2 wheatear feeding on w end of mountain – also good to see kestrel, stonechat, linnets, tree pipits – plus restart singing from down in valley

3 common sandpipers at green point. RGW highlight was a little ringed plover flying off a saltings pool, plus at least one whimbrel, 3 wheatear

great white egret, group of 7 white wagtails, gadwall with ducklings, 2 snipe, 150+ sanderling on beach, just one whitethroat, one singing reed warbler, and lots of willow warblers were among the highlights. Also Italian lords and ladies (a first for me)

Truly impressive numbers of swallows, house martins (in abundance), and sand martins this pm.

Brief views of avocet on east side of estuary (9.30) before it disappeared with the rising tide. 1 wheatear RGW

Late afternoon stroll produced stock doves in 4 quite different locations, totalling 11 birds. Remarkable for a species that is 1) pretty scarce, 2) only appeared here for the first time a couple of years back. An added bonus was the late sun catching the back of their heads – revealing a bright pink/fluorescent nape – simply stunning.

drake scaup still present + drake shoveler this morning. Impressive flock of ~100 sand martins overhead – the air crackling with their buzzy calls – cettis singing seemingly everywhere

With a kestrel, I have just reached 100 sp within the Cardiff city boundary for 2021. I must add that all birds were seen (cettis heard) by foot or by exercise on bike, i.e., all compliant. Just goes to show what is on your doorstep, and there are plenty of migrants still to come.

Black redstart on rocks near end of CC reen. Water pipit to east of Blockhouse, also peregrine, wigeon, pintail, chiffchaff and a splendid peacock (bird not butterfly) on adjacent lane.

Cycle round bay from home: female scaup and ring necked duck side by side just in front of the ice rink board-walk

Good numbers of duck in the wetland reserve area including female ring necked duck, scaup, and pochard. Goldeneye out near the sails. Also rock pipits and a common gull (by Channel View). (I assume the l t duck is still around but didn’t spot). Good to see Matt and Peter – thanks guys (great start to my cycling/walking year list)

On Lisvane reservoir – visible from the overlook, but can disappear from view for some time – also common gull White fronted goose reported yesterday from llanishen/lisvane res

Roath park 16+ shoveler, 7 teal, 1 drake wigeon seen couple of days ago

Garden warbler in our Whitchurch garden this morning – feeding on berries- a very pleasant first

pied flycatcher along the field fence line/hedgerow S of Garth Mtn and above Coed y Bedw

 

This a.m.  2 cuckoos and singing garden warbler on s slopes of Garth mtn. In the valley to the S of Garth were several redstarts, spotted flycatcher (E end) and singing pied flycatcher in W end beyond coed y bedw

yesterday near high tide, a handful of whimbrel, dunlin and ringed plover

today curlew, whimbrel, 2 bar tailed godwits and a greater black backed gull

Walk from home before breakfast  rewarded with blackcap, whitethroat, willow w, chiffchaff, cettis w, reed warbler, and garden warbler.  The last is especially pleasing as it is the first one I have seen at Forest farm and brings my no car/shutdown list to 82

For the  past 35 years I have done a bird race (ie how many different species in a day) with a group of friends. Circumstances led to new rules: two 1 hour trips within 24 hr but two different days, no cars permitted, plus as long as you could manage in your garden during that time. While I am in N Cardiff my compatriots were in N Lancs (near Leighton Moss), Peebles, and W of Edinburgh.  Astonishingly we reached 110 species – I do not lie.  Leighton Moss had a big part to play but I managed 51 species, including hawfinch, kingfisher, wood warbler, and jay (I mention the last because they can be impossible in May). Lesser whitethroat was a blocker (they are singing away on Glamorgan flats but too far to go)

Noting John Wilsons Covid shutdown list, I have reached 78 – all on foot or on bike (typically with no bins) – if only I could get to the coast.

But the challenge has definitely made life more bearable.  Lets just hope there is no repeat in 2021.

Two common sandpipers flitting around the islands in Roath Park Lake this morning.

willow warbler and 2 female blackcaps in our pear tree at same time – things are definitely moving – plus 4 buzzards soaring and rook flyover (a real rarity for our garden).  First orchid shoots on front lawn.