A low tide count for the Non-estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS) resulted in:

Black-headed Gull (116); Carrion Crow (75); Great Black-backed Gull (5); Grey Plover (1); Herring Gull (382); Lesser Black-backed Gull (1); Meadow Pipit (1); Oystercatcher (15); Redshank (2); Ringed Plover (15); Sanderling (2) and Turnstone (2).

Wader numbers low, but surprised to see so many crows using the beach.  A 1CY Herring Gull continually rising and dropping a whelk on the rocks before being robbed by an Oystercatcher was noteworthy too.

There’s still a few vacant sectors along our coast if you’d like to take part in this survey.  See link above.

Magpie: 73 noted gathering late afternoon during post lunch stroll.

Four Lesser Redpoll by the Dragonfly pond were a nice surprise at Cosmeston late morning. Don’t see them here very often. On the West Lake were Gadwall, Wigeon, Pochard and the Bar-headed Goose. A Kingfisher was in the West Lake bay and Fieldfare, Redwing, Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush were at the south end of the West Paddock.

In Barry Dock there were 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls and a group of 9 Great Crested Grebes at the Waterfront. Little Egrets were at Swanbridge beach, Cadoxton Rivermouth/Bendrick Rock and Barry Old Harbour.

People seem to be receiving their 2014 Bird Reports in the post now so it is timely for me to highlight and apologise for a couple of errors. In the photos opposite p.8 the middle image of 2 Black-throated Divers was actually taken by Hayden Lack, and not Paul Denning. The original caption was correct in the mock-ups sent to the printer and I missed spotting the mistake in the proof so a public apology from me to Hayden. Also re Hooded Crow, p.44. This bird was only seen on 30th Apr and was actually found by Dean Bolt, and not Graham Roblin. Graham photographed the bird later on 30th but the date in his records that we received was erroneous [29th not 30th]. Again the non slipped through the net and should have been spotted. Both Hayden and Dean have been contacted personally. Also, photos opposite p.62, I think the Long-tailed Duck was in fact the one at The Knap – Barry, and not Porthkerry.

Lee Ashcroft popped in to show  me some mobile phone pics/vids  of the Hen Harrier he saw on the 20th, plus a Short-eared Owl seen at the same spot when he was driving home from work this afternoon. Peregrine also seen.

Graham saw an imm fem Goshawk being mobbed by corvids this morning.

 

Highlights of an early morning walk in the Garw Valley between Llangeinor and Pontycymer were a Dipper and redhead Goosander on the river, plus Red Kite, Buzzard, 4 Ravens and several Bullfinch and Siskin.

This afternoon at Cosmeston a Marsh Tit was feeding with several Great and Blue Tits on the west side of the path roughly halfway through Cogan Wood.

A pair of Wigeon were on W lake this morning. No sign of the Bar-Headed Goose which was still present at 3:30 p.m.m yesterday.

Another photo…

A Bar-headed Goose was at Cosmeston this morning with a group of Canada Geese. Also on the West Lake a female Wigeon and a pair of Gadwall, with a Kingfisher along Sully Brook.

This gull was at Cosmeston on Sunday. Any help with ID would be appreciated. I have some thoughts but not sure.

 

This afternoon a Peregrine over Porthkerry Park and a Kestrel and pair of Stonechat at wasteground immediately east of Barry Waterfront homes. A Mediterranean Gull was again on Barry Waterfront and 22 Redshank were in Barry Old Harbour approaching high tide (high count for this location).

Ringed Plover, Turnstone, Oystercatcher and Rock Pipit at Bendrick Rock at high tide.

Lee Ashcroft just phoned me to say he saw a ringtail Hen Harrier this afternoon.

Good numbers of oystercatchers as normal, probably 1 to 200.  Common  gulls, GBB gulls, BH gulls, 4 med gulls including a German ringed bird..

One red breasted merg, 6 gc grebes

3 flyover curlew

No small waders at all

 

Apologies not a sighting, but no-one reads the Forum!

East Glam Bird Report 2014 update. I have just heard from the printer and the glue binding is in progress. Expected back at the printers poss tomorrow so there’s an outside chance we might get it posted b4 Christmas although obviously no telling when it might arrive. I do apologise for the delay.

Stop press!! Nick from CopyPrint has just delivered the boxes of 2014 reports to my house in person! That’s the afternoon sorted then #envelopes #stuffing 🙂

Had a Red Admiral flying around the garden (in Nantgarw) today.

Delayed Rhymney WeBS count. At Green Point, 500 Redshank, 250 Lapwing, 1000 Dunlin, 2 Common Snipe & 1 Jack Snipe, 51 Pintail, 1 Wigeon, 6 Gadwall, 50 Shelduck, 8 Shoveler, 60 Teal and 1 Canada Geese – a better haul than of late. Had palpitations when I came upon a bird in the Dunlin flock with a bright clean lemon yellow wash on its belly – I did utter an audible “what the **** is that!”. It was a Dunlin in fact – the stain was so clean I though it might have been from a marking scheme but can’t find any such on the WWW.
At the Heliport bay and foreshore – 40 Shoveler, 68 Pintail, 36 Shelduck, 28 Oyc, 30 Turnstone. No gulls of any note.

Early morning walk in the Garw Valley resulted in 30 species including Red Kite, 1 Green and 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 5 Treecreepers (including a group of 3), Jay and Bullfinch. On the River Garw a Dipper and Grey Wagtail.

Sorry for the non-sighting post. I’m putting together the January newsletter. If you’ve got any photos that might fit the bill (no pun intended), please send them to me.

 

34-Little Egrets left the island roost at first light.This is the highest total i have recorded.

Apart from the usual 100 or so Canadas and 70 odd Tufties, there was a pair of Gadwall on W lake plus 2 Little Grebe and a Common Gull on the posts. I had a report from a walking acquaintance of a brief view of a Bittern in the W lake reeds. 30-40 Redwing and 10 Blackbirds were around the W paddock area and 40 B-h Gulls were feeding on the very muddy ground there. 10 Long-t Tits by Med Village and 4 Goldfinch. The whole place is a quagmire off the main paths.