Quiet at high tide this evening, just a couple of White Wagtail through at the Watermill, plus several Sand Martin and 4 House Martin. Not too far away as the Pigeon flies, at Craig-y-parcau a pair of Stock Doves was a nice find for my local patch. Upriver at Newbridge fields, 2 pairs of Dipper and 2 Grey Wagtail were very actively collecting food this morning and a female Mallard had 4 small downy ducklings in attendance.

It was relatively quiet in cool blustery easterlies at KNNR this morning.Only a Greylag, a Coot and a few Mallard on the pool but no sign of the Red-crested Pochard. It could of course be hiding in the reeds. A female Redstart was on the east pool shore, with single elusive Reed and Sedge Warblers heard singing in the north pool reedbed. 2 Grasshopper Warblers were reeling in the brambles adjacent to the open areas on the way down to south pool, giving only brief glimpses. Other than that a few Swallow and Sand Martin flew through.

A late evening visit produced only 1 Common Sandpiper to accompany the 4 Pied Wagtail and 2 male Pheasants there.

Emma and I started at the Watermill this morning with perhaps a dozen or so Sand Martin, little else. Then over at Portobello island and vicinity: fem Goosander, 30+ Shelduck, 1 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Whimbrel, 1 Wheatear and 2 brief Yellow Wagtails flushed and disappeared north-east.

I ventured out from Kenfig Pool at 1100h, after picking my way through the mud by south hide, did the circular walk to Sker and then the farm and golf course to 1330h. Nice sunny weather and stiff south by south-easterly wind, but little of note except a Whimbrel at Sker Point, 4 Yellow Wagtail flying strongly North-east from the Point and a Wheatear at Sker farm. Though I hear DGC had better luck with waders out at Sker/Pink Bay late morning (several summer plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit) and late afternoon (4 Ruff).

 

A cold North-easterly wind was blowing with overcast skies this morning, but did not stop me noting a summer plumaged Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 8 Oystercatcher and 2 Kittiwake on the beach. Yesterday’s migrants appear to have moved on.

Yesterday we enjoyed a cracking male Redstart just outside the caravan first thing. There was also a mini-fall of migrants, perhaps a dozen Whitethroats up on the Burrows, several Willow Warbler and an elusive Reed Warbler which was singing softly and intermittently in thick cover by the stone jetty. 2 House Martin and a few dozen Swallow trickled through the Burrows. Early morning seawatching yielded an adult Gannet and 3 Sandwich Tern fishing offshore plus what we initially thought was an Iceland Gull which was flighty and ranged from Broughton beach as far as Burry Holm where we briefly re-located it later on that morning – However, upon inspecting Emma’s photos at home we realised it was in fact a Glaucous Gull. Plenty to enjoy on the walk across to Burry holm. Emma saw a hunting Merlin hurtle through and we also saw 12+ Shag and several pairs of Fulmar and Raven nesting in two different locations around Culverhole and Burry Holm areas. During a late afternoon walk south towards Llangennith Burrows we located a Cetti’s Warbler calling from deep cover between the farm and Llangennith Burrows.

Mike and Emma Cram & family

Also Lapwing and a Grass Snake swimming across the scrape there. Butterflies: 5 Orange Tip, also several Peacock, Speckled Wood and Small Tortoiseshell.

Mike, Emma and Holly Cram

Apologies for webmaster edit but I think you can guess why Mike & co., esp as the site is still ‘fresh’. John W

My wife Emma saw an Osprey drifting North over our garden at about 10.20 this morning.

A breezy day on Western Gower. A walk south towards Bluepool corner produced a hunting pair of Kestrel, pair of Raven and several Fulmar plus 2 pairs of Stonechat. Later on the falling tide this afternoon at Broughton Bay a group of 15 Brent Geese contained 12 Dark-bellied and 3 Pale-bellied (hrota race) individuals. Interestigly the Pale-bellied kept to themselves and flushed by walkers later than the Dark-bellieds. They were still present at around 4pm and had flown up the beach towards the stone access jetty at the farm. Also on the beach mid-morning were 25 Sanderling and 4 Ringed Plover. Away to the north between Cwm Ivy and Whiteford Point a massive group of at least 1,000 Oystercatchers was roosting with several hundred Gulls.

Earlier in the morning a brief visit to Penclawdd produced a Little Egret, 1 Greenshank, 2 Teal and a few dozen Redshank.

 

Blackcap singing in the garden this morning continues to herald spring. We also enjoyed watching a Peacock butterfly sunning itself in the garden yesterday.

A smashing day with signs of spring including young Rabbit, Peacock butterfly and several Bumblebees. On the sea an adult winter Great Northern Diver. At the burrows, hunting Kestrel, pair of Buzzards, Goldcrest, Skylark and Siskin over. On the beach a pair of Rock Pipit, the male starting to sing.

Late report via my brother Edward – he and his wife Jackie saw a Short-eared Owl sat in the bracken at the northern / seaward end of the caravan park at Broughton, near Llangennith, Gower. Wonderful views as it took flight (Jammy sod!).

Mike Cram

 

A 3 mile “foot-it” birding session produced 30 species this morning, mainly along the River Ogmore in Bridgend. Highlights were a male Peregrine Falcon, a pair of Goosander, a pair of Dipper and a Grey Wagtail by the bridge under the A48, 100 Redwing at Craig-y-parcau, plus Goldcrest, Bullfinch, Siskin and Goldfinch at several locations.

A very high tide on the inlet this morning and very windy, flooding up to Gowerton. Viewed from Landimore car park this morning across to Weobley and Llanrhidian, highlights:- 2 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Great White Egret flew up a few times, the Black Brant still present with a few dozen Dark-belllied Brent Geese 100+ Pintail, 500+ Shelduck, 2 Common Eider, 1,000 Golden Plover, several hundred Lapwing, 2 Greenshank. Later on a Red Kite was in flight over Berthlwyd just west of the Chinese restaurant. Penclawdd car park was flooded but on the falling tide a count of 38 Skylark as they flew out onto the marsh.

Porthcawl seafront 1045-1130 all down-channel: 8 Turnstone, 2 ad winter Mediterranean Gull,  3 Kittiwake, 2 GBB Gull, 3 Guillemot. also present 2 Rock Pipit. Salt Lake car park: 1 Common Gull, 25 BH Gull, 25 Herring Gull. Manor Farm, Porthcawl 25+ Curlew in fields next to main road.

Watermill (Ogmore estuary): unsurprisingly there is a large flood following the recent weather upon which was:- 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 25 Canada Geese, 2 Wigeon (fem), 24 Teal, 5 Curlew and 300 BH Gull. Nearby 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Buzzard, 1 Mistle Thrush and 2 Chaffinch.