Eight participants braved a rather damp start for a walk to Rumney Great Wharf this morning. However it cleared up enough for some decent birding. We logged 47 species in all. Difficult to pick out highlights but Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel were all seen along with Fieldfare, Redwing, Curlew, Pintail, Sheduck, Redshank, Turnstone etc on the foreshore. 3 Ring -necked (Rose-ringed) Parakeets were very vocal around Lamby Lake. Many thanks to all those that came along, despite the weather. Click here for the list, courtesty of Nick McNeil-Watson via eBird

13th to 15th October 2023.
Our annual visit to Portland began at Maiden Castle, near Dorchester, where we stopped off, hoping for Corn Bunting. We weren’t disappointed, seeing half a dozen birds in the crops and on the fence lines. Here we also saw Kestrel, Linnet, Goldfinch, Lapwing, Stonechat, Golden Plover, Buzzard, Skylark, Meadow Pipit and more. Just as were leaving, a small raptor came in chasing the small finch flock – a Merlin on the hunt for lunch.
 Our next stop was Lodmoor, where almost the first bird we saw was a juvenile Marsh Harrier. The remarkable increase in the numbers of Great White Egrets was evident here, where there were at least 4 individuals, these even outnumbering the Little Egrets. Wader numbers were low, although we did see Black-tailed Godwit, Snipe, Buzzard, Lapwing and Dunlin. Half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were on the western edge of the reserve. It started to rain quite heavily and we had to seek shelter. The local Sparrowhawk looked really bedraggled, sitting on top of one of the posts.
 We decided to head for the Obs., with a brief stop off at Ferrybridge. There was a lone Brent Goose, a few Bar-tailed Godwits, Ringed Plover, Dunlin and Turnstone there. As the tide was well out and the rain was getting heavier, we decided to call it quits for the day.
 We were too late for the seabird spectacular off the Bill however. We were informed by the regular sea-watchers there that hundreds of Cory’s Shearwaters has been passing the headland, together with Great, Sooty and Balearic Shearwaters and a few Skuas too.
 Unfortunately (or so we thought) the strong south westerly winds dropped and backed to the north overnight, meaning that the seabird passage was much lighter the following morning. Nick McNeil-Watson did manage to get on to a Sooty Shearwater and I had distant views of a Balearic, but nothing like the previous day’s bonanza. Generally sea watching was quiet with reasonable numbers of auks, Kittiwakes, Mediterranean Gulls and Gannets passing.
 The northerly winds however did bring benefits with a light passage of migrant passerines. We were soon rewarded when Martin Cade, the warden of the Obs. brought a re-trap in from the Crown fields – a Radde’ Warbler. This species breeds in Siberia and usually migrates to SE Asia, so for it to occur in the UK is most uncommon. It is a very skulking bird, akin to its close relative the Dusky Warbler. It was a first for all of our group. What a start to the day! This was followed by another very special bird – a Little Bunting, a bird that breeds in the taiga region of NE Europe. We were on a roll.
 There had been a passage of Redpolls and one dropped into the ringing nets in the garden. It was great to see this species up close and personal, as it was to encounter a male Sparrowhawk that had been trapped and ringed.
 Prior to all his excitement, we had popped over to the Obs. quarry and were pleased to see that Little Owls were still in residence. Cindy Howells even caught sight of a Barn Owl disappearing into a crevice in the rock face. Elsewhere we saw Wheatear, Kestrel, Meadow Pipit, Stonechat, Swallow, Peregrine and Rock Pipit.
 We re-visited Ferrybridge in the afternoon, however there was little new, so we went on to Radipole, where we Pochard to our trip list (although Nick did have a view of Bearded Tit).
 Sunday dawned bright and sunny. Before we set off, we spent some time examining the contents of the moth trap, encountering some “new” species. We then decided to go on a “twitch”. A Squacco Heron had been seen in Ham Wall, so we stopped off on our journey. It had been flushed by a fisherman, so wasn’t showing when we arrived. The sight of 41 Cattle Egrets was rather special however. Four of us decided to linger, in the hope that it would show again and it did! We were rewarded with distant views but the ginger coloured body and white wings stood out, a new bird for most.
 Many thanks to all of the participants* and to the staff at the Obs, for their hospitality. It proved to be a great weekend with lots of banter and some very special birds seen. Bring on next year.
Alan Rosney
Click here for the trip list, which comprfises 98 specides.
 *Sadly John Wilson and Christian Jenkins had to drop out at the last minute. Sorry guys, you missed a good’un.

