Small numbers of migrants heading E along the Barrage into the wind: Siskin 100+, Meadow Pipit 35, Swallow 12, Chaffinch 2, Tree Pipit 1. Two Raven and a Peregrine also over the Barrage. Elsewhere there were at least 54 Pied Wagtails dotted around the Bay, 16 on Barrage, 10 around Norwegian Church/Britannia Park and 10 on the grass behind the Oystercatcher pub were largest groups, no sign of any Whites today. There were also about 170 House Martins feeding over the water.

Quite a few migrants around the Wetland Reserve/St David’s Hotel this morning – by Bay standards anyway – 20+ phylloscs, mainly Chiffchaff by the look of it, 8 Blackcap, 1 Garden Warbler, 2 Kingfisher (might well have been another two on the barrage side as well), 6 Goldcrest. Highlight for me was out on the Barrage earlier – a Whinchat (first I’ve seen in the Bay), 6 Yellow Wagtails, 5 Grey Wagtail along with 32 Pied Wagtails and at least 1 White.

Silurian Park also had quite a few migrants, best was a Spotted Flycatcher (second this autumn after one on 26/08), 4 Blackcap, 6 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 3 Coal Tit (first around here for a couple of years) plus Siskin and Peregrine overhead.

A Whimbrel flying around near the Norwegian Church at 8:40 this morning.

Pair of Gadwall on the wetland reserve. Four Med Gull on Hamadryad Park (3 ad, 1 second yr).

Two Whimbrel over at 8:45

6 Raven and a Common Sandpiper over the locks this morning. Two of the Raven were the pair that have been hanging around between Penarth Head and the docks for a couple of months now.

Two Red Kites drifted over heading north at 15:10

An hour looking out across the Channel from the Barrage 18:15-19:15 produced 2 Gannet and 2 Arctic Skua down channel – result! Although mildly miffed to find that Arctic Skua only gets you 1 point on PWC while Gannet gets 2.

2 Swift in amongst c200 Sand Martin and a handful of Swallows over the bay this morning. The Great Crested Grebes nesting near the boardwalk in the wetland reserve now have one chick.

Managed to get shots of both birds in the same light and at the same (unfortunately extreme) range this afternoon. You can see how visible the P9 marks are on the one compared with the other and the variation in black smudge shape. Sadly the two in one shot never came off because as one drifted off up river the other one took its place.

Pete

Bonaparte’s and Iceland Gulls around the barrage this morning (along with the Little and Med to add to the mixture). Iceland wasn’t behaving for photos but the Bonaparte’s was close enough to get one or two. Also Raven over and Peregrines making a racket.

   

Last year’s bird for comparison (following Lol’s question in his comment):

Drake Gadwall still on the reserve at 16:15, no sign of the Little Gull.

Two female/first year and one adult male Black Redstart still present around Plas Taliesin, no sign of the bird on the rocks on the seaward side of the outer harbour. One of the female/first year birds came down from the rooftops briefly.

The Lesser Scaup was sheltering close in by the ice rink this morning and showing well.

Lesser Scaup close in by the ice rink this morning.

Not quite what I expected to see creeping around my garden pond in the middle of Cardiff today!

2nd winter (3rd cy) Med. Gull around the barrage again today. This bird has been around all winter, seen at Channel View back in November. Interestingly it has lost both its feet (old injuries, wounds well healed) so seems to be surviving ok.

The Great Northern Diver was still around this morning between St David’s Hotel and Norwegian Church. The Lesser Scaup was showing really well in the small bay in front of the hotel but flew off back into the reserve. Hybrid was also still present on the reserve. Five Goosander in total, 3 on the Taff just down from Channel View (tucked in close to the west bank) and another pair on the rocks near Prospect Place. Sadly the female of this pair has an injured wing and is unable to fly – although seems healthy otherwise.

Lesser Scaup

Goosander

As Lol said earlier the GN Diver was showing well in the Bay today…

The Pintail was also sunning itself on the reserve and managed a record shot

The Lesser Scaup and hybrid were also both still there, the hybrid a bit closer than the other day.

G.N. Diver still present, earlier this morning it was close in near the Norwegian Church (unfortunately I was looking from St David’s Hotel!) then drifted back out towards the middle. Lesser Scaup still on the reserve, no sign of the hybrid. At least 3 Black Redstarts around Penarth Marina (1 male, 2 females).