8 Reed Buntings in reeds by the new dipping pool boardwalk, 6 juv Wood Pigeon in a tree there and 2 Jay over, 70 Canadas on W lake, 6 Pochard [5m 1f], 1 Wigeon and 30 Tufties on W lake, and 2 Herons, 1 on E lake near the bridge and 1 by W lake posts. Flock of LT Tits near the bird table.

Ad Med Gull on the slipway.

YBW calling and seen very briefly in trees above path between the two cafes

On Thursday morning’s high tide on Sully Island 1 Redshank, 67 Oystercatcher, 13 Curlew, 44 Ringed Plover, 12 Turnstone, 1 Grey Heron and a Little Egret. Another 28 Turnstone on Sully Beach.

Pictures of today’s little bunting are now on the blog.

See: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/oxwich-marsh-20-october-2016-little.html

finaly caught up with a yellow browned warbler by the car park at mewslade thanks to the birder who told me about it other birds seen in the valley were a pair of bullfinch lots of chaffinch 10 + robins lots of blackbirds a few song thrush 1 mistle thrush my first redwing of the winter 6 stonechat blue and great tits wren dunnock house sparrows around the farm ,meadow pipits ,and pied wagtails and buzzard over

oxwhich 4 gadwall a female shoveler ,coots moorhens,little grebes water rail heard green woodpecker ,Raven and one swallow flying south

As John Wilson is unavailable, I’ll be leading this one. Meet either at St. Margaret’s Road in Whitchurch at 9.15 a.m. or in the small car park below the Plough & Harrow in Monknash at 10 a.m. (SS918705)

Chris Hodgson has been in touch. Sadly he’s had a break in and his scope was stolen – an Opticron with angled eyepiece. If you hear of anyone trying to sell one, please get in touch.

Little bunting. Ringed and taken near South Pond hide for release. Released 09:40 and flew towards village / appeared to land in scrub near car park payment booth. Pics will be posted on Gower Ringing Group blog this evening.

Also, 40+ snipe, jack snipe (1 captured), good movement of redwing early morning, influx of goldcrests (40+)

 

A circuit of the pool only produced one Yellow-browed Warbler in the west pool bushes, calling, difficult to locate (yesterday there were three, there was also one showy bird at north pool hide boardwalk and another in the south pool hide area). Pretty quiet otherwise with 7 Gadwall, 3 Mute Swan, 19 Coot and a couple of Water Rail heard. Out in the west and north pool bushes there have been single Mistle Thrush, Treecreeper, Great Spotted Woodpecker and several Coal Tit, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Goldcrest. Out at Kenfig Sands there have been several Ringed Plover and Curlew and a Sanderling.

1 Lapland bunting alongside the track with 6 skylark, approx. 15 meadow pipit,

Rock pipit and 2 wheatear also. 232 golden plover, 79 lapwing and several hundred starling.

Ahead of the cloud bank and rain early this evening, 20 Swallows drifting low, eastwards along the Ely River , Canton.

Delighted to say that members of Cardiff University’s Ornithological Society will be taking over the Wetland Bird Survey Counts at Roath Park Lake from now on. 6 members joined me for this morning’s count.

Highlights were: Coot (244); Mallard (229); Little Grebe (4); Pochard (1); Shoveler (17); Teal (10); Tufted Duck (51); Wigeon (1) and Kingfisher (1). Other counts: Barnacle Goose (2 free-flying feral birds); Black-headed Gull (220); Canada Goose (29); Cormorant (4); Grey Wagtail (1); Greylag Goose (29); Herring Gull (2); Lesser black-backed Gull (60); Moorhen (19); Mute Swan (71).

Just before the downpour. Common Snipe(4),Kingfisher(1),Grey Heron(1),Water Rail(1),Siskin(2),Goldfinch(2),Wren(4),Dunnock(2),Chiffchaff(3),Great Tit(5),Blue Tit(8),Goldcrest(4)

1 great crested grebe in winter plumage fishing close in… 2 juvenile ravens in the car park. (maybe this years youngsters from the breeding birds on the Lighthouse Island)

A lovely sunny morning for the  the monthly birdwalk,  16 participants, good to see some old friends. 40 species seen or heard.

Starling, Collared Dove, Magpie, Chaffinch, Robin, Great tit, Blackbird, Song thrush, Mistle thrush, Dunnock, Carrion Crow, Greenfinch, House Sparrow, Blue tit, Woodpigeon, Chiff- chaff, Bullfinch, Skylark, Wren, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Stonechat, Chetti’s Warbler(H), Long-tailed Tit, Teal, Mallard, Cormorant, Canada Goose, Coot, Jackdaw, Meadow pippit, Moorhen, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Goldcrest, Gadwall, Kestrel, Treecreeper, Pheasant.

With many thanks to Strinda for leading the walk.

 

 

 

Over the past two days: 5 yellow-browed warblers, 8 chiffchaff, a late reed warbler (this was checked for Blyth’s etc), 2 blackcaps among fifty birds ringed.

For more information and photos, see: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/oxwich-marsh-15-october-2016-late.html

Woodcock(1)flushed just after the lower reservoir,Mallard(7),Grey Heron(1),Dipper(1),RingOuzel(2),Redwing (67+),Mistle Thrush(6), Song Thrush(6),Blackbird (19),Blackcap(1), Kestrel (1), Sparrowhawk(1),  Red Kite(3),Bullfinch(12),Chaffinch(15).Also Great,Blue,Coal and Long Tailed Tit,Goldcrest,Robin,Dunnock,Wren and Meadow Pipit.

Here’s a shot from late morning at Kenfig. Unfortunately we hear it flew off west over the reedbeds around three o clock.

Of note: 1 Cetti’s heard, 6 Meadow Pipits, Female Stonechat. Very brief silhouette of snipe shaped bird (probably a snipe then), M bulfinch. Impressive arrival of c120 Canada geese flying in to the bay.

2 Turnstone John Batchelor Way

Penarth: Unusual to see pair of chaffinch in garden and a grey wagtail briefly attempt the feeders.