Wigeon (3), Teal (5), Pintail (1), Common Scoter (4), Velvet Scoter (2), Red-brested Merganser (1), Great Crested Grebe (10), Hen Harrier (ringtail), Ringed Plover (191), Knot (13), Bar-tailed Godwit (5), Swallow (5), Stonechat (6) & Chiffchaff (1)

1 Yellow-browed Warbler showed well in the isolated wooded scrub at Baglan Dunes, this afternoon. The wood is located right next to the Wales Coast Path. The bird was still present and calling till 14:00 at least. Also good numbers of Skylarks (50+), Wheatear (4), Chiffchaff (2), Goldcrests & Blackcap (1)

DCo, RJ, MHi

More photos of the YBW on GRC Forum

http://grcforum.blogspot.co.uk

 

A very obliging Jack Snipe was sat up on a tree trunk left behind on the salt marsh by a high tide. My first record of one here. Many Canada Geese, 100+ but not counted and 22 Lapwings.

 

At the river mouth 381 Sanderlings on the Aberavon side and a Wigeon in the channel. A Peregrine came in to cause a bit of panic and made a couple of relaxed circuits of Crymlyn Burrows beach, seemingly looking for a weaker bird to pursue? Later, a long chase given to a Dunlin was unsuccessful. On the sea 7 Great Crested Grebes off Aberavon Beach and a few Mediterranean Gulls slowly heading west.

 

This evening after the rain.

Goosander (1f past west and then on the sea briefly!), Ringed Plover (251), Knot (23), Sanderling (396), Dunlin (88), Bar-tailed Godwit (25), Curlew (47), Whitethroat (1), Whinchat (1) & Stonechat (7)

 

Neath Saltmarsh – Peregrine (1m), Dunlin (6), Snipe (9), Common Sandpiper (1), Swallow (c250) & Linnet (c60)

Llandarcy Saltmarsh – Grey Heron (6), Lapwing (19), Curlew (4), Green Sandpiper (1), Common Sandpiper (1), Kingfisher (1) & House Martin (4)

Brunel Dock – Dunlin (c40) & Redshank (c60)

Margam Moors – Canada Geese (29 -> east), Whinchat (1), Blackcap (2), Garden Warbler (1), Chiffchaff (10+) & Cetti’s Warbler (6)

Kenfig Saltmarsh – Teal (70+), Lapwing (16) & Dunlin (1)

MHi, DCo

Brunel Dock – Little Egret (1), Dunlin (21) & Redshank (c50)

Crymlyn Burrows – Ringed Plover (243), Knot (15), Sanderling (353), Dunlin (77), Redshank (1), Mediterranean Gull (2) & Common Gull (10). Also over on Aberavon Beach 12 Bar-tailed Godwits with the Oystercatcher flock.

MHi, RJ

Kenfig Saltmarsh – Gadwall (5), Teal (42), Lapwing (16), Snipe (11), Greenshank (1), Stock Dove (1) & Kingfisher (1) [MHi]

Margam Moors – Wheatear (1), Sedge Warbler (3), Blackcap (2), Garden Warbler (1), Whitethroat (4), Cetti’s Warbler (2), Willow Warbler(1) & Chiffchaff (10+) [MHi]

Brunel Dock – Redshank (84), Whimbrel (3), Dunlin (29), Common Sandpiper (1) & Kingfisher (1) [ MHn, MHi]

Crymlyn Burrows – 3 Curlew Sandpipers at the shingle ridge wader roost this evening. The other waders were not counted but I suspect they were holding to recently taken counts. Other notable stuff included a Gannet in the Bay and an adult Common Gull with a metal ring on it’s left leg – no chance of reading the details though [MHn, MHi]

Brunel Dock – Little egret (1), Dunlin (56), Whimbrel (2), Common Sandpiper (1) & Redshank (76)

Crymlyn Burrows – Great Crested Grebe (1), Ringed Plover (245), Knot (13), Sanderling (363 (inc 38 juv)), Dunlin (39) & Bar-tailed Godwit (7)

Sunday

Crymlyn Burrows – 1 juv Black Tern still, Lesser Whitethroat (1) & Sedge Warbler (1); Neath River wader roost – Oystercatcher (578), Curlew (110), Whimbrel (6) & Bar-tailed Godwit (1); Brunel Dock – Redshank (83) & Dunlin (74); Neath Saltmarsh Lapwing (15) & Green Sandpiper (1)

MHI, RJ, et al

Saturday

Margam Moors – Lesser Whitethroat; Kenfig Saltmarsh – Greenshank (2); Brunel Dock – Redshank (84) & Dunlin (78); Crymlyn Burrows – Sanderling (412), Ringed Plover (157), Black Tern (3juv) & Whinchat (1)

MHi, RJ

At the Saltmarsh – Wigeon (6), Gadwall (1), Teal (75+), Water Rail (2 juv), Lapwing (17), Snipe (10), Greenshank (1), Kingfisher (2), Cetti’s Warbler (2) & Reed Bunting (8)

Rivermouth – Shelduck (1 – east), Gannet (1 – west) & Great Black-backed Gull (6)

3 Black Terns (2 of 3 shown above) were feeding in the bay and resting on Aberavon Beach for at least an hour after high tide.

