8 folk braved the rain and mist on our our second ‘Walks For Women’, and were rewarded by seeing 36 species – not bad for such a dismal day! Thanks for coming along, and special thanks to John Wilson for the route map and birding suggestions and Mary Gallagher for being deputy leader and keeping the list!

The highlights were – lots of Goldcrest in different areas, showing well, a Kingfisher, several Redwing , a Jay, 3 Greenfinch, a Kestrel, and several species of woodland bird very close up on the dragon tree.

Full List

Canada Goose, Mute Swan , Gadwall , Mallard , Pochard, Tufted Duck, Woodpigeon, Moorhen , Coot , Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebe, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Buzzard , Kingfisher, Kestrel , Jay , Magpie
Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit , Goldcrest , Nuthatch , Starling,
Song Thrush , Redwing, Blackbird , Dunnock , Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch

” The GBC monthly walk at Kenfig NNR on a Saturday 21st October 2023 attracted 4 participants and was lead by Dave Carrington. The intrepid 5 set off from the visitor centre and spent some time at Sker point, where a chilly wind straight off the sea awaited them.

The group then made their way to the South Hide, where they spent further time before returning to the visitor centre some 3 hours after setting out.

Thankfully, the weather, despite the wind chill, stayed dry and 38 species were recorded. Highlights were a Wheatear at Sker, along with a flock of around 50 Golden Plover and at least 2 Kestrels seen hovering for long periods over the dunes.

Overall, a productive and enjoyable morning.

The full list of birds recorded is as follows :-

Black-headed Gull, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant,  Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Gadwall, Golden Plover, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Magpie, Mallard, Meadow Pipit, Mediterranean Gull, Mistle Thrush, Mute Swan, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Rock Pipit, Siskin, Skylark, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stonechat, Turnstone, Wheatear, Woodpigeon,  Wren. “

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading, John Western as deputy and for submitting this article and list.

24/9/23

We were pleased to welcome 10 folk on our first GBC Birdwalk for Women, it was great to see old and new friends, then have snacks in the cafe together afterwards to discuss the list!

On this overcast damp day, saw and heard 31 species between us, the highlights being – good views of a kingfisher on the lake, glimpses of a Water Rail by some, and several Bullfinch. We were entertained by a juvenile Little Grebe trying to swallow a fish.

Full list – Magpie, Robin, Carrion Crow, Mallard, Woodpigeon, Bullfinch, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Long-Tailed Tit, Siskin, Chiff Chaff, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Coot, Little Grebe with young, Moorhen, Jay, Kingfisher, Herring Gull, Buzzard, Red Kite, Coal Tit, Blackbird, Raven, Chaffinch, Water Rail, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock.

Many thanks to Strinda for co- leading and Angharad for keeping the list.

Twelve folk joined our monthly Kenfig NNR walk on Saturday morning, good to see old friends and welcome to some new ones, between us we saw and/ or heard 34 species. The highlight was of course watching the young Hobby – good views of it perching and hunting in the dunes at the far south western side of the pool – thanks to Neil D for the location. Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

Full List –

Mute Swan , Mallard , Teal , Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Water Rail , Great Crested Grebe , Black-headed Gull ,

Herring Gull , Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard , Kestrel , Hobby , Jay , Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Great Tit ,

Sand Martin, Swallow , House Martin , Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff , Whitethroat , Starling , Blackbird , Robin 

House Sparrow , Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail . Bullfinch, Linnet .

Twenty folk enjoyed the field trip on Sunday 27th August.

We were very lucky to be led by Dan Jenkins-Jones , an expert on the site, who made sure that everyone had some view of the elusive and rare Green Sandpiper. After a lot of skulking, a total of seven were found!

Full list-

Grey Heron, Cormorant, Carrion Crow, Common Buzzard, Long-Tailed Tit, Wood Pigeon, Starling, Robin, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, Magpie, Wren, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Jay, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rook, Stonechat, Kingfisher (heard), Green Sandpiper, House Martin, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mallard, Canada Goose.

Many thanks to Dan (especially for the chocolate!) and to David Hibler for leading.

Eight folk came on our Kenfig Public Birdwalk on Saturday, great to see old and new friends.

Despite the lack of duck and geese on the pool, we were pleased to find Wood Sandpiper- close views but soon took flight, Common Sandpiper, 3 overflying Green Sandpiper, Black Tailed Godwit, and a Little Egret. Between us we identified a total of 39 species ( seen or heard. )

Mute Swan , Mallard , Swift, Woodpigeon , Collared Dove, Black-tailed Godwit , Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper Wood Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Grey Heron , Little Egret, Sparrowhawk , Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Jay, Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit , Great Tit  Sand Martin , House Martin , Cetti’s Warbler , Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat , Wren , Nuthatch, Treecreeper  House Sparrow , Dunnock, Meadow Pipit , Bullfinch , Goldfinch .

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading

Apologies for very late posting!

15/7/23

With a very bad weather forecast, in wind, occasional rain and drizzle, five hardy souls took part in our Kenfig Public Walk, and were well rewarded with 32 species seen/heard, the highlights being a very obliging Great White Egret, a Stock Dove, Swifts, and numerous Hirundine over the pool.

