Grangemoor Park- single Lesser Whitethroat, Cetti’s Warbler and Reed Warbler singing.

Sanatorium Park- two regular Whitethroats (one nearer the new school) where numbers have been reducing over the years.

Grasshopper Warbler, Tirfounder Fields. Might have been here for
a while, maybe I didn’t get up early enough.

Probable Hobby over the Taff at 7pm. Fairly certain, only seen from car. Only that or a skinny kestrel.  Just back from Portugal where I saw a definite Hobby and more besides, so I’ve got my eye in.

Out of area, but recommended (once you’ve seen that squacco heron!), not that far. I hadn’t realised that it was a year to the day since the very enjoyable GBC trip to this delightful reserve near Llangynidr when we decided to visit today. We worked out a very nice circular walk, about 2.5 hours. Tree Pipits displaying near the parking point, the best close view of a singing Wood Warbler I can remember, Spotted Flycatchers, GS and Green Woodpeckers….

Spotted 4x cuckoos in a field together today (a cuckold) in the Country park. Unusual to see one, even more so to have them perch on a tree metres away from me. One was definitely a female from markings. Were chasing each other, on silent wing, diving to field for food, were not being mobbed. Also Redstart, Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Green WP, Snipe, Red Kite, Buzz, Kestrel, Stonechat, Wood Warbler etc etc

A record shot of today’s Squacco Heron.

 

An fine looking Squacco Heron was a nice surprise at the Watermill this morning. Still present at 1100.

Two Cetti’s singing a half a mile apart between Penarth Road and Leckwith Hill.

 

Can’t think what I just saw briefly, so suggestions, please. Driving at 09:45 on the A4119 from Creigiau turning south towards Llandaff, just before Pencoed House turning (approx ST093801), so trees around. Swooping in front of the car, slightly higher than car level is what looks like a small falcon, very pointy wings. Most distinctive feature is its apparently totally plain mid-brown back and wings which show well as it is slightly banking. My impression of the colour was the shade of a Song Thrush’s back or slightly darker, but not the reddish brown of a kestrel. No strong facial markings noted. It climbed steeply to land on a lamp post as I got level; unfortunately, there was a car not far behind and nowhere to stop. I’ve considered female Merlin but that’s so unlikely in May in that area, I discount. Rufous cuckoo – always had more obvious mottling or pattern when I’ve seen them (the road was fairly shaded, but the bird looked very plain indeed. Too small for female sparrow-hawk. Juvenile male sparrow-hawk would be a possibility but not in late May, a month too early. What have I overlooked?

This morning sand martins were feeding young in at least 3 nests. A juvenile grey wagtail was also present.

Nice to see a pair of Lapwings with 4 well grown chicks doing well in one of the dune slacks. Counts from the lighthouse scar included 2900 Herring Gulls (mostly immatures), 1744 Oystercatchers and 16 Little Egrets, so there’s obviously good feeding there at present. Unfortunately there were only a handful of smaller waders.

Female mandarian  upstream from the bridge 2 30pm also fem goosander with chick

Surprised to see there were still a couple of Short-eared Owls hunting over the marsh this evening, plus a male Pintail flew into Penclawdd Pill adding more unseasonal flavour.

2 Little Egrets feeding  at floodwater on field for thirty minutes. One Whitethroat singing.

That should be river afan

Female mandarian  under the steel bridge in the river Avon

Red Kite over the garden in Caerphilly this evening; first record for me in over 19 years of living here.

Late visit to this square for BTO BBS. 48 species were recorded today taking the total to 54 species for both early and late visits – the best recorded for this square according to BTO database. The highlight for me was 6 Stock Dove in two different localities with 2 displaying males, plus a healthy Sand Martin colony of 20+ nestholes. There were also plenty of feeding House Martin between Ewenny and Verville. Watermill (Ogmore est) was quiet with only 5 Canada Geese, a Mallard and a Moorhen though nearby along the Ewenny were singing Dipper, 3 Sedge Warbler, 2 Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat holding territories. Also noted were singing Goldcrests, Coal Tits and Treecreeper and Kingfisher and Grey Wagtail observed on the Ogmore near Merthyr Mawr. Notable absentees for me were Bullfinch and Green Woodpecker.

1 pair Great Crested Grebe performing elements of courtship display about fifty metres offshore, Monday 23rd May, am

Singing whitethroats, blackcaps and chiffchaffs. A kingfisher up and down the river.