A mated pair of Little Grebes on the lake today; hopefully, breeding this year.

Also, 20+ Tufted Ducks, 2 Cormorants, pair of Mute Swans, Moorhens, Coots, etc.

It was our monthly public walk this morning. 13 folk braved the wind and rain and were rewarded by finding 39 (!) species.  Highlights – good views, in the bushes by the hide, of a Siberian Chiffchaff,  2 very close Goldcrest, a Treecreeper,  a moving flock of long-tailed tits,  then on the pool, a Goldeneye and 4 Shovelers.

Black-headed Gull,  Blackbird,  Blue Tit, Canada Goose,  Carrion Crow, Cetti’s Warbler, Chaffinch,  Chiffchaff (Siberian – tristis),Collared Dove, Coot , Dunnock, Gadwall, Goldcrest,  Goldeneye,  Goldfinch,  Great Black-backed Gull, Great Crested Grebe , Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit , Greenfinch (7), Herring Gull , House Sparrow,  Jackdaw,  Long-tailed Tit , Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen,  Mute Swan,  Robin, Shoveler,  Song Thrush,  Sparrowhawk,  Starling, Teal,  Treecreeper, Tufted Duck, Wigeon , Woodpigeon,  Wren.

Good to see some new folk, welcome!                                                                                                Many thanks to Strinda for leading.

 

On Wednesday 12th there was a flock of at least 50 Chaffinches but no Brambling.

2 Hawfinches seen very briefly this morning plus 2 Bullfinches and 12 Chaffinches but still no Brambling.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S64446970

A bit late but in case anyone’s in the location before the next storm, Dave Carrington found a very smart Glaucous Gull off Sker this morning, also seen by Neil Donaghy.

Seen flying east over new Aston Martin/ St Athan road 2000 hrs.

I did an hour’s sea watch from the hill away from the sea-front.Only birds of note were 6-Kittiwakes,2-pairs of Cormorants flying down channel,could of been Shags but too far away for certain ID. 15h00-16h00,yesterday.

On 8th a Kingfisher flew along the far shore of W lake with a small fish in its bill. There were c20 Fieldfare feeding in W paddock together with just 6 Redwing and 2 Mistle Thrush.A fem Kestrel was haunting over W paddock and there were 80- Tufties on W lake. Didn’t count E lake.

On 9th during storm Ciara, 80+ Fieldfare feeding in W paddock and I counted 7 Pochard on E lake

An early WeBS today, in view of the bad weather forecast!

Tufties here today, a first for for us at Talygarn.  Down to three swans, just one cygnet left

Blackbird , Blue Tit , Canada Goose ,Carrion Crow ,Coot, Chaffinch
Dunnock, Great Tit,  4 Little Grebe,  Magpie,   Mallard,  Moorhen ,  Mute Swan
Nuthatch , Robin,  Shoveler,  Starling, Teal , Tufted Duck,  Wren .

Plus, flowering, – Snowdrop, Violets(almost white) Dog’s Mercury, Lesser Celandine .

3 short-eared owls seen this evening at R.G.W. Flushed from the salt marsh by someone with a rifle at 16:00!!!

c20 each of Fieldfare and Redwing were feeding on the ground in W paddock mid morning. A pair of Bullfinch were seen eating tree buds by the path that goes round the back of W lake.

Nice to see a Heron on the small pond just outside the Concourse yesterday attracting people to take photos on their phones!

GRANGEMOOR PARK today–Kingfisher.

River Ely, Leckwith– pair Goosanders again.

An excellent pm birdwatching. Without moving from Portobello House, saw Water Pipit, Ad winter Med Gull, adult Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Common Gull in the Gull flock.

Then onto Ewenny Priory to see Hawfinch.

Firecrest still present today at lunchtime in the location posted by others. Occasionally in the treetops and on the west side of the steam.

Good numbers on the Ogmore in the sunshine this afternoon, including a Black Swan.

Black Swan,  Black-headed Gull,  Blackbird,  Buzzard, Canada Goose , Carrion Crow
Chaffinch,  Collared Dove,  Cormorant,  Dunnock,  Goosander (4),  Herring Gull , Linnet
Little Grebe (2),  Magpie , Mallard,  Mute Swan,  Pied Wagtail , Redshank (6) , Shelduck
Teal (12) , Woodpigeon

c.4:15 p.m. the Black Redstart showed briefly on the roofs of the tall houses facing the Bay about 100m beyond the sign for Plas St. Andresse. These are the houses that on the marina side, face into the small square, where the bird has all been seen. On the river Ely embankment there, just 4 Turnstone, 2 Redshank, 1Pied Wag male and 1 Grey Wag. One of the Redshanks was colour ringed and is probably the same bird that Annie Irving tweeted about a while ago. I couldn’t see the rings clearly as it was wading with the rings under the water but one was yellow.

2 Green Woodpeckers, 1 in E paddock and 1 in W. paddock. 2 Mistle Thrush in W paddock. 3 Shoveler on W lake [2m 1f] and 3 Pairs of GC Grebes displaying. Other than that the usual suspects.

Dipper on the River Taff near Cilfynydd

4 Avocets at Green Pt were a pleasant surprise this afternoon. Unfortunately flushed by walkers. I relocated one of them but not the other three.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S64087477

13 folk went to Llanelli today where it was less grey and overcast than in Penarth at least. Highlights were a Greenland Whitefront out in the salt marsh, 4 Spoonbill, 1 ad Yellow-legged Gull, hundreds of Black-tailed Godwits a flock fo which contained about 20 Knot. Alan common wildfowl were logged and out in the estuary on the falling tide, scopes managed to pick out 1000’s of Oycs, Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Curlew and Redshank. A total of 58 species were seen. List will be added to the trip lists in due course.