Fabulous weather and visibility for our first Public Walk of 2020 this morning. Twenty -six folk came along, and enjoyed a walk to the sea with a rising tide. (30+ surfers to entertain us)

Highlights were:- Marsh Harrier, being pursued by two Short-eared Owls, three very bright Greenfinch, Purple Sandpiper, lots of Curlew and a shag on the rocks at Sker, whilst folk with ‘scopes found us Red -Throated Divers, Great Crested Grebe and Common Scoter out to sea. We had a total of 49!  A really good start for our 2020 total.     If folk who went to the pool as well could give us any extras, that would be great.

WeBS today, very quiet in the woods, not even a Magpie or Woodpigeon, but the Teal were looking fabulous.

Blackbird , Blue Tit,  Canada Goose,  Chaffinch,  Coot,  Dunnock , Great Tit,  Little Grebe ,
Mallard , Moorhen , Mute Swan , Robin,  Teal .

At least 35 pied wagtails over by the water yesterday

Brilliant weather for our WeBS today, lovely in the woods, lots of birds about, and Teal have arrived back in numbers. First time we’ve seen a shovelor here.

Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit ,Carrion Crow, Chaffinch ,Coal Tit ,Coot ,Dunnock , Goldcrest Great Spotted Woodpecker , Great Tit , Jackdaw, Jay  3, Kingfisher , Little Grebe 6 ,
Long-tailed Tit , Magpie , Mallard 14 , Moorhen 6 , Mute Swan  9 ,Nuthatch ,Pied Wagtail ,
Red Kite , Robin , Song Thrush , Starling , Teal  22 , Treecreeper , Woodpigeon ,Wren.

Total Bird Species : 30

Good to welcome some new folk on our Kenfig monthly walk this morning [it was actually Saturday {16th} – sorry to be picky! John W].

We went down to Sker to find the Long-Tailed Duck on the flood, then moved east along the coast to the edge of the Royal Porthcawl golf course where we located the juvenile Red-backed Shrike. (and lots of other friends!)

Other highlights were, -2 Sparrow Hawk, 30+ Lapwing,  Common and Mediterranean Gull,  50+ Woodpigeon flying over,  4 Raven, a Sanderling, and a Redwing.

This is my list, some members continued afterwards to the pool, so they have some additions.

Black-headed Gull , Blackbird, Blue Tit , Canada Goose , Carrion Crow , Collared Dove,    Common Gull , Curlew , Feral Pigeon , Goldcrest , Great Black-backed Gull , Great Tit,
Grey Heron , Herring Gull , Jackdaw , Lapwing , Lesser Black-backed Gull ,                  Long-tailed Duck , Long-tailed Tit , Magpie , Mallard , Meadow Pipit , Mediterranean Gull
Oystercatcher , Pied Wagtail , Raven , Red-backed Shrike , Redshank , Redwing , Robin,
Rock Pipit , Rook , Sanderling, Song Thrush , Sparrowhawk , Starling , Stonechat, Turnstone , Woodpigeon , Wren , Skylark.      41 species

Our  next Kenfig walk will be on the 21st December, for ‘Pies in the Hide’ !  … and some birdwatching …    all welcome.

PS others seen were Golden Plover [flock flew over at Sker], Cormorant, Dunnock, Linnet, Goldfinch. {John W}.

Late WeBS on Wed 16th Oct.   The highlights were -7 returned Little Grebe, a Kingfisher and 5 Redwing

Mute Swan, Gadwall , Mallard , Teal, Little Grebe, Moorhen , Coot , Woodpigeon Kingfisher, Magpie , Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit , Wren, Nuthatch Blackbird , Redwing, Robin , Chaffinch.

GBC  Monthly Public Walk.

Twenty-four folk came on our walk on Saturday morning, Very pleased to see some new new people.  A special thanks to all for helping them feel welcome.

We were delighted to find 45 species, a good count for for a blustery September day. Highlights were-: Bar-tailed Godwit, Wheatear, Whimbrel. Sanderling, Golden Plover, Wigeon, Mistle Thrush, Lapwing, Ringed Plover, Teal, and…… a Marsh Harrier. Complete list was Mute Swan,  Gadwall , Wigeon,  Mallard,  Teal, Great Crested Grebe , Grey Heron , Cormorant, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Coot, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, Curlew,  Sanderling, Dunlin , Bar-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Gull,  Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Swallow, House Martin, Long-tailed Tit, Starling , Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Robin,  Stonechat, Wheatear, House Sparrow, Dunnock ,Meadow Pipit, Linnet, and Goldfinch .

Eleven folk came on our Kenfig monthly walk- thanks!

A blustery morning down at Sker, but the tide was just going out, and rewarded us with a list of 50 species. A few people went down to the pool afterwards,  it was quiet, but they found us a few more for the list.

