Much the same as Ceri, except 2 Wheatear along the shoreline rocks by Captain’s Wife and a total of c. 20 Rock Pipits along that stretch of coast, and c.10 Pied Wags. Also 1 Common Sandpiper at Captains Wife end.

R. Ely by Penarth Marina – 3 Grey Wagtails, 1 Wheatear, 8 Linnet. c.40 or so House Martins still round the houses incl young still calling from nest at the far end.

Cardiff Bay Barrage: 2 Wheatear, 6 Pied Wags, 1 Common Sand on the mud outside the outflow, 2 GC Grebes and another GC Grebe with 2 fully grown young round by The Lookout cafe.

22 people attended the GBC monthly walk at Kenfig this morning. Highlights were 2 Dunlin and 2 Ringed Plover on E pool beach plus a lone Redshank. 2 imm Stonechats were in pool side  bushes, plus a smart imm Common Whitethroat [and another elsewhere], c.40 Sand Martin over the pool. 43 species seen.

Report of  Spot Fly at Cosmeston today from a member of the public messaging GBC on FB with photos. Somewhere up the RH side of the park [red route?]. I’m guessing E paddock top end.

The Little stint reported on Twitter y’day [found by Matt Meehan], was still present this morning at high tide, until 13:00 at least, associating with Ringed Plovers. Telescope essential! Thx to the RSPB bods there at lunchtime for the look through their scope. Local patch tick 🙂

Cosmeston this morning: in the far LH corner of W paddock approx here: click for map 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 4 Blackcap incl 1 imm male, 1 imm Common Whitethroat, 1 Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Reed Bunting, several each of Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, and a light passage of Swallows > west. On W lake c.20 Sand Martin and ad GCG with 3 chicks on its back, and on E lake ad GCG with slightly larger chicks in the water.

Nearly forgot – a Goshawk was over W paddock, trying to see off a Common Buzzard. Gos last seen heading towards the golf course. Also forgot – 3 drake Tufties on W lake my first this autumn.

One of the GCG pair at Cossie this morning, with some free-riding humbugs 🙂 There are 2 pairs with young present. In the far LH corner of W paddock there were 2 fem Blackcap, an imm Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffies, male Bullfinch and Long-t-Tit.

It appears there was a Spot Fly at Cosmeston this morning – per Twitter.

A feral white goose sitting on the GCG nest on W lake didn’t seem to be good news. Then I saw 2 pairs of GC Grebes displaying and acting aggressively towards one another, and finally saw that one of each pair was carrying at least one chick on their back. 2 Herons on the posts and a few Sand Martins flying around. Also a distant display from the Red Arrows as they were performing over Barry.

Disappointing 45 mins at the searchlight shelter [admittedly late morning], produced just a single Manxie down channel and a Whimbrel, plus the usual gulls. Obviously I need to get up earlier! I did see a Painted Lady in the first field.

Just a heads up that WTSWW are having an open day at Lavernock WT Reserve on Sun 6th Aug from 12:00 midday to 4 p.m. Guided walks will leave on the hour throughout the afternoon.

Nothing exciting but 2 juv Whitethroats seen [1 nr dragonfly pond and 1 near Med Village], Mute Swan pair with 4 cygnets [they started with 5]. 2 Ad sum plum Black-headed Gulls were new returning arrivals.

In addition to the roosting Night Heron, the 3 Grey Herons [1 ad 2 imms] were still present. Also I saw 2, poss 3 Kingfishers, the two flew together from W lake over the top of the central path, to E lake. I swear one was carrying food, which ties in with suspicions by Graham Smith that they could have a nest in the E lake bank alongside the central path. This is right by where the proposed Wakeboarding run would be!

The Night Heron suddenly re-appeared in flight at around 7:30 p.m. and eventually landed in the large tree opposite the main bridge. It then took off, flew high down E lake and landed in a tree on the far shore of E lake [from the cafe]. Difficult to see there [into the sun] but viewed thro’ a scope from the square platform halfway along the main boardwalk. Hopefully it will stay until tomorrow. Got some stonking pix which I will post in due course. Well done Annie for recognising it as something different.

Annie Irving, GBC member found an Ad Night Heron at Cossie this morning. Am juts going down to check if it is still there. In trees at W end of W lake. Photos on SWB Facebook page.

There was a successful trip last night to Llanownno for Nightjars [and midges!!!]. 20 folk attended [thank you] to fight off the little biting pests but we had a total of 5 Nightjars, with at least 3 churring males, one of which showed in short low down flights. We struck lucky when I spotted a dark shape flying away from us along the track we were standing on. A couple of mins later it came back and flew right along the track and right past us, nearly hitting someone in the process!. This was a female so all dark with no white wing & tail flashes. Also recorded were Tree Pipit, Redpoll and Siskin, and I think it was 18 House Martin nests on the Brynfynnon Arms hotel eaves.

Apologies for non-sighting – just trying ot make sure I reach everyone. Just seen the forecast for tomorrow eve and it’s awful [continuous rain all eve and strong winds]. Hence I have decided to cancel and re-schedule for the following Weds, 14th Jun as it looks better then. Hope that’s OK.

Apologies for non-sighting. I have just got the funeral arrangements courtesy of Jan Scheeres.

Friday 23rd June at 11.00 AM -Thornhill Crematorium (Wenallt Chapel). Afterwards there will be refreshments at The Fleurs Club Portmanmoor Road Splott Cardiff. The family would be pleased to see any of Jim’s old birding friends.

Richard Smith, the photo editor of the East Glam Bird Report has put out a request for good quality high res photos of birds for consideration for inclusion in the 2016 Bird Report which I and others are currently working on. His request and attendant details can be seen in a post on the Glamorgan Rarities Committee blog here:

http://grcforum.blogspot.co.uk

Many birders in Glamorgan will no doubt be saddened to hear that Jim Ellis, a long standing birder in Glamorgan, passed away recently after a few  months illness. I am grateful to Jan Scheeres for sending the news, and he will also pass on details of funeral arrangements for anyone who wishes to pay their respects for a thoroughly nice man, who I had the pleasure to meet a few times in my early days after moving to S. Wales.