Usual Cetti’s singing. Skylark singing. Generally quiet today here and along Ely Trail.

Yellowhammer at Llantwit Major yesterday.

The rain and easterlies overnight dropped quite a few warblers in this morning, but mainly 3+ Reed Warblers and 3+ Lesser Whitethroat of note at Delvid/Broughton. House Martins continued to pass through (3 Red Admiral were also noted). The western and southern end of Llangennith Moors held at least 14 Sedge, 6 Reed and 2 Cetti’s Warblers plus many paired up Whitethroats and 4+ Pheasant were present along with drake Mallard and an immature Grey Heron. The only activity on the sea was yesterday morning when a Gannet flew distantly west and 3 Sandwich Tern lingered in Broughton Bay. Red Kite and Peregrine were also noted in the wider neighbourhood. The rookery near Delvid is very busy, 50+ nests and at least 40 birds were feeding in fields near Broughton Burrows this morning. Yesterday evening a Cuckoo was calling over between Lagradanta/Delvid.

The GBC Big Birding Day today at KNNR was successful if a little windy! Thanks to all who attended/helped/participated. 2 guided walks were taken – the first to the pool where the stars were 9 Whimbrel in E pool fields and a White Wagtail, although the latter was only seen by Paul Denning who came with us. The second walk with 19 people went out to Sker Farm and Sker Pt. Sadly with the tide out, the putative American Golden Plover had gone from near Sker Pool and was probably out on the rocks somewhere but could not be found. The howling gale out there didn’t help! 14 more Whimbrel out there tho’ and a few Turnstone and some distant Sanderling on Sker beach. All in all a nice day. Brief report and some pix on the web site via the newsflash on the home page.

Highlight of the morning was the first fledgling siskin of the year. Also reeling gropper, and a variety of typical migrant warblers.

See: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/oxwich-marsh-8-may-2016-first-fledgling.html

A Siskin (male) visiting the garden today was the first I’ve seen since moving in back in Feb.

Lesser Whitethroat singing at the top of Leckwith Hill.

Skylark singing, Caerau. Greenfinches singing in several localities Cardiff west and Vale- more abundant than in recent years.

Marsh Tit and a pair (m. + f.) of Bullfinches seen at close range. Tawny Owls calling at first light, and a couple of Foxes seen at dusk.

Don’t forget to come tomorrow. KNNR 10 a.m. onwards. Guided walks, ringing demo, Mrs. Wilson’s exceedingly good cakes, plant sale, kids activities, a ‘Big Sit’ to see what birds can be seen from a single spot near the reserve centre, and much more.

On a walk with visitors, so didn’t check every bird. Best was a pair of Dippers. Also singing Blackcap, Chiff-chaffs, and usual birds inside the museum grounds including many swallows, some nesting in traditional places.

llangenith moors this morning ; not a great deal of migrants, but best was male  Hen harrier coming in over the dunes, having a look over the reed bed, then thermalling high  N/NE. 1 gropper, only 2 reed warbler, and at least 10 sedge warbler.

cuckoo at Ryers Down.

3 sandwich tern at Wernffrwd.

seem to be plenty  of Song thrush around Gower and Gorseinon, not much less than Blackbird numbers in some places

In  my Bridgend garden a Sedge Warbler sang from a bamboo plant by the pond and while watching a group of 20+ Swifts over town, a Hobby drifted high over. Earlier a Red Kite was also noted.

At Sker this morning an AGP may or may not have been present 😄

one Sedge Warbler singing.

Grangemoor Park:4 singing Whitethroats; 2 singing Cetti’s Warblers; one Skylark singing; 2 Greenfinches (one displaying); one female Whinchat,

Ely Trail: one Cetti’s Warbler singing nearer Leckwith.

Sanatorium Park: Whitethroat singing near Welsh School.

The American Golden Plover is still at Sker this morning, by Sker Pool [near Sker Farm] – per text news and Twitter. Presumably the bird that was at Angle Bay, Pembs recently. Shortest walk is from KNNR via the track over the golf course to Sker Farm. Have commitments today sadly 😦

This evening after high tide, and on a virtually flat calm sea, a Shelduck pair closely escorted 3 small ducklings from Sully Island across Swanbridge Bay towards Ball Rock and hopefully on into St. Mary’s Well Bay.

Approaching dusk a Cuckoo was flying around shrubs on Sully Island.

News just transpired this eve. A juv American Golden Plover was on grass between Sker Pt and Sker Pool at 09:30. Only just ID’d retrospectively from video grab [Neil Donaghy].

2 Whimbrels showed well on Plas Taliesin at 12:20.

A beautiful morning gave rise to Dipper, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Goldcrest, Blackcap, Chiff Chaff and Willow Warbler.

2 singing Whitethroats. On floodwater, 2 Mute Swans– other than in flight it’s the first time in thirty five years I’ve seen them in this locality!

Cetti’s on Ely Trail.