A few snippets from the last few days: Roath Park Lake 2/10, 2 shoveller and 2 teal. 3/10, 1 shoveller and 1 teal.

Llanishen Res. 3/10: 1 shoveller, 4 wigeon, 1 teal, 26 tufties, 3 pochards, 1 mallard, c16 coots, 4 moorhans, 1 snipe, 4 meadow pipits, 8 linnets, 6 swallows,

A quick look around the birdless desert of Roath Park Lake today produced 2 wigeon which have joined the 2 shovellers and 4 teal. No sign of any little whimbrels.

Roath Park Lake: 2 shovellers (photo), 4 teal.

Llanishen: 2 shovellers (different from the Roath birds), 4 teal, 1 snipe, 2 mallards, 5 moorhens, 3 GC grebes, 8 L grebes, 12 coots, 6 tufties, 1 pochard, 2 cormorants, 1 heron, 12 linnets, 1 meadow pipit, 1 chiffchaff.

Lisvane: plenty of common stuff – 22 little grebes, 4 GC grebes, 57 tufties, 7 pochard, 50 coots, 30 Canadas, 3 cormorants, 7 mallards, 46 LBB gulls, 4 herring gulls, 1 BH gull. Water levels quite low today -2 grey wags on the mud in front of the car park.

Llanishen: Highlight was a water rail calling from the willow carr on the west edge of the main pool, a much earlier first date than last year. 5 common snipe, 4 shoveller, 1 teal, 3 GC grebes, 13 tufties, c10 coots, c10 little grebes, 1 pochard, 5 mallards, 3 moorhens, 3 BH gulls, sparrow hawk, green woodpecker, buzzard, jay, tawny owls very vocal at dusk.

A bit dark to see very well, but 2 wigeon, 2 shoveller, 1 teal, 1 common snipe, 13 tufties, 2 Canadas, c10 little grebes, 2 GC grebes and a noctule-sized bat out hunting.

Teal seem to be popping up everywhere at the moment; five were on Roath Park Lake this afternoon. Also, about 1,000 wood pigeons on the move over Pontprennau this morning.

Lisvane: An eclipse male teal was on the floating platform, a big roost of 185 LBB gulls, 7 pochards, 67 tufties, 57 coots, 12 little grebes and 2 GC grebes, 3 cormorants, 3 mallards and 10 Canadas. 2 ravens and some very vocal tawny owls around Coed y Felin at dusk.

Llanishen: 7 snipe calling and in flight were the first of the winter here. Male gadwall still present, with 2 shoveller, 3 teal, 3 pochards, 6 tufties, 7 mallards, 6 little grebes, 13 coots, ad and juv GC grebes, 1 heron and a meadow pipit. Buzzard, jay, blackcap, chiffchaff, linnet, grey and pied wags, etc.

Had a quick look this evening -the drake gadwall is still present.

Lisvane: 16 little grebes, 5 GC grebes, 6 pochard, 67 tufties, 58 coots, 5 mallard, 4 cormorants, a big roost of 146 LBB gulls, with 9 H gulls and 8 BH gulls. 2 swallows, pied and grey wags.

Llanishen: No sign of the recent BN grebe, but a male gadwall was a good record here. Also, 6 wigeon (photo), 1 teal, 2 shoveller, 1 pochard, 6 mallard, 5 tufties, 8 coots, 2 moorhens, 2 little grebes, 2 ad GC grebes and the large chick.

Had a quick look this morning -the juv black-necked grebe is still present on the main lagoon (also seen by Phil Bristow on Saturday) though often elusive among the willows. 

Quieter today, with several of yesterday’s goodies departing overnight. For the first time since 16th August, there were no BN grebe sightings!

Lisvane, am: 1 Med gull, 16 little grebes, 4 GC grebes, 18 mallards, 83 tufties, 4 pochards, 2 mutes, 73 coots, 41 Canadas, 1 heron, 2 grey wags, 1 cormorant and a sparrow hawk trying and failing to catch a green woodpecker.

Llanishen at dusk: 1 wigeon, 8 pochard, 22 tufties, 26 Canadas, 5 moorhens, 2 mallards, 14 little grebes, ad and juc GC grebe, 18 coots, 2 ravens, 1 kingfisher, 2 tawny owls calling at dusk. c500 swallows came in to roost, finally settling in the willow scrub.

I also watched a very tame jay “anting” on the lawn outside St Andrew’s church in town.

