26 species seen and heard today at midday, including whitethroat as reported by GJJ yesterday, and also several swallows and martins.   

Furthermore to the goosander reported yesterday, today a male and female were fishing on the Taff just up from the entrance by the start of Cowbridge Road East. Spring was very much in the air despite the rain showers, with several willow warblers and chiffchaffs singing and a couple of blackcaps in the trees just past the walled garden and cafe. 

Willow warbler singing in the trees by the canal, and lots of chiffies now.  Main highlight was coming across where a pair of nuthatch appear to be nesting.

A pair of teal  (m+f) was a little out of the ordinary this lunch time on a quick walk up and around Blackweir. 3 goosander, and red admiral on the wing.   

BTD showing well, apparently quite content near the boardwalk corner when I left not long after  midday. No luck with the black redstart at the barrage, but five redshank were present on the rocks at the far end of the outer sea wall. No early wheatears just yet.  

Short visit at high tide this morning, and there were quite high numbers of birds present, with a mobile flock of 15 lapwings, with probably around another 20+ staying grounded, 100+ curlew, 250+ shelduck, approx 30 teal off shore, (which I was very aware could have held the recently reported american that has been reported in the area but without a scope that was practically impossible to tell) a group of 7 little egret.  Little owl present in the normal area off Mardy Road, and so was a showy male chiffchaff in song. 

Quick visit this morning, and there was a good selection of birds in the area outside the  hide without a door including 5 bullfinch (3M 2 F), and 2 goldcrest. Kingfisher and water rail seen from the  hide, and some very vocal green woodpeckers nearby. 

No luck with the LTD at the Knapp, and same with the divers at the docks, though a gent I spoke to said he had seen one in the morning. Consolation prize in the form of the lesser scaup on the west lake at Cozzie.

Plenty of turnstone but no sign of any purple sandies for me this visit despite a good search. Noticed two other gents presumably looking for them too, hopefully they had better luck.20 Goldeneye  on the river and two stonechat in the nearby gorse. At Parc Slip the bittern was showing quite well as you look out left from the first hide you come to from the car park.It was out in pretty much the open the entire time so had excellent views of it feeding, though obscured slightly by reeds for any particularly good photos. Recommend the lemon cake at the cafe

Enjoyable morning out birding. Four snipe and a flock of goldfinch from the hide without a door, and fantastic birding in the other hide with both good close views of kingfisher and sparrowhawk, but also a brief flight view of a bittern in the back area of the reeds opposite to the hide. Good to meet you Cliff, expect I will see you again somewhere. 

Great northern diver still present this afternoon at the northern end of the reservoir.

4 Hawfinches this moring, possibly 5 at one point, in the same area as reported yesterday by GJJ/DJJ , feeding in the trees adjacent to the path.

Flock of 100+ lapwing near junction 35 this morning, per James Bainton.

A Little Egret was fishing under the bridge by Castle Street on my way to work this morning, first I’ve seen there.

A wood sandpiper showed briefly this morning from the first hide, keeping very close to the nearest shoreline. Fairly quiet for the most part, although also present were a few other birds of particular note, oddly all occuring in singles – a knot in summer plumage, barwit, greenshank, little ringed plover, a dunlin in summer plumage. Also quite a lot of yellow wagtails feeding fledged young in the area around and immediately in front of the seawall hide. A curlew sandpiper was also reported whilst I was there.