Late afternoon walk with Flynn, and what are going down in my book as 2 Willow Warblers by the central path. Neither was singing or calling but pale pinkish legs [yes I know they’re not 100% foolproof], combined with long wings cf nearby Chiffchaff, ‘clean, sleek’ looking plumage and no tail dipping, was good enough for me.

Just noticed on Carms birds a Swift was reported on 26th Mar at Aberthaw cement works by Obs driving by in car.

A pair of Garganey were found on Kenfig Pool this morning, per Neil Donaghy on Twitter.

A little more than the usual this morning. There had been an arrival of hirundines so 50+ Sand Martins were flying around when I arrived although Swallow had been seen earlier. From the bridge, a pair of Shoveler on E lake, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Chiffchaff incl 1 singing. Then in W paddock a male Wheatear and a Mistle Thrush, and a Peregrine and a Raven flew over. The hybrid ‘scufty’ was still on E lake but the Lesser Scaup seems to have departed for Cardiff Bay [see post below], and all the Pochard have gone. The Wheatear was right out in the open so not very approachable, hence pic heavily cropped. Click the pix.

Missed the Goldeneye but then didn’t really check E lake. Pretty quiet otherwise – Cetti’s singing by the main boardwalk, Chiffchaff singing near the bird table, Scaup X Tufty hybrid on W lake. No hirundines. Nice to bump in to my pal Gareth Jenkins, still in winter plumage 🙂

Apologies for non-sighting. Tomorrow’s GBC trip to the Forest of Dean is now cancelled – I have just watched the BBC online forecast and it is still very bad for tomorrow and very poor for the next 2 days. I believe I have contacted by text, everyone who said they were coming, but am posting this everywhere to make sure.

In addition to Ceri’s report, a male Stonechat was on posts by the snipe paddock, 3-4 Sand Martins were feeding fairly high over the main bridge at around 1 o’c. Three Swallows had also been seen but not by me [Wayne Strong & Graham Smith – 1] and Lol Middleton – 2]. The Lsr Scaup and the hybrid were loafing together near the cafe [phone pic]:

4 Sand Martins as per Gareth’s post, no sign of any Wheatear on the barrage – just 1 Rock Pipit and 4 Pied Wags. However what I believe is a ‘new’ Black Redstart, a fem at the far RH end of the old dock opposite the entrance to Dr Who Experience, near the Gloworks building.

The cleared skies seemingly prompted the departure of the Firecrests and most of the Chiffies and Goldcrests this morning, sadly. Graham Smith flushed a Woodcock from the marshy dip in W paddock, near the dragonfly pond. There were still quite a few Redwing around, in the wood by the play area. There was an obliging Goldcrest halfway along the central path. I like the pic below where it seems to be attempting an Irish jig! Click on each pic for a full size one. <later> PS it was nice to be sussed [due to binos, camera & dog] by Mick Lobb, [a name I was familiar with as being active on the birding scene in Glamorgan since before my time here]. Always nice to put a face to a name. Then just afterwards,  the same thing again with a guy whose surname was Brown and is a friend of GBC member Lee Taswell – sorry I forgot your first name if you are reading this!

Went back this afternoon – 2 Firecrests reported. Eventually got on to both birds feeding uncharacteristically very high in the tops of the tall trees about 30m beyond the far end of the main bridge, either side of the path. Also several Goldcrest there and a few Chiffchaffs. Firecrests present until at least 4:30 – one had moved into the small isolated ‘copse’ on the path that leads around the back of E lake. Got some record pix but not v good due to their insisting on staying high up. Below is the best I could manage and that is cropped!

Couldn’t find a Firecrest at Cosmeston this morning, although there were 3 ‘crests’ in the right area, one of which I did manage to ID as a Goldcrest [duh brain remembered his camera but forgot his bins!] – they were mostly high above me so using the lens at 400mm as a ‘scope was no good].
A lone Lesser Redpoll was in the snipe paddock, 20 Redwing and 2 Fieldfare in W paddock, Green ‘Pecker calling, lots of people.

An interesting record from 19th Mar: Mary Gallagher, a GBC member who lives in Porthcawl, opened her curtains to see this strutting along their garden wall: Nice pic Mary!

Ceri Jones saw a Firecrest at Cosmeston this afternoon on LH side of the main ‘mile road’ path between the lakes beyond the far end of W lake [I guess somewhere just after the bridge].

Highlights from Cossie dog walk this morning: my first Sand Martin of the year briefly over W lake, c.20 Redwing feeding in W paddock with a Mistle Thrush, cracking view of a Cetti’s Warbler [just missed grabbing a shot 😦 ], c.6 Chiffies around the hide area and the middle viewpoint, fly-by Kingfisher from the main bridge, still a few Pochard around, and the Tufted x Scaup hybrid – basically a “Scufty”!  🙂

Pochard

‘Scufty’

A brief look on E lake seemed to show the Lsr Scaup was back although it was distant. However when I got back round to the cafe boardwalk that bird turned out to be the Tufted X Scaup hybrid which is the middle, dusky-sided looking bird in this cropped phone pic. This is the one with the broad black bill nib.

Whilst watching that I scanned again and saw the Lsr Scaup along the shoreline adjacent the golf course, so one assumes it had returned from Lisvane.

Also noted, around 10 Redwing and 2 Fieldfare feeding on the grassy ‘meadow’ by Sully Brook, beyond the dovecote field, and 2 pairs of Bullfinch feeding on buds by the Med Village entrance.

Late WeBS this morning: Rhymney Est [Green Pt] – 500 Redshank, 100 Dunlin, 100 Shelduck, 60 Pintail, 13 Shoveler, 1 Snipe, 1 Heron, plus small nos. of Teal, Oyc, Cormorant etc. At the Heliport there were 27 Turnstone but nothing else [apart from BH Gulls].

The Redpolls reported by Ceri Jones yesterday afternoon were still feeding along the ditch/valley on the RH side of E paddock, in fact there were 4 this morning, feeding in the tree and on the ground. Managed a couple of record shots despite having dog on lead in one hand! A fem Stonechat was in the Snipe paddock near the dragonfly pond, Green ‘Pecker calling from near the golf course. Lesser Scaup was on E lake. Click each image.

Biting off a bud.

2 Black Redstarts were on the roof of the last house [opposite the outer marina lock] as I approached this morning, but then disappeared completely. Probably went into one of the small courtyard gardens there. On return from Cardiff side of the barrage the only rooftop birds were 5 House Sparrows. No sign of any Sand Martins yet by the ‘Dr Who’ dock, where they usually nest in the wall.

Lsr Scaup was on E lake, 1 drake Shoveler on W lake plus a few Gadwall, 2 Grey Herons [1 ad and 1 imm], Little Grebe, 2 pairs of GCG displaying, LTT, Goldcrest, 4-5 male Reed Bunting singing, and 2 Cetti’s heard, 1 by main boardwalk and the other in W lake reeds. 3 Comon Gulls were sitting in line on the W lake posts – see photo.

Bittern and Little Egret flew into W lake this morning per Jeff Curtis. Bittern dropped out of sight into reed bed.

A fresh looking Chiffchaff was working its way down by the central path, 2 pairs of GC Grebes displaying, 3 Gadwall, c.20 Pochard, pair of Mistle Thrush in W paddock and a Green ‘Pecker calling by the golf course.

A few pix of today’s birds: – clockwise from top L – Dunnock, GC Grebs, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Mistle Thrush