Kenfig Pool

A very enjoyable morning with 2 showy Yellow-browed Warblers, Firecrest, 16 Chiffchaffs & a late Lesser Whitethroat in the west pool bushes, female Marsh Harrier over north pool before going south, juvenile Garganey with small Teal flock and a Jack Snipe, 2 Common Snipe and 4 Dunlin flushed off the east pool shore.

Dunraven

A juvenile Hobby was at Temple Bay, feeding along the cliffs and over the sea on some of the numerous Red Admirals in the area, ignoring the passing birds. It was still present late morning.

Visible migration was impressive, with well over 2,000 birds through up to 09:00, although passage appeared to still be underway an hour after this. Species noted in numerical order were: Linnet (400+), Goldfinch, Swallow, Siskin, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Pied (‘alba’) Wagtail, Crossbill (32), Skylark, Starling, Song Thrush, House Martin, Redpoll and Grey Wagtail.

Kenfig Pool

The Yellow-browed Warbler was again at the top of Odin ride in the west pool this morning and was much more vocal than on my previous sighting. A Firecrest was off the Prince of Wales track and wildfowl continue to arrive on the north easterlies with 32 Wigeon, 21 Teal, 2 Pintail and a Pochard present this morning.

Rudry

2 tired looking Redwing flew over the car park on the Common yesterday afternoon the first for me this Autumn, definite influx of Goldcrest too. Little else of note other than  the  dumped sofas,neat  piles of fly tipped builders rubble and off road motorbikes trespassing on the Common!!

KNNR

A Yellow-browed Warbler showed a couple of times in the west pool bushes at Kenfig Pool [in the large sycamore next to where the dead poplars used to be]. It was mobile and being chased around by a Chiffchaff. Two Merlins passed south west over the southern dunes together and Sker held 100+ Golden Plovers, an adult Med Gull and a Grey Plover of note. Very little visible migration today with the pick of the bunch being five Siskins going north east over the pool. At least 10 Red Admirals were on the wing around the pool.

Dunraven

A Yellow-browed Warbler was in scrub with a roving flock near the viewpoint, SS 8901 7272, just after sunrise. There was also a notable visible migration of hundreds of coasting birds: finches (including a couple of Crossbills), Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, alba wagtails and hirundines (nearly all Swallows).

Cosmeston

All I could muster of interest at Cosmeston this morning were 2 Meadow Pipits, a male Stonechat, a Green ‘Pecker and 30+ Goldfinch in W paddock, the first two of which I’ve not seen there for a while. A few Swallows were passing through and on Friday there were c.30 House Martin over W lake.

Penclawdd / Oxwich / West Gower valleys

A spotted redshank was close in on the dropping (high) tide at Penclawdd on Saturday morning. With a group of about 20 redshank.

West Gower cliffs quiet on Saturday. A couple of wheatear, a few chiffchaffs and a blackcap at Mewslade and in Ram Grove, and a whinchat at The Vile. Very large numbers of stonechats and robins throughout the area might indicate a movement from higher ground to the coast?

Oxwich on Sunday also quiet: 3 chiffchaff, 5 blackcap and reasonably late singles of willow warbler, sedge warbler and reed warbler all captured. A rose-coloured starling was seen by Emma Cole in flight, so it would be worth checking around Oxwich village.

Broughton & Llangennith

Two Chough visited Broughton (Twlc Point) today noisily calling constantly as they circled overhead. Early morning there was some visible migration with 5 Swallow, 15 Skylark, 20 Meadow Pipit and 20 Siskin all south. The farm area held a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Goldcrest. An afternoon visit to Llangennith Moors produced a new bird for the patch for us in Water Rail and there is a flock of about 150 Linnet in the area. Plenty of butterflies also today with 1 Comma, 1 Small Copper, lots of Red Admiral and Small White and several Silver Y moths.