A Willow Warbler was singing nicely by the central viewpoint by W lake this morning. It showed pretty well but was too active amongst the vegetation to allow for a decent photo. There were a couple fo Fieldfare in trees in the conservation area and plenty of Chiffchaffs singing, and a Mistlle Thrush. I found a dead Weasel near the far entrance to Cogan Wood. Couldn’t see any major injury but something must have got at it.

Paid a visit mid to late afternoon, finishing at about 5:30. There were 4 Fieldfare and 2 Redwing feeding on Ivy berries in a tree near the play park. The Redwing were occasionally singing which you don’t often hear. A Phyllosc type warbler appeared briefly and my grabbed shot just as it started to take off, shows it was ringed. I don’t think it’s the Willow Warbler that Graham Smith had found there yesterday tho’. It’s a rubbish photo as it was distant so it’s a huge crop. At around 5 p.m. 30+ Sand Martins suddenly appeared – there had been none in the morning. They flew around until I left. Down near the wooden bridge in the wood on the left a male Blackcap was calling and then burst into song. Also had a a Chiffchaff there singing – again poor pix due to lack of light and sizeable cropping.

A varied day today. At home it was nice to see a Greenfinch on the feeder [been a rarity for a number of years, previously having been the most common bird in the garden]. Also a Goldfinch collecting nest material this morning [fur from our dog]. A Greenfinch was collecting this resource yesterday.

Walked across the Barrage. A 1st cal yr Mediterranean Gull was feeding over the bay near the Penarth Marina side and there were c.1000 Black-headed Gulls were over the whole bay. No Wheatear on the barrage rocks, sadly. Sad to see a LBB Gull with what appeared to be a broken or at least badly damaged wing on the inner shore. It was gone when we came back – presumably swam off. A few Sand Martin were flying around over Roath Basin by Porth Teigr and one inspected a poss nest hole in the channel connecting to Roath Dock. There were none over the small dock just before the empty area where Dr Who Experience used to be, where there’s usually 20-30 nesting birds.

Cosmeston a.m. 6+ Chiffchaffs were singing – managed to grab a shot of one by W lake. A Skylark was singing over the upper dovecote field which was nice to hear. As it parachuted back down it was joined by another just before landing – promising? Fem Stonechat was in the plantation of saplings further along above Sully Brook and a lone Redwing was in trees there. W lake has an active Mute Swan nest and Coot. 2 prs of GC Grebes present. Pochard now seem to have departed. but there aere a few Tufties left. 2 Fieldfare flew out of the conservation area. House Sparrows were dust bathing near the Medieval Village.

Today a lone Fieldfare was in trees by the central viewpoint, noted during a hurried visit. Two pairs of Mute Swans were being amorous so will hopefully nest. The pair pictured on the water had just mated.
Just for the record below, a couple of shots of displaying/singing Dunnock from 19th Mar and a record shot of a Hawfinch.

A single Hawfinch was in the trees of the small copse on the left past the dragonfly pond at Cosmeston, as per 2 days ago, at 12:30 today. Flew off but came back again. Seems to like that little group of trees but very nervous, as indeed they always are. Nowt much else to report – car park was more or less completely full – loads of people around E and W lakes.

A WeBS count delayed from Sun 14th as I had my 2nd Covid jab that day and had nasty after effects on Mon & Tues.
At Green Pt by the Rhymney Est: 600 Redshank with 6 Dunlin in the flock, 42 Pintail offshore, 22 Teal, 9 Shelduck, 16 Oyc, 6 Cormorant, 14 Canadas, and oddly 5 Collared Dove feeding by the water’s edge by Lamby Way.
At the Heliport bay, 22 Turnstone, 2 Oycs, 5 Shelduck and 47 Pintail offshore.

Not having visited for ages, we did a complete circuit of the Cardiff Bay Trail this morning, starting at the Penarth end of the barrage. 100’s of Black-headed Gulls in the bay but nothing exciting with them, but a white-headed Cormorant on the inner barrage structure was a very good candidate for the continental sinensis subspieces. After coffee at Coffi by the dock bridge we were more or less halfway round so decided to carry on. After a take out bacon bap overlooking the wetland reserve, there was a Chiffchaff singing by St David’s Hotel and 4 different Cetti’s Warblers were heard. On into Hamadryad Park and two more Cetti’s sang, and a pair of GC Grebes were attending a recently finished nest. Another Cetti was singing just outside by Clarence Embankment, then a further 3 singing on the other side of R. Taff by Channel View. On the The Marl playing field there were 2 Med Gulls – a 2nd cal yr bird with a yellow ring bearing ALPN (thanks to Gareth Stamp – my pix don’t clearly reveal the letters), and a another bird approaching 2ndS plumage.

Having thought they had disbursed, it appears the wintering Hawfinches are still at Cosmeston. Graham Smith saw 7 this morning, I’m assuming in the same place as before, in tall trees of Cogan Wood, on the left about 50m past the dragonfly pond. They are sporadic and usually appear in the very tops of the tallest trees, esp the ones with Sycamore keys still visible. Modified annotated map off my blog below.

Got a year tick this morning in the shape of a Greylag Goose on E. Lake – never thought I’d get a kick out of seeing one of those! Two pairs of Green Woodpeckers seem to be present, with one regularly yaffling near E paddock and aonther by W paddock. A smart male Reed Bunting was by the gate to the conservation area and a Mistle Thrush showed well along the Mile Road.

A pair of Stonechat are back on territory where they bred last year, in the area of the sapling plantation overlooking Sully Brook just outside the southern border of Cogan Wood. The male was singing and display flighting for the female this morning. Not sure I have ever heard the actual song of a Stonechat before in all the years I’ve been birding. Slightly reminscent of Dunnock but more ‘fluty’. Buzzard displaying this morning too.

Two Greeen Woodpeckers seen, 1 in far end of E paddock and the other in W paddock near the dragonfly pond. Had my first Sand Martins of the year, with 3 feeding low over W lake, and there was a Chiffchaff feeding low down by the water’s edge on the far side of the W lake ‘bay’. As we left, the now regular Water Rail shot off ito cover in the Sully Brook ditch and sat in its now favoured well hidden position. Pair of GC Grebes were displaying on E lake.

Pretty cold today. Highlights were 2 Redpolls on a treetop in the Snipe enclosure, one a smart male. Sadly too far away and too quick to fly off for a photo. Also 3 Snipe flew out from there. The other highlights were a pair of GC Grebes displaying on W lake, and a pair of Gadwall there too, and there was a Grey Wagtail in the now smelly Sully Brook by the park entrance, where I saw the 2 Water Rails recently.

The hybrid aythya duck [probably a Tufted x Pochard] was in E. lake on 1st Mar.

A few shots below of the rather elusive Water Rail in Sully Brook, which this morning was preening in dense vegetation.

40 Fieldfare in W paddock plus a few Redwing and a Mistle Thrush. A pair of Little Grebe together on W lake with some whinnying. Pair of Mute Swans copulating. There were 5 Shoveler on E lake [3m, 2f], a Grey Wagtail in Sully Brook near the park entrance and a Water Rail again.