Three Goldcrest, 2 by central path and 1 in Cogan Wood, 5 Snipe flushed from the snipe paddock, although all were silent and flew low & short, but I can’t believe they were all Jacks. All only seen briefly from behind so no view of bill. Ad Green ‘Pecker flew from adjacent the snipe paddock. Record shot of Goldcrest below. Just added this – forgot to say one of the Marsh Tits was in the usual place in Cogan Wood.

Decided on a mother’s day walk at Porthcawl by way of a change. Lots of people but Sky Lark and a pair of Stonechat on the common, and an almost full AdS Med Gull was in the field at the back of Rest Bay carpark.

The 2 Marsh Tits were active in Cogan Wood and a male GS ‘Pecker showed [probably the one that was drumming yesterday]. The Lesser Scaup was on E lake but quite mobile and a brief Cetti’s song heard near the main boardwalk.

A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in Cogan Wood this morning. A Sprawk flew over W paddock and the Lesser Scaup was on E lake. Other than that, pretty quiet. Lol Middleton had counted 50 odd Pochard which included, I think, 13 females.

Did the complete 10 km circuit of Cardiff Bay this morning – now knackered! Not much bird-wise except aout 1500 Black-headed Gulls, but of interest there was a colour-ringed Redshank [with a second un-ringed bird] at the mouth of the R. Ely by Penarth Marina with the following credentials:

Upper left leg – orange above a metal ring

Lower left leg – yellow above white

Upper right leg – green above red

Fed up with the wind and rain? Come to KNNR tonight and pretend you’re on the E coast of China in the spring, watching migrants come through! My talk on birding in E China tonight at 7:45 p.m.

Hooray – I finally caught up with the 2 Marsh Tits in Cogan Wood, ironically when I was chatting to someone and not really looking. There were 30 Pochard on W lake of which just 2 were females. The Lsr Scaup was sheltering on E lake in the lee of the central path.

3 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Redwing in W paddock this morning. There seem to be 7 GC Grebes on the lakes. The Lesser Scaup was on E lake, by the reed bed.

An imm Glaucous Gull was reported from Cardiff BaY Wetlands this morning, resting on the perimeter buoys, still present at 13:10.

It’s amazing what sun & blue sky can do! An excellent turnout of 22 folk attended today’s weekday trip – thanks all. Fortunately the Lesser Scaup had decided to return to the lakes after a brief sojourn at CBWR yesterday, and showed well on W lake. Also present there were 5 Shoveler, a few Pochard, 9 Gadwall and the usual Tufties. A Little Egret flew in and landed in a tree by W lake. Whilst discussing the features of Common Gull on the bridge, most of us were rewarded by a 5 second fight view of the Bittern as it moved from one part of the reed bed to the other. A single Snipe flushed from the west paddock and being silent and not ‘towering’, could have been a Jack, although it did fly some distance, but keeping low. Sadly we couldn’t connect with the Marsh Tits in Cogan Wood, despite Lol Middleton having seen them earlier coming down to collect peanuts, and also despite Lol having ‘lent’ me some peanuts! Most of them were snaffled up by a Magpie and a Jay! There were plenty of Long-tailed Tits and a Cetti’s Warbler sang near the cafe and a nice male Siskin was in an Alder near the main boardwalk.

We decided against the planned visit to Cardiff Bay and those that still remained after lunch went down to Swanbridge and had good views of the male Black Redstart.

A Little Egret was the highlight this morning, preening by the W lake reeds, viewed from the viewpoint at the back of the lake, then it flew off to the north with 2 Grey Herons. There were a couple of Siskin by the Med Village boardwalk and a Reed Bunt and a Cetti’s singing there, and the Lsr Scaup was on E lake. Also caught this pair of frogs in flagrante delicto:

Brief windswept dog/family walk this morning of which highlights noted were 4 Shoveler on W lake with 20+ Pochard, the drake Lesser Scaup on E lake sheltering with the Tufties and a party of 6 Long-tailed Tits near the bird table.

Best of this morning – flock of c.80 Redwing over W. Paddock and 1 Common Snipe from the snipe paddock. No sign of Lesser Scaup.

Couple of nice surprises in town today.  A small group of 6 Siskin feeding in Sully Terrace whilst we were walking up to the town centre for a coffee, then on the way back about 6 Redwing in Victoria Square, plus a Nuthatch calling. First time I’ve seen Siskin in the town.

Firecrest has been reported here this morning along the east boundary path with roving tit flock {TF}.

GBC trip today. Great selection of birds with 6 spp of wader, plenty of duck and common birds plus great views of Short-eared Owl

There was no sign of a Grey Phal on any of the docks at Barry this morning, either the eastern dock by the docks access road, or the main dock in front of the apartments by Morrisons. There was a Common Sand feeding along rim of the eastern arm of said main dock, accessed thro’ a hole in the chainlink fence, and a pair of Stonechat there. 3-4 GC Grebes in the main dock itself.

Whilst doing a low tide Rhymney Est count for BTO, I was rewarded for squelching about in the totally waterlogged Green Point by the river mouth, by the unexpected sight of a stunning Short-eared Owl hunting up & down the S side of the landfill overlooking the river, at about 3 p.m. Low tide counts there are a nightmare – the tide goes out miles!

Called in at Penarth Marina on way home and found the 1st yr male Black Redstart on roofs of Plas Taliesin by the small square overlooking Penarth Marina –  at approx 4:30 p.m.

Apparently Ceri Jones saw a Hawfinch this morning, in the trees on the right of the gravel path going towards the Med Village, after the end of the boardwalk there. Nice one Ceri ! Saw one there in Oct 2005 by W lake. I think this is the first record  since then.

Brief view of the Glauc flying along the beach towards Porthkerry this morning. A strong squall came in, which together with the very strong wind, was most unpleasant. Couldn’t relocate the bird at all afterwards, but I guess it’ll be back.