Chiffchaff singing in the same place as yesterday, this morning. Treecreeper on tree opp the end of the Med Village path. Pr Shoveler sheltering under the trees by W lake reed bed, 1 drake Pochard that I could see, 4 Gadwall and the usual Tufties. No sign of Scaup.

Cosmeston late morning. Chiffchaff singing on path between the 2 lakes. 2 mistle thrush W paddock. Jack Snipe just flushed from adj the wire fence of the ‘snipe paddock’ which is the wire fenced area on LHS past the end of the W paddock hedge. It flew 50 yds and landed on the other side somewhere. Also 3 Greenfinch there – bit of a rarity at Cossie.

A drake Scaup was asleep in the middle of W lake Cosmeston this morning. Presumably the bird from Cardiff Bay [which was originally found at Cossie].

The AdW Little Gull reported in Cardiff Bay yesterday was still present this morning until around midday. Difficult to find as it wasn’t doing much flying when I was there. Scanned back & fore with the scope for around 20 mins. then suddenly with the scope stationary it flew into view [viewing from the barrage sails]. For the short while it was in flight it was incessantly chased by a 1st yr Black-headed Gull until forced to land on the water again. Unless it’s flying, v diff to pick up with just binos.

Brief visit east this afternoon with the grandchildren. Car park at RSPB Newport Wetlands, Uskmouth almost completely full!! Away from the noise of the cafe and playground, pleased to have nice views of a Little Owl from the inner path. Nice scope views anyway. Bit too distant for photos but had an attempt with the lens at 400mm and a 1.4x converter and a crop as far as I dare [see below original and crop]. At Goldcliff viewing virtually impossible into blinding sun but did get 3 Spotshanks at far LH end of first lagoon, plus 8 Avocet, 1 Ringed Plover, plus Redshank and Lapwing, plus the usual dabbling ducks. Click each image for a bigger one.

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Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes still on Kenfig Pool this a.m. per Alan Rosney [with permission]. Redhead Smew at Penclaccwydd WWT from Brit Steel hide [per Twitter].

Cosmeston: 2 pr little grebe, comm gull on w lake posts, coal tit pr displaying by central path, cetti’s singing by E lake adj golf cours, gc grebe pr displaying.

Nice sunny afternoon walk with the grandchildren at Kenfig gave us Slav Grebe, v distant Black-necked Grebe, and lovely late afternoon views of hunting Short-eared Owl. No GW Egret, poss due to the number of people around the lake perimeter.

It’s just been reported that the Red-rumped Swallow was still at Cwm Ivy yesterday with a Swallow.

Delayed WeBS count: 800 Redshank, 100 Dunlin, 50 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 6 Mallard, and 3 Cormorant. All the Pintail seem to have departed unless they were along RGW.

The drake Scaup that was seen at Cosmeston yesterday was not present late morning this morning – probably popped over to Cardiff Bay.

News in this morning. 3 Long-t Ducks at Kidwelly Quay and Green Sand at the ‘Commissioner’s Bridge just outside Kidwelly town. Redhead Smew and 3 Spoonbill from Brit Steel hide Penclaccwydd WWT. Res.

4 Cattle Egrets still at zig zag lane; Red-necked Grebe,Scaup and Common Scoter still Llangorse Lake; Jack Snipe, 11+ Water Pipit and 4 Golden Plover Peterstone foreshore; 5 Whitefronts and 2 Spot Red still Goldcliff; Black Redstart Goldcliff point. Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes plus GW Egret at Kenfig Pool, Firecrest at KNNR near post 6 on felled trees, and GG Shrike in the usual clear fell at Cwm Cadlan.

There’s been no sign of the Red-rumped Swallow at Cwm Ivy today apparently, but one has been seen at Bosherston Liliy Ponds, Pembs today. Also the Red-necked grebe, Common Scoter and Scaup were still at Llangorse Lake.

There were apparently 3 SEOs at Kenfig NNR this afternoon. Waxwings were reported in Thornhill, Cardiff but location checked and no birds seen.

Other news from various media: Red-rumped Swallow still at the bottom of the hill at Cwm Ivy, by the small tor; Red-necked Grebe at Llangorse Lake; Merlin nr Southendown/Dunraven; 4 Cattle Egret still at Zig-Zag lane, Porthcawl.

Missed you Alan Cripps. Ditto re Beardies between 11:15 and 13:00 although I did go for coffee in that time. In addition to your birds there was a Common Chiffchaff by the boardwalk.

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Glamorgan Bird Club had a pretty successful trip to the above yesterday. 17 people attended. Highlights of the 73 species seen were:

Dryslwyn – Goosander, 100’s of Fieldfare, Wigeon, Teal, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Red Kite, 100’s of Gulls incl GBBG and Common Gull, but no Tree Sparrows sadly. At Cilsan there were 4 Whooper Swan, 3 Red Kite in a tree, and a very pale Buzzard.

Highlights at Kidwelly were 2 Long-tailed Duck, 11 Greenshank, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1000+ Golden Plover, 500+ Lapwing, Redshank, Curlew & Dunlin, numerous R-b Merganser, Peregrine, Red Kite, ringtail Hen Harrier over the saltmarsh, and Chiffchaff and 2 Goldcrest by the sewage works.

A summary of today’s excitement. In addition to the Firecrest at Kenfig NNR [in trees behind the small pool below the RH corner of the car park], an unseaonal Red-rumped Swallow was discovered on the Gower OS trip to Whiteford Pt, first seen at around 1 p.m and still present near the ‘blockhouse’ [by where the path from Cwm Ivy turns right into the conifer plantation] at around 17:30. Then finally a Red-necked Grebe was videoed at Llangorse Lake GBC are off to Dryslwyn and then Kidwelly and poss Burry Port. Maybe we can find something too!

30+ Redwing and a Mistle Thrush in W paddock this a.m. and a Med Gull on W lake.

A drake Goosander was on W lake Cosmeston when I arrived this morning but was gone by the time I returned to the cafe. A Grey Wag flew along Sully Brook by the Medieval Village. Both birds I haven’t seen at Cossie for a while. Around 20 Redwing were in W paddock.