We had a reasonably successful trip to Goldcliff in Gwent with 8 participants. Waders were scarce due to high water levels & no exposed mud, but the highlight was a ‘set’ of 5 ‘heron types’ – 2 very active Spoonbills which were juveniles due to their flesh coloured bills, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Grey Heron, several Little Egrets and best of all, a Bittern which initially appeared briefly and then after a short while in cover, flew left to right for some distance on front of the seawall hide. A lone Barnacle Goose [prob not of truly wild origin] was associating with the Canadas present. Full list of the 36 species logged is here.

We were pleased to welcome 10 folk on our first GBC Birdwalk for Women, it was great to see old and new friends, then have snacks in the cafe together afterwards to discuss the list!
On this overcast damp day, saw and heard 31 species between us, the highlights being – good views of a kingfisher on the lake, glimpses of a Water Rail by some, and several Bullfinch. We were entertained by a juvenile Little Grebe trying to swallow a fish.
Full list – Magpie, Robin, Carrion Crow, Mallard, Woodpigeon, Bullfinch, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Siskin, Chiffchaff, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Coot, Little Grebe with young, Moorhen, Jay, Kingfisher, Herring Gull, Buzzard, Red Kite, Coal Tit, Blackbird, Raven, Chaffinch, Water Rail, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock.

Many thanks to Strinda for co- leading and Angharad for keeping the list.
Summary by Jean Haslam

A successful GBC trip with 10 participants, to Steart Marshes WWT reserve. Wader-wise the reserve was pretty quiet with just a few distant Lapwing & Golden Plover. Highlights there were 3 sleeping [of course!] Spoonbills, an immature Cattle Egret and a few Ruff. Out at Steart Point we had 2 Little Stint, at least 6 Curlew Sandpipers, plus Knot, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Oycs and Curlew and about 1000 Shelduck. Other highlights were Marsh Harrier and Peregrine. 55 species in the end was pretty good. Many thanks to those who came along. Click here for the full list. Only 1 photo taken [birds here are often pretty distant] – the fem/imm Wheatear which was one of a few seen on the walk out to Steart Point. An Osprey!! … was only seen by two folk who had lagged behind finishing their sandwiches – good move!!

We had a warm humid troll round the Lavernock WT reserve and along the coastal path – 11 participants came along – thanks for your support and patience folks. The hoped for small birds were very much not in evidence but nevertheless we logged 28 species – click here for the full list. There was continuous light passage of Swallows. Apart from the common birds, other interest was provided by a Small Copper butterfly, Common Migrant and Common Darter dragonflies and various hoverflies including several of the impressive and scary looking hornet mimic, Volucella zonaria. For interest I’ve posted some pix below.

Twenty folk enjoyed the field trip on Sunday 27th August.
We were very lucky to be led by Dan Jenkins-Jones , an expert on the site, who made sure that everyone had some view of the elusive and rare Green Sandpiper. After a lot of skulking, a total of seven were found!
Full list-
Grey Heron, Cormorant, Carrion Crow, Common Buzzard, Long-Tailed Tit, Wood Pigeon, Starling, Robin, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, Magpie, Wren, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Jay, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rook, Stonechat, Kingfisher (heard), Green Sandpiper, House Martin, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mallard, Canada Goose.
Many thanks to Dan (especially for the chocolate!) and to David Hibler for leading.
Summary by Jean Haslam

We had a reasonably successful trip to Goldcliff in Gwent when 21 participants logged a total of 58 species. Waders were a little disappointing but we did see c.55 Blackwits, c.100 Lapwing, c.40 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 11 Ringed Plover and a fly-over-calling Green Sandpiper. Other highlights included 4 Yellow Wagtails, a Spoonbill, fem/imm Redstart and 2 Marsh Harrier. Not many bird pix were taken [by me at least]. Featured below are the notorious Goldcliff ‘Bosprey’ [v distant][a v pale Buzzard that is often mistaken for Osprey], a fem/imm Redstart and some Blackwits & Dunlin. Full list can be seen by clicking here. John Wilson