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).
Male Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Buzzard at Kenfig early this evening with Grey Heron circling the dunes. Bullfinch, Whitethroat, Goldcrest, large group of young LT Tit, Swallow, Sand Martin and Swift. 26 species in all plus 8 heard. Hopeful for monthly Club walk at Kenfig this Sat 16th.
Second ringed med gull seen in a week.. these birds are back from the Continent early..
3C78 is a Belgium ringed bird from 2002.. First seen in Bracelet Bay early 2003 by Harold Grenfell.. It arrives back in July each year since and overwinters with the growing flock.. It leaves Wales in March & summers in various places between Belgium & France
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 ++
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.
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