Whilst talking a walk in the sunshine this morning, a single Brent Goose flew in to the bay and landed on the beach. It had disappeared by the time I returned from my walk though; there are quite a few people and dogs around. Also a single Curlew and the seemingly regular Little Egret.

A Little Egret was on the beach yesterday morning:

 

Chiffchaff and Bullfinch on the reserve. LtD by the sails. 6 Scaup (3m,3f) close by the barrage fish pass -one drake missing today. 22 Common Gulls on and by the orange buoys. Ad.m Black Redstart in Plas St.Andresse.

Stopped off for a quick look at Penclawdd at lunchtime (pulled up in the layby just west of the village). Around 200 Black-tailed Godwit were the main attraction, with 50-odd Dunlin, a handful of Redshank and 4 Pintails on the water. Inclement weather prevented further viewing.

Long-tailed Duck back at The Bay lunchtime, close in, between the Scott Memorial and Dr Who experience. Also male Black Redstart briefly at Plas Taliesin before the rain arrived.

For once today disturbance by walkers and dogs proved beneficial on Sully beach when a flushed flock of 7 Grey Plovers and a Turnstone landed right next to a bouncing Jack Snipe. Other waders present nearby included 24 Ringed Plover, a solitary Dunlin, more Turnstone and a handful of Oystercatchers.

Further east along the coast at Swanbridge/Sully Island there were 27 Curlew present at high tide, the joint highest count for me here over the last 5 years.

Delayed WeBS from Sun 18th [due to fog]. All the following at Green Point: 1000 Redshank,  100 Dunlin, 120 Lapwing, 1 Jack Snipe [in the small reed bed], 1 Little Egret, 4 Gadwall, an impressive 100 Shoveler, 60 Pintail, 173 Shelduck, 56 Mallard, 26 Teal, 31 Canada Geese, 1 Sprawk.

At the Heliport Bay, 20 Pintail, 37 Shelduck, 27 Oystercatcher, 19 Turnstone. There were c.200 Herring Gulls on Lamby Lake and a single Common Gull with the Black-headeds.

At high tide: a Slavonian grebe in one of the channels on The Groose, with a great northern diver a little further towards the Burry. Little in the bay – a female red-breasted merganser and 40+ eider (but count not possible due to swell).

Excellent range of waders and wildfowl as usual.

I received news from MM at 11:00 this morning of a Great Northern Diver drifting down channel off Nash Point. I reckoned that it would likely reach the Ogmore area about an hour later and sure enough the bird (in breeding plumage) was in Dunraven Bay at about 12:00. It continued cruising steadily down channel and I was able to intercept it again just off the rivermouth car park at Ogmore-by-Sea, when it was close inshore. It then flew over the bay and settled just offshore at Newton. There was also a Red-throated Diver at close quarters at Ogmore-by-Sea.

At least 60 snipe on the marsh at present. The reed cutting around the South Pond should provide more opportunities for photos, and there are usually a fair few jacks among them.

Also 4 chiffchaff and a kingfisher

For latest ringing news, see: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/oxwich-marsh-17-december-2016-only.html

Also, please note that the Gower Ornithological Society Facebook page is now very active. Please click to follow if that is your thing!

Some excellent birding today (with John F Duffy & Tim Adcock). Hundreds of Redwing with lesser numbers of Fieldfare amongst them. Also 7 Green Sandpipers, 2 Dippers, 4 Grey Wagtails, 33 Snipe, Water Rail, 5 Lesser Redpolls and a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker. A very strange Starling with a white tail had us going for a while.

Adult mediterranean gull on railings at Barry Waterfront down from the Morrisons roundabout. Hybrid lesser scaup lookalike at the Knap Lake.

Lesser Redpoll 2 in a mixed roving flock otherwise very quite.

No sign of the LTD on the Barrage side side of the bay this morning, but 5 Greater Scaup were very close in so some reasonable shots at

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/waterfowl/h78207576#h4085a620

Quite a bit of variation in the plumage at different stages of moulting (male/female/Juv)

Also a 2nd winter Med Gull flew out over the locks and a couple of Black Redstarts (1m/1F) on the house roofs in Penarth Marina.

Two Red head Goosanders on the moat

A pic of the Bittern at Forest Farm today, taken by Tony Fisher, to L of 2nd hide at about 1 p.m. Thanks Tony.

20-Little Egrets flew from the island roost at first light.

LtD back by the sails this morning.5 Bullfinch in CBWR.

The monthly public bird walk is tomorrow, 9.00 am.   Pies in the hide !

31 Canada geese and 12 mallard on the grass