This morning, a Snipe flew out of the snipe enclosure and there were a good number of Redwing feeding in the bushes and flying back & forth across W. paddock. There were 2 pairs of Gadwall on W lake and 35 Tufties.
On Monday [4th] there was a pair of Pintail on W lake plus 2 female type Scaup with the Tufties, and a Common Gull, the first one I’ve seen in the park this winter.
Author: John Wilson
Birder and traveller
November 2023
Highlights: A first-winter Caspian Gull was identified in the Cardiff Bay roost. A female Ring-necked Duck present at both Lisvane Reservoir and Cardiff Bay was joined for a couple of days by a drake. Two individual Snow Buntings were observed at Nash Point. Kenfig Pool hosted two Whooper Swans and a Bearded Tit.
Other Sites: Up to eight Dark-bellied Brent Geese frequented the flood at Sker, with four Pale-bellied and a single Dark-bellied at Breaksea Point, Aberthaw. A pair of Egyptian Geese was noted at Ogmore Estuary, Flemingston Moor and Kenfig Pool. Three Scaup were at Cardiff Bay. Two Eider passed Sker. Female Red-breasted Mergansers were seen at Aberthaw, Butetown Reservoir and Sker. Single Great Northern Divers occurred at Cardiff Bay and Llwyn-on Reservoir, with at least four in the Kenfig locality. A Cattle Egret was Sker and a Great White Egret dropped in at Ogmore Estuary. A male Marsh Harrier was at Kenfig. Common Sandpipers were at Lisvane Reservoir and Ogmore Estuary. Late Arctic Skuas were logged at Ogmore-by-Sea, Porthcawl and Cardiff Bay. A maximum of seven Yellow-legged Gulls came to roost at Cardiff Bay. Short-eared Owls were at Cosmeston and Lavernock. A Water Pipit looked set to winter at Ogmore Estuary. Black Redstarts graced Cardiff Bay (two), Aberthaw (two), Llantwit Major and Nash Point. Firecrests were at Penarth Head (three), Aberthaw (two), Boverton, Kenfig and Bute Park. Choughs wandered east as far as Aberthaw and Barry. A Hawfinch was at Michaelston-le-Pit.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Cosmeston
V v cold and pretty misty this morning. Main highlight was a Little Egret just about discernible in a tree by W lake. There were 38 Tufties on the water but I was unable to find the Pochards or Gadwalls from the other day. There were plenty of Redwing & Fieldfare flying about but none settling anywhere decent for photos apart from one Redwing by the lower dovecote field. I walked through Cogan Wood but had no luck with Marsh Tit, just the usual Great, Blue & Coal Tits and Nuthatch. Other common birds were Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest and a couple of Bullfinch, plus I managed a couple of shots of Blackbird and Mistle Thrush.
Postponed trip – now on 7th Dec
There’s a scheduled trip to Penclacwydd WWT for Tues 5th Dec but as it’s the same day as the live indoor meeting that was announced in the previous post, it has been decided to postone the Llanelli [Penclacwydd] trip to Thursday instead.
So, there’s a trip to Penclacwydd WWT reserve on Thurs 7th Dec. I suggest meeting at the reserve car park at 10 a.m. or as near as possible.There an approx £10 admission charge for non WWT members. No pick up from St Marg’s Rd [it’s too difficult on weekdays]. Plse let me know if you intend coming. John Wilson – johndw1948 at gmail dot com.
Upcoming indoor meeting – live
A heads up that there’s a live indoor meeting on Tus next week 5th Dec, at Kenfig Reserve centre.
Peter Morgan of Cardiff, a long standing GBC member and well know bird ringer, will be giving us a talk on 45 years of ringing at Kenfig National Nature Reserve. Those who have been on the GBC Portland weekend trips will know Peter, who spends spring and autumn there.
The start time is 7:30 p.m. and be aware that there are car parking charges via an ANPR camera system, so you pay when you leave. The max charge is £4. Basically it’s £1 for 90 mins, £2 for 3 hours or £4 over that. Edit: payment is by card only
Upcoming walk for women
For the second of our newly introduced walks for women, there is one planned for Sun 3rd Dec at Cosmeston Lakes CP 10:00 to 12:00. There are parking charges [contactless or cash]. Coffee & optional cakes at the cafe afterwards. Please let Jean Haslam – haslamj@talktalk.net – know if you intend coming. More detail about these walks on this page.
Penarth Head/Barrage
Regular Cardiff Bay birder Gareth Stamp had an amazing 3 Firecrests together this morning, in scrub & trees near the old Custom House along the Cardiff side of Penarth Head. They had moved on to feed somewhere else by the time I arrived although I did check all the trees up the hill to Paget Terrace. As I walked back to the car park area, a Wren was scolding away from the top of a vertical twig stuck in the rocks of the outer harbour, so I got a few nice portraits.
Upcoming field trip
ALERT – there’s info below about the Bristol ULEZ zone for which fees are payable if your vehicle is non-compliant. The zone is entered if you use the A4 Avon Gorge route.
