A flock of c.50 Fieldfare flew over W paddock this morning and landed in trees by the central path. There were a few Redwing with them. Both E and W paddocks have now been mowed so a couple of areas are pretty muddy. At the far end of W paddock this morning, 2 Buzzards were on the ground looking for easy pickings in the cut vegetation lying on the ground. One thought it had got something and flew up into a tree with talons full of cut grass and stems. t soon became evident that there was nothing within and it flew off in a huff! One fem Great Spotted Woodpecker flew across the lower Dovecot field and landed in a distant tree. There is apparently a Pintail on W lake but it is being very elusive.
Author: John Wilson
Birder and traveller
An excellent indoor meeting
We had an excellent talk last night [5th Nov] from Dave Carrington about Kenfig Nature Reserve, it’s wealth of wildlife and the complexities of managing this gem in our county. So many thanks to Dave and the 34 people who attended.
October 2019
Highlights by Paul Roberts: A Glossy Ibis was seen at Kenfig Pool, before moving to the flood east of Sker Pool. Further records from Kenfig included Yellow-browed Warbler, five Whooper Swans, Scaup, Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Merlin, Hobby, Greenshank and Jack Snipe. Ten Woodlarks at Lavernock was a noteworthy record (14th), with a single also seen on the 19th. A Long-tailed Duck turned up at Llanishen/Lisvane Reservoir (26th). A Scaup was at Cosmeston. Great White Egrets comprised two down river at Ogmore Estuarty (19th) and one east at Rumney Great Wharf (2nd). A Marsh Harrier was near Cwm Nash. A Merlin was at Nash Point. Two Hobbies were at Cosmeston. Jack Snipe, Greenshank and Green Sandpiper were at Ogmore Estuary, with four Green Sandpipers along the River Ely near Pendoylan. A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull was at Newton Point, Porthcawl. A Short-eared Owl flew west at Lavernock. The annual late autumn Woodpigeon movements included 54,000 over Cardiff between 07:00 and 09:30 on the 28th. Ring Ouzels were seen at Pant y Ffald, Maesteg and Dare Valley Country Park. A Firecrest was at Pant Norton, Ogmore. A flock of 10 Crossbills flew over at Dunraven.
Cosmeston
A pair of Green Woodpeckers were feeding along the edge of E paddock this morning. There were c.100 Black-headed Gulls in the W lake bay area, and a single Pochard on E lake.
Nice garden year tick was a Treecreeper by our feeder. The 6th record since 1994, the most recent in 2010.
South Gower
12 GBC members enjoyed a nice sunny day at sites along the south Gower coast – Oxwich, Port Eynon and Rhossili. Highlights included Red-throated Diver, 2 fly-by Great Northern Divers, and a distant raft of Common Scoter at Oxwich, Guillemots, Med Gulls, Rock Pipits, Curlew, Turnstone and fly-by Kittiwake at Port Eynon, and 6 Chough [2 near Rhossili car park and a group of 4 to the south of the Worm], 2 Kestrel, Buzzard and a brief fly-by Merlin, unfortunately only seen by a couple of us and a couple of Seals. We made it back to the cars just as the rain started to come in. Trip total yet to be compiled.
Pink Bay/Sker
Snow bunting reported this morning by nearest tee to green lifeguard hut at Pink Bay.
2 Upcoming GBC events
First on Sun 3rd Nov there’s a field trip to South Gower. I’m planning on visiting Oxwich Bay, Port Eynon and time permitting, Mewslade and Rhossili. I am posting this now as I am away fromSat 26th Oct for a week in North Wales and won’t be back until the day before the trip. Hence I’m not planning on a very early start after driving all the way back from Dogellau the previous day. I suggest meeting at the Oxwich Bay car park at 10:30. High tide is around that time. Also I’m not planning on meeting anyone at St Margaret’s Road, although I realise that car sharing is to be encouraged, but it’s in the opposite direction to which I’ll be travelling. Please let me know if you’ll be coming. We will have no WiFi in the cottage we stay in but I am happy to receive a text or Whatsapp message, and at some point I shd be able to check emails in a cafe we know in Dolgellau. I do not do much internet on my phone as I only have a small data allowance [by choice]. John Wilson
Second, on Tues 5th Nov is the second of our winter series of indoor meetings when David Carrington, the long-standing warden at KNNR, will be giving us a talk entitled “about KNNR” – an insight into the running and management of the reserve and what treasures it holds. The timing is particularly apposite given the current state of flux regarding the future of the reserve although it appears that the Kenfig Corporation Trust are in the final discussions with NRW about the latter taking over the overall management from Bridgend CBC when the current lease ends at the end of December. Indoor meetings start at 7:45 p.m. at the KNNR centre.
