WeBS count this morning at Green Point and Cardiff Heliport bay [week earlier than scheduled Webs due to unsuitable high tide time on 13th].

Green Pt [nice to meet John Aggleton there]: Redshank c.1000, Dunlin c.300, Shelduck 57, Shoveler 10, Teal 39 [mostly on river by Lamby Way], Pintail 6, GBB Gull 2 adults, Cormorant 4, Mallard 12.
Heliport bay: Pintail 60, Curlew 2, Shoveler 30, Oystercatcher 2, Shelduck 12.
The Redshank & Dunlin were initially on the east bank of the river mouth, not their usual spot along the shore and at the tip of Green Pt or just opposite. Something suddenly spooked them and although I wasn’t properly ready with the camera, I did manage a few flight shots.

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On Friday, a quick visit as I was due elsewhere at 12:30. The female Ring-necked Duck had returned from Cardoff Bay and was hiding under an overhanging tree on W lake. Winter thrushes were feeding on Hawthorn berries by the Mile Road and were fairly obliging for photographs, of which a few below.

100+ Redwing were around the W paddock hedge and adjacent ground this a.m., plus Fieldfare and Mistle Thrush. A Green Woodpecker was in a tree in W paddock hedge and there were at least 6 Greenfinch along there which was nice to see, plus the usual Goldfinches, and a single Stonechat. There was a Pochard wiht a few Tufties on E lake. The fem Ring-necked Duck seems to have gone back to Cardiff Bay, reported there on Twitter. Got round before thr rain came in!

Today I saw a surprising total of 5 Green Woodpeckers, 4 on the ground together in E paddock and another in W paddock. There were 6 Fieldfare resting in trees by the gate into W paddock, and on the high ground on the S side of W paddock central hedge there were around 50 Redwing feeding on the ground, and several Mistle Thrushes. A Heron was sitting on one of the posts in W lake bay and the fem Ring-necked Duck was in amongst the Tufties on W lake. Below, a Buzzard sitting up in an Alder near the car park yesterday, and also from yesterday, an obliging festive Robin by the path near the golf course, by E lake.

Several Fieldfare were feeding on berries in trees by the central W lake viewpoint along Mile Road this morning. A fem Goldeneye was in with the Tufted Duck flock there, and a lone Teal was hiding in under the edge of the trees by the W lake reed bed.

Have received news that 2 birders walked out in the marsh at Llanridian yesterday, to the harrier roost. This is totally unnecessary as the birds can be seen well from the road. Sincerely hope they weren’t GBC members.

Pretty quiet. There were 30+ Redwing feeding in E paddock and 3 Jays in the adjacent wood behind the play park. I didn’t check the wildfowl for the fem Ring-necked Duck.

From this morning, a couple of the best photos I managed of the Ring-necked Duck – they’re very grainy due to big crops and the really dismal light. Also a couple of Mistle Thrushes and a Redwing near W paddock.

All 5 thrushes this morning in the W paddock area. 2 Sparrowhawks hunting along hedgerows, 1 in W paddock and 1 beyond dragonfly pond. Also the imm fem Ring-necked Duck with Tufties on W lake and 1 fem Teal. R-n Duck pix later.

There was a nice showing of thrushes in the newly mowed W paddock this morning, with a mixture of Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Fiedfare. Not large numbers and all very skittish in such an open location. Probably about 30 birds in all.

Rec’d via email. Black Redstart seen y’day on rocks below docks building at the Cardiff end of the barrage.

Pretty quiet but had my first Fieldfare there this winter, a lone bird in a dead tree in the W lake reed bed. In W lake bay a lonbe Gadwall and 5 Pochard with the Tufties on E lake. A few Redwing flying around and over W paddock.

Canada Geese having a non-socially distanced wash & brush up this morning. The male Stonechat of the more or less permanently present pair was in the snipe paddock together with a female Reed Bunting which wasn’t quite so obliging. Our pooch Poppy [on the left] had a great time in her fave puddle [more a pool at the mo], with a playmate she met this morning. There are a huge number of berries around waiting for big flocks of Thrushes, which haven’t materialised yet – just a few Redwing about – these were particularly bright red.

Misty and murky this morning. A lot of thrushes in the snipe paddock, Blackbirds, several Song Thrush and Redwing. Also this Green ‘Pecker reluctant to show its face [also pretty distant]. In amongst about 100 Black-headed Gulls on W lake, this 1st cal yr Common Gull [massive crop as it was in the middle of W lake]. Cogan Wood has some nice colours.

Walked across the barrage and back. Only thing of note was a pair of Goosander, the female being quite close to the innner barrage, fishing – she caught about 3 small fish which I failed to capture due to a hiccup on the camera settings. The drake was a fair way out in the Bay. The only other things of note were abnotu 5 Gt Crested Grebes. I noticed that the string of orange buoys near the barrage sluices, where any Common Gulls used to rest, have gone. Below, the best pix of the redhead Goosander I managed.

During dog walk this a.m. 10 Swallow over E paddock and a Skylark, another Skylark over W paddock and Redwing there, plus a single Redpoll with Goldfinch by the mile rd near the middle entrance to w paddock. Green Woodpecker just outside E paddock nr play area. Buzzard over Cogan Wood harassed by 20+ Jackdaw.