1-Black Tern showing well this afternoon.

6 of us braved the dire weather forecast to take part on the Walk for Women on Sunday morning, meeting at Forage Farm cafe and farmshop, near Cowbridge. We managed to find 22 species between us before torrential rain made it sensible to turn back before halfway. Hot drinks and snacks in the outside yurt were very welcome! The highlights were – a Hobby, a constant stream of migrating Swallows with a Yellow Wagtail amongst them, several Mistle Thrush and Raven.

Full List- Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Blackbird, Carrion Crow,

Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Robin, Magpie, Buzzard, Swallow, Yellow Wagtail, Greenfinch, Herring Gull, Meadow Pipit, Rook, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Hobby, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Chiff Chaff, Raven Great Tit, Wren

Thanks for coming, hope you’ve dried out!

Strinda, Jenna and Jean

I’ve just heard a Chiffchaff singing in Wigfach, rather odd but not unusual this time of year apparently.

13 of us took a gamble on the weather this morning, and were rewarded with some excellent sightings! Great to meet old and new friends.

We went down to the sea at Sker Point, then across the dunes on many small paths to the hide . 47 species were found between us, the highlights being an OSPREY!! flying east along the coast, a Hobby chasing dragonflies over the pool, 50+ swallows throughout the morning-also flying east, a Whinchat and couple of Wheatear.

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading, and several other experts who helped us all .

Full List

Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Wigeon , Mallard , Teal , Woodpigeon , Collared Dove , Coot , Great Crested Grebe , Golden Plover , Curlew , Turnstone , Black-headed Gull , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Osprey , Red Kite , Kingfisher Great Spotted Woodpecker , Kestrel , Hobby , Jay , Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Raven , Great Tit , Skylark, Swallow , House Martin , Cetti’s Warbler , Whitethroat, Wren, Starling , Song Thrush , Blackbird, Robin , Whinchat , Stonechat , Wheatear , Dunnock , Pied Wagtail , Rock Pipit , Bullfinch , Linnet , Goldfinch , Reed Bunting 

Countless numbers of Swallows are moving through Wigfach today. A constant stream of birds in small and large groups, sometimes congregating into flocks of 100- 200, especially to feed over the unmown hay meadows, sweeping so close over my head I can hear their beaks snap shut as they catch insects. An unforgettable sight.

Cosmeston this morning. A single Whinchat was in the plantation above Sully Brook, together with 2 Stonechat. No pix of these – too distant and flighty. A couple of smart Starlings were feeding on blackberries near the Medieval dovecote. Elsewhere the vocal Buzzard was circling and a Flat Holm ringed juv LBBG [F:F76 blue] was by E lake. At the dipping pond there are still some very small punk – plumaged Moorhen chicks. It seems that a single pair there have had 3 or poss 4 broods this year.

Having missed a lot of migrant activity over the weekend as I was away, I was pleased to catch up with Whinchat [3 of them] at Cosmeston this afternoon, plus a first winter male Redstart, a plumage I’ve not seen before. Superficially it looks like a Stonechat, but the greyish head & mantle, dark smudgy cheeks and rufous ‘springy’ tail are good pointers [although the tail is not well shown in the two px I managed to shoot before it dropped out of view]. The birds were in the sapling plantation above Sully Brook. There were also c.20 Linnet in a tree by the brook.

Dozens of Swallows over my place of work in Wigfach, Porthcawl at the moment. I’m not sure if they are just our breeding pairs & this years juveniles or it’s a group moving through. We’ve had at least a couple of pairs raising raising possibly 3 broods each, the last brood in my workshop have just taken their first flight. I’ll miss their swirling around and twittering calls. I’ll have a better idea how many we’ve had when I check the empty nests and start the clean up operation !

Not much of interest for me of late although others [who get up earlier than I do!], have had Spotted Flycatcher and Redstart. Yesterday there were no less than 6 ‘Spot Flys’ at the far end of East Paddock! I did catch up with a rather elusive Whinchat by the tree plantation above Sully Brook, on 31st Aug. The only interest this morning was the Grey Heron sitting quite peacefully in a tree near the main bridge, until another arrived and set it off squawking and eventually chasing the intruder off. Other interest yesterday were 5 Tufted Ducks, all in eclipse plumage.

Like all Phalarope always moving and spinning

Great excitement yesterday when a juvenile Grey Phalarope was found a the Knap Lake in Barry. We took our morning dog walk there this morning rather than the usual Cosmeston – not surpringly! It was pretty obvious that it was still present when we arrived, due to the row of folk with cameras along the east side of the lake. As is often the case with phalaropes, this tiny wader was incredibly bold and was swimming along the near edge of the lake right next to photographers sitting on the adjacent path. Its tiny size is accentuated in one of my photos below where it is being followed by a Mute Swan. Loads of portrait images have been posted on social media. There’s a few of mine below including two where it moved away from the lake edge to wash and prean.

