The Little Bunting performed well this morning – here’s a quickly picked out one of the loads of pix I took. Light was a bit glary at times. The straight, even slightly concave, culmen shows well.

Glaucous gull still prent. Also 5 purple sandpipers, 2 grey plover, over 600 golden plover and a peregrine.

can you tell me the difference between a little bunting and a reed bunting, because i think i had one in my garden ages ago

A Little Bunting was found at Forest Farm Reserve Centre, Cardiff ST 135805 this am and was present in a damp area feeding on grass seeds next to the bird-feeders. It was present from about 11.30 until 12.58 when it flew off over the feeders. It was viewable down to less than 10 ft. from the hide. This is only the third record for VC41 Glamorgan and the first for East Glamorgan.

A Jack Snipe this lunchtime. Also, Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker and good numbers of Redwing & Starling.

Fairly accurate count of scoter flock due to flat sea – 153.  Would be possible to get good view from Oxwich Point of c. 75% if they stay in approx. same place.  Too distant to see if any other scoter species than common.

Nicholaston Pill – 125 oycs and 2 curlew

11 shoveler among the ducks on Ox South Pond – North Pond mostly frozen.

I’ve just received some news that Lesser Pecker[s] have been visiting a feeder at the Forest Farm reserve in N Cardiff. Apparently there’s a new feeder been put up near the farm buildings [by a large double garage?] and they have been visiting there – seen today apparently. Thanks to Chris Trew of Pen-y-Fai for the call.

160 Tufted Duck E lake [didn’t count the west lake], and 1 Heron and the Ad Yellow-legged Gull. 2 Common Gull on W lake posts. 1 Green ‘Pecker. NO Redwing or Fieldfare that I could see, but I was too busy chatting to someone.

Long tailed Duck showing well 09h50-10h20 at Lis.Res.
Great Grey Shrike in treetops nr. to waterfall area,never seen one before so close to visitorcentre.15h00-15h20,Garwnant.

Great Northern Diver present again lunchtime (1.15-1.20pm) from Plas Taliesin c.100-300m off the orange buoys on the barrage out along the line of yellow buoys.In CBWR,  Lsr Scaup not very far from the boardwalk for a change but the hybrid much more mobile and showing well close inshore by the entrance to Hamadryad ‘pond’. In Penarth Marina, still 2 Black Redstarts (1m,1f).

Headed up by a Kingfisher flying along the brook in brilliant sunshine, what a jewel. First I’ve seen here since 2006.

A Greenfinch calling was the first this year. They are now quite scarce in Fairwater – I only saw 2 in the Dell last year, none in 2013, 1 in 2012.

However, I am visiting more often now that I am retired, so the effort is not comparable.

Other than that a good selection of usual suspects, incl. Sparrowhawk, Goldcrest, 30+ Redwings, GSW, Nuthatch etc etc

Small influx of wildfowl with counts of 59 Tufted Ducks, 34 Coots, 5 Goldeneyes, 38 Mallards and 10 Mute Swans as well as 5 Lapwings, 2 Snipe and a Redshank on the East Pool Shore. Otherwise just a Treecreeper and Goldcrest of note in the Birchwood, 3 Redwings in the East Pool Fields and my first Sky Lark of the year for the reserve going over south.

29-Little Egrets flew from the island roost at first light.

Great Northern Diver 75m off Plas Taliesin and Ely river mouth 2.00-2.15pm, disappeared towards the barrage, I think. In Penarth Marina lunchtime, 2 Black Redstarts (1m,1f) showing again. In CBWR, both the Lsr Scaup and the hybrid were present this morning.In Grangemoor Park this pm, a party of 5 Bullfinch (2m,3f) from the boundary path.

Minimum of 10 Hawfinches at 10:50. Observed off and on for the next 30 minutes or so near white house at top of trail.

Unsurprisingly, no sign of recently dead Polecat I found there yesterday.

Long-tailed duck (male) on Lisvane Reservoir, giving good views in the sunshine, viewed from the car park off Lisvane Road. Also 45 tufties, 17 pochard, 9 mallards, 25 coots, 7 little grebes, 1 heron, etc.

Heads up for GBC indoor meeting tonight. 7:45 p.m. at KNNR reserve centre. Hone your ID skills on Herons, Rails & Crakes. We will have DVD/Video/Audio media to illustrate their features. This is the meeting postponed due to bad weather in the 2013-14 season.

A group of four Goosander (2m, 2f) were in the Bay, viewed from St David’s Hotel at first light this morning. I still haven’t caught up with the Great Northern Diver, and no sign of it again this morning, nor the Lesser Scaup (although I didn’t have time to check the reserve for the latter).

6 Gooseander at Clarence Road Bridge. Lsr Scaup under Grangetown fly-over (A4232), hybrid not seen. In CBWR 160+ Tufted Duck, 32 Teal, Kestrel, Stonechat, Cetti’s showing well, mechanical digger clearing reeds again. 2 Peregrine at Penarth Head. 2nd winter Med Gull over outer harbour of barrage. In Penarth Marina only 1 f. Black Redstart seen this am-the first time in 3 months a male not seen.

A 1st-winter Yellow-legged Gull was at the rivermouth briefly this morning. I grabbed a quick record shot before it flew off up the river.

Also, I have heard that the Firecrest was still present today by the sewage works. The aerial below shows its location. Recently it has been favouring area 1, just upstream of the horse crossing, but I have also seen it at area 2. The location can be accessed from Merthyr Mawr or Candleston, unfortunately there is no access over the sewage works bridge.