Highlights: A female Bufflehead was discovered at Kenfig Pool (31st), a first county record. Arrivals to the flood at Sker included four Tundra Bean Geese (28th) and four Barnacle Geese (26th). Ten Whooper Swans (25th) and two Russian White-fronted Geese (26th) were seen overflying Kenfig Pool. Two Black-necked Grebes were brief visitors to Cosmeston (6th). First-winter Caspian Gulls were identified at Rhymney Estuary (11th) and Cardiff Bay (23rd). A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Lavernock (12th).
Other Sites: Two Dark-bellied Brent Geese frequented Newton, Porthcawl. Great Northern Divers were noted at Llanishen Reservoir, Llwyn-on Reservoir and Kenfig Pool. A Great White Egret was at Kenfig Pool. Two Black-tailed Godwits turned up at Sker. Common Sandpipers were wintering at Ogmore Estuary and Lisvane Reservoir. Short-eared Owls occurred at Rumney Great Wharf at Rhigos. A Black Redstart was at Penarth Marina. Firecrests occurred at Kenfig and Dinas Powys. Four Willow Tits were logged at Garwnant. Two Hawfinches were at Michaelston-le-Pit.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Author: John Wilson
Birder and traveller
Cosmeston
Had a nice little 30 min session by the dipping pond this morning. A Cetti’s Warbler was foraging very actively in the vegetation below the Alder. Never in full view I only managed the single dodgy shot below. Also foraging around the pond edge there was a Water Rail which was even more elusive. The main body of the pond was frozen. Highlight was a female or immature Kestrel which seemed oblivious to me as it sat in trees overlooking the reedy area by the dipping pond boardwalk, looking for prey.
Spot the Cetti’s in the top LH photo …… not too difficult.
Cosmeston late morning
W lake had 13 Teal, 10 Gadwall and a drake Pochard with some Tufties. Most of the latter were on E lake [approx 160 of them]. Redwing were feeding on hawthorn at various locations [W paddock by the edge of Cogan Wood, in Cogan Wood, by Mile Road, and along Sully Brook].
The photo is of Rudolf the red-nosed Redwing!
Cosmeston
A random collection with a thrushy bias, from a chilly saunter round Cosmeston this morning. In addition to the birds in the pix, there were 4 Gadwall on W lake and a pair of Pochard with the 100 or so Tufties on E lake at the golf course end, sheltering from the cold wind. I’m pretty sure the gull is an adult Yellow-legged Gull. The photo is a huge crop as it was right in the middle of E lake. The warm grey upper parts and v clean head are pointers for me. To left is Fieldfare, top right is Mistle Thrush.
Cosmeston
Just a few common birds over the past few days, and the local hybrid Tufty x Pochard. Interestingly of the 120 or so Tufted Ducks now present only about 10% of them are females.
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Interested in birds? Once again, we are promoting our ’15 month membership, for the price of 12′ offer. Anyone who joins now will become a member until the end of March 2027. Potential Christmas present? Visit the Club website and click the large “Join” button. If you need help setting things up, please get in touch with the Membership Secretary (alanrosney@gmail.com)
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Slimbridge
Yesterday, Sunday 7th, 14 club members braved the wet conditions and visited Slimbridge WWT [on the basis that most viewing is from hides]. We did pretty well and saw 61 species.Apart from a more or less ‘full set’ of common ducks, geese featured well with huge numbers of Barnacles, Canadas, Greylags, some distant Russian Whitefronts and a couple of ‘exotica’ – 2 Snow Geese and a Ross’s Goose. Highlight of the small birds was a very active Firecrest. From the Zeiss hide, a smart female Marsh Harrier flushed a large number of Teal. On the wader front yours truly managed to wheedle out a distant Little Stint in amongst the 100 or so Dunlin, and there were huge numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover, plus an impressive 13 Ruff. The last shout that more or less topped the lot, was the arrival of 12 Cranes in front of the Zeiss hide, although they eventually landed out of sight below the sea wall.
Cosmeston
Two Black-necked Grebes were on E lake Cosmeston this morning, found by Graham Smith. They were sheltering from the wind with Tufties, in the lee of the Mile Road. Light was pretty poor but they were nice to see. Last record there was on 7th May 2012 when 2 breeding plumaged birds were present.
Cosmeston
Short walk at Cosmeston this morning before the rain. Tufties now number around 200. Today they were accompanied by 10 Pochard and 3 Gadwall [2m 1f]. There are notices about bird flu as there seems to be a local outbreak. There was a deceased Canada Goose on W lake recently.
This morning a Great Northern Diver was seen on Llanishen Reservoir.
November 2025
Highlights: A Long-tailed Duck flew west past Sker (2nd). Leach’s Petrel sightings comprised seven from Porthcawl (six on 3rd, one on 5th), one at Sully (3rd) and one at Lavernock (16th). Yellow-browed Warblers occurred at Lavernock (2nd and 13th), Kenfig (13th), Norton Wood, Ogmore (13th) and Cosmeston (18th – 21st). A Siberian Chiffchaff was trapped for ringing at Kenfig. Flyover Snow Buntings were observed at Sker (5th) and Kenfig Pool (20th).
