A juvenile Ruff was on the lower estuary this morning. Also present were an adult Mediterranean Gull and a hunting Peregrine.

A Cuckoo in Pant Norton was a surprise; the first I’ve seen in the area for years. A Greenshank was on estuary, with a Siskin and several Redpolls at Norton Wood.

Highlights of today’s WeBS count were Great Crested Grebe (rare here), Little Ringed Plover (juvenile), Mediterranean Gull (juvenile) and two Little Egrets.

A record shot of today’s Squacco Heron.

 

On the beach between Ogmore and Newton this afternoon were 100 Dunlin, 70 Sanderling and 30 Ringed Plover.

In  my Bridgend garden a Sedge Warbler sang from a bamboo plant by the pond and while watching a group of 20+ Swifts over town, a Hobby drifted high over. Earlier a Red Kite was also noted.

At Sker this morning an AGP may or may not have been present 😄

Very quiet on the migrant front this morning, but a pair of Red-legged Partridges was still around.

A Ring Ouzel was perched on top of a sycamore in the walled garden for about 20 minutes, must have known I didn’t have a camera on me! Also there a pair of Red-legged Partridges, male Common Redstart, Wheatear, Peregrine, Kestrel and Chough.

Called in at Ogmore Estuary on the way back, where two Common Sandpipers and 15 White Wagtails.

A male Pied Flycatcher was by the ice tower at Dunraven first thing (and seen by others later in the day near the viewpoint). Later a male Common Redstart was present, possibly the same bird as seen yesterday. Two Choughs flew over, several Siskins were around, and plenty of phylloscs had arrived.

At Ogmore a 1st-year Shag was on the rocks on the rising tide, but best of all was an Osprey that fished along the length of the river over high tide, seemingly flying off into trees at Merthyr Mawr as the rain got heavier.

A pair of Red-legged Partridges along a track and then in stubble was a surprise this morning.

A Firecrest was at the top end of Pant Norton late afternoon, earlier on today a Wheatear was on the lower estuary.

A skua was present from 15:45 until dusk. I initially thought it was a Pomarine, but am now happy it was, in fact, an Arctic. It alternated chasing the gulls around the rivermouth with resting on the beach. No pics, unfortunately, weather foul.

A Swallow, two drake Pintail, eight Wigeon and c. 40 Teal this morning.

A Water Pipit was on the lower estuary, but rarer in the context of the site was…….a Tufted Duck!

News from Dunraven of a Short-eared Owl, flew off mobbed by gulls (D Ripley).

A Firecrest in pines by the walled garden this morning.

An interesting – and very late – Willow Warbler was by Ogmore sewage works this morning, features possibly suggesting a ‘Northern’ bird.

A Ring Ouzel was in gorse at Ogmore-by-Sea SS 868 744 at 11am.

Busy earlier at Dunraven with Merlin, Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat, 2 Wheatears, 20 Blackcaps, 35 Chiffchaffs, 15 Coal Tits and a fair bit of visible migration, including 60 Crossbills.

Broadly similar numbers of birds in the two hours following sunrise as yesterday, but even more Crossbills today, with a remarkable 290 through. I can’t ever recall these sorts of numbers on passage in Glamorgan.

A vis mig watch this morning from 07:15 to 09:15 saw around 4000 birds coasting past east, most notably 163 Crossbills. Further totals were 1450 Swallows, 420 House Martins, 18 Skylarks, 90 Meadow Pipits, 46 Pied Wagtails, 2 Grey Wagtails, 370 Chaffinches, 430 Goldfinches, 420 Linnets, 470 Siskins and 3 Redpolls.

Seawatch this morning: Storm Petrel, Red-throated Diver, Manx Sheawater [3], Common Scoter [9], Fulmar, Kittiwake.