On Sully Island this morning shortly after high tide in very windy conditions were 6 Shelduck and c. 25 Oystercatcher. At Bendrick Rock there was 1 Curlew, 5 Oystercatcher and 4 Turnstone.
Later at Cosmeston my first Blackcap of the year, a female working its way quickly along the hedgerow near the car park entrance.
Chiffchaffs (3) singing at three locations.
A pair of Garganey were found on Kenfig Pool this morning, per Neil Donaghy on Twitter.
A little more than the usual this morning. There had been an arrival of hirundines so 50+ Sand Martins were flying around when I arrived although Swallow had been seen earlier. From the bridge, a pair of Shoveler on E lake, 1 Kingfisher, 2 Chiffchaff incl 1 singing. Then in W paddock a male Wheatear and a Mistle Thrush, and a Peregrine and a Raven flew over. The hybrid ‘scufty’ was still on E lake but the Lesser Scaup seems to have departed for Cardiff Bay [see post below], and all the Pochard have gone. The Wheatear was right out in the open so not very approachable, hence pic heavily cropped. Click the pix.
Lsr Scaup just outside CBWR by St.Davids Hotel boardwalk at 10:20. 2 2nd yr Med Gulls, last seen on The Marl, now on the Taff by Channel View. Lots of Sand Martins including 2 Swallows.
At least a dozen Sand Martins and a couple of Swallows were hawking over Brynmill Park Lake this afternoon.
c.30+ Sand Martins including at least 1 Swallow over the Taff just u/s from the flyover (A4232) by Hamadryad Park.
Missed the Goldeneye but then didn’t really check E lake. Pretty quiet otherwise – Cetti’s singing by the main boardwalk, Chiffchaff singing near the bird table, Scaup X Tufty hybrid on W lake. No hirundines. Nice to bump in to my pal Gareth Jenkins, still in winter plumage 🙂
Todays Goldeneye, also a Swallow and c 25 Sand Martin
Female Goldeneye on East Lake at Cosmeston this morning.
At Lavernock this morning a Wheatear was in the field on the east side of Fort Road about 200m south of the old railway bridge
As the rain eased at Cosmeston late afternoon c25 Sand Martin, at least 2 Swallow and a Kingfisher were over the East Lake. A Sparrowhawk was over the central path and a Buzzard over the East lake reedbed. The Lesser Scaup was on the East Lake.
17 Sand Martin, 2 Swallow over Pool 10.30am, 3 Chiffchaff, singing Goldcrest.
11 sand martins, a swallow and an early house martin at lunch time
Migrant hunting along the Taff
Fforest Farm – 1 Blackcap. 3 Chiffchaff. 6 Sand Martin a little south
Llandaff – 6 Sand Martin. 1 Chiffchaff
Bute Park – 1 Chiffchaff. 6 Sand Martin
Taff – Goosander still present. 1 Mink.
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Tirfounder Fields (Cwmbach) 1st Chiffchaff 17th March. Cetti’s Warbler now resident possible nesting pair
Highlights from yesterday evening and this morning (in the company of EAH JNE RHAT & PS at different times) included 2 Great White Egrets, Wheatear, Swallows, Sand Martins, 258 D-b Brent, 1 P-b Brent, 17 RBMergs, 3 Slavs (2 now full s/p), 130 Golden Plover, 58 Curlew, Med Gull, 5 SEOwls, Barn Owl, Kite, Peregrine, Marsh Harrier & Hen Harrier. Regarding the latter Ed mentioned to me a day or two back it thought it was a bit hudsonicus-like, which I must confess after looking back at some ropey video I managed to get this morning, I can see his point. I don’t think it’s colourful enough to warrant a genuine claim, but it’s certainly worth a closer look and if anyone happens to have/get any images of the Llanrhidian Hen Harriers from recent weeks (especially any showing the underparts and/or underwing well), I’d be very interested to see them. Today’s bird looked very plain below though not especially rich buff, but did have a moderately distinct boa. I’ll add a video grab later though it won’t convince anyone.
The four of us set out this morning for a long walk from Rest Bay out towards Sker. It was a gorgeous day, a little cool, but nice and sunny. On the falling tide we saw 2 Shelduck, 25 Sanderling, 550 Golden Plover and a nice Wheatear out at Pink Bay. There were plenty of singing Skylarks and Meadow Pipits plus a singing Rock Pipit. A female Kestrel and female Sparrowhawk were hunting over the golf course, which also held 2 singing male Stonechats, singing Wren and 3 Pied Wagtail. The path between Rest and Pink Bays yielded a Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris) and a common Lizard and few Bumblebee sps. On the drive home we saw a Curlew at Manor court Farm and were surprised to see a Brown Hare in the middle of one of the fields.
A Swallow over the fields at Gileston this morning, and 3 Stock Dove in the fields. Behind the beach Yellowhammer on gorse just after the A-frame stile, along with Stonechat. Last bird was a Wheatear in the fenced horse paddock near the beach car park.
Apologies for non-sighting. Tomorrow’s GBC trip to the Forest of Dean is now cancelled – I have just watched the BBC online forecast and it is still very bad for tomorrow and very poor for the next 2 days. I believe I have contacted by text, everyone who said they were coming, but am posting this everywhere to make sure.
Hybrid Tufty resembling Lsr Scaup on the reserve this morning. 3 Snipe and a Water Rail together, a Cettis displaying like crazy to a female, and a Kingfisher.
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