of Goosander [presumably the ones we had seen at New Fancy]. A lakeside viewpoint gave very close views of Mandarins and a pair of Gadwall. By the northern lake the feeding station by the entrance road eventually gave up the regular Marsh Tit plus the usual Chaffinches and Blue & Great Tits. We had nice views of a Dipper by the stream that exits down towards the lower lake. Back at the stone works end we were greeted by an incredible 20+ Mandarins, mostly drakes, out on the grass beside the the lake, plus one cheeky one up on the fence below the seed feeder, mopping up the spillages. A couple of Greylags and a pair of Mute Swans and a few Mallard completed the wildfowl species. Last but not least were Coot & Moorhen and a pair of Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
Cosmeston
A Whstsapp message popped up whilst I was having breakfast. Local birder Graham Smith had found 4 Waxwings on the W. paddock hedge. Fingers crossed when I eventually set out, then it started to rain!. Ploughed on with Poppy the pooch in tow, squelching through the mud of the paddock, I eventually found the birds sitting atop a Silver Birch overlooking the dragonfly pond. They were quite settled there, occasionally dropping down to grab rose hips. I tied Poppy to a bench nearby then using a bush as cover, managed to get a few photos despite the rain. In the top right pic, the lowest bird is a Redwing.
Forest of Dean
Not in S. Wales, but a club trip.
We had a big turnout for the trip to the Forest of Dean yesterday – 19 folk. A dull, still, but thankfully dry day. Sadly we ‘dipped’ on the key species – Goshawk and Hawfinch … and the mythical Lesser Spotted Woodpecker! Even so we logged 41 species. Stars of the show were the Mandarins at Cannop Ponds – see the photos. There were around 20 by the stone works, a large group of them on the grass by the lake. One cheeky male was up on the fence below the bird feeder, picking off the spillages! I did have a pic of that but it was pretty poor so it was binned.
Here’s the list: https://drive.google.com/…/1ZMJS1H4Gv…/view…
Glamorgan Bird Club 
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