No sign of the Lesser Scaup this morning on either lake [post below explains why!!]. W lake had 3 Shoveler that I could see [1m 2f] although 8 I think had been seen yesterday. Also 3 Gadwall on W lake, and 18 drake Pochard and just 2 females. Also 3 Little Grebe, 2 GC Grebe, 1 Common Gull and many Tufties although I didn’t count them. Also 1 Goldcrest up the central path and Lol Middleton had seen a Chiffchaff near the Medieval Village.

The Lesser Scaup was back on the reserve today, viewed distantly from the boardwalk.

Three Goosander (one drake) on River Ely this morning.

At Pwll-y-waun pool a pair of Shoveler were present and across the road at Manor farm, 4 Curlew 30 Black-headed Gull and a large mixed flock of 300 + Carrion Crow / Rook / Jackdaw. It was pretty quiet at Salt lake car park 30 Black-headed Gull and Porthcawl Point – just 1 Oystercatcher, but the rocks at Hutchwns Point just south of Lock’s Common at high tide was more productive yielding a Shag, 2 Oystercatcher, 4 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Grey Plover, 5 Turnstone, 26 Herring Gull and an adult winter Mediterranean Gull.

9 purple sandpiper, 32 turnstone, ringed plover (no accurate count), 32 oystercatcher, 5 curlew, little egret, 4 shag and a Med gull on Sedger’s Bank

Chiffchaff in with a mixed tit and goldcrest flock at Overton STW.  Small roost of oystercatcher (12) and a little egret on the rocks.

2 Snow Buntings were still present at Whiteford, more towards the lighthouse than previously seen (SS444956). We also had 8+ Great Northern Divers (3 on the north shore and 5+ on the south shore) and 2 Slavonian Grebes. Also of note: 2 Jack Snipe on the walk out to the Point.  We had a good selection of other waders and wildfowl and, later, at Llanrhidian we had Great White Egret, 2 ringtail Hen Harriers, 3 Short-eared Owls and a female Merlin on a post. (DJJ/GJJ/RSPB Cymru staff).

Male and female Goosander on River Ely this morning.

High tide at Aberthaw produced 1 Arctic Skua (which I thought could be a Pom, but thanks to Mark Hipkin for ID help), 15 Golden Plover, 27 Brent Geese, 40+ Wigeon on the sea, ringed plover as well as the usual oystercatchers and turnstones. The snipe areas on the islands on the pool are now under water but I did manage to find a couple of birds hiding away on the reed edges.

Many thanks to Strinda Davies for leading this morning’s GBC walk at Kenfig. On a cold, crisp morning there were 20 participants and we saw or heard 40 species in total including Scaup, Goldeneye, Gadwall, Pochard and Teal.

The full species list follows:
Scaup, Goldeneye, Gadwall, Pochard, Teal, Mallard, Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Moorhen, Coot, Snipe, Common Gull, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Starling, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Raven, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail, Buzzard, Skylark, House Sparrow.

Great northern diver foraging off the point
2 chiffchaff in the reedbed
6 little egret in the roost
Details on the ringing session here: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/oxwich-marsh-16-january-2016-couple-of.html

Canada Goose(28),Mute Swan(3),Coot(5),Moorhen(3),Bullfinch(3, 1 male),Grey Heron(1),Common Snipe(4),Goosander(2, 1male), Little Grebe(1),Mallard(7),Black-Headed Gull(15),Blackbird(12),Song Thrush(5),Mistle Thrush(2),Redwing(4),Greenwoodpecker(1)

Lsr Scaup back on CBWR at the far end from the boardwalk.2 Black Redstarts including a possible fem type in Penarth Marina.

Wilderness Pool early morning: 5 Shoveler, 1 Tufted duck, 2 Chiffchaff, 13 Siskin, 5 Goldfinch and a Greenfinch and Raven over. Only 30 BH Gull at Pwll-y-waun. Porthcawl seafront at hight tide : 1 Shag and about 50 BH Gull, 5 Common Gull and 4 winter plumaged adult Mediterranean Gulls (one of which had a white ring on right leg with black lettering E187 – glad we had some bread! The birds are starting to acquire their black hoods). Rest Bay was quiet with a similar number of Gulls including 2 adult winter Mediterranean Gulls. Later a Grey Wagtail flew east calling. I returned home late morning to find a female Blackcap at our garden feeding station.

Mike & James Cram

Merlin(f) hunting Meadow pipits.

A good arrival today on Kenfig Pool and nice find by Paul Parsons and Dean McCeachen. Hopefully it will stay for Glamorgan Bird Club’s guided walk on Saturday morning (9am-12)

Nineteen goosander 10 males 9 females Woking their way round the pond sometimes coming close to the cafe area ,also there 56 mallard 4 tufted 5 mute swan 44 black headed gulls 2 mistle thrush dunocks robins and chaffinch

Thanks to Ceri for the heads up on Sully Island. 
Lol Middleton and I went down there late morning but 
most birds had moved to the shore line on Sully. 
Amongst them was a Black Redstart - first I have seen 
down there. It was on the rocks to the west of the 
Captain's Wife but flew off into the caravan park. We are 
used to seeing them at Penarth Marina on a few miles away 
but good to seem them at Sully now.
Some record shots at 
http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/passerines/h405a675d#h64647a6b
Also some good shots of Rock Pipit that was hanging 
around

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/passerines/h405a675d#h6b50d4f7

The high tide at sunrise this morning left just a narrow strip of beach for most of the Sully Island shoreline and next to nothing on the Swanbridge side. In the island roost were 134 Oystercatcher, 11 Ringed Plover, 3 Grey Plover, 10 Dunlin, 15 Curlew (which flew off towards Sully playing fields), 8 Turnstone and 2 Grey Heron.

Great northern diver foraging close inshore
9+ Med gulls