Adult summer Little Gull present mid-afternoon, mostly resting, but also seen feeding by the sewer outlet for 5 minutes.

Uncropped video-grab (perhaps a still would have been just as poor!). I presumably this is the long-stayer that’s been regular at Penclacwydd all month, finally making its way into Glamorgan.

There was a Cetti’s in full song, high on the Bracken slopes between two blocks of Ash woodland on north Gower this evening. Whilst only 200m from the usual reedbed habitat, it was nevertheless quite exceptional.

a pair of shelducks with nine young in the tidal dock tonight

2 Cettis singing at two sites; Reed Warbler at three sites; Raven-2 over Grangemoor; Mute Swan pair with 5 young Ely River/trail.

Allt y Rhiw – Cuckoo, Redstart [3], Wood Warbler [3 or 4], Spotted Flycatcher, Garden Warbler, Tree Pipit, families of Great Spotted Woodpecker, Treecreeper, etc.

Cwm Ogwr Fach – Cuckoo, Redstart [2], Spotted Flycatcher, Tree Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Bullfinch, Garden Warbler. Also here a colony of Small Blue butterflies at a small area of Kidney Vetch along the cycle track (former railway line), south-east of Glynogwr, was unexpected.

An early morning visit to Cosmeston produced 42 species in all. Sightings included a Green Woodpecker feeding in the car park, Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming briefly in the adjacent Golf Club wood and another flying over the West Lake. A Lesser Whitethroat was singing from scrub along the fenceline running up the centre of the west paddock. It’s been there for over a week now and is at a point roughly level with the dragonfly pond. A pair of Canada Geese has 6 goslings and there was a Common Sandpiper at the south end of the West Lake. Earlier this week a crow was feeding 2 young at the south end of Cogan Wood. There are 3 pairs of Great Crested Grebes present but currently they don’t seem to be nesting, having abandoned at least 2 nests. The regular presence of Grey Heron (3 this morning around the margins of the West Lake) probably isn’t helping.

the neath canal mute swans have nine cygnets,and are spending time near zoars ark pet stores
In Neath hope they all survive pike herons and gulls are all problems while their small

Apologies for an ooc post, but it does seem quiet at the moment.

Just a bit north of Glamorgan, I found this beauty today. I thought they just popped their heads up now and again!! A very showy Corncrake.

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/portfolio/h46f38de6#h46f38de6

Singing at three different sites.

1 whimbrel (calling) and 5 curlew over this evening, heading NW. Garganey also in the N Cardiff area.

Sixteen joined the monthly bird walk at Kenfig this morning, of mixed ages, birding experience and knowledge. 40 species seen, of which 2 were heard only. Allthough  a cold wind maybe  kept the birds down (no Sedge Warbler)  the highlights were close views of Swift over the Pool and its East shore, a Great Crested Grebe with 2 young in front of the South Hide,  a few good Whitethroat display flights and a Sparrowhawk soaring over the South dunes being mobbed by corvids.

Linnets galore, a couple of Yellowhammers, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Skylarks, Little Egrets, Peregrine, Pheasant, Buzzard, Stonechats, Fulmar, two Choughs, great views of female Sparrowhawk and a female Kestrel, Goldfinches, Raven plus lots of crows, gulls, and others.

Apologies for a non-sighting, but since it’s such a wet day and there’s so little to report I thought I’d jump in with this request.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is running a House Martin survey this year. We know surprisingly little about House Martins despite the fact that they breed alongside us. Critically, we do not know why this species is in rapid decline in the UK. Currently, it is ‘Amber listed’ in the Birds of Conservation Concern listings, compiled by the UK’s leading conservation agencies. Here in Eastern Glamorgan we have lost 46% of our breeding House Martins since 1989.

We need to discover more about House Martins to help us identify why they are declining and to provide evidence which will help inform policy decisions that could reverse the declines.

We need volunteers to take part in a really simple survey. All you’ll need to do is carry out two or three visits to a randomly selected (i.e. pre-selected) 1-km square between late May and mid-July, to look for House Martins and their nests. Can you please help?

For more information about the survey and to find out where your nearest 1km House Martin Survey square is, please visit the East Glamorgan BTO blog http://bit.ly/1G7Z14e

Thanks

Dan Jenkins-Jones, BTO House Martin Survey Organiser, East Glamorgan

Eight Great Crested Grebes; Skylark singing; Sedge Warbler singing; total 2 Cetti’s singing.

14 shelduck most I’ve seen here ,1 whimbrel,1 curlew,10 Canada geese ,15 grey lags, 3 little egret, 1 kingfisher, 3 singing blackcaps, chiff chaff, 6 mute swan,the swans on the neath canal by the metal box had cygnets today 4+ judging by the photo on Facebook

Two Red Kites drifted over heading north at 15:10

Skylark back singing by the ice rink in Cardiff Bay (for perhaps the last season?) and mistle thrush on Taff Embankment this morning.

Adult summer Bonaparte’s Gull watched for 5 minutes before flying out to estuary – worth checking the Black-headed Gull flocks anywhere in the estuary. Also a Great White Egret new in, based bare part colour and the last date for the two wintering birds being 22nd April. 80+ Swifts a good count here.

A hobby went through at 4pm (Mon 11th) -my 80th species at the reservoirs so far this year. It looked briefly at the numerous swifts around the reservoirs but did not linger, heading steadily northwards. I didn’t get a photo of the hobby, so instead here is a photo of the new nesting raft being launched onto Lisvane Reservoir by Dave Palmer and crew, now safely anchored off the East bank (the raft, that is, not Dave).

Also a tawny owl being mobbed in the car park (photo of the same bird from the other day), 2 mute swans and lots of swifts (c40) coming very low.