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.
Author: John Wilson
Birder and traveller
Cosmeston update
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.
Cosmeston
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.
Cosmeston
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.
Cardiff Bay Barrage
Rec’d via email. Black Redstart seen y’day on rocks below docks building at the Cardiff end of the barrage.
KNNR – GBC position statement regarding the future
The GBC committee, along with many of the club’s members, is very concerned about the future management of Kenfig NNR following the recent announcement that NRW will not be taking on the lease to manage the site. GBC trustees wish to reassure members that we have always been committed to working with whichever organisation is ultimately responsible for managing the reserve. To that end we have requested a meeting with KCT, who intend to oversee the management of the site themselves, to discuss the immediate future of Kenfig and how we can work with them to secure its integrity as a NNR. We will update you all as the situation develops.
Cosmeston
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.
Cosmeston
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.
Cosmeston
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.
Cardiff Bay – barrage
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.
Cosmeston
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.
A second Zoom presentation
We are pleased to announce that we have arranged for someone from the Eagle Reintroduction Wales project to give us a Zoom presentation on Tues 15th December starting at 7:30 p.m. This will follow the same pattern as the ‘Lost Peatlands’ presentation we had on 20th October. Put the date & time in your diary and keep checking here for details of how to joint the meeting when the time comes. For further info on the project, here’s a link to their website: https://www.eaglereintroductionwales.com/.
Cardiff Bay
It appears there was a Grey Phalarope in Cardiff Bay Wetlands this morning, last seen flying out to middle of the bay. (Per Twitter & Whatsapp).
October 2020
Highlights: Twelve Yellow-browed Warblers were noted from nine sites, as follows: one at Lavernock (5th), one at Dare Valley Country Park (11th), two at Dunraven (13th), one in a Barry garden (13th), two at Llanilid (13th), one in a Bridgend garden (15th), one at Cosmeston (21st), two at Kenfig (22nd) and one at Norton Wood, Ogmore (28th). Two immature Ring-necked Ducks commuted between Cosmeston and Cardiff Bay. Cattle Egrets called in at Flemingston Moor (4th) and Kenfig (22nd), where a Long-tailed Duck was also seen (25th). Woodlarks were picked up on visible migration watches at Dunraven (two on 14th) and Lavernock (singles on the 15th and 20th).
Brent Geese totalled eight at Aberthaw and one at Ogmore Estuary. A Scaup was at Kenfig Pool. Great White Egrets comprised one seen over Merthyr Mawr Warren and then Kenfig (5th), one at Lamby (11th), one past Lavernock (15th) and another at Kenfig (18th). At least two Bitterns were at Kenfig, where two Marsh Harriers were frequently observed. Hen Harriers were found at Nash Point and Groeswen (Caerphilly). Merlins were at Ogmore Estuary, Lavernock, Mynydd Bach (Maesteg) and Kenfig. A Curlew Sandpiper was at Newton (17th). A late Arctic Tern dropped in at Kenfig Pool (26th). Short-eared Owls graced Lavernock and Kenfig. Away from the stronghold of the Vale of Glamorgan coast, Choughs wandered as far as Rest Bay (three) and Sker (nine). The first Black Redstart of the autumn was in a Radyr garden. Ring Ouzels were seen on two dates at Mynydd Bach, with another at Dare Valley Country Park. The only Firecrest sightings came from Nottage and Pentyrch.
Summary by Paul Roberts
Cosmeston a.m.
Tantalisingly close fleeting naked eye views just beyond social distance, of Cettis Wblr along base of reeds in Sully Brook, Cosmeston just beyond the gate by Dovecote field.
Cosmeston
V wet couple of days [and more to come!], means that Cosmeston away from the paths is very muddy and slippery at the moment. The recent two Ring-necked Ducks have migrated to Cardiff Bay and there’s only about 15 Tufties present on E lake at the moment, with up to 3 Pochard. Didn’t notice the Goldeneye this morning. The Herring Gull was having a good old shout yesterday and this morning I managed a couple of nice shots of the pair oof Stonechat that have been around, although they are big crops from the originals. There were also a couple of very vocal Bullfinches near the far entrance to Cogan Wood and a Few Redwing in the snipe paddock.
Cosmeston
A few random ones from Cosmeston this a.m. 1 Fly over Peregrine, 1 Gt Spot Woodpecker, a few Redwing, small group of Tufties and 1 Pochard, 3 Little Grebe on E lake 1 GCG.
Cosmeston
Brief v wet session this a.m. Max 7 Pochard on E lake and the drake Goldeneye. No sign of either the imm or 1st yr male Ring-necked Ducks, so assume both are in Cardiff Bay with the rest of the prev 90 Tufties that were here.
Cosmeston
Last couple of days. Yesterday, the imm Ring-necked Duck was joined by a 1st year male, found by Graham Smith. It was not present this morning although the imm bird was still on E lake as was the drake Goldeneye. Late news rec’d as I type was that the 1st yr Ring-necked had relocated to Cardiff Bay, just off the Ice Rink area. Yesterday at Cossie a pair of Stonechat were on the perimeter of the snipe paddock and a few Redwing were in the trees there, and this morning a male Stonechat was in E Paddock with a few Goldfinch.
Cosmeston
Saw my first Common gull of this autumn this morning, a 2ndW on E lake by the feeding area. The latter had me going for a little while as it had a very pale grey mantle [Ring-billed Gull!] but sadly it’s not. In a short fight it had a broad black terminal tail band. Also pair of Stonechat in the snipe paddock and a Common Sipe flew out of the W lake reeds and headed off high over E lake.
Glamorgan Bird Club 
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