Several Chiffchaffs singing this evening in the scrub near Mill Wood / Derwen Fawr recycling site.

Report just received. A full-hooded Bonaparte’s Gull was seen in Cardiff Bay this afternoon – I have been out all afternoon and the caller did not have my mobile number. Gull was seen by Peter Lansdown [who some of you will know] looking from the boardwalk at Cardiff Bay Wetlands, but it was towards the other side of the bay looking towards Penarth marina or the sailing club – so poss check from the Ice Rink area or even the Penarth Marina road adj the mouth of R. Ely.

A male redstart in the woods before the dunes was the highlight of a quiet walk to the beach 6 sanderling 4 dunlin 6 ringed plover  were on the  tide line  skylark meadow pipit and 22 linnets were also seen 100s of gulls were in the air over the old ford plant

At the nearby water treatment works were willow warbler chiff chaff goldfinch and mallard

3 very mobile & noisy chiffchaff .. 2 displaying greenfinch (nice to see).. 1 bullfinch.1 blackcap Plus many blackbirds

 

 

Pair of Goldcrest flitting around in a big pine were a nice bonus on a sunny walk through the park.

I’ve posted a couple of photos of the Purple Sandpipers that’ve been wintering in Porthcawl. On the high tides they have been quite visible anywhere between Hutchwns Point (south end of Lock’s common) down as far as Porthcawl Point by the lighthouse wall. There have been as many as three. Locating the mobile Turnstone flock of about 25 is the key, however I have had them scampering around really close on the rocks a bit further north around Hutchwns Point.

Common Redstart male catching flies in the trees around the little inlet seen from the stones in front of St.Davids Hotel.With Blackcap male.

4 male Blackcaps this morning incl 2 singing, also Willow Warbler, Cetti’s & Chiffchaff singing, plus 3 different Mistle Thrushes in song. 4 Buzzards circling incl a lot of mewing from one pair. No sign of y’day’s Bittern, which was prob the latest date for a Bittern at Cosmeston. There were 8 GC Grebes y’day.

2 Sandwich terns on the Helwick buoy off the point this morning

Wheatear, stonechat carrying food and an agitated ringed plover on the upper shore at Sedger’s Bank that may be attempting to breed

A pair of shoveler on the flash pool near Knelston Garage

2 Great Northern Divers close into the inner head this morning. A few Wheatears on the headland and the odd hirudine were the only migrants seen.

llangenith moors: 1 lapwing displaying, ringtail hen harrier on 28.03. 5 wheatear

whether this one is a wanderer from Llanrhidian, or a separate bird using this area?

oxwich: 6 sand martin, 2 swallow, 1 stonechat flycatching  over the lake from the reeds and a willow warbler.

castell du: 2 little ringed plover this ‘arvo

1st Blackcap arrival this morning @ Tirfounder Fields (3rd Apr, self)

1st Willow Warbler @ Tirfounder Fields (2rd Apr, Martin Bevan. Confirmed 4th Apr, self)

Three records below of what I think is a 2nd yr type Yellow-legged Gull on E lake this morning.

Bittern was showing well for about 20-30 mins in a small clump of reeds left of the Sand Martin ‘bank’ – this despite a couple with 2 children walking right through the middle of the no access conservation area, going right above where the Bittern was. On E lake Lesser Scaup and hybrid Poch x Tufty and what I think was a 2nd cal yr Yellow-legged Gull but will have to check age (it had the dusky grey mantle but flight feathers & coverts still brownish). Also Swallow, 20-30 Sand Martin, Willow Wblr, Chiffchaff & Cetti’s Wblr singing. Below, three record shots of the Bittern.

Forgot, there was a fem Wheatear in the large field beyond the snipe paddock but disappeared when flushed by a walker.

Just after finishing my BBS on ST1576, a group of birds flew low and fast over me (next to Ysgol Treganna). To my surprise, they were 20 or more swallows – heading SE. Then a pair of swans flew over, which would have been a first for the BBS. The last bird of the survey was a first – a drumming GSW on the far side of the R Ely (near Trelai Park & allotments).

Lesser Scaup, Gadwall pair, Shoveler pair, Sand Martin, Green Woodpecker, drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker were at Cosmeston early this morning. Plenty of singing Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff there too. Yesterday afternoon at Cosmeston 2 Wheatear in the West Paddock and Sparrowhawk over.

St Mary’s Well Bay/Swanbridge this morning – 10 Shelduck, 15 Oystercatcher, 2 Blackcap, 5 Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, 2 Raven, Jay, Linnet, Nuthatch and Pheasant.

Pair of Willow Warblers back on site this evening; first I’ve seen this Spring. Also my first Swallow of the year at Rudry Common this morning.

100+ kittiwakes on or around the nesting ledges….

And surprisingly 1 great crested grebe in almost summer plumage foraging close in by Verdi’s

6<> Sand martins present above Abercynon railway station. Cannot confirm this is arrival date.

Lsr Scaup still present by St.David’s Hotel boardwalk. 3 Willow Warblers singing in Hamadryad/CBWR and a silent one which looks good for WW. 11 Sand Martin perched on the fence in the Doctor Who dock. Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Cetti’s and Blackcap singing in Grangemoor Park.