Sanderling (345), Dunlin (70+). Ringed Plover (150+), Mediterranean Gull (6), Sandwich Tern (2), Black Tern (3), Whitethroat (1), Sedge Warbler (1), Stonechat (12) & Reed Bunting (4) (MHi, RJ)

Yesterday, locally –

Bryn Tip area – Whinchat (4), Marsh Tit (1); Melincourt -Spotted Flycatcher (2); Gnoll CP – Spotted Flycatcher (4)

Wigeon (1), Gadwall (1), Teal (c40), Snipe (11), Greenshank (1), Green Sandpiper (1), Whinchat (1) & Yellow Wagtail (4)

 

Crymlyn Burrows (today) – Curlew Sandpiper (3), Teal (3), Sanderling (350+), Dunlin (150+), Ringed Plover (300+), Turnstone (1), Oystercatcher (c800), Bar-tailed Godwit (4), Mediterranean Gull (5), Common Tern (2)

Brunel Dock – Redshank (73), Dunlin (7), Whimbrel (2)

Yesterday

Margam Moors – Whinchat (4), Yellow Wagtail (13)

Morfa Pools – Green sandpiper (1)

Kenfig Saltmarsh – Teal (60+), Gadwall (2), Wigeon (1), Snipe (36)

(MHi, RJ)

Kenfig Saltmarsh (21/8/13) – Wigeon (1), Teal (28), Lapwing (18), Snipe (12), Redshank (1), Cetti’s Warbler (2) & Stonechat (2)

Brunel Dock to Neath River (20/8/13) – Teal (3), Whimbrel (68), Redshank (85), Common Sandpiper (4) & Mediterranean Gull (4)

Crymlyn Burrows (20/8/13) – Ringed Plover (224), Sanderling (c140 (a further c200 showing distantly on Aberavon Beach)), Mediterranean Gull (6) & Stonechat (4)

 

2 adult Common Terns were on the beach just after HT and fishing offshore occasionally. Counts of birds on the beach – Turnstone (1), Ringed Plover (329), Sanderling (309), Dunlin (76), Herring Gull (72), Lesser Black-backed (16), Common Gull (14), Mediterranean Gull (28 inc 2 juv) & Black-headed Gull (56)

Out in the Bay – Gannet (1 juv), Peregrine (1), Mediterranean Gull (20+) and a few Kittiwakes amongs other gulls. The Peregrine flew directly between Mumbles and BP Baglan causing much panic to the smaller gulls, making them rise from the sea and group together in a flock. 

In miserable conditions and poor visibility. Some counts were taken

Oystercatcher, Turnstone (2), Ringed Plover, Sanderling (299), Dunlin, Common Gull (17) and Mediterranean Gull (28 (inc 1 juv))

Morfa Tip pools – Greenshank (3) later flew to Saltmarsh

Kenfig Saltmarsh – Wigeon (1), Mallard (53), Teal (4), Little Egret (1), Lapwing (8), Greenshank (3), Redshank (1), Snipe (5)

Offshore from Kenfig Rivermouth – Curlew (6), Guillemot (1) and large numbers of gulls feeding.

Crymlyn Burrows Beach – Yellow-legged Gull (1 x 3rd cal yr), Mediterranean Gull (85 inc 3 juv), Bar-tailed Godwit (1) & many smaller waders

Greylag Goose (7), Eider (21), Great Crested Grebe (c20), Whimbrel (1), Black-tailed Godwit (5), Bar-tailed Godwit (6), Greenshank (1) & Grey Plover (1)

(RJ, MHi)

Common Scoter (3), Curlew (100+), Oystercatcher (500+), Knot (2), Sanderling (c325), Dunlin (c150), Ringed Plover (220+) & Turnstone (1)

Earlier at Brunel Dock – Redshank (80), Dunlin (26), Common Sandpiper (10) and a Kingfisher

(RJ, MHi)

A morning trip to the Saltmarsh found the water levels have risen considerably in the last 7 days. More birds around too. The most unexpected sighting was of 9 Greenshanks. They were spread out around the river-scrape and dune-scrapes. Moving between feeding areas regularly before 7 flew off west leaving 2 around the dune-scrapes.

Mallard (60+), Teal (15), Peregrine (1), Kestrel (1), Curlew (1), Greenshank (9), Redshank (1), Snipe (1) & Lapwing (20). Lots activity around the reeds and scrub Cetti’s, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Sedge, Willow, Chiffchaff and a single Garden Warbler. Reed Buntings still in double figures (10+) and slightly fewer Stonechats.