Tiring GBC trip to RSPB Dinas yesterday leading a group of 13 members, to whom thanks for coming. Left Penarth in nice sunshine and arrived at Dinas to be greeted with low grey cloud, drizzle and a temp of 12 deg C! Birds v quiet until about 2 p.m. and light in the woods v low. We eventually logged 46 species. No prize winners in the photos – v poor conditions for photography! All target species logged in the reserve although Wood Warblers were only heard. A few of us went up the road past Llynn Brianne reservoir and added a few more species – see the list here: https://drive.google.com/…/1EKUj75q…/view…

2 G-c Grebe families on W lake – 1 fem had 2 v small ‘humbugs’ on her back and the other had three slightly larger ones, 2 carried and one on the water. 2-3 Reed Warblers are singing by the main boardwalk, plus a Reed Bunting, and 2-3 more Reed Warblers are in the reeds by the dipping pond. Whilst trying to see one, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew by, into the trees bordering the car park.

Next Sat, 21st May there will be the regular walk at Kenfig NNR but this one will be dedicated to birdsong and call ID, esp for beginners. As usual, all welcome, meet at KNNR building at 9 a.m.

Then on the Sunday, 22nd May we have a field trip to the RSPB Dinas woodland reserve, north of Llandovery. Some folk, including me as it happens, have been already, so we know the target birds are there [Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Wood Warbler]. It’s just under a 2 hour drive from me via the A470 and A40 to Llandovery then north on minor lanes via Rhandirmwyn. Post code given is SA20 0PG, GR SN788471, What3Words suave.height.splash

I suggest meeting in the car park there at around 10 a.m. – it’s on the left just past a small church and graveyard.

So, if you intend coming please let me know by email [replying to this will be OK]. If you wish to car share please also let me know at the same time. The meet point for that will be the  usual spot at the bottom end of St Margarets’ Rd in Whitchurch [see the Events>Field Trips page on this website]. Be there at just before 8:30. It’s about 1hr 30 mins from there.

Lesser Whitethroat, Common Whitethroat and Reed Warbler still singing in the same locations at yesterday. Around 10 Swallows were over W lake for a while and a couple of Sand Martins. A Coot with 4 chicks on W lake. The Robin pix below feature a male attempting courtship feeding by offering a berry to a female who wouldn’t take the bait, and the adult Heron was standing on the main E lake boardwalk on a section that has been temporarily closed off while nearby works are taking place. By the same section of boardwalk was the lovely Water Vole.

During a circuit this morning, a Lesser Whitethroat still singing in the snipe enclosure, and still refusing to show, c.10 Sand Martins and a couple of Swallows over the lakes, Common Whitethroat still on territory by the dipping pond, 1 poss 2 Reed Warblers singing in the E lake reeds, and a male Reed Bunting singing there. Leps of interest on Tuesday were Orange Tip and a Dingy Skipper [see photo], and a Large Red Damselfly. There were 3 active Coot nests that I could see. Some misc pix below.

There were around 10 Sand Martins over W lake this morning with a couple of House Martins, and the Common Whitethroat has set up by the dipping pond, using a small sapling as a song post.

Nothing too exciting but 2 new birds for my year, albeit heard only – Lesser Whitethroat singing in brambles on the right about 200m past the dragonfly pond, and a Reed Warbler singing in the reeds by the main boardwalk. The pair of Gadwall were still present on W lake.

Little & large from Cosmeston today. Quite like the soaring Buzzard as it’s looking sideways and you can see its face. The Wren was singing by the Mile Road. Also a non-avian pic – there are some nice patches of Cowslips dotted around the park. Obv pretty busy atm with many folk with kids heading for the play park. Plenty of people who cannot apparently read, feeding the swans etc whilst standng next to the many signs around the place alerting to the risk of avian flu and requesting people to NOT feed the wildfowl.

Recent activity of interest that hasn’t appeared on here. Sand Martins are inspecting the holes in the wall of the old Channel Dry Dock [past N end of the Cardiff Bay barrage], a male Pied Flycatcher turned up at Cosmeston on Tues 12th, then back to the Bay, a Common Tern yesterday [apparently still present this morning] together with a male Wheatear on the outer Barrage rocks and a White Wagtail.

A small group of us were on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip to Craig Cerrig Gleisiad [above the A470 N of Storey Arms] this morning, and after some patient scanning of the crags, eventually saw a couple of male Ring Ouzels, which obligingly sang for us. We thought there were perhaps 3 or even 4 birds due to the calls heard, but only 2 were seen. Couple of silly shots below to give some idea of how far away they were [‘scopes essential]. The one shown was right on the top of the ridge as can be seen. Also seen in flight there, 2 Peregrines, a few Red Kite, and in the nearby wood by the youth hostel some common woodland birds but Pied Flys, Redstart etc not yet arrived.
Click here for the complete list [from my own database so apologies if I’ve missed any – John W].

Interesting observation at Cosmeston, W lake this morning. A pretty aggressive fight between Great Crested Grebes. A pair had been displaying [see pic] and there was another pair present, one of which was tucked in close by the central viewpoint on the Mile Road. The other one of that pair was out in the middle. There was a lot of vocalisation from all concerned and then one of the displaying pair came shooting in and had a real go at the tucked-in bird, wings flying etc etc, just like Coots do. I couldn’t get any decent shots of the fight as the overhanging brambles were in the way but in one pic you can see one bird coming in with its partner still visible further out, and the attacked bird just visible through the undergrowth.
Also of interest a pair of Gadwall still present on W lake, a pair of Little Grebes, Willow Warbler singing, loads of Blackcaps and a lingering sum plum Black-headed Gull.

Yesterday, 27th Mar, 6 members and 2 guests enjoyed a great trip & day out at Chew Valley Lake south of Bristol. This huge lake has a number of viewing points, some public and the rest requiring permits from Bristol Water, which luckily, we were able to buy from a ranger at our first meeting point. Most birds were distant and required the use of ‘scopes, and the highlights were a 1st yr Little Gull, initally sitting amongst distant black-headeds but eventually giving some good flight views. Topping that were 6 Garganey including some smart drakes. Gulls were also represented by a fine breeding plumage Mediterranean Gull and an adult Great Black-back. A total of 7 species of gull wasn’t too bad! About 10-20 Fieldfare were still around, and just a single Great White Egret was seen in flight. We called in at the Barrow Gurney ‘tanks’ by the A38 and saw the very smart adult male Long-tailed Duck. Below is a record shot of one of the drake Garganeys. Click here for the full list of 55 species!.

An almost full breeding plumaged Med Gull was over E lake this morning and settled on the water preening but then disappeared. There’s a Coot on a nest on W lake. W. paddock revealed 1 Jay, 1 Green Woodpecker, and 3 Buzzards were thermalling and several Chiffchaff were singing, plus a solitary Blackcap. We saw at least 10 Brimstones around the park, plus single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. A Cetti’s Warbler was foraging briefly in the open in the ditch behind the cafe but not long enough for me to grab a photo.

Wayne Strong found a drake Red-crested Pochard at Cosmeston this morning, which is undoubtedly the bird that had been at Kenfig Pool since its discovery by Neil Donaghy a while ago. As at KNNR it favoured the middle of the lake [W lake at Cossie in this case] but here’s a much cropped record shot. Other than that it’s very quiet – weather is too nice. I wandered round Lavernock reserve for a while this afternoon but the only things of note were at least 6 singing Chiffchaffs.

V busy. Paddocks are drying out. A Stock Dove flew over W paddock and a Cetti’s Warbler seems to have territory behind the dipping pond, as it has been singing there on and off for a while now.