Full List-

Magpie, Carrion Crow, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Willow Warbler, Starling, Chiff Chaff, Bullfinch, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull, Swift, Canada Goose, Great White Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Sandmartin, Swallow, Coot, House sparrow, Goldfinch, Blackcap, Long Tailed Tit, Robin, Wren, Reed Warbler, Stock Dove, Jay, Sparrow Hawk, Jackdaw.

Also- Emperor Dragonfly, Spotted Long Horn Beetle, butterflies and moths- Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Cinnabar, Small White, Common Blue, Meadow Brown

It was a beautiful Spring morning for our birdsong ID walk on Saturday. The wildflowers were putting on a lovely show. Eight folk came along, welcome all, and in spite of there being some notable exceptions, we saw/heard 37 species. The highlights, besides the many singing warblers, were – a close fly -over of a Sparrow Hawk, a Kingfisher, and Martin took an excellent photo from the hide of two Great White Egrets passing over , while the rest of us were having a great view of a very vocal Reed Warbler.

Full List-

Woodpigeon , Collared Dove, Coot , Great Crested Grebe , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant , Grey Heron 

Sparrowhawk , Buzzard, Kingfisher , Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay , Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Swallow 

Cetti’s Warbler, Willow Warbler , Chiffchaff , Reed Warbler , Blackcap , Whitethroat , Wren , Treecreeper , Starling, Song Thrush 

Blackbird , Robin , Stonechat , Chaffinch , Bullfinch, Goldfinch , Greylag Goose, Mallard.

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading

Twelve folk joined us on a damp morning for Saturday’s monthly Kenfig public walk. Great to see some new participants, and catch up with old friends.

We walked down to Sker, no sign of a Little Owl, but did spot 2 Wheatear, and a small flock of Linnet. Missed out the pool – short of time-because the bird ringers had just caught a Sparrow Hawk which was a treat to see in the hand. 36 species were found

Canada Goose , Mute Swan,  Gadwall,  Wigeon,  Pheasant,  Feral Pigeon,  Stock Dove,  Woodpigeon , Great Crested Grebe , Ringed Plover,  Turnstone , Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull,  Cormorant,  Sparrowhawk, Magpie , Carrion Crow,  Blue Tit, Great Tit, SkylarkLong-tailed Tit , Chiffchaff,  Goldcrest,  Wren, Starling , Blackbird, Robin,  Stonechat,  Wheatear, Dunnock,  Pied Wagtail , Meadow PipitChaffinch , Bullfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch 

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading

GBC Monthly Public Walk

On a cold , damp, very misty morning, 10 folk came along, and between us we were pleased to find 41 species, the highlights being Goldeneye, Pochard, Wigeon, at least 8 Common Gull, whilst a couple of folk saw an elusive Treecreeper. Good to meet old and new friends, many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

Full List

Mute Swan , Gadwall, Wigeon , Mallard , Teal , Pochard , Tufted Duck , Goldeneye , Feral Pigeon , Woodpigeon ,Water Rail, Moorhen , Coot , Great Crested Grebe , Redshank , Black-headed Gull , Common Gull, Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant , Grey Heron , Sparrowhawk , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Magpie, Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit, Great Tit, Cetti’s Warbler , Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest , Wren, Treecreeper , Starling , Song Thrush , Blackbird , Robin , House Sparrow , Dunnock , Chaffinch , Goldfinch.

21/1/23 apologies for late posting.

Sixteen folk joined us on the GBC Public Walk this very cold morning – good to meet up with old and new friends. We found 40 species, there were large numbers of wildfowl on the pool, 67 tufted duck! But the highlight of course was the Slavonian Grebe.

Full List-

Canada Goose , Greylag Goose , Mute Swan , Gadwall , Wigeon , Mallard , Teal , Tufted Duck , Goldeneye , Feral Pigeon,  Woodpigeon, Coot , Great Crested Grebe , Slavonian Grebe, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Sparrowhawk , Buzzard , Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow Blue Tit, Great Tit , Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit , Goldcrest , Starling , Redwing, Blackbird, Fieldfare , Robin , House Sparrow Dunnock , Pied Wagtail , Chaffinch , Bullfinch

Thanks to Dave Carrington for leading , and many folk for finding and showing us birds in their scopes.

It was a crispy cold Christmas walk yesterday. Excellent views across the partly frozen pool, then from high in the dunes.

Twelve folk came along, and enjoyed the mulled juice and mince pies in the hide, along with a few other folk in there!

We found 40 species, the highlights being- a flying Bittern, a Chetti’s Warbler showing well at the bottom of the reeds by the ‘beach’, good views of some well-coloured Redwing in front of the hide, and several waterfowl walking about in the frozen part of the pool.

Full list Carrion Crow, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Jay, Jackdaw, Starling , Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Robin, Blue Tit, Great Tit, LongTailed Tit, Chetti’s Warbler, Redwing, Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black -Backed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Mute Swan, Mallard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Bittern, Moorhen, Goosander, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Stonechat, Wren, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Cormorant, House Sparrow, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest, Blackbird, Chaffinch.

