pretty quiet bird-wise. A couple of Blackcaps singing, 20 or so Sand Martin, 2 House Martin and 6 Swift over W lake, ad Heron ‘sunning’ in a tree by W lake, 2 Song Thrush singing. GCG still incubating – shouldn’t be long now until hatching. Leps comprised plenty of Ringlets, 2 Commas, Meadow Brown. 1 Emperor dragonfly at the dragonfly pond.

An adult Mediterranean Gull on Sully beach with 47 Black-headed Gulls at high tide this morning (viewed from Burnham Avenue beach car park). Black-headed Gull numbers are increasing locally, with 18 also at Swanbridge this morning.

Also today a Common Sandpiper at Bendrick Rock, with 1 there at high tide last Sunday evening too. On Sully Island at high tide earlier, 28 Oystercatcher and 2 Shelduck.

Sun 3rd there was a single Tufted Duck on W lake – a sign of autumnal movement? A Common Whitethroat was in bushes in the dovecote field and a Song Thrush singing, 1 Buzzard, 10 Swift, 16 Canada Geese, 4 Cormorant, GC Grebe still incubating, Green ‘Pecker calling nr the dragonfly pond. Mon 4th, more Swift feeding up, 3 Song Thrushes noted.

..with Lol Middleton this morning. Pretty quiet with nothing of note out to sea. Highlights were 2 Adult Peregrines with one juvenille. Bit of practice ‘passing’ going on and then the juvenille spent 30 mins chasing everything in sight but not getting near! Nice to know they have been successful breeding. Also 200-300 Swifts heading south (or maybe the same group of 10-15 going round and round in big circles) and a dozen or so Sand Martins also heading in a southerly direction. Not a great deal in the bushes or at Lavernock church.

The results of recent ringing sessions at the marsh are detailed here: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/oxwich-marsh-late-june-early-july.html

Over the last week we have seen juvenile warblers including reed, sedge, grasshopper and Cetti’s starting to appear in reasonable numbers.

A short seawatch between 1110-1150 this morning produced 50 Manx Shearwater down-channel off Irongate Point.

Yesterday – 15 Whimbrels were on the beach with 2 (bar-tailed) Godwits about 4 p.m. A Stock Dove was in the field at the top of Singleton Park, near the church.

Two Whitethroats continue to hold territory and another singing just outside the boundary.

First returning Blackheaded Gull on floodwater.

The first fledgling grasshopper warblers and reed warblers for 2016 this morning. A kingfisher was the first seen for a while.

For those of you on Facebook, Natural Resources Wales now has an Oxwich NNR Facebook page, and has put up some really nice footage of otters captured on trail cams.

See: https://www.facebook.com/OxwichNNR/?pnref=story

Highlight in the rain this morning was 11 Mistle Thrushes feeding in W paddock. Also a few Swift and Sand Martin feeding over W lake.

Black-headed Gulls have started reappearing locally over the last few days, with 1 on the west lake posts at Cosmeston and 2 at Barry Old Harbour this morning, and 4 on Sully beach yesterday.

A Little Egret was on the beach at Bendrick Rock shortly after low tide this morning, and there were 3 Mute Swans on the sea in Swanbridge Bay, unusual for this location.

Not a great deal about but 30 Moorhen present- a new record for me here. 22 of which were first year bird, and in the hides it was great seeing the older juveniles helping and feeding the younger clutches. Also 4 Reed Warbler present. (GJJ)

A Greenshank was an early migrant at Kenfig Pool this morning

The Mute Swan pair seem to have lost 2 of their 7 cygnets. Good to see the GCG pair now have another clutch after the first was taken by a terrapin. Also present this morning c.20 Sand Martins and 10 Swift over W lake, and Common Whitethroat still singing by W paddock hedge. An ad and a juv Heron were by W lake shore. O/W pretty quiet.

Not a sightings post, for which I apologise

However, Gower RG are looking for new trainee ringers. See: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/are-you-interested-in-bird-ringing.html#comments

signs of breeding out at the point included pair of  Ringed plover with 2 well grown juvs this was at Berges Island. A further 4 ad Ringed plover were near the hide. 2 seemed to be on guard with a further 2 feeding further out.

126 curlew and a near breeding plumages Bar-tailed Godwin seemed fair return for the time of year. 10 Lapwing included 2 birds giving alarm calls and low flight..late clutch, or young among the sedge?

shelduck prob breeding in the burrows, as several birds coming and going.

At Penclawdd pill, 24 Redshank coming/going/ didn’t bother.

 

A reeling grasshopper warbler and an adult sedge warbler with a juvenile were the highlights this morning, together with a patrolling fox.

Two grasshopper warbler territories on the marsh this year (obs from evening of 25th)

Captured 95 birds during the morning of 25 June including the 1st fledgling Cetti’s warbler of the year. For more info see:

http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/oxwich-marsh-25-june-more-fledglings.html

Adult Whitethroats feeding fledged juveniles near the pond.

unbelievably quiet this morning.. 1 very white chested juvenile cormorant, 1 adult plumaged med gull (first I’ve seen for 2 months), 6 herring gulls of various ages..