Not been birding myself today, but Lol Middleton had a 1st Kittiwake and a Gannet off Lavernock Pt this morning, and a 1st Med Gull at Cosmeston. Black Redstart still at Penarth Marina per Gareth Pryce.

I try & transfer news to here as there are quite a number of people who do not use Facebook, so a plea to post here too if you can.

Single male Black Redstart still in Penarth marina most mornings, but seems to disappear after 08:00. Chiffchaff  showing well in CBWR  by the boardwalk, occasionally calling. 2 Water Rails also showing well in Hamadryad pond.

moderate movement this morning from 7.20am despite not quite perfect weather. 14,000 ssw in two hours with 12,000 in the second hour.

Large movement hasn’t materialised yet. Small ssw movement this morning–c 1,000 birds in five flocks at low altitude.

Main bird of note was a fem Goldeneye on W lake, in the small bay with the posts. There were 20 Tufted Duck in total but only 2 Pochard. Plenty of Redwing and a few Fieldfare flying around.

A rare visit in to the field with my better half, we explored Porthcawl including the seafront and both inland pools. The highlight was a fine adult winter-plumaged Mediterranean Gull in the salt lake car park with 65 Black-headed, 1 Common Gull, 1 Meadow Pipit and 2 Pied Wagtails. There were 18 Sanderling scampering on the low-tideline at Coney beach. A short seawatch from the shelter in southerlies produced 5 Guillemot, 2 Kittiwake and 2 Curlew. There were about a dozen Oystercatcher scattered along the coast between the town and Lock’s Common. The Wilderness Pool held 5 Shoveler and a Tufted Duck along with the commoner waterfowl and the woodland was busy with feeding Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Treecreeper and Goldfinch. The smaller pool near Newton was quiet with about 45 Black-headed Gulls which were commuting to Manor farm and back.

Mike & Emma Cram

Very dull & dismal this a.m.. CBWR just produced 1 fem Goldeneye of interest, and a Cetti’s singing briefly. No sign of Lsr Scaup or RND, either here or by the road bridge in Hamadryad Park.

unbelievably quiet on a very misty stormy morning.. Couple of auks flying west.. Bh & herring gulls only.. Not one med gull seen.. No kittiwakes

.. No divers lurking in the mist.. Time for a

Costa I think.. And a big towel to dry the inside of my car!

Pochard are now up to 9. Many Redwing & Fieldfare flying around and 20 or so of the former in trees near the bird table. Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Nuthatch, Chaffinch and Goldcrest in Cogan Wood by the feeding log, but no sign of the Marsh Tit there, seen recently by Paul Denning.

  Spotted yesterday morning in a neighbour’s garden feeding on apples.

Female brambling and female blackcap in trees behind our back garden fence.

There were 8 common scoter in Pink Bay at high tide this morning

Male Black Redstart currently on roof tops of Uppercliff Close / Penarth Head

Brambling, small flocks of fieldfare and a roost of c. 1,500 starlings on the marsh this morning.  Redpolls over and flocks of 30+ siskin around.

Starling roost is close to the hide.  The noise prior to the roost dispersing, and the sound when they do is a real experience

Don’t forget that there is an indoor meeting at Kenfig this evening. Paul Bowden will be giving a talk on birding in tropical Queensland. Hope to see you there.

Gadwall showing well from the boatdwalk.Also Goldeneye, Shoveler. Lsr Scaup  in Prospect Place and 2 Pochard by Dovercourt  House. 2 Black Redstart still in Penarth  Marina.200+ Redwing over early morning.

A Swallow, two drake Pintail, eight Wigeon and c. 40 Teal this morning.

Gadwall, Shoveler, Wigeon and Pochard at Cosmeston this morning. Cetti’s Warbler in both East and West lake reedbeds.

Not quite the numbers at Lavernock but counts over 4 hours from just before dawn this morning include:
1020 Wood Pigeon (NE rather than the more usual W), 850 Fieldfare, 340 Redwing, 570 Chaffinch, 500 Starling, 100 Goldfinch. Four Golden Plover and two Lapwing and one Brambling were a little out the ordinary and there was also one Swallow.