At Hensol Lake yesterday a Grass Snake was chased off as it swam across the lake by a Coot who pecked at it to encourage it on its way. I took a very brief video but it would not down load on to the site so have put on pics of the snake.

Yellow Legged Gull adult quite confiding, probably the bird we saw earlier in the year.

Swift 100+ Sand Martin 20 Great Crested grebe 20 incl 2 juvs and a bird on a nest. Black Swan 1  Mute Swan 50  Tufted Duck 1

Lots of coot with young. Whitethroat 4 singing males plus 2 juvs Blackcap i juv Linnet 1 Reed Bunting 2

 

Yesterday: Redstart 1 imm/fem at the western edge of the reserve not seen one here previously. Blackcap 6 singing birds plus a male feeding young. Bullfinch 8 including a family party Chiffchaff  4 Willow Warbler 2. There was lots of bird activity but, not easy to see because of foliage,  there seemed to be many juvenile birds.                                Also: Broad Bodied Chaser male and female.

Sand Martins 40 seen is flight at on time lots of nesting in castle walls. Amongst the Lesser Black-backed Gulls were two colour ringed birds white rings black lettering 9LF 3CF  submitted to Euring. Also a pair of Muscovy Duck not seen at this sight previously. 

Usual warblers in song but, surprise of the day was a Painted Lady butterfly along with Small White 2 Orange Tip 10 and Brimstone 2, have seen more butterflies this spring than ever before.

Blackcap 4 Chiffchaff 3 Willow Warbler 1 Siskin 2 also Butterflies: Brimstone 4 Large White 1 Comma 2 Peacock 3 and a Weasel.

 Taken with my phone so not so sharp. Mike

Brent Goose 1st winter dark bellied photo to follow (hopefully). Also House Martin 1 Sand Martin 10 Sparrowhawk 1 Buzzard 2.

 

Sand Martin 2

Glaucous Gull roosting on Cardiff Dock Building. Having seen the recently published photograph we think that this might possibly be a different bird. It appeared white, if there were brown vermiculations they were very faint indeed. We observed the bird from circa 400 meters telescope x 25-60 the light was good, white of primaries paler than mantle. It was a very large bird as big as Great B/B Gull long straight pale bill with distal third dark brown.

Also: Black Redstart male Chiffchaff 2 both singing Turnstone 2 Great Crested Grebe 6, No sign of the LTD or Scaup.

Had to go into Caerphilly so did a lap around the moat: Goosander 8 four males and four females Teal 2 males Kingfisher 2 and no camera! Also a preroost gathering of Jackdaw involving circa 600 birds.

Lesser Redpoll 2 in a mixed roving flock otherwise very quite.

Chiffchaff 1 looked like nominate race. Water Rail heard Snipe 3

A male Wigeon was a bit of a surprise Tufted Duck 40 Teal 30. We noticed again that the Black-headed Gulls were associating with Coot to obtain food when they dive and disturb food particles to the surface, the Coot tolerate this behaviour without showing any signs of aggression towards the gulls.

Further to Gareth’s sightings at the bay. Scaup 2 females associating with lookalike Lesser Scaup and Kingfisher Water Rail  heard.

Goosander 2 a drake and duck.

Goldfinch feeding on teasel today.

Water Rail 1 Kingfisher 1 Buzzard 3 Black-headed Gull 51 Mallard 35 Grey Heron 1 Stonechat 2

Goosander 2 redheads, Redwing 6 Cormorant 5 on power cables.