Rhymney Est

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.

Today’s news

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.

Various

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.

Various

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.

Dryslwyn & Kidwelly Quay GBC trip

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.

Various

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!

Cosmeston

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.

Sully

Walk from Sully cricket field along the coast to Sully sports field and back. 2 [a pair] Stonechat by cricket field. On the sports field –  22 Curlew, 150 Starling, 10 Oycs and 50+ Black-headed Gulls and 1 AdW Med Gull with them which looked like the one that was at Cosmeston the other day from the blackish pattern on the head.

Various sites

Local news from the web today: Slav Greb & Otter at Kenfig Pool; Black Redstart stiil at Caravan site Trecco Bay/Newton Pt; 4 Cattle Egret still Zigzag lane Porthcawl; 3 Jack Snipe Peterston-super-Ely moors; Purple Sand Ogmore rocks and also Newton Pt; Water Pipit and Common Sand Ogmore Est; GW Egret Tirfounder Fields.

Cosmeston

Cosmeston. 1 redpoll briefly in alder nr cafe. 1 prob Jack Snipe flushed low & short from hollow nr dragonfly pond, 1 water rail and 2 common snipe in snipe paddock. There were also 2 Gt Spotted Woodpeckers in a tree by the mile road/boardwalk path ‘T’ junction. In addition there was a drake Aythya hybrid – a Pochard x Tufted Duck drake – very smart bird, and a pair of Gt Crested Grebes showing signs of display.