From my last week visit to Poole area

Eight folk came on our Kenfig Public Birdwalk on Saturday, great to see old and new friends.

Despite the lack of duck and geese on the pool, we were pleased to find Wood Sandpiper- close views but soon took flight, Common Sandpiper, 3 overflying Green Sandpiper, Black Tailed Godwit, and a Little Egret. Between us we identified a total of 39 species ( seen or heard. )

Mute Swan , Mallard , Swift, Woodpigeon , Collared Dove, Black-tailed Godwit , Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper Wood Sandpiper, Black-headed Gull , Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Grey Heron , Little Egret, Sparrowhawk , Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kestrel, Jay, Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit , Great Tit  Sand Martin , House Martin , Cetti’s Warbler , Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat , Wren , Nuthatch, Treecreeper  House Sparrow , Dunnock, Meadow Pipit , Bullfinch , Goldfinch .

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading

Fine misty mizzle at Cossie this morning wasn’t really very conducive for photography, or indeed much bird action. I was pleased to spot a Tree Pipit alight in a dead tree by W. paddock, next to the Mile Road, and managed to grab a shot before it moved on. There was a Green Woodpecker in the same tree but if flew off b4 I could grab a photo. There were a few Sand Martins feeding over W lake. At the dipping pond a recent Moorhen chick was being fed by an older sibling from a brood hatched earlier in the year by the same female. Indeed I suspect that the fem concerned had actually had 3 broods.

Another migrant this morning – A Whinchat [looks like a juv] in the bushes in the tree plantation. Local Penarthuan Annie Irving had 3 Spot Flys on the other side of the bushes at the same time. I wonder whether they were the same three I saw near the dragonfly pond on the 15th? Down by Sully Brook there were 2 juv Stonechats in the trees. Whilst I was having coffee outside the back of the cafe I took a coupoe of shots of a hoverfly, which turns out to be Eupeodes luniger. A group of around 20 Swallows flew over. Top left is the Whinchat.

This morning about 50-100m beyond the dragonfly pond in trees on the left, there were 3 Spotted Flycatchers doing what they do best. A few Sand Martins aere over W lake. In the afternoon, other local birdwatchers had Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Yellow Wagtail and Wheatear, all by [or in] the tree polantation above Sully Brook.

Bit of a turn up at Cosmeston today. Found at around 5:30 p.m. by our local ‘bird magnet’. A juv Cattle Egret! I didn’t find out until about 7 p.m. due to being busy with other things. Almost didn’t go as I thought I’d probably ‘dip’ but then I thought, maybe it’ll roost, so I dropped down there. And there it was resting in a tree near a Grey Heron, movements of which spooked it occasionally. A juv Cattle Egret. It finally did go to roost at about 8 p.m. Managed some quite nice pix in the failing light. First record for the site as far as we know. It’s a juv bird. The occurrence is perhaps not totally surprising after a report the other day of a roost in the Somerset Levels of 370 birds!

Signs of autumn migration at Cosmeston this morning. At the tree sapling plantation above Sully Brook, Whinchat and Tree Pipit and also Stonechat. Pix taken distantly so as not to flush, so record shot crops. From the other day, a Moorhen with a newish chick at the dipping pond – I think this one from a third brood from this pair! Yesterday in teh morning drizzle there was a single Swift high over W lake plus a few House and Sand Martins.

We had a reasonably successful trip today to Goldcliff in Gwent when 21 participants logged a total of 58 species [at the last count!]. Waders were a little disappointing but we did see c.55 Blackwits, c.100 Lapwing, c.40 Dunlin, 1 Redshank, 11 Ringed Plover and a fly-over-calling Green Sandpiper. Other highlights included 4 Yellow Wagtails, a Spoonbill, fem/imm Redstart and 2 Marsh Harrier. Not many bird pix were taken [by me at least]. Featured below are the notorious Goldcliff ‘Bosprey’ [v distant][a v pale Buzzard that is often mistaken for Osprey], a fem/imm Redstart and some Blackwits & Dunlin. Full list can be seen by clicking here. John Wilson

Whilst watching today’s game a Peregrine swooped in under a stand roof and out again.It returned ten minutes later and perched on a roof beam at the north stand.It remained for up to 45 minutes,i didn’t see it fly off,too busy watching the game!

The juvenile Redstart was in the southern boudary hedge of W. Paddock again, on the outside of the hedge facing W lake. This was about 11:45. It dropped down into cover on the scrubby slope facing W lake. At teh far end of W paddock by the fenced ingrazing area, I had a Garden Warbler briefly, before it flew into brambles. An ad GC Grebe was on W lake accompanied by 3 still insistently squeaking, fully grown young. 3 other ads were present.

2 adult and 2 juvenile Sparrowhawks at Pwllywaun , Newton. The young have been calling regularly for days from the large willows and all four were in the air this afternoon. Earlier the male came in with prey and either the much larger adult female or a youngster flew to meet him, almost touching talons in flight. Unfortunately I couldn’t make out if the prey had been passed but that seemed to be the intention.