A reminder that there’s a fied trip on Sunday next w/e [26th Nov] to Chew Valley Lake which many will know – basically a very large reservoir south of Bristol, good for wildfowl.
Unfortunately I am away visiting family in Derbyshire, so Alan Rosney has kindly agreed to be the leader. Please contact Alan alanrosney@gmail.com and not myself.
The arrangement is to meet at the long Heron’s Green layby on the B3114 which runs south from Chew Stoke village at 10:15 to 10:30. Heron’s Green is a viewing point on the west side of the lake.
Click here to see a map. The GR is ST551604.
To use any of the hides a permit is required – it is a complex business trying to get one and last year we didn’t bother as you can purchase them from a ranger if you meet one. In fact last year we didn’t use any of the hides. One which has been good in the past [Stratford] will be no good as the water levels are bound to be far too high. Another we have used in the past we found doesn’t exist any more.
Any further queries please get in touch with Alan.
John Wilson
PS IMPORTANT info re the Bristol ULEZ [Low eimissions] zone. If your vehicle is non-compliant it’s £9 per day for each entry and there’s a hefty fine if it’s not paid promptly [£120 reduced to £60 if paid within a few weeks.] So, best route I use is to join the southbound M5 and come off at Gordano services J.19 [ the first one you neet] and then the simplest route is to follow the A369 Martcombe Road [1st exit at the rbt after you come off the M5] until it reaches the A370. You then go west on the A370 and at the next big roundabout take Colliters Way which is a new link road that takes you down to the A38. This route avoids the OLEZ zone. There’s also a wiggly cross country route from Gordano to Barrow Gurney, but it’s too involved to explain to people. The junction of the A360 with the A370 is complicated. SIgns are for Bristol Airport and A370 but there’s plan below annotated with arrows – you can see how it is easy to take the wrong route. Once on the A370 continue to a main roundabout and take the A4174 1st exit ~ Colliters Way – which leads down to the A38.
Bryngarw CP
Had a pleasant walk around Bryngarw Country Park this morning, secretly arranged by my fellow GBC trustees [bar the two Davids who had to be elsewhere]. So, myself & Anne plus our dog Poppy, together with Strinda Davies, Alan Rosney, Jean & Rod Haslam, Paul Denning, Rob Bradshaw, and John Western did a circuit of the park and returned to the cafe where Anne & I were kindly treated to a coffee and toastie. It was a dull & grey morning but thankfully no rain arrived. The birds were pretty quiet but we managed to build up a reasonable list of 23 species. Long-tailed Tits were the most numerous, with around 3 feeding groups totalling around 30 birds in all, which were nice to see. Unexpected was a smart drake Mandarin duck on the small lake, squeaking away and apparently vaguely displaying to the female Mallards. Other highlights were Grey Wag, Dipper and 2 ‘redhead’ Goosander on the river. Full list: Mandarin, Mallard, Goosander, Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Great Spotted Woodpecker [heard from the car park as we left], Jay [2], Jackdaw, Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest [3], Wren [heard], Nuthatch [3]. Treecreeper [2], Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush [4], Blackbird, Robin, Dipper [1], Grey Wagtail [1], Chaffinch [2]. Diolch yn fawr everyone. John Western was the official list keeper so if I’ve missed anything do shout. No photos apart from the team one courtesy of Rod.
Cosmeston
Very quiet this morning, the highlight being a Sparrowhawk that did a couple of circuits above the dipping pond area, trying to spook some Goldfinches which were feeding in the Alders there. A Cetti’s Warbler gave a quick burst of song there, and a Water Rail squealed.
Cosmeston
A damp walk at Cosmeston this morning, mainly on the main paths. Incredibly muddy in the paddocks! Only birds of note were a flock of about 10 Fieldfare flying over, calling, in an easterly direction. The Tufted Ducks number around 30.
Cardiff Bay Barrage & Porth Teigr
Walked across the barrage this morning, coffee at Coffi Co shipping containers, then checked out Porth Teigr waste ground and succeeded on the Black Redstart, a very smart adult male. It’s usually pretty distant on the rock piles in the middle of the area. It did once come to the piles of bricks near the fence but I was in the wrong position. There was a fem Goosander in the bay off the path that goes past the Swift tower. Also with the Redstart was a MIstle Thrush which had a bathe in a puddle. Also impressive in the dock were 2 adult Mute Swans with 7 fully grown young.
October 2023
Highlights: A Richard’s Pipit flew over at Sker (29th), where a juvenile Glaucous Gull was also briefly present (31st). The female Ring-necked Duck remained at Lisvane Reservoir all month. Snow Buntings were noted from Mynydd Pwll-yr-lwrch (Maesteg, 24th), Nash Point (28th onwards) and Sker (31st). Two Spoonbills were seen over Lavernock and then Cardiff Bay (12th). Cattle Egrets were noted in ‘ones and twos’ at Kenfig, Barry, Flemingston Moor, St Brides Major, Cardiff Bay and Cwmbach Wetlands. A total of at least six Woodlarks was observed on passage over Lavernock, with further sightings over Kenfig (10th) and Cardiff Bay (two on the 12th).
