Drake Lesser Scaup still on W lake with about 6 Tufties. Flock of 50 winter thrushes in W paddock, c25/25 Redwing/Fieldfare. Six Chiffies fly-catching from the trees adj W lake by the central path. 1 Jay by the central path. No Sand Martins. 2 Mistle Thrush singing in woods behind the play park.

I have received a report [yesterday] of a Great Grey Shrike at Bwlch-y-Lladron http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=293912&Y=203142&A=Y&Z=120 which is at the back of Hirwaun Common. To access walk thro’ the forestry from near the lay-by parking on the A4061 the walk starting from where it says  Mynydd Beili-glas on the map. Thanks to Colin Richards for the heads up. Cd only post today due to internet access problems.

The drake Lesser Scaup was on W lake Cosmeston this morning with a small group of Tufties. Pretty confident it was the bird and not the hybrid Lol & I saw a couple of weeks ago. This had a tiny black bill ‘nail’ and very flat nape, and a plummy tone to the head rather than the coppery tone and extensive black nail of the hybrid. Also 4 prs of GC Grebes 2 pairs on each lake. A Mistle Thrush was singing by the central path near W paddock.

Short walk late a.m. Drake Wigeon on W lake tog with 4 Gadwall, 6 Pochard, 30 Tufted Duck, 3 Cormorant. Pr GCG displaying on E lake. 30 each of Redwing and Fieldfare flew out of trees on N side to E lake, and 2 Green Peckers by the playground.

Highlights of today’s GBC trip to Goldcliff and Newport Wetlands.

Goldcliff – 40+ Avocet, 5 Grey Plover, 2 Spotshank, 3 Ruff, 1 Knot, 20+ Blackwit, 2 Greenshank, plus Dunlin, Redshank [incuding a pair mating], and Lapwing, and all dabbling ducks except Pintail.

Wetlands – fab views of fem Marsh Harrier over the reeds up by the Alder copse, from the hide there. Also another Harrier sp east of there poss a ringtail but too distant and v brief view.

What I’m sure was a 2nd cal yr Glauc Gull flew up from Green Pt during my WeBS count this morning. It eventually landed amongst a large flock of gulls on the top of lamby tip.

The Little Gull was on the Taff about halfway between the rowing club launch site and the main Cardiff Bay bridge, viewed from the W side of the river, at 3:30 this arvo. Also a pair of Goosander there, and a Cetti’s Warbler sang briefly in the shrubbery by the river [first time I’ve heard one on the opp side to Hamadryad]. A Chiffchaff was in the same bushes as the Cetti’s. Have just added these two shots of the ‘redhead’.

Firecrest seen this morning by the gate to the path to the new hide – per Margaret Samuel. Thanks for letting me know.

Interesting Aythya hybrid on W lake Cosmeston this morning. Looked superficially like Lesser Scaup, but had bronzy tinge to head and was slightly bulkier than Tufted. When Lawrence arrived with his scope, the balck bill nail could be seen the too extensive. Nape was flat-ish but not flat enough IMO although it did have the small bump at the join of nape & crown. Back was nicely vermiculated grey. You have to wonder whether the regular Lesser Scaup is cross-breeding.

Also present of interest, 1 drake Wigeon and 3 Gadwall

Still down at mum-in-laws. Did some birding today: Sandsfoot Castle (Portland Hbr) – 4 Slav Grebe, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 GN Diver, 1 fem Eider, c50 R-b Merganser, Shag; Portland Castle (Portland Hbr) – Black Guillemot and another 50+ R-b Merg. Portland Bill – 3 Purple Sand, 6+ Rock Pipit, 2 ad Gannets > E. Ferry Bridge – 50-100 Brent. v v cold & windy so didn’t stay to try & sort out Pale-bellieds.

The only things of interest in a shortish walk this morning were two very smart Greylags on E lake. Also there was the unusual sight of the drake Pintail wandering around on the footpath near the bird table by E lake. W lake had the usual Tufties and Pochard and some Teal hiding in the reed edges, and there were 2 Little Grebe and a total of 5 GC Grebe.

Not a sighting but significant news.The web-based East Glamorgan Bird Atlas is now live! Wayne Morris, one of the project sub-committee has just passed on the following message:

Highlights of GBC trip to Ogmore today – c20 Goldeneye by Portobello, fem Goosander, wonderful views of feeding Purple Sandpiper at Ogmore-by-Sea, 2 Yellowhammer in Pant Norton [where there was also a substantial bracken fire causing us to summon the fire brigade!], and c500 Lapwing by Norton Farm. 2 Buzzards were displaying over Norton Wood.

Pretty quiet. W Lake had 1 Common Gull and 17 Teal that I could count. There was a Water Rail in the open in one of the ‘corridors’ cut in the snipe paddock [beyond Dragonfly Pond]. The drake Pintail was on E lake as was the ad Yellow–legged Gull. Three Bullfinch nr the dragonfly pond [2f and 1m], 2 redwing in W paddock tog with 2 Mistle Thrush. Also poss 4 Green ‘Peckers in total. 2 Very vocal nr E paddock fields and 2 feeding in W paddock.

I have just received further info re the purported Lesser Pecks that have apparently been visiting the feeder. My informant had not actually seen the birds herself but was reporting info received from two different sources, although I don’t know what these were. So it could just be a mis-ID of a very close GS Pecker – who knows? Anyway whatever, at least it got Jake and Mike there to find the Little Bunt! 🙂

The Little Bunting performed well this morning – here’s a quickly picked out one of the loads of pix I took. Light was a bit glary at times. The straight, even slightly concave, culmen shows well.

I’ve just received some news that Lesser Pecker[s] have been visiting a feeder at the Forest Farm reserve in N Cardiff. Apparently there’s a new feeder been put up near the farm buildings [by a large double garage?] and they have been visiting there – seen today apparently. Thanks to Chris Trew of Pen-y-Fai for the call.

160 Tufted Duck E lake [didn’t count the west lake], and 1 Heron and the Ad Yellow-legged Gull. 2 Common Gull on W lake posts. 1 Green ‘Pecker. NO Redwing or Fieldfare that I could see, but I was too busy chatting to someone.

Heads up for GBC indoor meeting tonight. 7:45 p.m. at KNNR reserve centre. Hone your ID skills on Herons, Rails & Crakes. We will have DVD/Video/Audio media to illustrate their features. This is the meeting postponed due to bad weather in the 2013-14 season.

Highlights of GBC trip today. Blackpill – tide out so nothing too exciting but a Goldcrest in a tree near the nature centre; Mumbles – ad Med Gull & Turnstone and v nice coffee!; Oxwich in addition to Barry’s observations, quite a few Sanderling on the beach, 1 Shag on Oxwich Pt rocks, the GND was at RH side of the bay then flew across to the left, and we reckoned around 200 Comm Scoter when they all flew across the bay at one point; from the hide at Oxwich, Shoveler Gadwall Teal, 2 Little Grebe, 1 Heron, and in the air 1 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, 1 Sprawk, and 1 Pere briefly; Overton – in the stubble field 1 Red-legged Partridge, 6 Song Thrush, 50 poss more Chaffinch and 1 Brambling, and quite a few Linnet and a Reed Bunt. A male Kes nearby and one of our group flushed a Snipe from the coast path there and Alan Rosnet had a couple of Kittiwake fly past. All in all a nice day out.