Broughton this weekend

A Red-throated diver has been in the Bay today and 15 Brent Geese flew toward Burry Inlet early morning, 4 of them dropped in to the shoreline to feed and a Great White Egret circled over the farm and flew off north. A Red Kite lingered in the Burrows yesterday as did a Sparrowhawk today. The pools at Lagradanta held 3 Teal yesterday and recently up to 2 Water Rail and 2 Moorhen have been present. Water Rails have also been heard at Llangennith Moors. Out towards Cwm Ivy, the Oystercatcher flock numbered approx 3,400 with 125 Ringed Plover and 16 Dunlin on the beach nearby. Scores of Pied Wagtail, Skylark, Meadow Pipits have been moving south this weekend, this morning 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Mistle Thrush and 2 Fieldfare also passed through. No YBWs to report I’m afraid (or anything else rare despite the easterlies and a lot of effort!) but there has been an influx of Goldcrests. Also of interest Perhaps 50+ Red Admiral have flown through and Small Copper and Small White butterflies and a Southern Hawker dragonfly were still on the wing. Finally a Chough flew in to Twlc Point late afternoon today.

Mewslade

at least 6 YB warbler ( 3 in valley, 3 at Middleton lane ) .

Firecrest at Middleton, prob. Ring Ouzel seen flying off as I got into Mewslade valley.

1 YB warbler over the way from my house in Gorseinon, 1 late comm whitethroat nearby , also in Gorseinon.

Rudry

Yellow-browed warbler (presumably that seen by Trevor Fletcher on the 4th) relocated by the pool (with mixed tit flock, mostly LTT, and a chiffchaff) on Saturday evening (8th). The light was poor for photos, so returned early Sunday morning (9th) – the flock and YBW were still around (moving around the east side of the common). Additionally, on Saturday there was a male merlin, on Sunday male and female goshawks, a red kite and a constant passage of redwing.

Dyffryn Lliw Valley

Most of the warblers seemed to have cleared out with only Chiffchaff(2) noted. However, there was a good gathering of thrushes in the hawthorns just below the ruin of Bwllfa Isaf.They were Ring Ouzel(2),Redwing(2)(first of the autumn for me),Blackbird(15),Song Thrush(4) and Mistle Thrush(1).Other counts were Goldcrest(9),Great Tit(2),Blue Tit(6).Coal Tit(4),Long Tailed Tit(6),Nuthatch(2),Stonechat(6),Meadow Pipit(14),Wren(6),Dunnock(1), Bullfinch(3), Chaffinch(1), Red Kite(4),Buzzard(6),Jay(4) and Robin in almost every bush !

Kenfig Pool

One Yellow-browed Warbler still present at Kenfig Pool this morning at Odin ride and was calling frequently. The female Marsh Harrier was seen briefly over the north pool and a Peregrine and 13 Snipe went over. Six Pintail, 17 Wigeon, 4 Teal and a Shoveler were on the pool, a Redwing was in the west pool bushes and a Little Egret was flushed from the east pool shore and flew off high east over the caravan park.

Mumbles Hill

2 chough were a first at this location for me

Sparrowhawk, 2 bullfinch, 2 chiffchaffs, small mixed tit flock (unfortunately no crests or ybw’s), Nice numbers of chaffinch,

And good numbers of Med gulls in the car park as normal