Just a few common birds over the past few days, and the local hybrid Tufty x Pochard. Interestingly of the 120 or so Tufted Ducks now present only about 10% of them are females.
Cosmeston
Author: John Wilson
Birder and traveller
Extended membership if you join now!
Interested in birds? Once again, we are promoting our ’15 month membership, for the price of 12′ offer. Anyone who joins now will become a member until the end of March 2027. Potential Christmas present? Visit the Club website and click the large “Join” button. If you need help setting things up, please get in touch with the Membership Secretary (alanrosney@gmail.com)
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Slimbridge
Yesterday, Sunday 7th, 14 club members braved the wet conditions and visited Slimbridge WWT [on the basis that most viewing is from hides]. We did pretty well and saw 61 species.Apart from a more or less ‘full set’ of common ducks, geese featured well with huge numbers of Barnacles, Canadas, Greylags, some distant Russian Whitefronts and a couple of ‘exotica’ – 2 Snow Geese and a Ross’s Goose. Highlight of the small birds was a very active Firecrest. From the Zeiss hide, a smart female Marsh Harrier flushed a large number of Teal. On the wader front yours truly managed to wheedle out a distant Little Stint in amongst the 100 or so Dunlin, and there were huge numbers of Lapwing and Golden Plover, plus an impressive 13 Ruff. The last shout that more or less topped the lot, was the arrival of 12 Cranes in front of the Zeiss hide, although they eventually landed out of sight below the sea wall.
Cosmeston
Two Black-necked Grebes were on E lake Cosmeston this morning, found by Graham Smith. They were sheltering from the wind with Tufties, in the lee of the Mile Road. Light was pretty poor but they were nice to see. Last record there was on 7th May 2012 when 2 breeding plumaged birds were present.
Cosmeston
Short walk at Cosmeston this morning before the rain. Tufties now number around 200. Today they were accompanied by 10 Pochard and 3 Gadwall [2m 1f]. There are notices about bird flu as there seems to be a local outbreak. There was a deceased Canada Goose on W lake recently.
This morning a Great Northern Diver was seen on Llanishen Reservoir.
November 2025
Highlights: A Long-tailed Duck flew west past Sker (2nd). Leach’s Petrel sightings comprised seven from Porthcawl (six on 3rd, one on 5th), one at Sully (3rd) and one at Lavernock (16th). Yellow-browed Warblers occurred at Lavernock (2nd and 13th), Kenfig (13th), Norton Wood, Ogmore (13th) and Cosmeston (18th – 21st). A Siberian Chiffchaff was trapped for ringing at Kenfig. Flyover Snow Buntings were observed at Sker (5th) and Kenfig Pool (20th).
Other Sites: Two Common Scoters were in Cardiff Bay and a Red-throated Diver was off the barrage. A Red-breasted Merganser passed Kenfig Sands, heading down channel. Three Great Northern Divers were logged from Porthcawl. At least two Bitterns were frequenting Kenfig NNR. Three Great White Egrets were noted flying over Newton Beach. Merlins were at Kenfig, Ogmore Estuary and West Monkton. Ogmore Estuary held Jack Snipe, Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers. An Arctic Skua and a Little Gull were off Sker, with three Little Gulls along the shore at Lavernock. A French-ringed Yellow-legged Gull was at Porthcawl, where up to 71 Mediterranean Gulls were counted. Late records concerned Arctic Tern (3rd) and Wheatear (11th), both being from Sker. A swift species was over Penarth (2nd); what chances a Pallid? A Ring Ouzel called in at Kenfig. Black Redstarts were at Sker (two), Nash Point (two), Southerndown and in a Bridgend garden. Firecrests were frequently seen at Kenfig, maximum three, with others at Aberthaw, Cowbridge and Dunraven. Several Hawfinches were seen over Lavernock, with another over Portobello, Ogmore Estuary.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Cosmeston – again!
Today a lone Fieldfare was surprisingly tolerant in a Hawthorn by the W lake viewpoint along the Mile Road. I’m sure this is the same bird that we saw on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip last week, and it has laid claim to that Hawthorn for its berries.
Cosmeston
A few from a couple of days ago.. Reflections of Cormorant and Tufties, a distant drake Shoveler on W lake and a Coal Tit coming to food by E lake.
Cosmeston
Pretty quiet on the small bird front this morning. This Song Thrush sat just above me on Sunday.
Today there were c. 120 Tufties, 2 drake Pochard and 50 Canada Geese.
Cosmeston
10 hardy souls braved the bitter NE wind for a walk around Cosmeston this morning. We were off to a good start with 2 male Siskin in with a flock of Goldfinch feeding on Alder near the cafe and a Gt Spotted Woodpecker in a nearby tree,There was no sign of yesterday’s Wigeons but the drake Pochard was still present on W lake. A Fieldfare was resting in a tree there. A total of 5 Little Grebes were noted. We then spent a fair time among trees near the play park looking for a Yellow-rowed Warbler that had been seen for the prev 2 days. It was neck breaking stuff with those very tall trees! We had more or less gven up due to the wind when yours truly spotted a feeding flock and had a v brief view of the target bird but after ages craning our necks to try & follow this mobile flock, no-one else could get on to it sadly. There were Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Treecreeper and Chiffchaff in the flock. Cogan Wood produced the usual tits & Nuthatch and along the Sully Brook field there were many Redwing. The Cormorant shown is part way through swallowing an Eel! 43 species were seen!
