6 pairs have raised at least 2 broods each resulting in 50-60 birds swirling and twittering around our workshop and garage. Hopefully the numbers will be even greater next year.

Several hundred, probably at least a thousand Jackdaws swirling in a tight flock over Newton Nottage area of Porthcawl yesterday evening. Not quite as impressive as a Starling murmuration but pretty impressive nonetheless.

I’ve just heard a Chiffchaff singing in Wigfach, rather odd but not unusual this time of year apparently.

Countless numbers of Swallows are moving through Wigfach today. A constant stream of birds in small and large groups, sometimes congregating into flocks of 100- 200, especially to feed over the unmown hay meadows, sweeping so close over my head I can hear their beaks snap shut as they catch insects. An unforgettable sight.

Dozens of Swallows over my place of work in Wigfach, Porthcawl at the moment. I’m not sure if they are just our breeding pairs & this years juveniles or it’s a group moving through. We’ve had at least a couple of pairs raising raising possibly 3 broods each, the last brood in my workshop have just taken their first flight. I’ll miss their swirling around and twittering calls. I’ll have a better idea how many we’ve had when I check the empty nests and start the clean up operation !

At last the fist pair of Swallows have finally returned to our large workshop/garage, I thought they’d never come. I’ve been putting up several additional nesting ledges high up inside disused outbuildings throughout our site so hopefully the breeding pairs will be up from last year (4).

Circular walk from Portobello, Ogmore via Pant Mari Flanders to Southerndown then back via Coastal path. Usual common species but also Raven, Whitethroat, Willow warbler, Swallow, 5 Chough (west farm, Southerndown) , Red Kite, Kestrel ( both Portobello area)

I noticed this morning that a wren has built its nest on top of an old Swallows nest high on a beam in our garage in work.

The male Mandarin Duck is still at Pwll y waun, looking resplendent in the autumn sun, constantly showing off and very often giving the resident mallards a ticking off.

Curlew numbers are starting to pick up in the fields north of A4106 , Porthcawl with 17 this morning in the donkey field off zigzag lane and 23 ( probs same birds + 6 ) this afternoon in fields of Manor farm.

This morning there are high numbers of Redwings flying through, mostly in flocks of 50-100 and largely flying west – east agains the prevailing winds , so possibility Icelandic birds.

Large numbers of Swallows moving through this morning , all heading east. Mostly in single figures but also in groups of 30 – 40.

Yesterday morning there was a steady trickle of Swallows flying east into a brisk breeze, mostly in small groups of 3 or 4. By afternoon there were very few moving through although a dozen or so were feeding over Pwll y waun in the evening. Today a few remain over the lake. The resident birds that had nested in wigfach have certainly departed. 🙁

Lots of warblers feeding up amongst the trees on their southward journey , mostly Chiffchaff and Willow warbler but at least 2 Wood warbler giving good views.

2 adult and 2 juvenile Sparrowhawks at Pwllywaun , Newton. The young have been calling regularly for days from the large willows and all four were in the air this afternoon. Earlier the male came in with prey and either the much larger adult female or a youngster flew to meet him, almost touching talons in flight. Unfortunately I couldn’t make out if the prey had been passed but that seemed to be the intention.

A pair of Blue tits having successfully raised a brood and all have fledged from a nest in an outside cigarette butt bin. Swallows have again nested in the garage/workshop ( this time on a ledge of plywood I screwed to a crossbeam ), another pair are investigating the ladies toilet through an open window and a pair of pied wagtails have a clutch inside the gubbins of a contractors dumper truck! ( a sign is up to stop it being used). Also House sparrows are nesting all over the place, at least 20 pairs.

a Sparrowhawk has literally just whizzed past my ear as I got up from writing the previous post. 😃

admittedly not a bird sighting but might be of interest to some. Briefly had a hummingbird Hawkmoth hovering over my perennial wallflowers in the garden this afternoon. We’ve had them before but never this early, so it may have overwintered rather than come in from the continent.

An influx of Willow Warblers over the last few days have largely replaced the Chiffchaffs around the lake.