Reed Warbler singing and Bullfinch pair seen twice this week along the bank of brambles and tall trees south of the park by the wall.

Recent ringing news HERE

Sprawk,Kestrel,Buzzard,Green Woodpecker.Good to meet Dan Jenkins Jones.

We went along to the moth trapping session this morning for a change of scenery. Apart from the moths, bird highlights were noteworthy with a Tree Pipit singing intermittently near the visitor centre and a Swift over. Siskin were also in display flight over the car park, a lovely morning enhanced by the appearance of a pair of Orange-tip butterflies.

Lesser Whitethroat singing near the River Ely.

An adult Grey Heron was on the far side of W lake. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing and seen briefly by the high level path that runs behind the far side of W lake and a Common Whitethroat seems to have territory by the dipping pond – the photo below is of that individual. A pair of Mallards were on the dipping pool 2 days ago with 6 small ducklings – this morning they were already down to two [mum + 1 below]. I wonder what’s taking them. In the band of trees between the dragonfly pond and Cogan Wood proper, there a a lot of Common Spotted Orchid leaf bracts so it will be a really good show in there when they finally produce flower spikes.

Small Garden Warbler 2 Blackcap 3 Willow Warbler 3 Chiffchaff 3 Tree Pipit 1 Orange T Peacock Speckled Wood Large and White.

 Garden Warbler

First Garden Warbler of the year. Also brief view of Willow Tit – record sent to the GBC Willow Tit Project. Also saw my first Orange Tip butterfly of the year too.

Common Whitethroat-3. Cetti’s Warbler- 2 singing.
Dunleavey Drive- Reed Warbler, one singing in roadside bushes.
River Ely, Watkiss Way, Sedge Warbler singing.

Great to see 10+ Swift over the Pool early yesterday morning with numerous Swallows and Sand Martin. 8 Greylag Geese in the bay on the East shore, seemingly in pairs. Good views of singing Blackcap, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Linnet and Greenfinch. Sedge Warble far more elusive, hidden in depth of Blackthorn.

Got back from Cosmeston this morning to find a Goldfinch on the brick pillar at the entrance to our drive. Kept hovering under the overhang of the topping stone. Grabbed the camera from the car boot and shot off a few shots w/o checking settings. It was apparently grabbing spider webs from under the overhang then puling them apart on the top to get at the little spiders inside. I there were 2, and I think they are nesting somewhere nearby. The pics are more or less in sequence. Click on the thumbnails for the full sized images.

Pretty quiet again. There was a pair of Jays coming down to the edge of Mile Road near the bridge, being unusually confiding, and caught in the act of collecting nest material [it’s not often you can report probable breeding of Jay]. A drake Pochard in W lake bay was a little unexpected at this time of year. In the long narrow meadow by Sully Brook [beyond the Dovecote field gate], there were 2 Common Whitethroats, one of which I managed to grab a shot of in song [pretty hefty crop tho’], and a Lesser Whitethroat was singing there too.

Barn Swallows have now reached the garden and pleased to have Willow Warbler as new garden bird yesterday which is still around this morning so hoping it may stay. Morning birdsong just now is fabulous.

Last Friday, saw a small flock (6?) of yellowhammers, male and female, on the edge of weodland.

Combining a Ramblers walking weekend with a spot of birding. A merganser pair on the river Usk, passing through the Glanusk estate, with an unconcerned red kite alighting in a tree just 15 feet from the path. Also a pied flycatcher in the woods leading up to the mast at the top of Graig Gwyr.

Yesterday- House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird, Wren, Woodpigeon, Song Thrush, Chiff-Chaff, Magpie, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Buzzard, Robin, House Martin, Chaffinch.

Plus, King Alfred’s Cakes and Turkey Tail fungus

Lots of wildflowers, beautiful.

1-Barn Owl hunting along the reen at eastern end of the lake.20h10

There was a singing Lesser Whitethroat in bushes at the top of the valley leading to Long Hole Cliff; also a pair of Wheatears at the bottom of the same valley, this afternoon at 3pm.

(Late news Thursday – 6 Whimbrel on the beach at Port Eynon, but flew off towards Horton as soon as seen).

 

Seen by Gwen this morning,  26 Whimbrel