A Little Egret was briefly on Sully Island shore late morning/early afternoon, and a Kestrel was hunting over the island. The wet ground is attracting waders to Sully playing-fields – around 20 Curlew and a handful of Oystercatcher there today. On the beach, 4 Grey Plover, more Oystercatchers and 3 Turnstone.

Llantrisant Forest car park was open again today, despite a sign on the gate saying it is shut until 2/2/15! A Crossbill and lots of Siskin seen from the car park this afternoon.

 

Very sunny, calm day in Coed Taf Fawr. A Great Grey Shrike gave very good views close to the main forestry track at approximately SO001142. There were 2 small groups of Crossbills along this track. One group was further north most of the way towards Cantref Reservoir, and the other nearer the Garwnant Visitor Centre.

A Willow Tit was on the west side of the Visitor Centre car park.

There were 20 Common Snipe viewed from the Llwyn On hide.

Pochard numbers have dropped to 20 or so. With them on the West Lake this morning a drake Shoveler and at least 5 Gadwall. On the East Lake a Common Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull, and a male Bullfinch near the entrance to the mediaeval village. A Raven flew over the car park.

On the River Ely west of Peterston this afternoon, 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Wagtail and 21 Canada Geese. At Cosmeston today 54 Pochard, 10 Gadwall and 2 Shoveler on the West Lake, a singing Goldcrest near the hide and a Kingfisher on the Sully Brook.

Drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker at a damp Aberdare Park this afternoon. Redhead Goosander on the park lake.

Water Rail and 3 Teal at Pwll Waun Cynon reserve, and a Dipper on the River Cynon.

An early start this morning at Cosmeston produced a count of 46 Pochard, most I have seen there so far this winter. Also 10 Teal, 8 Gadwall, a vocal Raven over Cogan Wood, showy Water Rail again at the start of the reedbed boardwalk, 2 Nuthatch on the carved dragon in Cogan Wood, Sparrowhawk through the wood, 5 Bullfinch, 1 Common Gull and 1 adult Yellow-legged Gull.

No sign of the Great Grey Shrike at Coed Taf Fawr this afternoon. However, good views in the afternoon sunshine of 6 or 7 Crossbills (part of a flock of 14 in total) perched/feeding at the tops of trees mainly in the northern half of the clearfell. Parking for a few cars roadside at SN992115 (this location is quite central within the clearfell).

 

Crossbills (this time 2m, 1f) viewed this afternoon (after 3pm) from the Llantrisant Forest car park at ST024847.

Note that there are signs in the car park saying it will be closed for forestry operations from tomorrow, and that it is hoped to re-open it on 2/2/15. There is some off-road parking near the roundabout on the A4119 about 0.5km north of the car park.

A few waders at Sully at first light 2 hours or so after high tide. 13 Curlews flew in briefly to the playing fields but were soon moved on by walkers. On the beach there were 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin, 17 Oystercatcher, 13 Turnstone and 2 Grey Plover. A nice surprise was a Kingfisher. I have seen one near the Cadoxton rivermouth at Bendrick Rock before, but not this far east along the beach.

Drake Pintail still on the West Lake earlier this morning along with Shoveler and Gadwall pairs. Kingfisher and Common Gull in the West Lake bay. When the rain relented briefly around 11,  there were 3 Goldcrest along the path between the lakes and a female Wigeon on the East Lake.

Arrived at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve this morning just in time to see several thousand Starlings leaving the reedbed. An impressive sight and noise! Other highlights here: hunting Kestrel, calling Kingfisher, a Common Snipe launching from one of the wildflower beds and multiple squealing Water Rail.

Elsewhere in Cardiff Bay the Lesser Scaup was on the west side 100m down from the road bridge just after 10am. There were 12 Common Gulls at the orange buoys near the barrage, and at least 1 Black Redstart (quite possibly up to 3 more but only got fleeting view of these) at Plas Taliesin/Llwyn Passat in Penarth Marina. A pair of Raven flew into the Bay from Penarth Head, and there were 3 Great Black-backed Gulls on the mud outside the Barrage.