A classic autumn migration day at the reservoirs, with lots of birds on the move. Highlights included:

Lisvane: 1 hobby, 1 Mediterranean gull (my first ever here) among 42 BH gulls, 3 common sandpiper, 1 green sandpiper, 1 kingfisher. Also 3 pochard, 43 Canadas, 2 mutes etc.

Llanishen: 1 juv BN grebe (better views today suggested that this is indeed the buff-cheeked juv previously on Lisvane Res) among the numerous little grebes, 1 shoveller, 3 wigeon, 8 teal, c10 tufted ducks now including just 1 duckling, 2 pochards, 8 mallards, 1 heron, 1 clouded yellow (also my first here).

Llanishen, am: A black-necked grebe was on the main lagoon, associating with some of the many little grebes currently present. Views were a bit distant (see dodgy record shot) but it looked similar to the juv bird that was on Lisvane Res yesterday. Also, plenty of movement going on with 1 wigeon, 8 teal, 2 mallards, 6 meadow pipits, 2 reed buntings, 8 chiffchaffs, 2 blackcaps, 31 Canadas, 2 mute swans, 3 moorhans, 10 tufties and 10 coots.

Lisvane, pm: no sign of any other BN grebes here today among 16 little grebes, but 1 redshank and 2 common sandpipers around the shoreline.

A full count today included the juv black-necked grebe (mainly off S and W shores), 14 little grebes, 2 GC grebes, 93 tufties, 3 pochards, 10 mallards, 33 Canadas, 2 mutes, 63 coots, 2 common sandpipers, 1 heron, etc.

Lisvane: here at north Cardiff’s premier black-necked grebe viewing facility, the juvenile BNG (i.e. the 3rd bird to appear) was back on display this morning near the car park, before moving off along the west bank. A common sandpiper was also present.

Llanishen: this evening, at least 14 little grebes of various ages, including a new tiny chick (perhaps the 4th brood to have hatched here this year). Also, 1 adult GC grebe still feeding the single juv, 20 Canadas, 3 moorhens, 2 pochard, 8 tufties, 8 coots, 6 BH gulls, 1 mallard and 2 juv herons flew in -hotly pursued by the local corvids!

Lisvane: The BN grebe was showing well in front of the Black Oak Road viewing platform late afternoon.

Llanishen: lots of disturbance from cutting of the willow scrub on the reservoir banks and various people wandering around inside the fence, but 1 wigeon and 1 pochard present. c80 sand martins, c20 h martins and c10 swallows over the pool ahead of the rain, but no swifts to be seen.

Apparently the BN grebe was still present on Llysfaen res. today, having moved to the SE corner (Alan Cripps).

On Llanishen, 1 wigeon, 4 teal and a pochard were new in, to join yesterday’s regulars.

A kingfisher was fishing around the island on Roath Park Lake.

Lisvane: The winter-plumage Black-Necked Grebe was still present today, fishing intensively around the floating platform in the NW corner. Also, 7 little grebes, 3 GC grebes, 142 tufties, 6 pochards, 53 coots, 6 mallards, 2 mute swans, etc. A small flock of birders in the car park; Phil Bristow was a year tick, and Graham Powell was a life tick for me.

Llanishen: 9 adult tufties and the 5 tufted ducklings are growing bigger. 1 ad and 1 juv GC grebe (too young to fly, previously found by Phil B) is another notable breeding record for Llanishen. One very small little grebe chick represents the third brood (at least) to have been hatched here this summer. 9 other little grebes around the ever-growing lagoon. 6 coots, 1 mallard, and a juv buzzard mewing in the woods.

Lisvane yesterday (29th): 1 ad yellow-legged gull among a decent roost of 128 LBB gulls, 9 herring gulls and a single BH gull. Wildfowl dispersal continues, with 142 tufties, 6 pochard, 66 coots, 5 GC grebes, 2 adult and 1 large juv little grebes, 1 ad and 2 large juv moorhens, 8 Canadas, 3 mallards and 2 mute swans.

Our report to NRW on wildfowl counts at Lisvane Reservoir across the last winter period, is available here:

http://lisvanewildlife.wordpress.com

Llanishen today (30th): Highlight was confirmation of breeding of tufted duck at Llanishen Reservoir -a female with 5 small ducklings. 3 other tufties, 1F teal, 2 adult little grebes with at least 2 large chicks (1st brood) and at least 1 small chick (i.e. 2nd brood). Also 11 Canadas, 12 coots and a pied wag.

The suspiciously tame red-crested pochard / hybrid was still present this evening at the boardwalk. No sign of the recent GWE.