A pair of Wigeon were on the West Lake at Cosmeston early this morning – the first I’ve seen here since early February. Earlier in the week a Little Egret was on the shoreline near Bendrick Rock with the tide well out.

A Spotted Flycatcher this morning near the south-west corner of the West Paddock at Cosmeston. It was perched in a shrub on the right hand side of the path running up the east side of Cogan Wood, about 30m north of the gate.

Further along the same track at the open area beyond the dragonfly pond, a Feral Pigeon had several feathers removed in flight by an attacking Sparrowhawk, but managed to get away.

The very high tides of the last 2 mornings have left very little beach for the birds to occupy and produced some good wader sightings locally. At Bendrick Rock/Cadoxton Rivermouth a Whimbrel, 3 Dunlin (first time for me at this location), 6 Turnstone and  12 Oystercatcher. Along Sully beach 30 Turnstone (from Burnham Avenue car park), and on Sully Island 101 Oystercatcher, 9 Curlew and 37 Ringed Plover.

Other species of note included a Wheatear on Sully Beach, Kingfisher, Grey Wagtail and Kestrel at Cadoxton rivermouth and a Yellow Wagtail with Pied Wagtails on the playing fields between Sully and Swanbridge.

At Cosmeston Spotted Flycatcher seen on several visits in the last week, all in the area on the west side of the West Paddock.

Spotted Flycatcher this morning at Cosmeston. Feeding in the sheltered area at the south east corner of the Dragonfly Pond. Viewable from the fence line that runs up the centre of the West Paddock.

Many thanks to Strinda Davies for leading this morning’s monthly Glamorgan Bird Club walk at Kenfig. There were twelve participants. In total 43 species with the highlights being Marsh Tit heard near the Reserve Centre feeding station and again near the South Pool Hide, Sparrowhawk, Common Sandpiper and a Chiffchaff watched feeding a juvenile.

Full list:

Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Common Sandpiper, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Tit, Meadow Pipit, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Sand Martin, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren

Signs of Autumn migration also at Cosmeston on Thursday morning, with 5 Common Sandpiper on the west shore of the East Lake and a Willow Warbler singing briefly near the cafe.

Green Woodpeckers were vocal at Cosmeston and also later at Llanilid, as they were near Penderyn reservoir earlier in the week where an adult and 2 juveniles were briefly in the same dead tree.

At Llanilid there was a Green Sandpiper on the Studio pool, and an adult Little Grebe was feeding a juvenile on the most westerly of the south pools.

Wednesday evening 3 Turnstone on Sully Beach and 1 on Sully Island (all in summer plumage) were the first I have seen here since early April. Both Curlew and Whimbrel here this week.

50 Oystercatcher on Sully Island at high tide today. 63 Black-headed Gull near the Captain’s Wife, and a further 170 along the beach between Sully sailing club slipway and Hayes Point. Green Woodpecker from the coast path by Ty Hafan, and 3 Whimbrel on the beach there with another near Bendrick Rock.

Many thanks to Strinda Davies for leading this morning’s monthly Glamorgan Bird Club walk at Kenfig. Sixteen participants including 2 newcomers. In total 42 species with the highlight being the Great White Egret giving excellent views from the South hide and again later along the East Pool shore.

Full list:

Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Bullfinch, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Collared Dove, Coot, Cormorant, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Great White Egret, Greenfinch, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Linnet, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Mute Swan, Reed Bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Sand Martin, Song Thrush, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Treecreeper, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren

 

 

Great Black-backed Gull amongst the gull host this morning. Green Woodpecker feeding in the car park and Great Spotted Woodpeckers there and at the south end of Cogan Wood.  Two Jays in the West paddock giving very good views. Reed Warblers still singing in the East and West lake reedbeds and in the reeds along Sully Brook. Mallard with 3 quite well-grown ducklings on the West Lake.

Two Stock Doves in the West paddock at Cosmeston early this morning. They were feeding near the central fence and viewed from the gate in the south east corner. Second time I have seen them there this month.

A Mistle Thrush was feeding a worm to its offspring on the grass near the play area. A Mallard female is looking after 6 tiny ducklings (at least 3 earlier Mallard broods have disappeared rapidly to predation) , and the 5 Canada Goose goslings are growing quickly.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was once again in the dead trees in the middle of the cafe reedbed. They are early morning regulars here currently (and also in the trees near the car park entrance).

Whilst checking the high tide roost a little later at Sully Island (32 Oystercatcher and 3 Shelduck), a Sandwich Tern flew past heading downchannel

A calm and relatively warm evening with clear skies to the west and plenty of midges evident. Four Nightjars including 3 churring males, the first starting at 21.55 . Lucky to get reasonable scope views of one of them perched, when then flew very close to me a couple of times. Also a Kestrel and a calling Tawny Owl.

Drake Garganey on the west side of the west lake at Cosmeston earlier this morning.

An early morning visit to Cosmeston produced 42 species in all. Sightings included a Green Woodpecker feeding in the car park, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming briefly in the adjacent Golf Club wood and another flying over the West Lake. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing from scrub along the fenceline running up the centre of the west paddock. It’s been there for over a week now and is at a point roughly level with the dragonfly pond. A pair of Canada Geese has 6 goslings and there was a Common Sandpiper at the south end of the West Lake. Earlier this week a crow was feeding 2 young at the south end of Cogan Wood. There are 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebes present but currently they don’t seem to be nesting, having abandoned at least 2 nests. The regular presence of Grey Heron (3 this morning around the margins of the West Lake) probably isn’t helping.

Wood Warbler watched singing earlier this morning near the car park gate that leads to the path up the east side of the east lake.

Two Whimbrel on Sully Beach yesterday evening, viewed from the beach car park at the former amenity site on Hayes Road. This morning at Cosmeston a singing Lesser Whitethroat in the scrub on the west side of the snipe field, and 3 families of Mallard ducklings on the lakes.

Common Sandpiper and Egyptian Goose earlier this morning on the East Lake boardwalk very near the gull-feeding area. At the south end of Cogan Wood 2 singing Blackcap, and a singing Willow Warbler along the path around the west side of the West Lake.

Adult Mediterranean Gull on the Waterfront railings at Barry Dock yesterday evening and again this morning. Nine Great Crested Grebes there this morning including a pair displaying.

At Cosmeston this morning a Skylark near the central fence-line in the West Paddocks, a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Cogan Wood, an adult Yellow-legged Gull on the East Lake and the drake Pintail and 2 Common Gulls on the West Lake.

 

On the River Taff today between Gwaelod-y-Garth and Upper Boat, 5 Teal, 7 Goosander, 3 Grey Wagtail, 1 Dipper, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Cormorant, 1 Moorhen and 44 Mallard (including 33 together at the southern end of Treforest Industrial Estate).

At Llantrisant Forest car park this afternoon at least 2 Brambling with a flock of 100+ Chaffinch feeding on Beech mast. ST024847.

 

A Greylag Goose, Common Gull and Yellow-legged Gull were at the East Lake at Cosmeston late Tuesday afternoon. At Swanbridge/Sully Island with the tide well out, there was a Little Egret,  36 Oystercatcher and 4 Curlew.

At Heliport Bay this afternoon, with the tide already well in, 26 Pintail, 24 Oystercatcher, 4 Shoveler, 3 Turnstone and 14 Shelduck.

Late afternoon 4 Goosander were just outside the Cardiff Bay Wetland reserve at the St David’s Hotel end.

Earlier in the day 18 Redshank in Barry Old Harbour was a decent count for this site.