Only one Glamorgan site in top 3 so far but the cream will rise to the top…

I have received a report [yesterday] of a Great Grey Shrike at Bwlch-y-Lladron http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=293912&Y=203142&A=Y&Z=120 which is at the back of Hirwaun Common. To access walk thro’ the forestry from near the lay-by parking on the A4061 the walk starting from where it says  Mynydd Beili-glas on the map. Thanks to Colin Richards for the heads up. Cd only post today due to internet access problems.

A Stock Dove this afternoon was unusual. A few Redwings still around.

Lesser Scaup at Cosmeston approached very close to the board walk late afternoon with Tufted Ducks.

Singing Chiffchaff. 12 Cormorants on river.

Yesterday afternoon in the drizzle- 2 pairs of Great Crested Grebe, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Goldeneye, Coot, Mute Swan, Grey Heron, Buzzard, 2+ Sandmartin ( They wouldn’t keep still! Almost convinced one was a House Martin, but it was quite far away ) Little Grebe, Gadwall, Canada Geese, Lapwing, Stonechat on the East shore and at least 10 Reed Buntings by the centre.
also—
Barn Owl crossing the A473 between Coychurch and Pencoed at dusk on Friday

Great day for birding, rain=no people=more birds. No sign of Black redstart, unusual gulls or Scaups.

Chiffchaff. 2 @ gas tanks (chirping as I have commonly seen with females, I’m guessing that females arrive first looking for nests?). 1 @ Jim Driscoll Way (seemed more yellow but mbe just the light).

Goosanders (2 x fem) in the bay.

Linnets (m+f) near barrage.

Cettis. 1@ Harvester. 1 @ Jim Driscoll. 1@ Clarence Rd Bridge

Turnstone 2 at Starbucks boardwalk.

Greast Crested Grebes starting to display at Harvester pond. Also privileged to witness the mating display of the Jay in Bute Park, often noted for being raucous & aggressive, the sensitive delicate song was a cross between a budgie a squeaky bike and a toy drum. Peregrine pair carrying a dead thrush? to Town Hall peak while a flamboyant wedding went on beneath.

News from Dave Ripley of a Great White Egret seen in flight near Ogmore Castle at 16:30. The bird was headed more or less in the direction of Kenfig and didn’t appear to be coming down, but I’ll check out the estuary in the morning.

The second winter Med gull with only one leg was on the pontoon just down from the sails. Pics at
http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/medgull/h3409542b#h3409542b

It seems to have only part of one leg (the other is missing) so it is quite tricky trying to land.

Went back over to Cossie (will Lol Middleton) following John’s call about the lesser scaup (post below) and it was near the bridge on the west lake with a group of 10 tufties. Photos on the south wales birding facebook site.

The drake Lesser Scaup was on W lake Cosmeston this morning with a small group of Tufties. Pretty confident it was the bird and not the hybrid Lol & I saw a couple of weeks ago. This had a tiny black bill ‘nail’ and very flat nape, and a plummy tone to the head rather than the coppery tone and extensive black nail of the hybrid. Also 4 prs of GC Grebes 2 pairs on each lake. A Mistle Thrush was singing by the central path near W paddock.

Wheatear (ad.m) flying north u/s on the Taff by Hamadryad Park = alighted in tree beside me. Single Sand Martin over by Channel View. In Penarth Marina, 3 Black Redstarts still present (1 singing male,2 f).

Record digiscoped shot of male Dartford Warbler on the farm this morning. Unsuitability of habitat and drizzly weather with south-easterly winds suggest this was a bird on the move looking to find some heathland habitat.

Peregrine pair flying around City Hall etc in central Cardiff.

A Scandinavian Rock Pipit was at Ogmore-by-Sea – at the bottom of the little dry valley by The Deeps – but no sign of any Wheatears there today, following one seen on 9th March by D Ripley.

On the estuary the Water Pipit is now acquiring breeding plumage and is more reliably found, with the Common Sandpiper still at Ploran Mawr. Further sightings included 9 Purple Sandpipers, 22 Goldeneye, 6 Goosanders and a Dunlin, this being the first I have seen there this year.

Fem Wheatear nr the Pink Bay Lifeguard Shed, fem Merlin chasing Pied Wagtails in the ploughed field and 4 Purple Sands on the rocks.

4/5 Sand Martins passing u/s on the Taff by Hamadryad Park at about 9.15am.

Little gull still actively feeding amongst 100+ BH Gulls 200m downstream of Channel view 11am

Very quick look around the sailing jetty at Channel view at 2pm -2 med gulls on the jetty-A cracking nr full sum.plum. adult (this one without ring) and a 1W with metal ring (unable to read) also quite a few chiffchaff along the scrub feeding up and occ.singing.

Well in my defence, we were looking for birds when this thing swam past.

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/wildlife/h170f277d#h170f277d

I am assuming it was an otter as it was well over a metre long …but confused over the ‘pink’ nose. Looking at pics on the internet, some otters do have pink noses – but they look very young. This one seemed to be big. Great to see an otter here again (I did see one in the same place last year – under the bridge between east and west lakes).

Also a cracking first winter YLG on the posts in the west lake hunting for frogs.
http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/p12189958/h367a25ea#h367a25ea

A stonking ringed Med Gull in virtually full summer plumage on the pontoon by the Sand Wharf building – it flew off before I could scope it.1.00pm.2 Water Rails showed well in Hamadryad ‘pond’. The Lsr Scaup was still in the reserve with 2/3 Kingfishers.  3 Black Redstarts (1m, 2 f) still present in the outer harbour and Plas  Taliesin. The Little Gull was just u/s from Channel View and floated down to the green and red buoys without taking flight for about 50 mins.