Vis mig also at Lavernock although I was a little late arriving so didn’t do a count. However many Meadow Pipits were flying over together with Chaffinch and Swallow. David Gilmore was already there so no doubt he will put up some totals. In two stubble fields adjacent to the Lavernock reserve entrance and behind the house along the road, there was a total of around 1000 Linnet. No birds in the stubble at Rowlands Well fields tho’. Also at Lav. Pt, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 20 Goldfinch and a few Skylark and also a few Chiffchaff by the church.

Highlights this morning: 2 Red Kites over the edge of Cogan Wood by the dragonfly pond, then drifted off S. Also 1 Buzzard there, and a fly-over G S Woodpecker. There appeared to have been a small ‘fall’ of Meadow Pipits with around 40 in total, most of which were in the large field behind the play park, with about 20 Goldfinch. Green ‘Pecker vocal there too. 2 Little Grebe on W lake and a few Swallows going over.

The cafe is closed now until Monday, for refurbishment before new management takes over.

Just a heads up that the first GBC indoor meet of 2015 is Tues week Tues 6th Oct. I’ll be giving a presentation on a trip a few of us did to Sri Lanka in March 2014. It’s a cracker! Lots of endemics!

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.