Fabulous weather and visibility for our first Public Walk of 2020 this morning. Twenty -six folk came along, and enjoyed a walk to the sea with a rising tide. (30+ surfers to entertain us)

Highlights were:- Marsh Harrier, being pursued by two Short-eared Owls, three very bright Greenfinch, Purple Sandpiper, lots of Curlew and a shag on the rocks at Sker, whilst folk with ‘scopes found us Red -Throated Divers, Great Crested Grebe and Common Scoter out to sea. We had a total of 49!  A really good start for our 2020 total.     If folk who went to the pool as well could give us any extras, that would be great.

1 Shelduck on flooded field, 1 Curlew flying over and 4 Chiffchaffs working together along the hedgerow.

WeBS today, very quiet in the woods, not even a Magpie or Woodpigeon, but the Teal were looking fabulous.

Blackbird , Blue Tit,  Canada Goose,  Chaffinch,  Coot,  Dunnock , Great Tit,  Little Grebe ,
Mallard , Moorhen , Mute Swan , Robin,  Teal .

At least 35 pied wagtails over by the water yesterday

There were at least 8 Hawfinches in Fforest ganol this morning, Very high up in the Hornbeams.

My son,who is not a birder,has text me to say there are two Great Northern Divers in the above location and lots of birders there.14h10

14 species seen at Forest Ganol this morning including my first Hawfinch of the winter.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S62988117

Only 10 species seen this morning in the small bay by the Helipad but it’s a good spot to get close views of Pintail, Shoveler, Shelduck, Oystercatcher, Curlew and BH gulls.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S62949485

32 species seen this morning including dipper, goosander and siskin.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S62904843

The very confiding male garganey was still there at 3. O. Clock its latched on to a drake mallard and followed it everywhere also there were a male goosander 4 tufted ducks 20+ mallard 70 + black headed gulls 2 mute swan coots, and moorhens a few chaffinch robin dunnock sparrows and goldfinch >

There as an aythya drake on W lake this morning which could have been and ad Scaup or the Scaup type hybrid that’ been around for a while on and off. It was on far side of W lake and in the glare of the sun, difficult to be sure.

At the Marina intially had a distant view of the Black Redstart that has been around on and off, then got better view just before dusk at the square by Plas Taliesin. Seems to be a fem or 1st yr bird – see poor cropped pix. Also had a Rock Pipit and a Grey Wag on the roofs there and 3 Turnstone were along the R. Ely edge. In the Bay there were 3 drake Goosander and 5 females and c.8 Gt Crested Grebe. Click each image for a bigger one.

In pretty dense mist this morning, a 1st yr drake Scaup was on W lake, plus a pair of Teal and 2 pairs of Gadwall, with the usual Tufties. Whilst I was at the central viewpoint a Sparrowhawk shot through, down the length of the mile road [the central path] weaving in and out of the path-side trees – v impressive.

Red Kite circling for about an hour over my back garden in Coity.

Great Northern Diver on the west side of the bay this afternoon at high tide.

An adult winter Mediterranean Gull was on west lake at around midday, so a different bird to the second year that was seen by Wayne Strong earlier in the morning. A quick scan of the Tufties revealed no Scaup from yesterday [per Graham Smith and Annie Irving].

0645 21/12/19 Tawny Owl calling and then flying over our heads as we loaded up the car.

Highlights of the GBC monthly walk at Kenfig this morning in surprisingly OK weather considering the conditions driving down there along the M4, were a Marsh Harrier quartering the western dunes and lake edge, where it flushed 3 Snipe, and an Otter swimming and diving on the western side of the pool, viewed from south pool hide whilst we had our mince pies and mulled cranberry juice concoction which was delicious – thanks Jean Haslam! All in all 41 species seen including in addition to the Harrier & Snipe, just two each of Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Teal, the latter and a Wigeon in a flood in the dunes, 3 Gt Crested Grebes, Cetti’s warbler seen well from the hide, a Common Gull, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 male Bullfiunch and other common species. 16 folk attended. 

23 species seen this afternoon including kingfisher, dipper, greenfinch and my first siskins of the winter.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S62467391

Seven Red Kites were seen together by the cross at Capel Gwladys today, which is on Gelligaer Common – this news per Geri Thomas. Thanks for calling it in Geri.