An ‘official’ GBC field trip with 13 participants. We walked out to Sker Pt then along the Haul Road to the rivermouth. Highlights were reasonable if distant [for photography] views of the smart Red-backed Shrike that was near the ‘surfers path’ out towards Sker. At Sker Pt were c.200 Golden Plover with a single Grey Plover in with them. 6 Chough were ferretting through livestock poop E of Sker Pt, finding plenty of bugs to eat. At Sker Pt there were also a few Oystercatdher and Turnstone and plenty of Curlew. Out by the rivermouth was dead [3 noisy offroad bikers present]. On the way back we had an unexpected Red-throated Diver just offshore by Kenfig Sands. Just 31 species seen – click here for the list.

There have been large movements of winter thrushes in the last two days. Yesterday I saw several flocks of up to 100 birds, a mixture of mainly Redwing and Fieldfare mixed in with them. Today a couple more flocks of nearly all Fieldfare, sizing around 80 birds in each. Also a Red Kite drifted over west paddock heading north, mobbed by Crows.

At Porth Teigr on Sun there was a fem type Redstart in conifers outside the BBC studios – not conclusive as to whether it was a Common or a Black Redstart, the latter of which had been reported a few days before. Too brief and quick for a photo. There were 3 Meadow Pipits on the rough ground there and a few Goldfinches.

At Cosmeston today there were 2 Stonechats in the Snipe paddock, and a single Swallow flew over. Two days ago there were 4 Little Grebes in W lake bay and several Swallows flew through.

A Grey Wagtail was in Sully Brook by the Medieval Village. E lake had 8 Tufted Ducks and a Heron was resting in a tree by W lake bay. A fem Sparrowhawk flew over W paddock and a Chiffchaff was with some Long-tailed Tits in the car park.

Pretty quiet at Lavernock this morning during a gentle post-Covid walk [managed to avoid it for 2 1/2 yrs!], but this imm Redstart was nice to watch foraging from the hedge by the coast path.

I’ve finally recovered from the annual Club weekend at Portland Bird Observatory on Portland Bill in Dorset. 12 members enjoyed a productive weekend with some excitng birds. Top of the bill for most was probably the immature Red-backed Shrike at Lodmoor, this location also giving us Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Spoonbill and some saw Bearded Tit. The Bill itself produced inter alia, passing Balearic Shearwaters, a Firecrest in the hand and a Turtle Dove!. Also we stopped off at Maiden Castle by Dorchester on the way down and eventually got on to a Corn Bunting. Altogether 104 species were logged. Here’s the full list: https://drive.google.com/…/18K7n4Ne8UE3pAvUT4DV…/view…

A big thanks to all who came, and of course to Martin, Pete “The Prof” Morgan and all others at the Obs.

Walked through the upper Dovecote field this morning and around the new tree plantation on the slope above Sully Brook hoping to see some species seen by other observers yesterday whilst I was with the GBC group in Pembrey. Eventually connected with 3 Whinchat using the trees and fence posts as perches. In the scrub area in the middle were 4 Reed Buntings and a male Blackcap. In a patch of what looked like low thistles in the cow grazing field to the west there were 3 Yellow Wagtails which proved quite difficult to see in amongst the vegetation. Overhead a Buzzard mewed, and a few Swallow flew through.

The Club trip to Pembrey Harbour and Kidwelly today was pretty successful, with 7 participants. Highlights at Pembrey were 100’s of Sandwich Terns with one giving a nice flight shot opportunity. Also there 5 Little Terns, a few Common Terns and an unexpected Black Tern sitting on the beach. Alan managed to clinch an Arctic Tern. Waders comprised a Barwit, 4 Knot for a while, 4 Sanderling and 2 Dunlin and 4 Ringed Plover. Couple of Gannets were offshore and a good number of Med Gulls were present. At Kidwelly several Greenshank, loads of Redshank, a Whimbrel, 2 Common Sand, and a few of the group lucked in on a Wood Sandpiper briefly. We missed a Curlew Sand at Pembrey, that appeared after we’d left. Click here for the full list of 43 species.

Eight GBC members came with me to the Goldcliff lagoons, east of Newport, hoping to see some good waders, even tho’ two of the lagoons were dry. It turned out well with the only wet lagoon, Prior’s, giving us couple of ‘star’ birds – a Little Stint and a Ruff, in with Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Snipe, 3 Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing and Oystercatcher [the latter on distant mudflats]. Another star bird picked out by another birder and confirmed by our country recorder, Phil Bristow who was also visiting, was a Garganey, albeit not the showy head-striped male, but a female or eclipse bird with subtly different head pattern from the Teal it was with.
We ended up at the Avocet hide below the sea wall and were immediately rewarded with a couple of Green Sandpipers. Outside the hide I got on to a Whinchat on the fence, together with 2 Wheatear. Back in the hide all hell was let loose when I spotted a bird land on a post near the lagoon. Highly patterned with a marked white supercilium, and two bold white wing bars, A load of images were taken and much discussion ensued as to what it was – clearly a wagtail or pipit of some sort. It was eventually decided it was probably an immature Citrine Wagtail but books would need to consulted later, none of us being familiar with non-adult plumage of that species. It was seen and videoed later that day and immediately ID’d as a 1st winter Citrine Wagtail! Possibly a 1st for Gwent! It was still present today [23rd]. My best images below.
We saw 52 species – full list here.

Successful GBC trip to the Blorenge today in search of Red Grouse. 2 or 3 were seen, not far from the trig point. They were quite difficult to pick out as they fed amongst the heather. We eventually managed to get everyone on to them – a “lifer” for some of the group, which numbered 18.

It wasn’t particularly “birdy” but we also saw Wheatear, Raven, Buzzard, Swallow, House Martin, Wren, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Meadow Pipit, Linnet and Stonechat. Sadly we didn’t see any Whinchats on this trip. It got too warm for birding after lunch so headed home. {This summary courtesy of Alan Rosney – thanks Al}.