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.

David Gilmore has posted some info about work that is due to start at Sluice Farm, resulting in closure of the sea wall between there and the county boundary – please see the Glamorgan Birds forum http://glamorganbirds.blogspot.co.uk There;s also some info there in another post re Llanishen Res.

a.m. – Ad Little Egret again in trees by W lake and the two imm Herons still present. Also Little Grebe by W lake reeds. No sign thus far of any GCG young, despite the display by at least 2 pairs, seen in the spring. Green ‘Pecker feeding on the ground in W paddock.

Again only reported elsewhere, the Purple Heron was apparently still present on the W side of the Pool today, and the L-t Duck had gone.

Not sure why this hasn’t appeared here yet, although this is the first opportunity I’ve had. The Purple Heron found by Neil Donaghy y’day was sitting in a tree on the W side of the pool this morning, just above reed height and stayed there for around 2 hours at least. Also this morning, Graham Powell found an imm Long-tailed Duck! – very odd time of year for one of those and a nice find by Graham. This was all during the GBC monthly walk during which we saw something like 38 species – thanks t the 17 people who attended.

I’m not out & about as early as Ceri! A full-plumed adult Little Egret was sitting [Prof Bush please note] 🙂 in a tree by W lake, and there were 2 imm Grey Herons by W lake also. Adult Robins were feeding young by the car park.

Many Swift and Sand Martin over the bay in the mizzle this morning. Smaller numbers of House Martin. Imm Grey Wagtail on the outer barrage and 2 Shelduck feeding on the outer mud. Sand Martins visiting nest sites in the dock by the new bridge near Norwegian Church. In the dock opposite the entrance to Dr. Who, there were 5 drake and 2 fem Tufted Ducks, plus what I think was the Scaup hybrid that was in CBWR earlier in the year. Didn’t get a v good view but I don’t think it as the Lesser Scaup.

Quiet bird-wise with the only ‘unusual’ sighting being an ad summer Black-headed Gull on the W lake posts – unusual at this time of year. Also 2 Mistle Thruish in W paddock and a Green Pecker calling. 100’s of Common Spotted Orchid and also many Pyramidals, and I reckon at least 50 Bee Orchids dotted around the place in the E paddocks. A Large Skipper was by Cogan Wood beyond the dragonfly pond.

Successful-ish to Llanwonno on Weds eve. 21 participants was a good turn out so thanks all. Too cold & windy for a good Nightjar performance but a couple were seen briefly . Stars of the show were a Cuckoo that flew around, passing over our heads several times, looking for a place to roost, then at dusk, a Barn Owl hunting, which at one point, was ‘bombed’ by a male Nightjar. John W