Click here for the full list.
Cosmeston
Cosmeston late a.m. 3 Teal and 1 drake Pochard were on W lake with the Tufties. 1 each of Buzzard, Kes and Sprawk were over W paddock, 1 Redwing feeding on hawthorn there, plus Misgtle Thrush, and 3 Fieldfare fly-overs, quite high.
A Yellow-browed Warbler was reported early afternoon in sycamores between the Mile Road and the playground
Cosmeston
This hybrid Tufty type was on W lake Cosmeston this morning. V distant so big crops. There was also a single drake Pochard and an ad Heron. No sign of the Firecrest that was seen yesterday morning by the main boardwalk. Also couple of Mipits in E paddock. All rubbish photos!
Tomorrows trip [Rest Bay > Sker] cancelled
In view of the forecast and looking at various radar predictions I have decided to call this one off. It is a longish exposed walk with no shelter whatsoever, and the BBC site states “heavy rain and a moderate breeze” from 10 a.m. onwards, and the % chance of rain is from 70% up to 100% as the afternoon progresses.
I certainly don’t relish the idea. Apologies to anyone who would want to ‘give it a go’.
October 2025
Highlights: A Whooper Swan stopped off at Aberthaw (22nd). A Garganey lingered at Llanishen/Lisvane Reservoirs until early in the month. A Leach’s Petrel was seen off Lavernock (21st). Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve hosted a Glossy Ibis (17th). A Sabine’s Gull passed Porthcawl (4th). Yellow-browed Warblers were located at Dunraven (6th), Kenfig (7th) and Cathays Cemetery (27th).
Other Sites: Three Dark-bellied Brent Geese called in at Sker. Single Red-breasted Mergansers visited Kenfig Pool and Ogmore Estuary. A Red-throated Diver was off the sluice gates at Cardiff Bay Barrage, the first seen at the Bay since the barrage was created. A Bittern was at Kenfig Pool, where Marsh Harriers and Merlins were also sighted. Four juvenile Hobbies fattened up on dragonflies by the River Ely at Leckwith and another was at Dunraven. A Spotted Redshank overflew Kenfig Sands. An Arctic Tern was off Sker and a Common Tern was at Aberthaw. A Short-eared Owl flew west at Lavernock. Three Ring Ouzels were at Dare Valley Country Park. A Black Redstart was briefly at Southerndown. Firecrests were noted from Bute Park, Aberthaw and Kenfig.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Got down to the barrage for first time in a while and eventually found the Red-throated Diver that was found a coupe of days ago. It was quite distant towards the Cardiff end off the dock area by the gas storage tanks. After coffee by Porth Teigr it fortunately came a little closer on the walk back and I Iucked in on some wing stretch shots. There was also a very confiding female Pied Wag on a wall by the sluices.
Cosmeston
New arrivals in the rain this morning were 2 m and 1 f Pochard on W lake in amongst the Tufties. A Jay was by the dipping pond, carrying an acorn.
Two upcoming events
Two GBC events to alert you about:
On Tuesday next week, 4th November, there’s a live indoor meeting at Pencoed Rugby Club, when John Wilson will be giving an illustrated talk about a birding trip he and his wife did last year, to the Danube Delta in Romania – it’s called Birding by Boat.
On Sunday week, 9th November, there’s a field trip involving a walk from Rest Bay to Sker Point and back, hoping for some waders including Purple Sandpiper. Regulars will have done it before – it’s a flat but longish walk along the coast path – probably about 2km each way. Meet at 9 a.m. in Rest Bay car park. All day parking there now is just £1 [from 1st Oct thru the winter]. Let John Wilson know by email if you’re coming – johndw1948 at gmail dot com
Cosmeston
In the light drizzle and v poor light at Cosmeston this morning. I was walking across W paddock when a Kes came and alighted in the hedge, but only briefly as a second Kes flew in a flushed it off. The camera wasn’t ready but they flew up fairly high then had a kind of dog fight. I think they were both young birds and there was no real aggression. Nice to watch tho’. One pic below shows how distant they were when I took the pix, hence they are pretty fuzzy.
The Woodpigeon is I understand, one that has been around for a couple of years, although I’ve never seen it before. As the pic shows, it has a pretty bad deformity of one of the bill mandibles, but it’s obviously coping OK as it was pretty plump.
Trip for Thurs 23rd Oct cancelled
Just a heads up that the trip to Cwm Nash tomorrow has been cancelled due to a yellow weather warning. Sorry folks, but your wellbeing is a priority.
Various locations
Just a few from the last few days. The Jay was burying acorns on the slope by the dipping pond at Cosmeston on Thursday. The Linnets on Hawthorn were part of a flock of about 40 at Lavernock this morning, where I also counted at least 20 Skylark over the large field. I wasn’t early enough for much active vis-mig but I did note a small group of Crossbill and a single calling Yellow Wagtail flying over. A high group of vocal crows drew my attention, whereupon I discovered they were mobbing a high circling Short-eared Owl, which was a nice surprise. The photos are MEGA crops – it was v high. It continued west until lost from sight. The African Grey parrot!!! was perched on the railings by Chew Valley Lake yesterday eve [long story as to why I was there]. Its owner appeared to be the inhabitant of a tatty campervan. Lastly I was dead chuffed to get a few nice portraits of a Wren whilst I was sitting outside the back of the Cosmeston cafe this morning.
Glamorgan Bird Club 
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