Common redstart and 2 grasshopper warbler among a catch of 114 birds at Oxwich this morning.

Small numbers of tree pipit (2-3) noted.  More info here: http://ow.ly/QXJ6h

2 Lsr Whitethroats among the Reed, Sedge and Cettis Warblers; Water Rail calling.

The high tide this morning produced five Red Knot, three of which were in full breeding plumage, 40 Turnstones, 93 Oystercatchers, two Dunlins and six Curlews in the roost, while offshore 13 Gannets, 23 Kittiwakes, 6 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Sandwich Terns were busy feeding over a shoal not too far offshore from Kenfig Sands.

A juvenile Marsh Harrier flew over the estuary from the Candleston direction at 13:20, before flying along the edge of the golf course and then turning towards the sea, being lost to view behind Pant Norton. First site record for me.

Also Black-tailed Godwit and Dunlin (pictured) at Portobello, plus flocks of small waders along the beach by Black Rocks, but too distant to get to grips with.

A decent selection of waders on the beach over high tide this evening, including three Knot and eight Bar-tailed Godwits, with dozens each of Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling and Oystercatcher. At least two Whimbrel were on the estuary, while a Little Egret fed on the lower estuary before flying off east. A Greylag Goose was with the building Canada Goose flock, fairly unusual here.

11 Aug: 23 blackcaps, 17 willow warbler and two grasshopper warbler trapped and ringed

12 Aug: mass overnight exodus of warblers apparent.  Very few birds in marsh, but included a lesser whitethroat

3 sandwhich terns by the river mouth 38 redshank 50 + curlew 1 common sandpiper 600+ oyster catchers 2 adult and 2 juv wheatear adult and juv stonechat lots of black h gulls

Pretty quiet. On the reserve – 3 Blackcap by the coast [2 fem 1 m], and a Chiffchaff, and also Comm Whitethroat. Disturbed this moth from the grass – think it’s a Common Carpet;

At Lav Pt, 1 large fem Sparrowhawk, largish flock of House Sparrows near the house incl juvs, 2 fem Blackcap.

A juv Marsh Harrier was busy over the marsh today, at one point being chased by a Heron.

What looked to me at first like a marsh tit landed in a nearby bush (on the cliff path near the ‘sign’). Got a shot off – see

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/passerines/h52c9206f#h52c9206f

I was with Lol Middleton but he missed it. 30mins later he picked it up again (or another?) and got a more distant shot. Lol can you post you shot in this thread? Lol was thinking Willow Tit – which has gained a bit of support on the south wales birding facebook site.

It was a very busy morning with lots of willow warblers (at least 20), chiff chaffs, garden warbler, sedge warbler, blackcap, whitethroat, lesser whitethroat, lots of sparrows, linnets, greenfinch, tree pipit, kestrel (first I have seen at Lavernock this year after seeing a pair there in the latter half of last year), dunnocks, great /blue tits, starlings (unusual for Lavernock), swallows, sand martins and a house martin.

The willow warblers were showing very well so managed a few good shots at

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/passerines/h52c9206f#h52c920b3

1-Spotted Flycatcher near to where the lodge house used to be.

Escaped bird, wearing Aylmeri anklets. Don’t know if anyone on here is in touch with anyone from the the falconry community. Was there at 07.00 this morning.

Not sure how this is going to work but a follower David Batten has sent me a link to YouTube footage of Goosander fishing on the Ogmore.

After fledging one from their first brood the Great Crested Grebes now have 4 young from their second brood.

Highlights of the last few days at the marsh have been 4 garden warbler and a grasshopper warbler.

Ringing sessions have resulted in over 200 birds being captured.  More information here: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/oxwich-marsh-early-august-influx-of.html

Sadly no sign of Bee-eater at Bryn-y-Gloyn despite 2-3 hrs searching the area by various obs, incl yours truly. Many hirundines present tho’ with House Martin still visiting active nests and 50-100 Swifts over.

News rec’d indirectly of a Bee-eater seen on the roof of a house at what appears to be Bryn-y-Gloyn, Rhoose Pt. It’s the lowest road in the new estate, opposite the eastern lagoon. Site was  reported as Brynhill y Gloin but I can’t find that.

Two Whimbrel over at 8:45

This evening’s mass emergence of flying ants produced a big fall-out onto the estuary, so flycatching wasn’t a feature of the event; gulls were simply picking them off the mudflats and the surface of the water. There were truely incredible numbers of these insects, more than I can ever remember. Counts from the section of estuary just around the bridge included 2,042 Black-headed Gulls, 1 Med, 3 Yellow-leggeds, 1 Common, 231 Lesser B-b, 2 Great B-b, 134 Herring and 6 Common Sands.