1 Sedge Warbler arrival (16th Apr).

Iceland Gull again on The Marl playimg fields 07:30-08:45 viewed from Ferry Road.

Late yesterday afternoon – no sign of the Short-eared Owl, but Graham had nice views of a very smart male Ring Ouzel perched on a willow sapling.

 

A pair of Peregrines were hunting along the cliffs this morning, giving a good display including a couple of spectacular stoops which ended in failure. Also 1 Common Whitethroat, several Chiffchaff and 3 Blackcaps. Here’s a photo of one Pere, much cropped and manipulated to recover from what was a silhouette.

A Ring Ouzel was perched on top of a sycamore in the walled garden for about 20 minutes, must have known I didn’t have a camera on me! Also there a pair of Red-legged Partridges, male Common Redstart, Wheatear, Peregrine, Kestrel and Chough.

Called in at Ogmore Estuary on the way back, where two Common Sandpipers and 15 White Wagtails.

Whimbrel, immature shag and 3 wheatears this morning. Yesterday, sixty six golden plovers (most in breeding plumage), 3 dunlins (also in sp) and a white wagtail.

Tree Pipit singing Buzzard 5 Peregrine 2 Willow Warbler 4 Chiffchaff 6 Blackcap 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 Green Woodpecker 1 Siskin 2 Linnet 2 Swallow  4

A very showy Grasshopper Warbler was in the west of Kenfig Pool, where there was also a female Redstart. A Goshawk flew over going north and at least 4 Common Whitethroats were song flighting.

7+ Sandwich terns foraging offshore

Estimated combined count of 40+ chiffchaff and a few willow warbler in the valleys at Longhole Cliff and around Overton STW.

3 porpoise foraging off Porteynon Point

Common Whitethroat showing well by the path along the river. In CBWR, now two Reed Warblers, and the Lsr Scaup still present very near the boardwalk at 07:00. A Common Sandpiper and 18 Turnstones were by Plas Taliesin.

Hawfinch in the garden yesterday evening – stayed for 30 minutes or so – and again early this morning.  Seemed interested in the bird feeders without being able to work out how to use them.  Very exciting!

Male redstart seemingly fresh in today (not here yesterday), on NE fringe of Coed y Bedw. No sign of any pied flys here this year (again) though lots coming in further north.

The imm Little Gull was still present from circa 15:00 to 16:30 roughly mid-bay but towards the road bridge end. Also a 2nd yr Med Gull was sitting on the water and flew briefly, more or less dead centre of the bay. Both birds viewed from the Penarth side, by Plas St. Andresse. Also 7 Turnstones there on the river bank.

Common Sandpiper at the far end of the reserve from the boardwalk. Lsr Scaup flew in again at 10:45 and came very close to the boardwalk.

A very quickly grabbed and cropped shot of a Lesser Whitethroat at Cosmeston this morning – in Hawthorn on RHS just after going thro’ the gate from the car park, by the round pond. My earliest date for Lesser Whitethroat at Cossie. Usually it’s Common Whitethroat first.

Two Redstarts (male and female) and Lesser Whitethroat singing near Dr Who exp. and a Tree Pipit fly over N at 11:45

Little Gull also still present out in the middle of the bay.

Sedge warbler present this morning

Also a predated greylag goose egg indicating breeding (a pair had been present near the South Pond hide).

Waterfowl on South Pond limited to 2 teal, 3 gadwall, 2 mallard and nesting mute swan

Coal Tits displaying in my garden in Canton and Blackcap singing. Blackcaps well distributed throughout locality and into the Vale. Cetti’s Warbler singing daily near Penarth Road River Bridge (on trail towards Leckwith).

Little Egret on Sully beach yesterday afternoon, and a Great Crested Grebe on a flat calm sea just offshore. 24 Turnstone on the beach at Swanbridge.

Two Greylag on the East lake at Cosmeston yesterday afternoon. A Snipe in the West Paddock in the wet area north of the Dragonfly Pond and a Lesser Redpoll in a tree along the ditch in the East Paddock.

Short-eared Owl seen briefly by Graham flying low and being mobbed by small birds near Llanbradach  slag heaps at 7.30pm. Probably the same bird as reported on the 6th.