Lavernock Reserve
A Peregrine cruised over the reserve this morning. A Heron in St. Mary’s Well Bay plus a few Oycs, and a Buzzard over Rowland’s Well field. Otherwise pretty wet & muddy!
Cosmeston
Saw my first Redwings of this season this morning – c.10 were in trees bordering W paddock and the Mile Road at Cosmeston.
Goldcliff and Newport Wetlands
Amazing turnout for our mid week trip to Goldcliff and Newport Wetlands today – 29 participants!!! Must have been the weather. Full species list yet to be ratified but is a little over 50 I think. Nothing outstanding as water levels in the lagoons at Goldcliff were too high for waders apart for a small group of resting Lapwing and some Curlew. 10 Grey Plover were on the beach with a few Dunlin, and there was a large if distant wader flock offshore at Newport Wetlands which contained Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and a few Knot. Thanks to all who attended. Substantive list will go on the web site soon.
Ogmore 19th Oct
per David Rich – 2 Great White Egrets flew down river at about 2 p.m.
Cosmeston
Another abortive attempt to find the Hobby late afternoon so no joy, although it was apparently seen briefly this morning. On W lake a drake Pochard and a drake Shoveler, and amazingly two pairs of adult Gt Crested Grebes displaying, and three Little Grebes [distant but looked like 2 ads and an imm]. Edit… Forgot i had a fly- through Stock Dove uncommon for the site.
Cosmeston
2 Ad Green Woodpeckers in W paddock and a Kingfisher W lake were the best of the bunch in a quick walk this morning. No sign of the Hobby seen recently by Graham Smith and Wayne Strong, but it wasn’t a concerted effort to look for it tbh. Only raptors were a Sparrowhawk over near the golf course and a very dark Buzzard drifting over. ….. also male Stonechat in W lake reeds. Hobby was seen again today by Graham.
East Glam Bird Report 2018
In case anyone is wondering, the 2018 East Glam Bird Report is being proof read at the moment. All content is now complete so it’s a matter of me putting together the complete pdf with colour pages, to send to the printer, once I have had the proof read text back and made any necessary adjustments. It’s all getting a bit tight for getting it out and in the post, but it is a big job, and I’m very grateful to everyone who has helped in its production.
Cosmeston & environs
A Hobby has been active by the W lake conservation area and nearby St Marys Well Bay Road (1st field on left past the railway bridge) for the last 3 days or so – per Graham Smith and Wayne Strong.
Sully shoreline
In a howling gale, 8 very tame Turnstones at the top of the beach near the cricket pitch, but nothing else. A Green Woodpecker flew up from the lawn of one of the shoreline bungalows.
Cosmeston
A little activity this morning. The W paddock hedge produced 4 fem and 1 male Blackcap, 4 Blackbird, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Reed Bunting, and a Goldcrest and a Coal Tit, both unusual species for that stretch of hedge. There was a light passage of Swallows overhead and over W lake I had a House Martin in with some Swallows. The usual suspects on the water. The recent pair of Pochard seem to have departed.
KNNR
A Yellow-browed Warbler was heard calling this morning with a tit flock 100m down from the reserve centre. Not seen. Also Marsh Harrier over S pool hide.
GBC films with Weatherman walking
A little while ago we were approached by the team who film Derek Brockway in his ‘Weatherman Walking’ series, which they are in the process of filming for a second series to be shown sometime in 2020. He was in the process of covering the Heritage Coast and they thought it would be good for him to meet some local birdwatchers, particularly with the interest of the resident Choughs. So six of the GBC committee them at Cwm Nash and some filming was done on the path at the top of the west cliffs. We were very fortunate in that we were entertained by three Choughs flying back and forth whilst we were there.
Cosmeston a.m.
A pair of Pochard were on W lake with 5 Tufties. 4 House Martins were over W lake although I subsequently learned that there were another 15 over E lake. 2 adult Green Woodpeckers in W paddock. Approx 130 Canada Geese on E lake. Then the horizontal drizzle/rain set in ….
Glamorgan Bird Club 
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