Really pleased to get my first ‘self-found’ firecrest today at Aberthaw. The bird was in the bushes immediately below and east (right looking up the hill) of the old works at ST038661. A goldcrest also popped up to provide a comparison. Also a chiffchaff, 9 brent and 40 plus wigeon on the sea.

 

Glaucous Gull juv offered fabulous views this morning down to 20m perched on the rocks by Lock Cottage for about 5mins before appearing to fly out to sea possibly towards Penarth 11:00.

Juv Glaucous Gull close inshore from Llwyn Passat at 09:50.

3 Mistle Thrush, 1 Song Thrush and 1 Redwing in W paddock this morning. There seem to be 7 GC Grebes on the lakes. The Lesser Scaup was on E lake, by the reed bed.

Hybrid resembling Lsr Scaup in Prospect Place. Glaucous Gull still present and showing well in CBWR at 13:30.

The Glaucous Gull found by Graham Smith was still present at 14:00 but by then out in the middle of the Bay with the other big gulls.

Bit distant but managed a couple of record shots.

An imm Glaucous Gull was reported from Cardiff BaY Wetlands this morning, resting on the perimeter buoys, still present at 13:10.

Drake Goldeneye on the lake this morning. Also 6 Teal, 10 Pochard and 121 Tufted Duck amongst the usual suspects.

Whiteford: 3 great northern diver at the point foraging together, lots of crossbill activity in the plantation (including a singing bird), and a red kite flying across the Inlet over the dunes
Rhossili: 587 common scoter in several flocks. Relatively accurate count as most loafing as opposed to foraging. Red kite.
Wernffrwd / Llanrhidian: 2 RB Mergs, 2 ringtail hen harrier, short-eared owl, 3 GW Egret
I am giving a talk at the Environment Centre, Pier St, Swansea tomorrow 19:00 on Ringing at Oxwich 2013 to date. Admission £1.

Cetti’s Warbler present calling again this morning @ Tir Founder Fields, Aberdare. Thought it might have left due to cold weather, but no, been here 6 months so hints that it may have a partner and is here to breed! Could this be a first for the Valleys? Will try a stake out to get photo record.

Sully Island high tide roost at sunrise today included 94 Oystercatcher, 23 Dunlin and 9 Ringed Plover. On Sully beach (near Burnham Avenue car park) just after high tide 65 Turnstone, a high count here.

In Barry, 5 Cetti’s Warbler at Cadoxton Ponds and at the Docks singing Skylark, a hunting Kestrel and an overwintering Common Sandpiper.

It’s amazing what sun & blue sky can do! An excellent turnout of 22 folk attended today’s weekday trip – thanks all. Fortunately the Lesser Scaup had decided to return to the lakes after a brief sojourn at CBWR yesterday, and showed well on W lake. Also present there were 5 Shoveler, a few Pochard, 9 Gadwall and the usual Tufties. A Little Egret flew in and landed in a tree by W lake. Whilst discussing the features of Common Gull on the bridge, most of us were rewarded by a 5 second fight view of the Bittern as it moved from one part of the reed bed to the other. A single Snipe flushed from the west paddock and being silent and not ‘towering’, could have been a Jack, although it did fly some distance, but keeping low. Sadly we couldn’t connect with the Marsh Tits in Cogan Wood, despite Lol Middleton having seen them earlier coming down to collect peanuts, and also despite Lol having ‘lent’ me some peanuts! Most of them were snaffled up by a Magpie and a Jay! There were plenty of Long-tailed Tits and a Cetti’s Warbler sang near the cafe and a nice male Siskin was in an Alder near the main boardwalk.

We decided against the planned visit to Cardiff Bay and those that still remained after lunch went down to Swanbridge and had good views of the male Black Redstart.

 

Black Redstart still at Swanbridge this afternoon at the house opposite JCB between 3.45 and 4.30, very mobile.

Dodgy record shot of the female mandarin duck found by Owain Gabb yesterday

 

Lsr Scaup and Chiffchaff from the boardwalk.

A Little Egret was the highlight this morning, preening by the W lake reeds, viewed from the viewpoint at the back of the lake, then it flew off to the north with 2 Grey Herons. There were a couple of Siskin by the Med Village boardwalk and a Reed Bunt and a Cetti’s singing there, and the Lsr Scaup was on E lake. Also caught this pair of frogs in flagrante delicto:

A female mandarin this morning amongst modest numbers of teal, mallard, gadwall and little grebe
A bittern reported on 14/02
Small build up of GC grebe on the sea (5)

A Black Redstart was again on Swanbridge beach this morning – at the St Mary’s Well Bay Road end of the Captain’s Wife car park.

Also this morning an adult Mediterranean Gull moving into summer plumage was on the water at the western end of Barry Docks.

In afternoon, in addition to John’s post, 280 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Fieldfare and 2 Marsh Tits in Cogan Wood, haven’t seen them since 10 January.