Checked numbers of Little Egrets leaving the island roost at first light.29 Egrets flew out,the first at 7h53 and the last at 8h02.24/12/2014

Beautiful male Yellowhammer in garden Cadwgan Road, Craig Cefn Parc today, also seen on10th December.

in the garden in Whitchurch Cardiff this afternoon feeding on berries in my natural hedge that I have planted was nice to see. JFD

Interesting to note, nine mallards have moved into an area of flooded woodland. Also, five redwing overhead, large party of long-tailed tits and inadvertantly flushed single snipe from long grass on top of ridge at  Clyne Woods.

29- (plus 1 heard) species on the monthly birdwalk- including a swimming bittern while we were putting up the decorations in the hide, thanks Strinda
Jean and Rod

In CBWR this morning, the Lsr Scaup, 2 m. Kingfishers perched 25m apart, fem. Stonechat, poss Chiffchaff calling briefly off the boardwalk, crows repairing nest in children’s play area. In Penarth Marina, 3 Black redstart (1m 2 f/imm ), 1 Blackcap (m).

3 woodlark still in the turnip field at Overton this morning (with a few meadow pipit and two reed bunting).  Mobile, but still in the field when I left.  No other flocks of birds in this or adjacent field, and area exposed to NW wind.

Oxwich: 45 oystercatcher, 2 sanderling and a little egret on the beach.  19 mallard, 31 gadwall, 2 shoveler, and a kingfisher on the ponds (combined count of north and south).  Very few teal on the main pools.

from Twitter feed – it appears a Bittern has been seen at Cosmeston – either today or yesterday.

In my opinion, the small islands should have a separate UK Islands Minileague. Islands attract more rarities and other birders have difficulty gaining access so island patch workers have too big an advantage over mainland birders. 

Hi all. With the end of the year approaching it’s timely for me to ask all observers to start thinking about making sure your observations for 2014 are up to date by the time 31st Dec arrives. It is also very important if you are a MapMate user, to make sure that you sync with your hub as soon as possible after 1st Jan, so that all records reach me by the time I do my final sync. Thanks in anticipation and have a good Christmas.

100 + Redwing in the field and trees next to our house, Blackcap still visiting our feeders (4th day)

Late afternoon yesterday in the pouring rain was cheered a little by two Redpoll which have sadly  become a rare  winter treat on the Common,also a nice ground feeding flock of 100+ redwing.

Circular walk today around part of Clydach Vale Country Park in the Rhondda Valley. Started at the lower lake, up to the windfarm on the ridge, descent to the upper lake, then followed the Nant Clydach back to the lower lake.

Great spotted woodpecker calling as I got out of the car. Coot, moorhen, mallard , little grebe and black-headed gull on the lower lake, along with a flotilla of domestic fowl!

Roving tit (blue, coal, great, long-tailed) and finch (siskin, chaffinch, goldfinch) flocks on the climb. Just a solitary mallard on the upper lake, but a dipper on the Nant Clydach and a sparrowhawk back at the lower lake.

Late afternoon, a kestrel hunting west of the minor road from Hirwaun Industrial Estate to Penderyn was the best I could do there on the raptor front.

6 Black Redstarts still around the far end of Penarth Marina. I saw 2f and 1m and then met Gareth Pryce who had seen all 6 in and around Plas Pamir/Pals Taliesin/Llwyn Passat. Also 1 Redshank, 1 Turnstone and 1 Grey Wag on the rocky slope by the waters edge, and oddly, 2 Moorhens. 6 Common Gull by the orange buoys by the barrage, and 1 Rockit.

Lovely male eider off the Pier Café

Couple of GBB gulls loafing with it.

Bracelet full of Med gulls… most I’ve seen (old favourite E825 was around again)

Gower bird hospital first winter ringed herring gull there too (02Y5)

Chiffchaff on way out to Whiteford Pt. In addition to the usual wildfowl, 1 Slav Grebe and 1 what was prob a partial moult Slav although we first thought Black-necked but bird v distant. Also 1 G N Diver. Plenty of Sanderling and 10 or so Grey Plover. At Llanridian 2 m Hen Harriers and 1 poss 2 Ringtails came in at around 3 p.m. Also 1 G W Egret. Lucky with the weather. GBC trip.

Mute Swan (102); Teal (3: 2m/1f); Mallard (131); Shoveler (3m); Pochard (2: 1m/1f); Tufted Duck (137); Little Grebe (7); Coot (190); and a very fine adult Yellow-legged Gull were the pick of a (late) WeBS count at the Lake this morning.

13th December

Adult Yellow-legged Gull at the lake and 4 un-crippling views of Hawfinch and the forest.

20 CURLEW with large numbers of oycs & woodpigeons on University playing fields

1 common gull with 20 mixed bh’s & herring gulls on waste ground opposite Morrison car park in Enterprise zone