A Slavonian Grebe showed reasonably well on West side of Pool at 4pm, including surface paddling off towards centre of pool when a Great Crested arrived. Water Rail raced across one of the cuts and a Cetti’s Warbler obliged in darting  flight.

2 slav grebes near south hide at 1pm

The slav Grebe was showing well in the centre of kenfig pool at about 12:30. Also Brent geese at Aberthaw and Fieldfare and GWE still at Flemingston moor.

Just a reminder that I’m giving a talk on Galapagos & Ecuador at KNNR for GBC this evening. 7:45 p.m. prompt.

Couple of shovelor, kingfisher, little grebe, pochard. Lots of redwings and mistle thrush around the whole park (even more in the estate across the rd), bulfinch, GSW and at least 4 green peckers. Single swallow over St Aug church this pm and 5 or 6 mistle thrush.

Yellow legged gull from Blackweir yesterday

 

Redwing  have arrived in Pyle at last with 8 flying over early this morning, calling. At Kenfig Pool yesterday had good view of Water Rail on the run across dry stubble in front of South Hide and later in the day a Cetti’s Warbler flew through reed beds.

Lavernock reserve late morning seemed virtually birdless, except for a Buzzard circling. Then as I walked back to the car the local Harris Hawk did a nice couple of circuits overhead. No camera sadly. On the coast path I was pleased to see a single Brambling with a few Chaffinch just past the big house.

An adult yellow-legged gull was showing very well on the weir at lunchtime today tucking into a small pike. The first time I have seen one this far upstream.

2 hawfinch briefly in copse at back of gorseinon junoIor school. May have flown or in surrounding area. Will keep eyes pealed.

A single Brent Goose was close-in off Blackpill on this evening’s high tide.

c.30 Tufties present this morning. 2 Green ‘Peckers were in E paddock, and there were a few Redwing together with 6 or more Song Thrushes in the W paddock hedgerow, plus a couple of Meadow Pipits. A Bittern has apparently been reported recently, and there was apparently a decent Starling murmuration y’day eve at around 4:30 [per Jeff Curtis].

Also 2nd hand per Phil Bristow who I met at Cossie this morning – some decent migration at Lavernock Pt with many Chaffinch, some Brambling and also Hawfinch and Crossbill over.

Yesterday lunchtime, low tide.

24 species,  of note-  40+ Lapwing , 14+ Curlew, 100+ Starlings

Late morning/afternoon visit to the forestry at Onllwyn and Penmoelallt. Highlights were a flock of 75 Fieldfare and a calling Willow Tit. Also there Crossbill, Redpoll, Siskin, Jay, Raven, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Bullfinch.

3 hawfinch feeding high I the tree tops. A lifer for me.  I had no idea where Forest Ganol was but after reading Alan Cripps posting yesterday I checked it out in ‘Birding in Glamorgan’. A brilliant little book.

Brambling and 2 fieldfare over just after dawn this morning

27 species seen today in a walk round a couple of Cardiff sites. The highlights being Hawfinch at Forest Ganol feeding in the Hornbeam trees and Peregrine, Kestrel and Fieldfare at RGW.

Not much in the bird line but,  fifteen Red Admirals a Painted Lady and  Peacock butterflies is not bad for November!

the Great Northern Diver is still here.. Showing really well close in to the slipway… Not sure how it’s going to react to the water skiers! 😎

A Willow Tit and several small groups of Crossbill were in the forestry on the west side of Llwyn-On reservoir south of the minor road to Penderyn. Also there Stonechat, Raven, Nuthatch, Bullfinch, Coal Tit, Siskin and Great Spotted Woodpecker. At the reservoir 3 Grey Heron and 14 Cormorant, and a Dipper in the river below the dam.

At Cosmeston late afternoon, a Bittern flew briefly over the West Lake reedbed.