Continuous passage of Swallows and House Martins and a few Sand Martins amongst them. Also plenty of Mipits, and a few Skylark. Flock of c.40 Linnet. Lol Middleton had been there b4 me and had several Blackcap, a juv Whitethroat and a few Chiffchaff, a flyover Siskin, and a few Alba wagtails. A Grey Wag was on the road by the church and a Peregrine was sitting in the trees overhanging the beach towards Penarth. Oh, and a Sprawk flew through over the first field. I was not there long enough to count the vis mig.

Arctic wind blowing across the bay! V V quiet. Virtually no hirundines – just a few Sand and House Martin. Kingfisher in the old dock by Dr Who and 1 m Linnet and a Pied Wag on the outer rocks.

Highlight of a quick walk at Cosmeston this morning was a Kingfisher seen flying across W lake. Also a Little Grebe there for the past few days – not seen  one all summer. A number of very vocal Green ‘Peckers heard. There was also a juv LBB Gull with a bright orange Darvic ring on R leg with the black characters G+T [gin & tonic, mmmm :-)] and a metal ring left leg. It was ringed by Reter Rock who is based in Bristol – am awaiting confirmation of exactly where it was ringed.

Quiet but quality this morning. Spotted Flycatcher 80 m beyond the dragonfly pond on the left. Male Goshawk over Cogan Wood then lost to view. Then to to top it all an imm Hobby seen from the main bridge circling around over the play area then drifted off west. Hobby and Gos I think new site ticks for me. 🙂

Delayed WeBS: 250 Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 1 Common Sand, 2 Curlew, 200 B-h Gulls, 80 LBBG, 10 HG, 5 Cormorant and a Wheatear. At the Heliport just 200 B-h Gulls. Lots of Butterflies there including a Wall, which I haven’t seen for quite a while. Also lots of Common Blue, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Small & Large White. The acres of Buddleia along the foreshore helps!

Lol Middleton found an interesting gull on E lake this morning which seems to show characteristics of Caspian Gull although I’m not familiar with the species in early plumage stages. Any thoughts? It wouldn’t abandon the middle of the lake for me so these are the best two cropped pix I could manage.

Pretty quiet. On the reserve – 3 Blackcap by the coast [2 fem 1 m], and a Chiffchaff, and also Comm Whitethroat. Disturbed this moth from the grass – think it’s a Common Carpet;

At Lav Pt, 1 large fem Sparrowhawk, largish flock of House Sparrows near the house incl juvs, 2 fem Blackcap.

Not sure how this is going to work but a follower David Batten has sent me a link to YouTube footage of Goosander fishing on the Ogmore.

Sadly no sign of Bee-eater at Bryn-y-Gloyn despite 2-3 hrs searching the area by various obs, incl yours truly. Many hirundines present tho’ with House Martin still visiting active nests and 50-100 Swifts over.

News rec’d indirectly of a Bee-eater seen on the roof of a house at what appears to be Bryn-y-Gloyn, Rhoose Pt. It’s the lowest road in the new estate, opposite the eastern lagoon. Site was  reported as Brynhill y Gloin but I can’t find that.

away from the crowds [W paddock] – 1 Garden Warbler – first one I’ve seen at the park for a while. Also lots of Common Darters on the wing.

There was a Painted Lady in our back garden this arvo.

Late news from Sat – there were 8 Common Sandpipers near Portobello Island early a.m. [per South Wales Birding Facebook post].

The Wood Sandpiper found by Paul Roberts yesterday was still present opposite Portobello House this morning up to 1 p.m. at least. Also there 1 Black-t Godwit and upstream by Portobello Island, 3 Common Sandpipers.

News rec’d from Mark Hebden – 5 Common Sandpipers were at Talygarn Lake near Pontyclun today. Thanks Mark.

A much better turn out than last time – 19 participants in today’s field trip to Dare Valley Country Park, so thanks all. Weather was very kind. Overall group list of around 40 species with highlights being Redpoll, Redstart, Peregrine, Kestrel, a very pale Buzzard, superb views of Kingfisher, lots of butterflies including Dark Green Fritilleries, Emperor and Golden-ringed Dragonflies and Common Lizard. All in all a very pleasant day out in good company.  Nice to welcome along a potential new member in Louise Gray from Fairwater.

A Clouded Yellow was at the far end of the east paddock this morning, plus Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Skipper. Black-tailed Skimmer on the boardwalk.  Bird-wise the GCG is still sitting on the nest in the Water Bistort in W lake ‘bay’ and there’s a seemingly completely free-floating nest with a GCG sitting, currently near the main bridge. Mute Swan with 6 half-grown cygnets, 2 ad Herons incl a very confiding one by the cafe. Also 4 Tufted Ducks. Oh I forgot, an old friend, Lesser BB Gull with blue Darvic ring 3UF in white characters.

A slightly autumnal moment this morning when I came across a mixed feeding flock of c.30 birds in the trees by the golf course, consisting of Long-t Tit, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Blue Tit and Great Tit, which included juvs of all but the Gt Tits. LTTs were the most numerous and all seemed to be juvs. 1 ad Heron W lake. The other day there were 3 Tufted Ducks on E lake. Cetti’s sang today by the boardwalk and there were 2-3 Reed Warblers singing there too. Also Ad LBB Gull with bluE darvic L leg, white symbols 3UF, an old friend I think.

Trip out with a chum and an acquaintance from South Africa. Cossie – Mistle Thrush pair with young, Green and Gt Spotted Peckers, 2 Cetti’s W heard, Reed Bunt and Reed Warbler etc etc; Heritage Coast – 2 Chough, 2 Skylark, a Partridge sp in the grassy field W of Nash Pt – flew away from me and couldn’t clinch head pattern, 2 Fulmar close in and prob about 6 still on ledges in the distance at Cwm Nash, lots of Linnet, m Bullfinch, Whitethroat and Goldfinch in the Nash Pt valley. Nice day to albeit very wet!

2 ad and 1 imm Heron, 1 Green Pecker, Reed Warblers flying around over W lake reeds, Reed Bunt x 2, E lake Reeds and 1 fem Blackcap + males singing. From Monday, Treecreeper briefly in wood beyond the main boardwalk and Cett’s singing. Black-tailed Skimmer & Emperor dragonflies.

Nothing very exciting but one pair of Gt Crested Grebes have finally decided to nest, same place as last year – a floating nest in the Water BIstort. Other than that, a Green ‘Pecker in W paddock and a Cetti’s singing at the end of the main boardwalk.