Best this morning was a group of 5 Bullfinch feeding together on tree buds near the dip behind W lake, and a Common Gull by the ‘swan feeding’ area on E lake. The 2nd yr Yellow-legged Gull had been there but had flown off over the golf course [per Graham Smith].

Pretty quiet at Cosmeston this morning, but three Bullfinch were in a tree by the far end of the car park, 6 Redwing flew over the Medieval Village, 15 Teal flew over W lake and disppeared behind Cogan Wood [poss into the small pool behind it], and a Jay was a new bird for 2018, number 115. Scoured all tree tops but Hawfinch still eludes me. GCGs were displaying.

Fem Peregrine on City Hall this morning, per David Rich.

Myself and three hardy souls decided to bite the bullet and give it a go having met up in Parc Tredelerch car park. We had a pretty wet walk up Cors Crychydd Reen and found it impossible to view the Rhymney Est mouth due to horizontal rain in our faces. We headed East along RGW still in the rain but it did begin to ease so we carried on all the way to the Sluice Farm blockhouse. Despite the conditions we saw 40 species: Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Tufted Duck [on Lamby Lake], Little Grebe [C C Reen], G C Grebe [Lamby Lake], Grey Heron [C C Reen], Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Moorhen, Oyc, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Dunlin, Curlew, Redshank, B-h Gull, Herring Gull, LBB Gull, GBB gull, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Crow, Cetti’s Wblr [heard at Lamby Lake], Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, Pied Wag, Chaffinch, Bullfinch [C C Reen]. Sadly no Water Pipits despite grilling all the foreshore pools. Thanks to Delme Rees, Mike Pearson and George Auchterlonie for braving the weather and mud!

Brief visit for short dog walk and coffee after my WeBS count. No ‘weird’ gulls this time but an absolutely stonking full ad Yellow-legged Gull on the water – no if or buts – pure shining white head, mid grey mantle and wing coverts, crisp yellow bill with red gonydeal spot, same size as adj Herring Gull. Also 1 ad Common Gull. No sign of my ‘odd’ one that is considered by some on FB to be a HG x LBBG hybrid.

Green Pt: 800 Redshank, 2000 Dunlin, 13 Ringed Plover, 100 Lapwing, 12 Teal, 11 Mallard, 3 Cormorant, 84 Shelduck, 5 Canada Geese, 2 Gadwall.

Heliport Bay: 72 Pintail, 22 Shoveler, 20 Shelduck, 1 Oycs, 10 Turnstone.

2nd yr Yellow-legged Gull and Common Gull at E Lake Cosmeston in the rain a.m.. c.20 Pochard and c.10 Gadwall W lake. Plus my 1st Nuthatch of 2018 by E lake path.

Quite a few people looking through the gull roost at dusk which contained  number of Yellow-legged Gulls. A possible for the Caspian was seen and caused some discussion. I’m sure Amy won’t mind but these are two phone scoped pix she managed to get [Amy Schwartz that is, who many will know from Twitter or SWB Facebook]. Looks much the same as the bird Gareth photo’d initially. Thoughts?

V quiet this morning with the only birds of note other than the usual wildfowl, were 2 Redwing! – oh and a Common Gull.

There were approx 250 Tufted Duck this morning – at least 200 on E lake and the others on W lake. Also 1 drake Shoveler, 9 Gadwall, and 17 Pochard on W lake. 1 Common Gull noted. I had a 3rd cal yr Yellow-legged Gull 2 days ago. Have photo but not taken off camera yet.

2 Gt Northern Divers were still present mid to late afternoon although kept disappearing behind the ‘island’. No sign of the reported Slav Grebe.

First visit after returning from a week in Norfolk. 19 Teal on W lake was a good count for the site. Otherwise nothing over and above the usual suspects although there were a couple of Common Gulls.

Also good news is that the leader of the now Conservative Vale Council, Councillor John Thomas has decided that the proposal for a wakeboarding facility at the lakes is not to be OK’d. Although there is still an planning application in place, as landowners the Vale Council will not allow any new facility of that type to be built. More detail can be seen on the Penarth Daily News blog – click here.

It appears a Cattle Egret was seen along the Wentloog road today, with Little Egrets [per Paul Bowden on Facebook].

Hi all birders. Having received 2017 bird records already from Alan Rosney, Graham Powell and Neil Donaghy, and also John & Margaret Samuel who submit theirs on a monthly basis [to whom thanks all], it is timely for me to put out a request to all of you who provide us with records each year which are used, inter alia, to write up summaries for the annual Bird Report. If you supply me direct with records can you let me have them as soon as poss [we aim for the end of Jan]. Alternatively if you submit to SEWBReC or use MapMate or BirdTrack then make sure they are up to date with all your records for 2017 so that I get them all when I do a download. Many thanks and happy new year for later.

5 Shoveler, 5 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebe and the usual tufties and pochard W lake, pair of Wigeon E lake and a lot more Tufties, 50+ Canadas 2 G C Grebe. Buzzard in tree nr dipping pond, party of 10+ Long t Tit and what may become a bit of a pain – 2 drones.

A Hawfinch was showing in a Field Maple by the farm buildings at Forest Farm today [and y’day] per Twitter. Also at least 1 at St James’ Churchyard – Rudry in the yew, also per Twitter.

A few shots from a brief circuit with the pooch this morning. A couple of the friendly Robins and a Treecreeper in the band of trees by the high path at the back of W lake. Others worth noting were a couple of fem Bullfinches, a party of 12 Long-t-Tits near the central path, 4 Gadwall, 2 Little Grebes and a few flighty Redwings.

2 days ago a male Ring Ouzel was seen [and photographed] on Mynydd Meio nr Caerphilly at approx ST110884 on a stone wall. It appears from discussions on Facebook there as also one in a garden in Abergavenny in the snow the other day. Well done to Claire Strod Strodz for reporting it.

There were 7 Wigeon on E lake this morning, 16 Pochard on W lake and 2 visible Gadwall. 2 Little Grebe near the main bridge. Fem Bullfinch by the central path, 2 GCG, 7 Fieldfare at edge of Cogan Wood and plenty of flighty Redwing. Party of 12 Long-t Tits by path at back of W lake.

There’s a report and photos this morning of a male Ring Ouzel “in the Caerphilly area” yesterday! Have asked for more details of location.