The highlights today were a Whimbrel, Curlew, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Sanderling, Willow Warbler, Wheatear.

Full list-

Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan , Mallard , Grey Heron, Little Egret Cormorant, Coot, Oystercatcher , Ringed Plover , Whimbrel ,Curlew, Turnstone Sanderling , Dunlin  ,Black-headed Gull ,  Great Black-backed,  Gull Herring Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull,  Feral Pigeon , Woodpigeon, Collared Dove,  Swift, Kestrel Magpie,  Jackdaw, Carrion Crow,  Blue Tit , Great Tit , Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow House Martin, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Wren , Starling, Blackbird,  Robin Stonechat , Wheatear , House Sparrow , Dunnock , Pied Wagtail , Meadow Pipit  Rock Pipit,  Bullfinch,  Greenfinch,  Linnet , Goldfinch.

Late WeBS today, warm and fragrant in the woods, lots of wildflowers, birdsong,  spotted a dragonfly too. Still no Little Grebe, must be off nesting somewhere else.

12 folk enjoyed the GBC monthly walk on Saturday, a lovely day, lots of birds, ( 46 species) including – 12 Whimbrel on the golf course, a pair of Bullfinch, Sedge Warbler, lots of Whitethroat, and at Sker point – Golden Plover, Ringed Plover , Rock Pipit, Yurnstone, and at the farm,a family party of Greenfinch and ….. a Little Owl.

A fabulous day for this month’s WeBS survey,  lots of dappled shade in the woods, fragrant wildflowers, birdsong, clear reflections on the still lake…

Forgot to add the butterflies to yesterday’s list for the GBC birdwalk-

Peacock, Small White, Brimstone, Orange tip, Speckled Wood, and a lovely Muslin Moth- not White Ermine, thanks Margaret.

A brilliant GBC Public Walk this morning!  Lovely weather, 24 folk came along and helped to find 51 species,including Chetti’s Warbler,Sand Martin,Willow Warbler and Whitethroat everywhere, Lesser Whitethroat, and some people heard a reeling Grasshopper Warbler.  Thanks to Strinda for leading.

Twelve folk joined us on the GBC public birdwalk this morning, we were pleased to see/hear 36 species in the very blustery conditions.

The highlights were- Great white Egret, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, 12 Reed Bunting. Potential breeding evidence was shown by 2 pairs of Carrion Crow by/in nests, a pair of displaying Mute Swans, a couple of Great Crested Grebe investigating the reedbed, and a pair of copulating Tufties. Spring is around the corner!

Two hawfinch feeding by the log.  Two jay, lots of great tits,  blue tit, chaffinch.

A memorable GBC public birdwalk this morning,  23 folk saw a total of 50 species.               The highlights were, Firecrest, Great White Egret and Slavonian Grebe, whilst we were treated to a close flyby of 2 Sparrowhawk, and watched displaying Great Crested Grebe on the pool. There was a ‘maybe’ Scaup,  waiting for confirmation Dave!

15/2/19  Early WeBS count on a sunny day.

Couldn’t find the otter, late morning, but  14 goldeneye were a treat. Lots of goosander too.

WeBS today.  Noticed more birdsong in the woods this time. 3 /5 Cygnets still surviving.

Blackbird , Buzzard , Carrion Crow , Coal Tit , Dunnock , Great Tit , House Sparrow
Little Grebe 7, Magpie , Moorhen 5 , Robin , Teal 14 , Wren , Blue Tit , Canada Goose , Chaffinch Coot , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Grey Heron , Jay , Long-tailed Tit,            Mute Swan 5 , Mallard 32,  Song Thrush , Woodpigeon  25 species

19/01/2019

It was a dull, drizzly, chilly morning, but 17 folk came along and helped us find 45 species. Pleased to welcome some new folk, hope the weather didn’t put you off.

The highlights were, the Slavonian Grebe, Great White Egret, Redshank, Mistle Thrush, Goldeneye, Wigeon,  and half a dozen (at least) Reed Bunting in the car park bushes.

Black-headed Gull , Blue Tit , Canada Goose , Chaffinch, Common Gull , Cormorant ,
Gadwall , Great Black-backed Gull , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Great White Egret , Greylag Goose , House Sparrow, Lesser Black-backed Gull , Long-tailed Tit , Mallard ,
Mistle Thrush 2, Pied Wagtail , Redshank 1, Robin , Song Thrush , Teal , Wigeon , Wren,
Blackbird , Buzzard , Carrion Crow , Collared Dove , Coot , Dunnock , Goldeneye ,
Great Crested Grebe , Great Tit , Grey Heron , Herring Gull , Jackdaw , Little Grebe,
Mediterranean Gull , Magpie, Mute Swan , Pochard , Reed Bunting , Slavonian Grebe , Starling , Tufted Duck , Woodpigeon

With thanks to Strinda Davies , our walk leader.