A Common Swift over the lake today.

Four Cattle Egrets still in field opposite entrance to caravan park on Zig Zag Lane, Porthcawl late afternoon.

Single Willow Warbler and Blackcap in song this morning.

Singing Chiffchaff there today – my first of the year.

Slavonian Grebe and at least one of the White-fronted Geese still present this afternoon.

15 (fifteen) Common Sandpipers this morning. At one stage they were all perched low down on dead branches on one of the islands. Also 2 Little Egrets and a Kingfisher.

There was a Spotted Flycatcher in trees along the Radyr side of the River Taf this evening. A regular autumn passage migrant here, but a rare sight in the Spring. Good to see healthy numbers of Swift and House Martin over the river too.

A Cuckoo heard calling from the direction of Glamorgan Canal/Forest Farm stopped me in my tracks tonight. I was in the fields on the Coryton side of Long Wood at the time. It called continuously for 30+ secs at around 6.30pm and then again, very briefly at 6.47pm. Unexpected patch tick!

Grasshopper Warbler reeling there this afternoon.

One Woodcock this afternoon.

A productive morning today. Highlights were: Wheatear (male); Glaucous Gull (1st w); Scaup (9); Long-tailed Duck; Siberian Chiffchaff (1); Chiffchaff (6) and a pair of ‘weed-dancing’ Great Crested Grebes (DJJ/GJJ).

The long stayers still hanging around today:  Black Redstart at Plas Taliesin (Penarth Marina); Long-tailed duck between the ‘sails’ and barrage lock gates, and 7 Scaup off International Drive (old ice rink). (DJJ/GJJ).

Jack Snipe (2) and Common Snipe (5) in a wet field east of the village this afternoon (DJJ/GJJ).

Delighted to say that members of Cardiff University’s Ornithological Society will be taking over the Wetland Bird Survey Counts at Roath Park Lake from now on. 6 members joined me for this morning’s count.

Highlights were: Coot (244); Mallard (229); Little Grebe (4); Pochard (1); Shoveler (17); Teal (10); Tufted Duck (51); Wigeon (1) and Kingfisher (1). Other counts: Barnacle Goose (2 free-flying feral birds); Black-headed Gull (220); Canada Goose (29); Cormorant (4); Grey Wagtail (1); Greylag Goose (29); Herring Gull (2); Lesser black-backed Gull (60); Moorhen (19); Mute Swan (71).

Migrant Lesser Whitethroat (2), Tree Pipit (4) and Garden Warbler (2) + hundreds of Lesser Black-backed Gulls feasting on flying ants were the highlights of this morning’s visit.

Autumn has certainly arrived, with a Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler among the many phylloscs and Blackcaps yesterday. Today also good numbers of warblers, highlights being Stonechat and Reed Warbler. A Common Sandpiper has been present on this stretch of river for the last 3 days, although it wasn’t seen today. (GJJ)

Not a great deal about but 30 Moorhen present- a new record for me here. 22 of which were first year bird, and in the hides it was great seeing the older juveniles helping and feeding the younger clutches. Also 4 Reed Warbler present. (GJJ)

Highlights from this morning’s visit to my BTO BBS square at Blackmill: Wood Warbler (3+); Pied Fly (1); Redstart (3+) and plenty of Willow Warblers.

Yesterday (Saturday 23rd), there was a singing Lesser Whitethroat at Radyr Floodplain and my father saw a female Pied Flycatcher in the line of trees along the disused railway line at Coryton.  (Gethin JJ).

Many things of interest today. 1 Redstart on the trees next to the field, my first record on the reserve. Other migrants included some Chiffchaffs and a few Willow Warblers and Blackcaps. 6 Snipe are back in the Snipe Hide (perhaps a new name since the ‘hide with no door’ now has a new one!) Also of note a  record low for me of only 20 Mallard, some of whom were surprisingly hungry. [GJJ]

Many Chiffchaffs plus one Blackcap singing today. Nice to see a lot of tits checking out the boxes we made in the nest box building session in Kenfig this February. Also 4 Buzzards but no hirundines.

Things beginning to calm down in Forest Farm. Haven’t seen any Snipe or Water Rails for some time. However lots of excitement in the heronry as a few nests already have chicks.