At Cosmeston this afternoon a very showy Water Rail right at the start of the reedbed boardwalk. A Gadwall pair and 20 Pochard were on the West Lake, and a Common Gull was on the posts.

Bittern at West Lake reedbed at Cosmeston this morning near left hand end of posts. Viewed from the bridge.

Early afternoon today at least 3 Crossbills (1 male, 2 female) viewed from the track which runs uphill from the Llantrisant Forest car park, which is at ST024847. This track has the clearfell to the right and beech trees to the left.  The Crossbills were high up in trees at the edge of the clearfell and within 200m of the car park (sometimes much closer).

Great Grey Shrike this morning on the north side of the road from Llwyn On reservoir to Cwm Cadlan. Parking on the roadside for a few cars at the forestry gates at approximately SN992115 and the shrike was viewed from this location. Last time I drove this road was back in April and there’s clearly been substantial clearfelling since then both north and south of the road.

Circular walk today around part of Clydach Vale Country Park in the Rhondda Valley. Started at the lower lake, up to the windfarm on the ridge, descent to the upper lake, then followed the Nant Clydach back to the lower lake.

Great spotted woodpecker calling as I got out of the car. Coot, moorhen, mallard , little grebe and black-headed gull on the lower lake, along with a flotilla of domestic fowl!

Roving tit (blue, coal, great, long-tailed) and finch (siskin, chaffinch, goldfinch) flocks on the climb. Just a solitary mallard on the upper lake, but a dipper on the Nant Clydach and a sparrowhawk back at the lower lake.

Late afternoon, a kestrel hunting west of the minor road from Hirwaun Industrial Estate to Penderyn was the best I could do there on the raptor front.

56 species today on the above route. Best birds were:

4 Grey Heron, 6 Ringed Plover and 5 Turnstone on Sully Beach, and a Sparrowhawk over the fields just behind the beach at the western end of the village

Kingfisher, Little Egret and Grey Wagtail on the Cadoxton River (all just south of the bridge carrying the A4055 Dinas/Barry road over the river)

Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Moorhen and Mute Swans on Sully Moors

Green Woodpecker along Green Lane, and Great Spotted Woodpecker in the woods north of the lane

Male Bullfinch on Cross Common Road, Dinas Powis and a Bullfinch pair at Cosmeston

The high tide evening roost on Sully Island included 58 Oystercatcher, 9 Turnstone and 26 Curlew

 

Lesser Scaup back at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve this afternoon. Also a Kestrel – first I have seen there this year.

 

 

At Portobello this afternoon 2 Adult Mediterranean Gulls, 7 Goldeneye, 6 Goosander, 2 Turnstone, 2 Redshank and a Great Black-backed Gull.

At Bendrick Rock yesterday morning approaching high tide, 6 Turnstone, 1 Curlew, 8 Oystercatcher, 2 Shelduck and a Grey Heron.

The Lesser Scaup was at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve this afternoon. At Cosmeston late afternoon a female Pochard on the West Lake, and there this morning on the East Lake a drake Teal and a pair of Wigeon.

This afternoon at East Aberthaw :

Lagoon – Water Rail and Snipe both watched from the sea wall. Also 5 Little Grebe and a drake Tufted Duck.

Saltmarsh – 1 Little Egret

Beach and sea – 2 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and 29 Wigeon on the sea near the rivermouth, Great Black-backed Gull and a handful of Common Gulls amongst many Herring and Black-headed Gulls. On the beach, 14 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone, 27 Oystercatcher and 5 Curlew

The Lesser Scaup was at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve again this afternoon, viewable from the boardwalk. Yesterday early morning at the same location, a Cetti’s Warbler and two Water Rail showed briefly, a Kingfisher flew across open water into the reedbed, and a small flock of Linnet and Goldfinch were feeding in the flower bed just up from the boardwalk.

At Nelson Wern late morning yesterday species included Willow Tit, Treecreeper, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Siskin and Raven.