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.

Dedicated vis-miggers were out early this morning but I haven’t seen any reports as yet. At Lavernock reserve there were many Fieldfare and Redwing going over and in the trees, and I met Graham Smith who had counted something like 1000 Chaffinch going over, together with Brambling. I heard a few Brambling calling and there were a number of Goldcrest about. In Rowlands Well fields there was a flock of 1500-2000 Linnet and the far hedgerow there had many Chaffinch dropping down to feed, and I did manage to see a few Brambling. Lol Middleton had a single Swallow at Lavernock Point, plus Peregrine, Kestrel, Sprawk and both winter thrushes, and a possible Wood Lark. As Lol & I left a Merlin shot through along the cliff line. There were put to 6 Goldcrest around the Church area. Graham Smith also had a pair of Goosander fly over the reserve, and a flock of Golden Plover.

At Cosmeston there were 4 Pochard on W lake and 2 Little Grebe were out in the open. Plenty of Redwing a Fieldfare there too, and I flushed a Jack Snipe as I walked past the ‘snipe paddock’.

A Water Pipit was on the lower estuary, but rarer in the context of the site was…….a Tufted Duck!

News from Dunraven of a Short-eared Owl, flew off mobbed by gulls (D Ripley).

Combined totals for the N Cardiff reservoirs over the weekend: 1M red-crested pochard (31st), 1 wigeon, 1 shoveller, 6 pochards, 57 tufties, 173 coots, 11 moorhen, 30 mallards, 55+ common snipe, 26 little grebes, 6 GC grebes, 2 mute swans, 76 Canadas, 2 chiffchaffs.

A nice surprise on Sully Island today (1st) was hearing 2 water rails calling from “the bog”. Also 1 chiffchaff.

Saturday – Overton Mere with Gower Ringing Group

10+ rock pipits on shoreline. At sea: 1 gannet, 16+ common scoter, 5 cormorant. Above: 1 kestrel, vis. mig. of 1800+ redwing, 200+ wood pigeon moving south east.

Sunday – Oxwich

Dunes: 1 mistle thrush, 13 siskin, 1 lesser redpoll, 2 stonechat. Feeding on wrack: 10 pied wagtail and 6 meadow pipits.

A male Brambling in BP and a Firecrest were the highlights of our walk. Record shot of Firecrest

John Duffy and Tim Adcock – highlights 3 Brent Geese, flock of 40 Wigeon, 10 Lapwing, Grey Wagtail, 2 Jack Snipe, 16 Turnstone, Water Rail (heard), Sparrowhawk, one very tired Redwing giving close views, Snipe.

Lots of vis mig this morning… 200 plus wood pigeons.. 20 skylarks.. Big flock of golden plover over fields above 3 Cliffs.. Late wheatear, 2 little egrets in the flooded valley, grey heron.. Good numbers of mipits flying around

Black Redstart (ad.male) in Plas Taliesin, Penarth Marina showing well on roof tops.

male black redstart near the coastguard lookout only seen briefly before flying down toward the base of the cliffs, could not refind. treecreaper ( long toed) on a house by the car park was unusual.

near merrysun (horton to penrice) 6 yellowhammer and 9 reed bunting, but around 15 BH gull and 2 med gull (ad and 1st year) hawking flying insects. also plenty of starling doing likewise.late october the new august

merlin also at ernffrwd

Latest ringing information here: http://ow.ly/U0VHe

The last few days has seen large numbers of redwing moving through, our third firecrest of the autumn, and overhead passage of siskin and lesser redpoll.

Apologies for the non-sighting, but I’m looking to drum up support for a BTO survey to be held this December/January.

How do you fancy a walk on the Eastern Glamorgan coastline, counting birds & doing your bit for conservation? What’s not to like? Please visit the East Glamorgan BTO blog for more information: bit.ly/1Mc98Gm

No sign of the Lesser Grey Shrike but 4 Short-eared Owls giving great views prowling the fields made the drive over worthwhile.