upwards of 50 med gulls there this morning.. Most I’ve counted this winter

Water Rail 1 Kingfisher 1 Little Egret 3 Grey Heron 8 Grey Wagtail 1 Redwing 2 Black-headed Gull 20 Buzzard 2

Sorry about poor image vegetation got in the way

1st Winter Glaucous Gull at Knap Lake, Barry late this afternoon. Flew off towards Knap Beach at 16.45

GBC trip today in howling winds! Despite the winds we clocked a couple of Chough at Rhossili, a small raft of 20-30 Common Scoter in Rhossili Bay, several Fulmar off the cliffs, a Great Northern Diver just off the Worm ’causeway’ and a GC Grebe there, and Alan Rosney had a fly-by Kittiwake, and a flock of c.200 Linnet were in the stubble fields. At Oxwich, another raft of 20-30 Scoter, another very ‘contrasty’ GN Diver, several GC Grebes, 30 or so Sanderling, and a v distant flock of Ringed Plover on the beach.

First posting .. so testing really!

44 birds in the mixed finch flock feeding in the garden this morning – 17 chaffinch, 16 goldfinch, 10 siskin and a solitary male house sparrow. Probably won’t see half of them for the Big Garden Bird Watch at the weekend.

A skua was present from 15:45 until dusk. I initially thought it was a Pomarine, but am now happy it was, in fact, an Arctic. It alternated chasing the gulls around the rivermouth with resting on the beach. No pics, unfortunately, weather foul.

First thing this morning, before the rain.  The Lesser Scaup at the far end of East Lake, near the central path, and at least one Marsh Tit in Cogan Wood.  Cetti’s Warbler calling near the boardwalk.

Kingfisher female seen on and around the island.

Got a nice video clip of the Lsr Scaup this morning, off the cafe boardwalk – will upload in a bit. Other than that the usual suspects.

This morning at Cosmeston a Lesser Scaup on the East Lake, Kingfisher over the East lake and later flying down the stream from the West Lake to Sully Brook, Green Woodpecker feeding in West Paddock, Cetti’s Warbler in East Lake reedbed, 15 Siskin in the tall, ivy-covered tree at the west end of the cafe boardwalk and a singing Goldcrest along the path between the lakes. On the West Lake Gadwall, Pochard, Teal and Common Gull, a male Bullfinch along Sully Brook and a Buzzard in Cogan Wood.

On Sully Island at sunrise 76 Oystercatcher sheltering from the wind at the western end.

A pair of Stock Doves were in the Ornamental Gardens area of Singleton Park this afternoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q0ngzj-8nk

Lesser Scaup now at the knap lake with several tufties as of 15.30 today. The picture below is the best I could get with my phone.

The Lesser Scaup was at Cosmeston this morning – apparently also present yesterday. I saw it in the middle of W lake where there were 350 Tufted Duck, but it was commuting between both lakes. Also present c.15 drake Pochard and about 5 ducks, 7 Gadwall, 2 fem Shoveler, just 2 Teal I could see, 2 Common Gull on the posts, 3 Little Grebe, pair of GC Grebe in full sum plum displaying. 10 Siskin were by the dog field board walk.

Sully beach at low tide this afternoon: 11 Ringed Plover, 15 Turnstone, 14 Oystercatcher, 3 Shelduck, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Curlew, 2 Dunlin and 1 Grey Heron. The birds were mostly between the sailing club slipway and the Hayes Road beach car park.

At Lavernock earlier 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Kestrel, 1 Water Rail and a singing Goldcrest.

Hutchwns Point on the falling tide again produced 2 Grey Plover and another Adult Mediterranean Gull (white ring this time left leg / white with black lettering / probably a Belgian breeding bird). Lock’s Common held 6 Skylark, 5 Meadow Pipit and 2 Song Thrush. It was pretty quiet birdwise on the walk out to Sker but highlights were a Shag, 40+ Golden Plover and 13 Skylark. A visit to the Wilderness Pool in Porthcawl early pm was productive with nice views of a drake Goosander and a Kingfisher, together with a pair of Tufted Duck and several Shoveler. Just to the north a flock of 200 Lapwing were over Manor farm.

highlight of this morning’s NEWS count at slade sands was 4 Purple sandpiper. Couple of photos:

Bittern came out of the reeds opposite the hide at around 1.30pm today

A nice male redpoll was the best of 74 birds captured at Oxwich this morning.  See: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/oxwich-marsh-23-january-2016-first.html

Fieldfare 1, snipe 2, and 100+ lapwing flying over the fields

Male Goldeneye on Lisvane res this afternoon.