Other Sites: Two Common Scoters were in Cardiff Bay and a Red-throated Diver was off the barrage. A Red-breasted Merganser passed Kenfig Sands, heading down channel. Three Great Northern Divers were logged from Porthcawl. At least two Bitterns were frequenting Kenfig NNR. Three Great White Egrets were noted flying over Newton Beach. Merlins were at Kenfig, Ogmore Estuary and West Monkton. Ogmore Estuary held Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers. An Arctic Skua and a Little Gull were off Sker, with three Little Gulls along the shore at Lavernock. A French-ringed Yellow-legged Gull was at Porthcawl, where up to 71 Mediterranean Gulls were counted. Late records concerned Arctic Tern (3rd) and Wheatear (11th), both being from Sker. A swift species was over Penarth (2nd); what chances a Pallid? A Ring Ouzel called in at Kenfig. Black Redstarts were at Sker (two), Nash Point (two), Southerndown and in a Bridgend garden. Firecrests were frequently seen at Kenfig, maximum three, with others at Aberthaw, Cowbridge and Dunraven. Several Hawfinches were seen over Lavernock, with another over Portobello, Ogmore Estuary.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Cosmeston – again!
Today a lone Fieldfare was surprisingly tolerant in a Hawthorn by the W lake viewpoint along the Mile Road. I’m sure this is the same bird that we saw on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip last week, and it has laid claim to that Hawthorn for its berries.
Cosmeston
A few from a couple of days ago.. Reflections of Cormorant and Tufties, a distant drake Shoveler on W lake and a Coal Tit coming to food by E lake.
Cosmeston
Pretty quiet on the small bird front this morning. This Song Thrush sat just above me on Sunday.
Today there were c. 120 Tufties, 2 drake Pochard and 50 Canada Geese.
Cosmeston
10 hardy souls braved the bitter NE wind for a walk around Cosmeston this morning. We were off to a good start with 2 male Siskin in with a flock of Goldfinch feeding on Alder near the cafe and a Gt Spotted Woodpecker in a nearby tree,There was no sign of yesterday’s Wigeons but the drake Pochard was still present on W lake. A Fieldfare was resting in a tree there. A total of 5 Little Grebes were noted. We then spent a fair time among trees near the play park looking for a Yellow-rowed Warbler that had been seen for the prev 2 days. It was neck breaking stuff with those very tall trees! We had more or less gven up due to the wind when yours truly spotted a feeding flock and had a v brief view of the target bird but after ages craning our necks to try & follow this mobile flock, no-one else could get on to it sadly. There were Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Treecreeper and Chiffchaff in the flock. Cogan Wood produced the usual tits & Nuthatch and along the Sully Brook field there were many Redwing. The Cormorant shown is part way through swallowing an Eel! 43 species were seen!
Click here for the full list.
Cosmeston
Cosmeston late a.m. 3 Teal and 1 drake Pochard were on W lake with the Tufties. 1 each of Buzzard, Kes and Sprawk were over W paddock, 1 Redwing feeding on hawthorn there, plus Misgtle Thrush, and 3 Fieldfare fly-overs, quite high.
A Yellow-browed Warbler was reported early afternoon in sycamores between the Mile Road and the playground
Cosmeston
This hybrid Tufty type was on W lake Cosmeston this morning. V distant so big crops. There was also a single drake Pochard and an ad Heron. No sign of the Firecrest that was seen yesterday morning by the main boardwalk. Also couple of Mipits in E paddock. All rubbish photos!
Tomorrows trip [Rest Bay > Sker] cancelled
In view of the forecast and looking at various radar predictions I have decided to call this one off. It is a longish exposed walk with no shelter whatsoever, and the BBC site states “heavy rain and a moderate breeze” from 10 a.m. onwards, and the % chance of rain is from 70% up to 100% as the afternoon progresses.
I certainly don’t relish the idea. Apologies to anyone who would want to ‘give it a go’.
October 2025
Highlights: A Whooper Swan stopped off at Aberthaw (22nd). A Garganey lingered at Llanishen/Lisvane Reservoirs until early in the month. A Leach’s Petrel was seen off Lavernock (21st). Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve hosted a Glossy Ibis (17th). A Sabine’s Gull passed Porthcawl (4th). Yellow-browed Warblers were located at Dunraven (6th), Kenfig (7th) and Cathays Cemetery (27th).
Other Sites: Three Dark-bellied Brent Geese called in at Sker. Single Red-breasted Mergansers visited Kenfig Pool and Ogmore Estuary. A Red-throated Diver was off the sluice gates at Cardiff Bay Barrage, the first seen at the Bay since the barrage was created. A Bittern was at Kenfig Pool, where Marsh Harriers and Merlins were also sighted. Four juvenile Hobbies fattened up on dragonflies by the River Ely at Leckwith and another was at Dunraven. A Spotted Redshank overflew Kenfig Sands. An Arctic Tern was off Sker and a Common Tern was at Aberthaw. A Short-eared Owl flew west at Lavernock. Three Ring Ouzels were at Dare Valley Country Park. A Black Redstart was briefly at Southerndown. Firecrests were noted from Bute Park, Aberthaw and Kenfig.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Got down to the barrage for first time in a while and eventually found the Red-throated Diver that was found a coupe of days ago. It was quite distant towards the Cardiff end off the dock area by the gas storage tanks. After coffee by Porth Teigr it fortunately came a little closer on the walk back and I Iucked in on some wing stretch shots. There was also a very confiding female Pied Wag on a wall by the sluices.
Cosmeston
New arrivals in the rain this morning were 2 m and 1 f Pochard on W lake in amongst the Tufties. A Jay was by the dipping pond, carrying an acorn.
Glamorgan Bird Club 
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