Lucky Shot – from my Sunday Trip of coast of Cornwell

We had a reasonably successful trip to Goldcliff in Gwent this morning, with 8 participants. Waders were scarce due to high water levels & no exposed mud, but the highlight was a ‘set’ of 5 ‘heron types’ – 2 very active Spoonbills which were juveniles due to their flesh coloured bills, 1 Great White Egret, 1 Grey Heron, several Little Egrets and best of all, a Bittern which initially appeared briefly and then after a short while in cover, flew left to right for some distance on front of the seawall hide. A lone Barnacle Goose [prob not of truly wild origin] was associating with the Canadas present. Full list of the 36 species logged is here .

Three Herons present this morning. 2 in trees at the end of W lake and 1 on the fallen tree by E lake near the bridge. In W paddock there was a flock of around 100 Goldfinch with a few Greenfinch & Linnet mixed in and a lone fem Reed Bunting. These were feeding on the seeds heads of ground vegetation.

Large numbers of Swallows moving through this morning , all heading east. Mostly in single figures but also in groups of 30 – 40.

This year the vegetation around the moat has not been hacked back. And Yesterday 24th Sep we saw a Stonechat which is the first time we have recorded this species there. Alan Rosney who carries out the WeBS says he has never seen one there. Also present two Kingfishers the Shelduck and two ringed LBB Gulls details of which have been submitted.

24/9/23

We were pleased to welcome 10 folk on our first GBC Birdwalk for Women, it was great to see old and new friends, then have snacks in the cafe together afterwards to discuss the list!

On this overcast damp day, saw and heard 31 species between us, the highlights being – good views of a kingfisher on the lake, glimpses of a Water Rail by some, and several Bullfinch. We were entertained by a juvenile Little Grebe trying to swallow a fish.

Full list – Magpie, Robin, Carrion Crow, Mallard, Woodpigeon, Bullfinch, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Long-Tailed Tit, Siskin, Chiff Chaff, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Coot, Little Grebe with young, Moorhen, Jay, Kingfisher, Herring Gull, Buzzard, Red Kite, Coal Tit, Blackbird, Raven, Chaffinch, Water Rail, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, Dunnock.

Many thanks to Strinda for co- leading and Angharad for keeping the list.

A group of 6 Choughs on Locks Common this morning. The last time I saw them here was also after a big storm. Perhaps the salt spray brings up worms in the turf near the sea? They were busy pecking away at the turf, and the local crows were trying to drive them off. Also a Kestrel hovering.

38-Little Grebes yesterday,12- on Llanishen and 26-on Lisvane 13h00-14h00.

I took advise from local and sat on brench last Friday morning and reward to see 7 in number of male and female over 5 minutes

Twelve folk joined our monthly Kenfig NNR walk on Saturday morning, good to see old friends and welcome to some new ones, between us we saw and/ or heard 34 species. The highlight was of course watching the young Hobby – good views of it perching and hunting in the dunes at the far south western side of the pool – thanks to Neil D for the location. Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

Full List –

Mute Swan , Mallard , Teal , Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Water Rail , Great Crested Grebe , Black-headed Gull ,

Herring Gull , Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard , Kestrel , Hobby , Jay , Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Great Tit ,

Sand Martin, Swallow , House Martin , Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff , Whitethroat , Starling , Blackbird , Robin 

House Sparrow , Dunnock, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail . Bullfinch, Linnet .

The hay in the Dovecote field has been collected and baled so the previous 30+ Yellow Wags have left. A group of 12 or so Starlings feeding in the large area of Hawthorn and other trees in ‘tree plantation’ field were accompanied by a female Reed Bunting. In the tree plantation itself a single Tree Pipit was atop the tallest of the bushes and there was a Stonechat fly catching there. Whilst on the wooden bridge across Sully Brook I struggled to get a decent clear image of a very active Reed Warbler. The juvenile Moorhen was sitting in the invasive aquatic ‘weed’ [which I have fiorgotten the name of] at the dipping pond, and a Cetti’s Warbler sang very loudly near there.

We had a warm humid troll round the Lavernock WT reserve and along the coastal path this morning – 11 participants came along – thanks for your support and patience folks. The hoped for small birds were very much not in evidence but nevertheless we logged 28 species – click here for the full list. There was continuous light passage of Swallows. Apart from the common birds, other interest was provided by a Small Copper butterfly, Common Migrant and Commomn Darter dragonflies and various hoverflies including several of the impressive and scary looking hornet mimic, Volucella zonaria. Edit: for interest I’ve posted some pix below.

A good passage of Yellow Wagtails in the last few days. There have been 30+ in the hay cut grass in the dovecote field at Cosmeston for 3 days now, and 50+ were noted at RGW the other day. A few ix of the Cossie ones below – couldn’t get one of a bright yellow male. Yesterday I was chatting to an intertested couple at the central viewpoint by W lake when what I thought was an imm large gull was flying towards as but then it banked, and …. wow! … a BIttern! It flew past us and then headed towards E lake. Not relocated tho’. It could possibly have been the one that was seen a couple of days before at Parc Tredelerch.

Yesterday morning there was a steady trickle of Swallows flying east into a brisk breeze, mostly in small groups of 3 or 4. By afternoon there were very few moving through although a dozen or so were feeding over Pwll y waun in the evening. Today a few remain over the lake. The resident birds that had nested in wigfach have certainly departed. 🙁

Yesterday and again this morning, there are 20+ Yellow Wagtails feeding in the cut grass in the Dovecote field, basically in the flat non-sloping area above the Dovecote ruin [which is basically a mass of brambles that you can see as you enter the field from the Mile Road]. This is possibly the highest ever count at Cosmeston.

Twenty folk enjoyed the field trip on Sunday 27th August.

We were very lucky to be led by Dan Jenkins-Jones , an expert on the site, who made sure that everyone had some view of the elusive and rare Green Sandpiper. After a lot of skulking, a total of seven were found!

Full list-

Grey Heron, Cormorant, Carrion Crow, Common Buzzard, Long-Tailed Tit, Wood Pigeon, Starling, Robin, Jackdaw, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, Magpie, Wren, Chiffchaff, Nuthatch, Lesser Black-Backed Gull, Jay, Blackbird, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Rook, Stonechat, Kingfisher (heard), Green Sandpiper, House Martin, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Moorhen, Mallard, Canada Goose.

Many thanks to Dan (especially for the chocolate!) and to David Hibler for leading.

Please bare in mind – i had seconds, they fly away fast and images are crop but they show the Green Sandpiper from this morning Walk

Lots of warblers feeding up amongst the trees on their southward journey , mostly Chiffchaff and Willow warbler but at least 2 Wood warbler giving good views.

No migrant action in W. paddock this morning but a Green Woodpecker loud call alerted me to a juv in a tree near the dragonfly pond. A very careful approach [they’re always very skittish and alert to any movement], and I managed a few shots before it flew off when I wasn’t looking. Coming back down the N side of the W paddock hedge and what I assumed to be the sme individual was hopping along on the ground. I followed it slowly and it was soon almost swamped by a flock of starlings and finally flew off.

From my last week visit to Poole area