Other Sites: Late migrants concerned a Common Tern at Llanishen Reservoir (19th), a Whitethroat at Sker (29th) and a Hobby at Kenfig Pool (31st). Great Northern Divers called in at Lisvane Reservoir and Kenfig Pool (31st), where a Bittern and three Great White Egrets also occurred. Further Great White Egrets were at Ogmore Estuary, Aberthaw and Rumney Great Wharf. Kenfig hosted two Hen Harriers and a Marsh Harrier. Another Hen Harrier went through at Lavernock. The only Osprey sighting came from Ogmore Estuary. A Greenshank overflew Lisvane Reservoir, where a Little Gull remained from September into the start of the month, with another Little Gull calling in at the Watermill, Ogmore Estuary. Short-eared Owls were logged at Lavernock and Kenfig. Two Black Redstarts were at Aberthaw. Ring Ouzels stopped off at Kenfig (two), Mynydd Pwll-yr-lwrch (two) and Cwm Nash. A Dartford Warbler was found in clifftop scrub at Nash Point (23rd). Firecrests were at Kenfig (two trapped for ringing), Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve and Gwaelod-y-Garth. Up to nine Choughs were frequenting the coast in the vicinity of Porthcawl, away from their more usual Vale of Glamorgan haunts. A visible migration of 270 Crossbills was recorded during a single hour at Dunraven (16th).
Rumney Great Wharf 4th Nov
Rather damp for our walk to Rumney Great Wharf this morning. However it cleared up enough for 8 participants to do 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, courtesy of Nick McNeil-Watson who logged them on eBird.
Edit: PS many thanks to Alan Rosney for leading in my absence.
RGW – 4th Nov 2023
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
Portland Bird Obs weekend 2023
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.
BTO Winter Gull Roost volunteers required!
Attention gull-o-philes, or to be posh, larophiles! The British Trust for Ornithology are relaunching the Winter Gull Roost Survey after a gap of 20 years. They are looking for volunteers that enjoy counting gulls at roost and that are interested in collecting wintering gull data. This information will aid in vital monitoring efforts to assess population changes and provide data for the designation of protected wintering sites.
The survey will involve visits to key gull roosts and random samples across inland and coastal sites in January. Supplementary count data at key roost sites in Autumn is also encouraged to monitor seasonal differences in gull numbers.
Here is a link to the Vacant Site Map where you can find available sites in your area.
For more information and to sign up for the survey please visit https://www.bto.org/wings. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact wings@bto.org.
Trip to Rumney Gt Wharf
As advertised recently, the next trip is to Rumney Great Wharf on Sat 4th Nov. I did put out a request for a leader on our various fora but there was no response. However, Alan tells me today that he is planning on coming and would be happy to lead, so many thanks Alan.
As I think I said on my previosu posts on FB, ‘Twitter aka X’ and website, Anne & I are going up to N. Wales for a week.
The meet location is in the car park at Parc Tredelerch aka Lamby Lake which is off Lamby Way on the E side of Cardiff by the Lamby landfill site. High tide is 10 a.m.so meet there at 9 a.m. The sea wall can be very muddy so wear suitable footwear.
If you intend coming please let Alan know, not me – i.e. do not reply to this email as it will get forwarded to me and where I’m going has very flaky mobile reception. Alan’s email is alanrosney@gmail.com.
Lavernock
A Short-eared Owl, first seen at Lavernock yesterday afternoon, hunted briefly over the field shown in the map below, roughly along the area of the line shown, between about 4:30 and 5 p.m. this evening. It dropped into ground cover as the rain was arriving,. Pretty poor light so surprised that I got a few half decent shots out of the 70 or so I took – albeit after some post processing. The bottom left pic is arguably the best as the bird seems to be eyeballing me [and Wayne Strong who was with me].
Cosmeston
Yesterday there were c.130 Canada Geese on E lake and nothing much else to shout about apart from 2 Grey Herons in the W lake ‘heron resting tree’ near the main bridge, and a party of Long-tailed Tits aka Bum Barrels from way back when. As usual they were pretty active and difficult to get decent shots of. I’ve posted 1 heavily cropped shot which shows pink eyelids.
Today, some of the Canadas had gone but there were still a lot present. In the lone Willow on the right by the E lake boardwalk a Chiffchaff was feeding, and 2 others were heard callihg elsewhere. Also by the Willow a constantly calling Cetti’s Warbler which typically wouldn’t show. A Water Rail called briefly there too. Just beyond the main bridge by the Mile Road there were 3 Goldcrests feeding together with a Wren, too high up for pix. There were 2 Stonechats on the W paddock hedge. The lakes were calm so there were some nice reflected images, esp of the Mute Swans, and a pair of Pied Wags were in the swan feeding area by E lake.
Glamorgan Bird Club 
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