1-Brambling in my garden this morning.

Dozens of Fieldfares and Redwings in Singleton Park, and feeding along grass verges along the seafront as far as the city centre. A couple of Lapwings flew over St. Helen’s, and a lone female Stonechat cut a forlorn sight as it hopped along the promenade at Brynmill.

Snipe in the garden still this morning. Also 2 Mistle thrush, 4 redwing, single fieldfare together with more regular garden birds. Pleased that the birds are coming to me as I am seriously snowed in!

Another snowy day brought in all the usual garden suspects – Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Goldfinch, Siskin, Blackbird (including our regular leucistic male), Starling, Magpie, Pied/White Wagtail, Collared Dove & Woodpigeon. But today they were joined by Song Thrush, Redwing and 3 Redpoll … I assume these were Lesser Redpoll but not sure.

(Apologies for the image quality – these were taken through the kitchen window in quite gloomy light)

The snow elsewhere has brought lots of Lapwings into Baglan, they are feeding along the verges on the A48 and the runabout by Mcdonalds. Also plenty of Lapwings (20+), Fieldfares (first of the winter around here) and Redwings in Baglan Primary School field, some also ventured into my garden.

Very pleased to add Common Snipe to my garden list this afternoon. Lots of activity in the drifting snow including 4 Fieldfare, Grey Wagtail, pair of Bullfinch, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, m&f Great Spotted Woodpecker, Chaffinch, Wren, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Great, Blue, Coal and Long-tailed Tits, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Carrion Crow

A lone Lapwing was sheltering from the blizzard in the dunes at the top of the beach opposite Singleton Park this evening.

Female / juvenile black redstart on the roofs of Cantonian High School at the rear Doyle Avenue entrance 4.20 this afternoon.

32 species seen on a walk around FF this morning, the highlight being a white wagtail at Radyr Weir with 4 grey wagtails. Also dipper, snipe and kingfisher.

Ringtail Hen Harrier, Whooper Swans, Pink-footed Geese, Great White Egret and Tree Sparrow were the highlights of 57 species seen or heard on Sunday’s GBC field trip to Dryslwyn, Cilsan Bridge and Tregaron.

Thanks to all 12 participants for an enjoyable day’s birding in a sunny but cold Mid Wales.

Full species list: Mute Swan, Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Goosander, Little Grebe, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Cormorant, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Peregrine, Lapwing, Snipe, Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest, Wren, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Bullfinch.

Red-Breasted Goose, Aberdare Town Park 24th Feb ’18 12AM. Has been hanging around the valleys for a few months, according to Bird Track, extreme rarity. Suggest came from Slimbridge rather than Siberia.

This was a lovely spot to visit in the sunshine on Thursday morning.

Robin, Bullfinch , Treecreeper, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Redwing, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Buzzard over, Wren, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail, Starling.

A nice sight this morning was a Merlin which flew overhead over W paddock heading towards E paddock and the golf course. The Bullfinches were still in the same place as the other day, this time with 3 Goldfinch, all feeding on the ground at the far end of W paddock. A Common Snipe flew around the snipe paddock.

At Cossie this morning 1 Kingfisher across W lake, 1 Mistle Thrush W paddock and 3 Bullfinch at RH far end of W paddock feeding on the ground, 2 Buzzard over Cogan Wood, 1 Greylag Goose W lake, and Gareth [The Tax] Jenkins by the cafe!

Goldcliff p.m. – low tide and first hide only – 3 Greenshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 5 Common Redshank, 3 Little Egret, 1 fem Marsh Harrier, 1 Kes, c200 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 3 Stonechat plus Teal & Shoveler. Of interest was that one of the Common Snipe was bouncing up & down just like a Jack Snipe, but it was definitely a Common as it showed its bill fully. Never seen a Common Snipe do this.

A drake Scaup reported on the lake this morning [Bob Mitchell].

Saw the male G S Woodpecker on Cogan Wood again this morning, but no luck with Marsh Tit.

The fem type Black Redstart was flycatching at 4:45 p.m. and onwards at Penarth Marina his aft. Seemed to concentrate on the roofs of the houses around the small ‘private’ square that faces on to the marina.

Been several ringed gulls in Bracelet Bay this past week.. My old friend Med gull E825 (been visiting us since 2006 from Antwerp) A Finnish BH gull ST285095 (still waiting the history) and today another Belgium Med gull E913701this time without the plastic DARVIC ring which makes i.d. so much easier..

A kingfisher flew across W lake this morning and landed in a tree by the middle viewpoint. Otherwise much the same as recently. Pochard number around 25 or so, many hiding in the reed edges.

WeBS count today

Blackbird ,Carrion Crow ,Collared Dove ,Dunnock ,Jackdaw ,Little Grebe ,Magpie, Moorhen ,Nuthatch ,Song Thrush ,Woodpigeon ,Blue Tit ,Coal Tit ,Coot ,Great Tit
Jay ,Long-tailed Tit ,Mallard ,Mute Swan ,Robin ,Teal .Wren .

Golden Plover, Lapwing, Sparrowhawk, Goldeneye and Raven the highlights of 51 species seen on today’s GBC monthly walk at a calm, sunny Kenfig NNR. Thanks to Strinda Davies for leading the walk and to all 17 participants who came along.

Full species list: Mute Swan, Greylag Goose, Canada Goose, Mallard, Teal, Goosander, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Goldeneye, Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Cormorant, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch and Reed Bunting.