I popped in to the graveyard between 1 and 2pm this afternoon on the off chance of Hawfinches still being there. I ran into PH who had been seeing up to 4 birds up in the pines before 1pm and also into the yew at the eastern end of the graveyard that borders Margam Park. After 1pm I could hear at least two calling birds occasionally but did manage two good flight views of at least one bird. I think a good tactic may be to also access via Margam Park as a lot of the calls I heard seemed to be coming from the park side of the wall. Also present is a nice mobile flock of 20+ Greenfinches, 2+ Siskin, 10+ Redwing and 10+ Mistle Thrush and also 2 Goldcrest and 2 Nuthatch.

14 Pochard on w lake this a.m. and c10 Redwing a Mistle Thrush and a Green Pecker in W paddock.

1 adult med gull and 3 common gulls at the barrage this morning.

Circular walk yesterday starting at the lower car park at Cyfarthfa Park then more or less following the Taff Trail up the west side of the Taff, over Cefn Coed viaduct, up through Penmoelallt forestry, returning via a forestry track and Penmoelallt Farm, then down through Cefn Coed and past the lake at Cyfarthfa Park to the car park.

Kingfisher near the confluence of the Taf Fawr and Taf Fechan, Siskin, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Redwing and Goldcrest nearby and 2 Dipper further up the Taf Fawr in Cefn Coed.

Willow Tit near the Outdoor Classroom in Penmoelallt, 20+ Fieldfare and a few Redwing further into the forestry, a hunting Sparrowhawk, a perched Crossbill pair giving great views in the sunshine, and a few Redpoll moving round the forestry.

Found a dipper on the river at 1100 on 7Nov17 just upstream of Ham Manor. First I’ve seen in this area in 26 years!

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.