8.15 to 9.15,
little auk went west around 8.30. Noticeably smaller than the guillemot/ razorbills that were also passing , and relatively close in.aprrox. 60 auk on total of which most appeared to be guillemots.
Dark skua so. prob Pom based on broad, shortish arm, powerful, full like flight, but always heading away (SW) .
GN and RT divers flew by, plus 40+ comm. scoter on the sea just off the point
Mediterranean Gull (adult, winter plumage) with about 50 Black-headed Gulls on the Waterfront (down from Morrisons roundabout) in Barry Dock again this afternoon.
7 Redshank and a Curlew in Barry Old Harbour, 18 Ringed Plover, 5 Turnstone and a Rock Pipit at Bendrick Rock and at high tide 50+ Oystercatcher at Swanbridge/Sully Island.
In addition to Ceri’s birds, there was 1 drake Gadwall and 3 Wigeon [1m 2f] on W lake mid-late morning.
Seawatch this morning was better than expected. Highlights were; Little Gull, Pale phase Arctic Skua, Great Skua (2) – one of which took a Kittiwake out of the air while I was watching it! Also: Kittiwake (80+), Guillemot (1), Auk sp. (1), Curlew (4), Oystercatcher (15), Common Gull (2), Cormorant (7)
1 Marsh Tit, 3 Coal Tit and 2 Nuthatch feeding at the carved dragon tree in Cogan Wood this morning. Great Spotted Woodpecker by the bridge, still only 2 Pochard on the West Lake, 2 Treecreeper along the path around the West Lake, Redwing, Mistle Thrush and Fieldfare in the West Paddock, Raven over Cogan Wood and a Siskin feeding in a tree adjacent to the pumphouse building in the corner of the car park.
This a.m. – ringtail Hen Harrier still around.
Thursday morning/early afternoon:
Tirfounder – 2 Dipper on the River Cynon, 1 Bullfinch, 1 Lesser Redpoll, flock of 15 Siskin feeding in an alder, 5 Teal and 2 Water Rail
Abercwmboi Lake – 3 Mute Swan, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Bullfinch, 3 Cormorant
Pwll Waun Cynon – 5 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Water Rail, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Dare Valley CP – 1 Green Woodpecker, 4 Tufted, 1 Cormorant
3 Great Northern Divers, 1 swimming from Swansea direction towards pier then not seen again, 2 closer in swimming other way, came close in by yacht club then spent an hour further out opposite The Mumbles Carlton. 14 Turnstones, 9 Redshank, 2 Cormorants on lifeboat station slipway. 9.30-11a.m
Barry Dock; 1-Common Sandpiper. 14h00
main pool from hide had NO duck at all.. 2 little grebe & 2 moorhen.. South pool from the road had 5 gadwall & 2 mallard..and 1 Cetti calling.. I have never seen it this quiet
.
Popped down for an hour or so this morning. Still quite a few Kittiwakes around (20+) and a distant pale phase Skua was seen heading down channel past Flat Holm. Otherwise; common gull (6), curlew (1), oystercatcher (3) and cormorant (1).
Not much of ornithological interest apart from a few Common Gulls, but a large bull [I believe] Seal was just off the barrage rocks just beyond the sluices. I’ve posted a vid clip on my FB wall. Can’t insert video clips here but here’s a link to the clip on YouTube: https://youtu.be/V7g534bnx40
two GND’s close in.. been around all week.. And a third flyover bird out of Swansea bay heading west
Also a German ringed med gull… Was around earlier this year but disappeared.. Reappeared this week
An odd record of a dipper at Lisvane Reservoir this morning -initially perched on the steel security fencing at the car park, then flew off high to the west! This was my first record at the reservoirs. Also (probably of interest only to Lisvane aficionados) 14 moorhens on Lisvane res was a personal best.
The Stolt Fulmar (a tanker) came into Cardiff Docks at 09:45 with quite a few Kittiwakes in tow, allowing nice views as some were only 300m off the barrage – shame the skuas weren’t that close!
There were 3 Great Northern Divers together off Dalton’s Point first thing. I watched them for just a couple of minutes before they took off and headed out towards the lighthouse. It was 2010 since I last saw one this far up the estuary, so 3 was a bonus.
Lots of Rock Pipits seem to have arrived in the last week or so, with a dozen or more at Pwll-y-froga alone this morning, including some well marked, pale-looking ones. Also a very good count of Shovelers first thing with 398 just off Salthouse. Last Thursday there was a Dipper under the railway bridge at Island House (i.e. the east end of the estuary).
Some sea watching was done at Lavernock Pt this morning. Earlier arrivals than me had plenty of Kittiwake [still passing in small nos. the I arrived at 11:40] and a couple of Bonxies. Luckily for me a Pom Skua was sitting on the water when I arrived – thanks to the lads for putting me on to it. It drifted d/c then flew up again when I had nice views in the scope – it was a pale phase bird. Also around 20 Common Gull were sitting on the water and others flying by,. Apparently 3 Skua sp were seen from Cardiff Bay [presumably the barrage] – Bonxie, Arctic and Pom – by Peter Howlett.
Egyptian Goose on the boardwalk at the gull feeding area on the East Lake at Cosmeston this morning.
Don’t forget there’s a GBC indoor meeting TONIGHT at 7:45 p.m. at KNNR. Club member Richard Smith, who many of you will know, will be giving an illustrated talk on the reserves of central India – Tadoba, Pench, Kahna and Satpura. Should be very interesting.
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