With many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

Saturday’s Glamorgan Bird Club Public Monthly Birdwalk, on a beautiful crisp, sunny, Autumn day,was quite special!

We saw 56 species, the highlights were- a Mistlethrush ( a first to be ringed at Kenfig-)and a Goldcrest in hand, caught by the ringing group, a Bittern in flight, a flying Glossy Ibis, an Arctic Tern, seen by two members, photographed by Martin, and a skein of about 40 Greylag Geese. There were also lots of predated Swan Mussels on the East shore

Canada Goose , Greylag Goose , Mute Swan , Gadwall,  Wigeon ,Mallard , Teal , Goldeneye, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Waterail, Moorhen,  Coot , Great Crested Grebe,  Redshank, Carrion Crow, Black-headed Gull,  Common Gull , Herring Gull,   Lesser Black-backed Gull, Arctic Tern ,Cormorant, Bittern, Grey Heron, Buzzard , Blue Tit , Skylark ,Great – Spotted Woodpecker  ,Kestrel, Jay,  Magpie , Jackdaw, Rook, Cetti’s Warbler, Long -tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Wren ,Starling ,Song Thrush , Mistle Thrush,  Redwing,  Blackbird, Robin, Stonechat , House Sparrow, Dunnock , Pied Wagtail,  Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch ,Bullfinch,  Linnet , Goldfinch , Glossy Ibis.

Many thanks to Alan and Rhos, and Colin with the Ringing Group

!3 folk brave folk came on our GBC Public Walk on Saturday morning on a very blustery and sometimes damp day, and were rewarded by a good sighting of a Red-backed Shrike on the dunes, , and the arrival of a Great White Egret on the pool. Good to welcome some new people and see old friends.
Lots of fungi, and Burnet Rose in flower.

Full list:
Mute Swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Kestrel, Magpie, Red-backed Shrike, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Stonechat, House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Goldfinch.

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

A really good Kenfig public walk on Saturday, down to Sker point through the golf course, then back through the reserve. Good company and fine weather. 41 species

The highlights were- Yellow wagtail, Red Kite, Med Gull, Peregrine Falcon, Goldcrest, and a large flock of Linnet (c40)

Canada Goose , Greylag Goose , Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon , Collared Dove , Oystercatcher , Golden Plover , Curlew , Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant , Grey Heron , Sparrowhawk, Red Kite , Kestrel , Peregrine, Magpie, Jackdaw , Carrion Crow, Great Tit , Skylark , Sand Martin , Swallow , Chiffchaff , Blackcap , Whitethroat , Goldcrest, Starling, Blackbird , Robin , Stonechat, Dunnock , Yellow Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit , Rock Pipit ,Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch 

A few extras from this morning’s GBC walk – Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, and Emperor Dragonflies. 20+ Shieldbugs on Sea Stock – they were brown/grey- did anyone ID them? A Red/(Pink?) Grasshopper.

18 folk came on the Kenfig Public Walk this morning, good to see folk again, including some new people – welcome! The sun came out – after we were all soaked!
Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

We saw/heard 42 species: Highlights include – Whinchat, Sanderling, then Water Rail and Redshank heard in the South Pool area.

Full List:
Canada Goose , Greylag Goose, Mute Swan , Gadwall , Mallard , Feral Pigeon , Woodpigeon, Water Rail , Coot , Great Crested Grebe , Sanderling , Redshank, Black-headed Gull , Common Gull, Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Grey Heron, Buzzard , Kestrel, Magpie , Jackdaw, Carrion Crow , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Swallow , Cetti’s Warbler , Long-tailed Tit , Reed Warbler, Blackcap , Whitethroat , Wren , Starling , Blackbird , Whinchat , Stonechat , House Sparrow , Dunnock , Bullfinch, Greenfinch , Linnet, Goldfinch.

16 folk came along to the Monthly Public Walk at Kenfig on Saturday, good to see some old friends.
We found 51 Species! The highlights were a Brent Goose on the pool, rare for this location, lots of singing Whitethroat, one with nesting material, and a Sedge Warbler.
Full List-
Brent Goose (Not sure if dark or light bellied, seen at a distance, several observers.), Canada Goose, Greylag Goose , Mute Swan, Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Moorhen, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Wren, Starling, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Goldfinch.
Thanks to everyone for coming, and to Dave Carrington for leading. Here’s some of the group searching for that final species! Thx to John Western for the pic.

A bright and breezy day for the Kenfig Monthly Birdwalk today, good company, welcome to some new folk. We were pleased to find 40 species.

The highlights were a Red-crested Pochard and a Marsh Harrier, both showing well in the sunshine. Lots of activity on the pool, some difficult to spot, bobbing about on the waves!

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon , Mallard , Red-crested Pochard , Pochard,

Tufted Duck, Goldeneye , Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon , Moorhen, Coot , Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing

Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Marsh Harrier , Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker 

Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit , Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin

House Sparrow, Dunnock , Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch , Goldfinch, Reed Bunting .

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

Pleased to find 37 species on Tuesday, low tide, highlights being – Barnacle Geese, Whooper Swan and about 50 Shellduck