Redstart male (yesterday a female) and Lsr Whitethroat off the boardwalk, Starling numbers starting to pick up,600+ still going up at 06:40.

Plenty of migration activity over the woodland yesterday evening, 150+ House Martins and 85+ Swallows  flying south and out across the Bristol Channel towards Weston viewed from the Motte.

Redstart and Bullfinch this morning along the boardwalk.

2 Spotted Flycatcher present today and 1 yesterday. Pied Flycatcher briefly at Forest Farm yesterday by the car park near the Wardens center.

One Cetti’s Warbler ; single Chiffchaff singing. Otherwise very quiet.

An enjoyable morning’s birding around Overton yesterday with Darren Coombs. Started off walking west along coast path to check out the sheltered valleys before checking out the sewage treatment works and scrub around Port Eynon point. Without any scarcities to celebrate the day there was lots of activity, especially west of the Overton village, which was rewarding for our efforts.

Highlights included – juv Whinchat, juv Grasshopper Warbler, juv Sedge Warbler, Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat (2), Garden Warbler (3), Chiffchaff (5), Blackcap (15+) and Whitethroat (20+). Decent numbers of Stonechats, Linnets, Goldfinches and House Sparrows along the coastal path lined bushes and half dozen Yellowhammers in the first sheltered valley west of Overton.

A dozen or so Collared Doves around the village raised hopes of perhaps a Turtle Dove being mixed in, but sadly not this time. A couple of Sparrowhawks including a very large female also had their eye on the doves while a Red Kite was hunting over the stubble fields.

This area continues to look very promising so hopefully a rare or two will be found here before the autumn is done.

Male Redstart and 2 Tree Pipit in the fenced area at the top end of Cosmeston East Paddock late morning. Earlier a Little Egret and Grey Heron in the tidal pools at Bendrick Rock, where 7 Mute Swans on the sea were unusual for this location.

Yesterday on a circular walk at Gileston from the beach car park to Gileston Farm and back east along the coast: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Little Egret, 2 Yellowhammer, 8 Stonechat, 3 Wheatear, 1 Stock Dove, 1 Sparrowhawk and a Peregrine. Good area of thistle and teasel near the beach car park – lots of Goldfinch and Linnet.

A Wryneck is in Pant y Cwteri, SS 8772 7609. Seen several times this morning, but rather elusive.

Earlier a Garganey was at the Watermill flood, where also several Teal and three Green Sandpipers.

Garden Warbler again in the dipping pond brambles in front of the carpark in St.David’s Hotel.

A male redstart, small numbers of tree pipit, relatively abundant willow warbler, 2 garden warbler and a grasshopper warbler over the past few days.

Pic of redstart (Keith Vaughton) below. More info see:

http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/oxwich-marsh-23-27-augustswallows.html

osprey, marsh harrier and 4 whinchat today, also hummingbird hawk-moth at Horton

At 1245 from  area near centre overlooking pool, juv Marsh Harrier in from SE. Low over pool to NW then  circled very high and off to NE. Only a few warblers. Observers PJM, CRM, HRM

Whilst at the junction of Pant Mari Flanders and Pant Norton I noticed an adult Osprey approaching from the direction of the river (09:35). It flew directly overhead, before slowly circling SSE towards Southerndown, being in view for around 10 minutes.

Up to 18 Buzzards were seen up at one time scanning from Norton Wood over the area from Merthyr Mawr village to the Warren, including a group of 12 towards Wig-Fach. A Peregrine was again hunting along the estuary. Pant Norton held four Spotted Flycatchers, three Lesser Whitethroats and a Tree Pipit.

A Little Stint was in a mixed flock – of Sanderling, Ringed Plover and Dunlin – on the beach between Ogmore and Newton. Sightings along the estuary included Whinchat, Dipper (juvenile on Portobello), three Kingfishers, Greenshank and four Black-tailed Godwits.

Spotted Flycatcher 6 possibly more, Willow Warbler 1 Chiffchaff 6 Coal Tit 2  Great Spotted WP 1 Nuthatch 2

Buzzard 3 Siskin 1 Also: Southern Hawker 3 Migrant Hawker 3

Busy in the Pants this morning, with birds including Pied Flycatcher, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 2 Tree Pipits, Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Bunting and 15 Yellowhammers. A Swift over may well be my last of the year.

Tree pipits moving again this morning (5 ringed)

2 garden warbler

A roost of well in excess of 500 swallows (plus sand martins) was present in the reedbed last night (could be 3x this but very difficult to estimate).

Highlight this morning comprised 2 fem/imm Common Redstarts in the long W paddock hedgerow, by the second ‘plateau’ behind the dragonfly pond. Also 2 Green ‘Peckers, 2 ad Little Grebes in W lake ‘bay’, and a ‘kettle’ of 3 Buzzards. Plus nice to bump in to my Bird Report collaborator David Gilmore.

A bit of a wader fest – by Ogmore standards – today. I called in this evening and noted Curlew Sandpiper, nine Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper and eight Common Sandpipers. AH also saw a Little Stint. Nine Teal were on the Watermill.