Ceri Jones saw a Firecrest at Cosmeston this afternoon on LH side of the main ‘mile road’ path between the lakes beyond the far end of W lake [I guess somewhere just after the bridge].

Four little egrets leaving the roost this morning, and water rail and chiffchaff among 32 birds captured for ringing.

For the latest ringing news see: gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/oxwich-marsh-19-march-2016-gower.html

Highlights from Cossie dog walk this morning: my first Sand Martin of the year briefly over W lake, c.20 Redwing feeding in W paddock with a Mistle Thrush, cracking view of a Cetti’s Warbler [just missed grabbing a shot 😦 ], c.6 Chiffies around the hide area and the middle viewpoint, fly-by Kingfisher from the main bridge, still a few Pochard around, and the Tufted x Scaup hybrid – basically a “Scufty”!  🙂

Pochard

‘Scufty’

A singing Chiffchaff was on the riverbank just south of the dog-leg in the path, and two 2nd yr Med Gulls were on the playing fields nearby. Mistle Thrush were singing by Tesco in the bay and in Grangetown. 36 Shellduck were on the mudbanks beyond the barrage.

Thanks to Strinda Davies for leading another enjoyable Glamorgan Bird Club monthly walk at a cold and grey Kenfig. There were 12 participants and we saw or heard 48 species in all. Highlights included Golden Plover, Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank, Sparrowhawk, Greylag Geese, Pintail, Goldeneye, Great Black-backed Gull and Bullfinch.

Full species list:
Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mallard, Pintail, Goldeneye, Tufted – Duck, Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Pochard, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Curlew, Lapwing, Golden Plover, Redshank, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Raven, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, Blackbird, Mistle Thrush, Starling, Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Reed Bunting, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Cetti’s Warbler, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Wren

A brief look on E lake seemed to show the Lsr Scaup was back although it was distant. However when I got back round to the cafe boardwalk that bird turned out to be the Tufted X Scaup hybrid which is the middle, dusky-sided looking bird in this cropped phone pic. This is the one with the broad black bill nib.

Whilst watching that I scanned again and saw the Lsr Scaup along the shoreline adjacent the golf course, so one assumes it had returned from Lisvane.

Also noted, around 10 Redwing and 2 Fieldfare feeding on the grassy ‘meadow’ by Sully Brook, beyond the dovecote field, and 2 pairs of Bullfinch feeding on buds by the Med Village entrance.

Delighted to find a drake lesser scaup cavorting in front of Lisvane Res car park at 15:15, chasing and courting a female tufted duck in company with various male tufties. Still present when I left at 15:45. The Cosmeston bird was absent this morning, apparently, so presumably the same bird.

Redpoll still in E Paddock, also Goldcrest and Chiffchaff along main path between both lakes.

Sand Martin over the Taff by the inlet at 11.30

Cetti’s Warbler singing. 7 Cormorants.

40-50 Redwings were feeding in the grounds of St. Paul’s Church at 7.30 a.m., which must be more than the total I’ve seen all Winter!

2 Redpoll in the E paddock same area as reported by John Wilson & Ceri Jones.

Also 2 Goldcrest, Reed Bunting and Chiffchaff along main path between both lakes.

Late WeBS this morning: Rhymney Est [Green Pt] – 500 Redshank, 100 Dunlin, 100 Shelduck, 60 Pintail, 13 Shoveler, 1 Snipe, 1 Heron, plus small nos. of Teal, Oyc, Cormorant etc. At the Heliport there were 27 Turnstone but nothing else [apart from BH Gulls].

At high tide this morning 3 dunlin, 10 redshank, 4 oystercatcher, 4 curlew, 12 shellduck, 11 goldeneye, and 2 little grebe of note.

On the lane up to Norton Farm was a mixed flock, definitely 6 yellowhammer but I suspect a dozen.

Mediterranean Gull – summer plumaged adult in black-headed gull flock in car park near Lidl this morning.

The Redpolls reported by Ceri Jones yesterday afternoon were still feeding along the ditch/valley on the RH side of E paddock, in fact there were 4 this morning, feeding in the tree and on the ground. Managed a couple of record shots despite having dog on lead in one hand! A fem Stonechat was in the Snipe paddock near the dragonfly pond, Green ‘Pecker calling from near the golf course. Lesser Scaup was on E lake. Click each image.

Biting off a bud.

12 Redwings in Fairwater along the trail early today.

Highlight of today’s WeBS survey were 1 adult Y-L gull and 3 Jack snipe among 58 common snipe. Other grand totals were: 8 mallard, 61 tufties, 26 moorhens, 118 coots, 29 little grebes, 11 GC grebes, 3 mute swans, 29 herring gulls, 89 LBBgulls.

At dusk, impressive murmurations by approx 2,000 starlings, with 4 pipistrelle and 1 noctule sized bat hunting along the reservoir banks.

I couldn’t resist the sunshine and abandoned tasks to walk down the Ely from Fairwater to just past St Fagan’s museum and saw a Dipper, a pair of Grey Wagtails near possible nest site and a Kingfisher. Quite cheered me up!

At Cosmeston late morning/early afternoon 2 Lesser Redpoll feeding in trees along the shallow “valley” that runs north-south along the East Paddock. They also fly across the paddock to the trees between the East and West paddocks.

4 Common Snipe flew up from the south side of the fenced area at the top of the West Paddock, and 3 Buzzard, 2 Raven, 1 Sparrowhawk and 1 Grey Heron were all seen flying over Cogan Wood. A Kingfisher was busy around the West Lake, though I didn’t see any Pochard.

Earlier 2 Shelduck were loafing on the sea in a flat calm off Sully Beach, and there were at least 5 vocal Cetti’s Warblers at Cadoxton Ponds.