Not much birding done at Cossie walk this a.m. with Anne trying out her moon boots newly issued by the Heath. However 4 Shoveler were new for me, and there were apparently 20 Teal. Sadly the v cold night resulted in the demise of 1 Mute Swan and a friend of mine found a dead Chaffinch on his walk.

Brief visit this morning. A Chiffchaff was in the hedgerow by the Medieval Village field. W lake had 5 Gadwall tucked in by the reeds, at least 6 Pochard and the usual Tufties, 1 Little Grebe [2 frequently showing recently], 1 Grey Heron, a Rook flew over the central path [aka Mile Road], 2 Jays and a male Bullfinch near Old Cogan Hall Farm.

Richard Smith is giving a presentation on a trip to Chile and its reserves. Pumas birds etc. It wil be good! 7.45 p.m. KNR reserve centre.

Apart from Ian’s nice find of 3 Hawfinch, [which didn’t show for me 😦 ] there were 15 Pochard and 4 Gadwall, 3 Little Grebe and the usual Tufties on W lake, 1 Common Gull on W lake posts, 4 Fieldfare in trees at back of W lake, Redwings scattered around. A gentleman I usually meet had an obliging Kingfisher in a tree adjacent the middle viewpoint.

Notice: Don’t forget there’s an indoor meeting on Tuesday [5th Dec] at KNNR reserve centre. Club member Richard Smith who many of you will know, is giving an illustrated presentation on a trip to Chile – exotic birds, Pumas etc. It will be good so come along. 7:45 p.m. start.

Just 2 Common Gulls on W lake posts this morning in a short walk/wheelchair push.

New birds this morning were 3 Teal [poss more in the reed edges] and 2 Med Gulls on W lake posts [per Graham Smith] one of which had a yellow leg ring. I saw one of these birds [an AdW] up by the dragonfly pond where it was pinching bread put down for the crows by my friend Lindsay.

Highlights of a GBC field trip today. Parc Cwm Darran – Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Siskin, Bullfinch, 1 drake Goosander, 4 Buzzards, 1 lrge fem Sprawk, male Crossbill sitting out in the open for ages, LTT, Great-, Blue, and Coal Tits. Rhaslas – 2 Fieldfare and a Stonechat by the ‘car park’, then on the pond, 6 Goosander, 3 Goldeneye, 30 Wigeon, 10 Tufted Duck, 4 GC Grebes and a Mute Swan, plus Red Kite over.

There’s a report on Facebook SW Birding page of 2 Snow Bunts at W Aberthaw today  “Just after the seawall turns 90° to the right and you can see the car park at Seal Pit Rd? In the distance”.

25th Nov a good count of 11 Gadwall on W lake plus 3 Little Grebe, 2 Heron, 6 Pochard, 1 imm drake Shoveler, 3 Buzzards over W paddock and a male Bullfinch on W lake hedgerow.

26th Nov – 3 Gadwall that I could see, 3 Pochard, 2 Buzzard W paddock,  Kingfisher flew under main bridge E lake > W lake, 1 G Spt Woodpecker flew across far end of W paddock into Cogan Wood. A few Redwing over W paddock.

……. is now in my hands. It’s here at last! Bear with us while we sort out the envelope stuffing, labelling, and postage, before it plops through your door. John W and the team.

A pair of Gadwall on W lake this morning were new arrivals for me. Also 5 Pochard.

c.300 Black-headed Gulls sitting on W lake in the drizzle this morning was quite impressive. In amongst them were 5 Common Gulls – a good count for the park. Otherwise a pretty dire walk.

Some good counts of Goosander in Porthcawl recently per Dave Bush:

15th Nov c.20 on Wilderness Pool; 18th Nov – 7 on Wilderness Pool and 10 on Pwll-y-Waun pond which flew off towards Wilderness as fishermen approached. Thanks Dave.

14 Pochard on w lake this a.m. and c10 Redwing a Mistle Thrush and a Green Pecker in W paddock.

Lavernock reserve late morning seemed virtually birdless, except for a Buzzard circling. Then as I walked back to the car the local Harris Hawk did a nice couple of circuits overhead. No camera sadly. On the coast path I was pleased to see a single Brambling with a few Chaffinch just past the big house.

c.30 Tufties present this morning. 2 Green ‘Peckers were in E paddock, and there were a few Redwing together with 6 or more Song Thrushes in the W paddock hedgerow, plus a couple of Meadow Pipits. A Bittern has apparently been reported recently, and there was apparently a decent Starling murmuration y’day eve at around 4:30 [per Jeff Curtis].

Also 2nd hand per Phil Bristow who I met at Cossie this morning – some decent migration at Lavernock Pt with many Chaffinch, some Brambling and also Hawfinch and Crossbill over.

Just a heads up that the 2016 bird report files are with the printer. I have seen a proof and it looks good. I’m away now for 2 weeks so not sure when we’ll get it posted but bear with us. John W

V v wet this morning but there was a Med Gull on the W lake posts. Haven’t seen one in the park fo quite a while. Difficult to see detail but could have been AdW or poss late 2ndS [thought I could make out 2 v small black spots in the primaries]. Graham Smith had a Med/B-h Gull hybrid on Penarth beach recently but I don’t think this was it. Bill looked fully Med Gull weight and size was full Med Gull.

News just in via Twitter – a Rock Thrush has been found at Pwll-du Quarry just E of The Blorenge. Instructions are to park on the road at SO244119 just NW of the Lamb & Fox pub, then walk north then NE along public footpath for 1/2 mile.