from 8.45 to 10.10, a good movement of divers heading west. 2 GN diver, 7 RT diver and 7 diver sp. 2 skua sp. at distance loitering/ westerly.

approx. 35 plus auk of which several guillemot and razorbills close in.

18 common scoter off the point

8.15 to 9.15,

little auk went west around 8.30. Noticeably smaller than the guillemot/ razorbills that were also passing , and relatively close in.aprrox. 60 auk on total of which  most appeared to be guillemots.

Dark skua so. prob Pom based on broad, shortish arm, powerful, full like flight, but always heading away (SW) .

GN and RT divers flew by, plus 40+ comm. scoter on the sea just off the point

 

1 black throated diver flew across the bay landing further out. Great northern diver in close by the causeway for a short while. Approx 300 plus comm scoter at distance. 40 to 50 skylark plus smaller nos of mead pipit, reed bunting and several song thrush ( one singing)

1 short eared owl over Llangenith moors and 1 red throated diver off Burry Holmes. smallish no.s of scoter at distance in

Rhosilli bay.

male black redstart near the coastguard lookout only seen briefly before flying down toward the base of the cliffs, could not refind. treecreaper ( long toed) on a house by the car park was unusual.

near merrysun (horton to penrice) 6 yellowhammer and 9 reed bunting, but around 15 BH gull and 2 med gull (ad and 1st year) hawking flying insects. also plenty of starling doing likewise.late october the new august

merlin also at ernffrwd

don’t get too many black redstarts along my road, so here’s a photo. looks to be a hint of a pale wing patch?…so, could it be a 1st year male?? or just wear?

west gower this morning PDQ.

1prob 2 fire crest near the NT lodge at Cwm ivy. The first watched for a short while, prob 2nd further on though the large numbers of crests were very mobile , but most likely a second. Fairly quiet otherwise

juv\ 1st winter grey phalarope on Broad pool caused an emergency stop in the car. could see a small bird on the pool and bingo! driven past the pool on enough occasions after a storm hoping for something to plop down there.

There was cracking numbers of spotted flycatcher around Port Eynon, with 3 toward the point,

3 blackcap and a Dartford warbler.

overton valley had 8 spotted flycatcher, 6 blackcap , 5 chiffchaff, approx 30 pied\white wagtail of which 4 seemed def. white.

At both sites a good presence of more “common” species like robin,dunnock,blackbird,blue and great tri

2 juv Little Stints were on the sands with approx 50 each of Dunlin and Ringed plover. These could have wandered over from the Llanelli side as a couple have been around not too long ago.
A pristine juv. Marsh Harrier was over the salt marsh drifting off toward the point. Again, quite possibly a wanderer from up Llanrhidian. A couple of tree pipits and approx 20 each of skylark and meadow pipit were on the move.

A quite vocal willow tit was along the track from Grovesend to Gorseinon this afternoon which was great to see. My last local record was 2012 so, I’d assumed they might have disappeared locally. Goes to show how easy they are to miss unless calling.
Gower over the last few days… Few long distance migrants ( apart from hirundines) 2 yellow wag at Rhosili, 1 whinchat and 4 wheatear at Loughor bridge .

a few migrants around this morning: 1 spotted flycatcher, 4 tree pipit over, 4 willow warbler, 5 chiffchaff, 1 reed bunting. 16 pied\white wagtail with at least 2 seen well to be alba type.

2 grey wagtail an 2 siskin over

Despite the North breeze, 3 Whinchat ( 1 ad 2 juv) feeding around a patch in the dunes. Approx 150+ hire dines with a good number of House Martin feeding over the new salt marsh. Single Whinchats here last week, and at Rhosilli. Quiet otherwise for migrants.

With Geoff Busby, we caught the dropping high tide this morning which had good numbers of waders out on the sands. A juv peregrine was out on the salt marsh plus whimbrel and med gull. A couple of tree pipit were heard plus a crossbill over.
On the sands good numbers of Dunlin (approx 680), ringed plover( approx 175), sanderling,30 and a knot. Highlights were single juv little stint and little ringed plover which was picked up as it headed off .
On the negative, a dead Barn owl was on the edge of the beach near the marram grass. It was fresh with no obvious wound marks apart from some flattened? Missing feathers off the crown. Don’t know how it met its end as no obvious signs of predation, just a real shame as there doesn’t appear to be that many around .

35 sanderling, 12 dunlin, 27 ringed plover all in various states of breeding plumage.

of the ringed plover ; 2 around dunes near lapwing area looking agitated, 1 bird in courtship flight and 2 birds again , slightly agitated near the hide.

family party of 6 stonechat, a couple of mead pips feeding young with a dozen or so more mead pips and 10+ singing skylark around the coastal outskirts

Brief look this evening had 1 storm petrel and 1 ad gannet near the bridge
Port Eynon for around an hour from 5.30 ish this morning was pretty quiet.
Approx. 20 auk ( mainly guillemot), several fulmar and kittiwake, 2 Manx.
An unusual sight on the way in the car had a tawny owl feeding/ trying to fly off with a decapatated corvid in the road near stout hall. He stayed put even as I drove past slowly, so I got out and thinking if he stayed there he’d be meeting the crow in the next life, chucked the corvid into a field ( using a dog cac bag) hoping he’d feed up in there. Never seen one so approachable in daylight, must have been knackered

There was a good steady movement of swallows all moving S/SW first thing. At least 130+ whilst I was there. Stumbled upon 2 yellow wagtail which were too brief as they circled around a few times before heading off high to the north.
A couple of Lesser whitethroat at Llanrhidian and Reynoldston, and 1 cuckoo near Broad Pool

A few migrants around which was nice considering the calm clear sky. At Broughton , 2 wheatear, a couple of willow warbler and white throat. At llangenith, 6 wheatear, 1 reeling grasshopper warbler, 3 whitethroat, 2 sedge warbler, several house Martin and swallow through, couple of Cettis. Pride of place to a cracking male whinchat which are a scarce treat on spring on Gower. Unfortunately, a bit too flightey to get close enough for a pic.

1 female Ruff around, and in the fenced off Lapwing breeding area behind the dunes

at whiteford sands. 18 house martin plus small no.s of swallow around Burrows cottage. possibly mostly migrants unless the village collective were feeding on the edge of the marsh\paddock

Not much on the seaward side in the strong breeze. Several mead pipit and skylark
Singing/calling, green woodpecker and buzzard also. The only migrants; 3 sand Martin, willow warbler and 2 tree pipit all along the edge of the pines by the lodge.
The tree pipits gave excellent, prolonged,views dropping down to feed on the paddock ,which I’m not used to on passage birds.

some more migrants around this morning including 3 wheatear, 2 alba/white wagtails (males),

5 chiffchaff, 1 male blackcap, 12 swallow , 1 sand martin and 1 osprey moving north over the bay,which was a great sight. 3 kestrel (1 male, 2 fem.) and one further male along at mewslade.