2 ringed plover with 2 recently fledged young. Both adults doing their best to fly off any gulls straying too close….hope they keep it up!

35 redshank, 2 common sand and 225 blackwit at Penclawdd.

family party of 5 Canada geese at Broad pool

Apologies for the non sighting nature of this post but thought some may be interested in the Vale of Glamorgan’s consultation for North Penarth parks: http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/our_council/consultation/North-Penarth-Open-Space-Improvement-Scheme.aspx
There seems to be scope within the councils plans to incorporate wildlife friendly habitats (well at least wildflower areas). With children in Wales being some of the least connected with wildlife in the whole of the UK, I believe this to be a good opportunity to enhance the parks whilst giving nature a home at the same time. The consultation is running from Monday 13 June until Monday 8 August.

13 Black-headed Gulls on W lake posts – a sign of autumn. Also 1 and and 1 juv Grey Heron there. There were 2 ads and 2 juvs 2 days ago and I’m pretty sure they bred in the W lake reed bed. The GC Grebe is still sitting and I couldn’t make out any sign of chicks. The Mute Sawn pair seem to be down to 2 cygnets which are quite large now, so it’s difficult to see how they lost another as there were 3 only a few days ago. 20-30 Swift over W lake plus a few Sand Martin and a House Martin. Greenfinch singing by W paddock and a Chiffchaff near Cogan Wood, and also a small flock of Goldfinch nr the dragonfly pond.

This evening an ad Med Gull was among 30 or so Black Headed Gulls just off the boardwalk. Yesterday the Collared Pratincole was still showing well at Ham Wall,Somerset Levels,with 2 Glossy Ibis.

Submitted for cute value a grainy pic.

A Peregrine high over the car park at Cosmeston this evening disappeared from view as it went into an impressive stoop towards the golf course.

A drake Tufted Duck was again on the West lake (there were 8 back on the Knap Lake, Barry a few days ago).

Early afternoon at high tide on Sully beach there were 6 Whimbrel, 1 2nd Summer Mediterranean Gull and 2 Great Black-backed Gulls (Hayes Rd car park).

Strong Westerlies at Porthcawl this morning, but surprisingly quiet, only 3 Gannet, 40 Manx Shearwater, 2 Fulmar, 9 Common Scoter, 1 Kittiwake and 1 Curlew down-channel. A Porpoise was within a few hundred metres of shore on rising tide.

Mike

9-10 a.m. 50 or so Swift over W lake plus 10 Sand Martin and a few House Martin.

Apologies for lateness of this posting, seawatching 0700-1000 was most productive, the highlight being a Leach’s Petrel, which glided past down-channel at fairly close range between 0900-0905 (description will follow to GRC). All birds were moving down-channel in strong WSW winds on the rising tide:- 1,952 Manx Shearwater, 15 Gannet (14 juv), 2 Fulmar, 1 Kittiwake, 1 dp Arctic Skua and 6 Guillemot.

Mike.

5 Whimbrel shortly before high tide at Bendrick Rock this morning.

This evening a family party of 5 Jays in the East Paddock at Cosmeston along with a Green Woodpecker. Swifts, House Martins, Swallow and Sand Martin over the West Lake. On Swanbridge beach a Great Black-backed Gull and a Grey Heron.

Watched pair of recently fledged birds flying with one of the parents this afternoon.. Fabulous close up views of these stunning birds…

Was good to see the peregrine come out to welcome back the Welsh Team yesterday. It did a couple of leisurely turns over the Taff just as the bus carrying the team was approaching. It then flew off in a SW direction.

Pair of shelduck with 6 juvs on the edge of Berthlwyd saltings. 10 curlew also.

2 common sandpiper and 57 black tailed barwit at Penclawdd.

2 pair of ringed plover on Sedgers bank, Port Eynon, with one pair pretty agitated. They were here back in June, but still no sign of any juvs. 3 turnstone also

This afternoon at the top end of Clydach Vale CP, I found a recently deceased 2nd year Gannet! – Probably blown in when it was windy a couple of weeks ago. I took some record pics of it, and a nearby Mountain Bumblebee (Bombus Monticola), which was the actually the reason why I was up there. This is the first time I’ve seen a Gannet in the Rhondda!

There was a common sandpiper and a little egret at the Watermill this afternoon.

Tree Pipit 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Nuthatch 2 Blackcap 3 Chiffchaff 1 Willow Warbler 1 Whitethroat 1 Linnet 2 Also Small White 1 Ringlet 6 Downy Emerald 3  Emperor 2 Four-spotted Chaser 2 Blue-tailed Damselfly 3 Azure Blue Damselfly ++