13 folk came on our Public walk on Saturday morning, thanks for coming along! Great to see old and new friends. It was damp and overcast, but we still were pleased to find 36 species between us. We were lucky that Colin and co were bird ringing and invited us to join them, everyone – including Dave C! ) learned something new from his fascinating talk, and were pleased to see Whitethroat, Tree Pipit and Garden Warbler in the hand. Other highlights were a Great White Egret at the north end of the pool, and a Common Sandpiper on the east shore. I particularly liked watching a Grey Heron swimming along!

Full List-

Canada Goose , Mute Swan , Gadwall , Wigeon , Mallard , Woodpigeon , Water Rail , Moorhen , Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Common Sandpiper , Black-headed Gull , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Great White Egret , Grey Heron,
Great Spotted Woodpecker , Kestrel , Magpie, Jackdaw , Carrion Crow, Sand Martin , Swallow , House Martin ,
Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff , Blackcap , Garden Warbler, Whitethroat , Starling , Blackbird, Robin , Dunnock , Tree Pipit , Bullfinch , Linnet

There’s been a very vocal Buzzard at Cosmeston recently, often up circling with a few others. It was there again this morning calling and drifting towards me and not too high so I prepared for some flight shots. Managed a few which needed some post processing as they were a bit silhouetty. Dead chuffed to get a couple where it was in mid “mew”. Pretty sure it’s a juvenile due to the heavy breast streaking and the pale tips to the upper wing coverts viewable in one of the ‘wing down’ images.

i point and snap by basically reaction and happen to catch the bird in bottom corner

Sunday 11th August am. Spotted Flycatcher 2 Redstart Mistle Thrush a flock of 20 Willow Warbler singing Blackcap female Chiffchaff . Dragonflies: Emperor 1 Southern Hawker 3 Common Darter 6 pair ovipositing Azure Blue 10. Butterflies Red Admiral 1 Green Veined White 6 Large White 1 Gate Keeper 6 Common Blue 4

Rather humid outing to the R.Ely floodplain near Peterston-super-Ely this morning, with 18 participants. We scored with the target birds – 6, possibly 8 Green Sandpipers, a new bird for some. They did their usual thing of exploding from their hiding places along the river edge, uttering their characteristic “weet-a-weet-a-weet” call. 26 species were logged on what was a fairly quiet morming bird-wise. The full list [subject to updates] is linked below. A non-avian highlight was the Dark Bush-cricket which is pictured below. The other non-avian shown is one of the common Hoverflies, Eristalis pertinax. A notgable find by Charlotte on the walk back, was a Roesel’s Bush-cricket – apparently a new record for the site – nice one!. John Wilson

PS an image of the Roesel’s is added to the gallery. Cropped phone pic taken by Charlotte.

Here’s the current list: click here

Cosmeston a.m. A Little Egret was resting by the W lake ‘island’ – it was very distant so the pix are rubbish. But pale bill and dull legs seem to point to 1st yr bird. Very vocal large GCG juv was pestering it’s parent. Also a very vocal Green Woodpecker was in the conservation area but I couldn’t see it. There were about 20 Sand Martins over W lake – the first hirundines I’ve seen in the park for about a week. The LBBG was an evil looking brute!

There were c.30 Canada Geese by E lake shore today, presumably having arrived early this morning as they weren’t there yesterday. A Kingfisher flew under the main bridge and disappeared into the trees along the edge of the W lake reed bed. A pair of GC Grebes were with 3 small humbugs there – see photo. Also of note – good numbers of Gatekeepers and a few Common Blues

Suspected fem marsh harrier seen over farmland just west of Gileston today about 1230. Large brown bird,long straight tail, wings too thin to be buzzard. Low ish flight over ground, maybe 10-20ft up foraging. Definitely not red kite, and no white rump visible (not hen harrier).

Six people assembled at Kenfig NNR , including the leader for the day John Western, for the monthly GBC bird walk on Saturday 20th July.

Undoubtedly,  the dismal weather forecast had put potential participants off, together with the start of the peak holiday season , following schools breaking up the previous day.

Thankfully, the rain kept away until late morning by which time those taking part were heading for the car park and home.

This good fortune meant that the group headed for the bird hide, but not before completing a circular walk around the woodland adjacent to the hide. The path used for this walk had, until recently, been flooded and impassable. The flood water had since receded and all was well.

July has the reputation of being a quiet month from a birding point of view, and so it proved. Small birds, including the usual suspects such as Robin, Dunnock and Great Tit were conspicuous by their absence, both visually and vocally.

Nevertheless, the group soldiered on and eventually managed to report the grand total of 18 species.

A single Raven flew over, a Great Black Backed Gull was resting on the old boathouse, a calling Water Rail was heard and it was gratifying to see the Great Crested Grebe family in full view and good shape on the far side of the pool. 

It is hoped that the August walk will be more productive, but none the less it was an enjoyable experience. 

Full list of species recorded is as follows:- Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Swift, Swallow, Coot , Black – headed Gull, Herring Gull, Great black – backed Gull, Lesser black- backed Gull, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Greylag Goose, Great Crested Grebe and Water Rail.”

Many thanks to John Western for this report and for leading the walk.