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.

Rhymney WeBS this morning. V cold onshore wind – v choppy water. There were about 400 Redshank on Greent Point, which was almost completely under water. They flew around and the flock contained about 30 Dunlin. In the river mouth, there were about 27 Pintail. Other birds present were about 9 Teal, 27 Shelduck, 4 Cormorant and a few Mallard. At Heliport Bay there were another 28 Pintail.

A smart male Wheatear was in W paddock Cosmeston, on the hill behind the dragonfly pond, seen during the very heavy rain shower. There were 7 Gadwall on W lake and a small group of folk were looking for the Bonaparte’s Gull which I found on 9th and has re-appeared a couple of times since, on its forays from Cardiff Bay.

Late afternoon, rain stopped, so I popped over to the Ice Rink boardwalk by Cardiff Bay to try & see the adult Little Gull that had been reported. Pulled up and stopped the car …. rain started again! It stopped after 10 mins so I headed out, and scanning with binos and immediately got onto the bird in the middle of the Bay. They’re pretty easy to pick up as the jet black underwings of the paddle shaped wings flash at you as the bird tilts and jigs tern-like low over the water. Enjoyed some nice scope views as it flew up & down in a regular pattern. Also mid Bay was a pair of Goosander.

Successful trip today with a Glamorgan Bird Club group. Despite a rather damp start which soon cleared, 16 participants walked from Rest Bay along the coast to Sker Point and back. Rest Bay car park gave us views of all significant ages of Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Common Gulls. Along the coast we had around 10 Purple Sandpiper on rocks at Pink Bay. Sker Point gave us lots of Turnstone, around 6 Ringed Plover, c.30 Sanderling, 4 Grey Plover, a few more Purple Sandpipers, 20 Curlew, a few Dunlin, and eventually [they were well camouflaged] about 150 Golden Plover. Alan got us on to a Red-throated Diver flying up-channel. Thanks to all who attended. John Wilson. Full trip list is here: https://drive.google.com/…/1okgRxvi70Sjp68Wsm47…/view…

On the usual dog walk at Cossie this morning, first thing was a posing Wren, albeit in dense shade but managed to retrieve a passable shot. Then 9 Gadwall on W lake was a good count. Then – wow! – scanning through the loafing Black-headed Gulls on W lake by the centre viewpoint, a smaller individual with a black, shorter bill …. Bonaparte’s Gull! A first in the park for me. Quickly got a Tweet and a Whatsapp out then got some photos. Fortunately it wasn’t right out in the middle of the lake. Also of note, a Chiffchaff singing by the conservation area gate, and a Cetti’s Warbler singing in E lake reeds.

A Club trip with 20 participants to the Forest of Dean finished up logging 40 species. The full list is here. At New Fancy View some had distant views of two displaying Goshawk, a Sparrowhawk, many Buzzards and a very showy male Crossbill. At Parkend some finally had views of a Hawfinch high in a tree, plus a GReat Spotted Woodpecker. Highlights at a very busy Cannop Ponds, were the Mandarins, Grey Wagtail and a Marsh Tit. Full trip list is here.

This morning, 24th there was a small flock [6 or maybe a few more] of very vocal Siskin feeding on an Alder just past the main bridge. On 23rd there was much finch activity just beyond the dragonfly pond, with Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinch. I had 8 Greenfinch together in one bush which is pretty unusual these days, and I got a shot of one singing. In the fenced off ‘snipe enclosure’ two Blue Tits were feeding on the bullrush heads and nearby there were two lone Fieldfare up in the trees.

The Black-necked Grebe found by Mike Cram this morning was still present up til 4:30 p.m. at least, on the far side of the pool, often mingling with the numerous Pochard, Wigeon, Tufted Duck and Gadwall, making a ‘scope a necessity. Also present the drake Ring-necked Duck and the Scaup. Too far away for pix, sadly.

There was an adult winter Mediterranean Gull on W lake this morning, and a Cetti’s Warbler sang briefly by the dipping pond.

On a quick walk round, W lake had 5 Gadwall and 2 female Wigeon. There were moderate numbers of Redwing and Fieldfare in both E and W paddocks.

A 1stW Glaucous Gull was seen at Potobello Island this morning by David Rich. Nice one!