Before the rain this morning, on the large bramble bushy clump in the plantation above Sully Brook, there were 2 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, about 6 Whitethroats, a Greenfinch and some Goldfinches, flycatching from the top of the bushes. It looked like the Whitethroats were a family group as I could see at least 2 imm birds there.
On 1st Aug on a walk across the Barrage, there were 2 Grey Wags by the exit of Penarth Marina and still a good number of occupied House Martin nests on the houses there. The once occupied Sand Martin nests now seem to be empty so the young have flown.

Apologies for very late posting!

15/7/23

With a very bad weather forecast, in wind, occasional rain and drizzle, five hardy souls took part in our Kenfig Public Walk, and were well rewarded with 32 species seen/heard, the highlights being a very obliging Great White Egret, a Stock Dove, Swifts, and numerous Hirundine over the pool.

Full List-

Magpie, Carrion Crow, Mute Swan, Cormorant, Willow Warbler, Starling, Chiff Chaff, Bullfinch, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull, Swift, Canada Goose, Great White Egret, Great Crested Grebe, Sandmartin, Swallow, Coot, House sparrow, Goldfinch, Blackcap, Long Tailed Tit, Robin, Wren, Reed Warbler, Stock Dove, Jay, Sparrow Hawk, Jackdaw.

Also- Emperor Dragonfly, Spotted Long Horn Beetle, butterflies and moths- Large Skipper, Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Ringlet, Cinnabar, Small White, Common Blue, Meadow Brown

There was a juvenile Common Redstart in the hedgerows in west paddock this morning, moving around with a juv Robin. In the dovecote field there was a flock of around 100 Starlings in the trees & bushes – a mixture of adults and juvs. There were quite a few Sand Martins and Swallows feeding over the field there, with one or two House Martins in with them and a Comon Whitethroat was scolding from the brambles near the Medieval Dovecote itself. A couple of Reed Warblers were calling from adjacent the dipping pond.

Male Great Bustard from the Salisbury plain –

Despite the rather wet start to the day, 10 participants attended the field trip to Parc Cwm Dare. We were rained on for about 45 minutes but we were soon observing breeding activity with juvs of Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Bullfinch being fed by adult birds. Other highlights were 2 immature Peregrines chasing each other around the face of the Tarren Y Bwllfa cliff, several Green Woodpeckers including some juvs, and lots of Siskins. Two adults and an immature Little Grebe were on the lower lake and a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew over. House Martins and Swallows were around the lower parts of the park. The absence of any Swifts over the distant houses was worrying and we’ve never previously failed to see any there. Fine ‘scope views were had from the top viewpoint of one imm Peregrine sitting up on the cliff [well done Alan for carrying your ‘scope all the way]. Thanks to all who came despite the weather. Sorry no photos – weather wasn’t conducive for taking the camera! John Wilson
Click here for the full list.

On a quick walk round, down to the old searchlight building and back, I was lucky enough to initially flush a Cuckoo in the second field, which did a circuit and disappeared.Fortunately it was still present on my return leg and after foraging in the dense ground cover, sitting briefy in the open on the dirt path, flew around and settled in a tree. There were many Ringlets on the wing and one settled nicely for an underwing shot.

A small group [just 7 of us] had a successful trip to Ham Wall RSPB in the Somerset Levels yesterday [25th]. The heat wasn’t too bad as there was some shade, plus the afternoon cloud and stiff breeze helped. 51 species were logged with highlights being 4 or poss 5 fly-by Bitterns, a Hobby, a Cuckoo, many Marsh Harriers and Great White Egrets [outnumbering Littles]. Also a Bearded Tit was seen by Alan Rosney and a few others were heard. There were very many dragon & damselflies, the best of which were Red-eyed Damselflies alighting on the floating vegetation [as is their habit] and a Lesser Emperor dragonfly flying back & forth in front of the Avalon hide. Thanks to all who came along. Click here for the full list. Images below L>R: female Marsh Harrier, Whitethroat, Great White Egret, Red-eyed Damselfly, 4-Spotted Chaser, Common Blue Damselfly.

From today GBC walk at Ham Wall

Not overly birdy at Cossie at the moment, so amongst the birdy pix there are some invertebrates. The GC Grebe ‘humbug’ is now as big as the adults. Two adult Herons were in a tree near the main bridge. Managed to grab a shot of the Jay which was very busy in the grove of trees behind W lake. The day-flying moth is Pyrausta purpuralis,always nice to see. The pair of Damselflies ‘in cop’ were by the dragonfly pond [either Common or Azure – not sure you can tell from the image]. The hoverfly is Leucozona laternaria [confirmed on the Hoverflys FB page] – a new sp for me. Finally the Comma was one of two seen near the Medieval Village.