Our first visit to the caravan this year, we were welcomed by a Red Kite and a pair each of hunting Kestrels and displaying Ravens. Offshore in Broughton Bay was a Great Northern Diver, Cormorant and 2 Shelduck. 6 Common Scoter were on the sea out towards Bluepool where 2 Fulmar were patrolling the cliffs. There were 32 Oystercatcher on the rocks at Twlc Point at high tide and about 25 Common Gull on the sea. Broughton farm fields held 3 Lapwing in among the roving Starling flock.

GBC trip today. Great selection of birds with 6 spp of wader, plenty of duck and common birds plus great views of Short-eared Owl

Checked the Little Egrets leaving the island roost at first light.Unusually all the Egrets got up in flight together before then splitting into several flocks.This made it impossible to do an accurate count,but nevertheless there seemed to be many more than the 34 I counted on my last visit.I will try again later in the week,taking my camera.Also at dusk 2-Kingfishers together.

Fab views of hunting ringtail  harrier this morning.. Also present 2 great white egrets, red kite, kestrel…. And all the regular stuff

 

8 Goosander at 8.45am. 3 males, 5 ‘females’ (brown heads). Great close up views. There most mornings.

A day of finches – the garden finches have increased now to over 80 siskins this morning, at least as many goldfinches, plus a handful of chaffinches and greenfinches, together with two lesser redpoll. Later in the day visited Garwnant, which produced 10 crossbills near the Giant’s Chair and a further three in the car park.

Barn Owl seen and Tawny Owl calling at Cosmeston earlier this evening.

6 purple sandpiper on the rocks just after high tide. My thanks to the birder in Watermill who told me of two. I had not intended going there but when I found his two 4 more flew in. The usual suspects at the Watermill and Portobello

Good views of 6 + Reed Buntings feeding on bird seed on boulders in car park.

Excellent views of redpoll, siskin, greater spotted woodpecker (M&F), long tailed tits, jays, greenfinch plus others on bird tables around back of Education Centre

Goshawk over Parc Slip this morning

As per John’s post, no Grey Phal but the Common Sandpiper was strutting its stuff for some photos.

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/waders/h60863db5#h60863db5

The stonechats was a new year tick for me and the Med gull was flying around the Morrisons area. Couple of shots of the Med gull at

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/medgull/h6d58b641#h6d58b641

There was no sign of a Grey Phal on any of the docks at Barry this morning, either the eastern dock by the docks access road, or the main dock in front of the apartments by Morrisons. There was a Common Sand feeding along rim of the eastern arm of said main dock, accessed thro’ a hole in the chainlink fence, and a pair of Stonechat there. 3-4 GC Grebes in the main dock itself.

Really good views of Crossbills 12 four males. Unfortunately the photos did not turn out so good. Also Raven 2 Buzzard  2 Goldcrest 1 Green Woodpecker 2 Jay 1

5 Siskin quickly passed through the trees in the ‘pond’ this morning.

One red throated diver down channel this morning while doing a cetacean survey

A Little Stint was with the Dunlin flock (c.2500) first thing just by the mounds (SS504939), the very big tide pushing birds right up, on what was a lovely calm and bright day for a change. Other counts for this section of the estuary included 463 D-b Brents (virtually no juvs this year), 2 Slavonian Grebes, 9 R-b Mergansers and 1 Great White Egret. Also 1000’s of Oycs and 100’of Pintail, Knot, Curlew, Lapwing, Shelduck, etc. which I never counted, all producing a fine spectacle. Yesterday morning at the Crofty triangular marsh (SS524951) there was a Water Pipit and a Green Sandpiper.

Whilst doing a low tide Rhymney Est count for BTO, I was rewarded for squelching about in the totally waterlogged Green Point by the river mouth, by the unexpected sight of a stunning Short-eared Owl hunting up & down the S side of the landfill overlooking the river, at about 3 p.m. Low tide counts there are a nightmare – the tide goes out miles!

Called in at Penarth Marina on way home and found the 1st yr male Black Redstart on roofs of Plas Taliesin by the small square overlooking Penarth Marina –  at approx 4:30 p.m.

Lesser Scaup in quite close near the Cafe boardwalk this morning.

At least c.55 Teal flew in this morning, the most I’ve seen here.

Good numbers of ducks on the pool yesterday.  Very close pair of goldeneye, plus gr grebe, pochard, mallard, coot, wigeon, gadwall, tufties, plus cormorant, mute swan and Canada geese. Couldn’t find the scaup with bins.