7.30 ish, nice view of a pair of Sparrowhawks mating on top of an Alder near the lake. A quick couple of flaps and he was on her, arcing is wings over her, a quick quiver and he was off, flying to a nearby willow. He hung about for a while as if looking for a compliment but nothing was forthcoming as she sat nonchalantly atop the tree. Several times he flew off on a sortie, perhaps he wanted to bring her breakfast in bed! only to return with nothing. At 7.58 he returned to her and they mated again. He again hung about before she was harried by a pair of Carrion Crows and flew off.

A non-muddy walk in the sun this morning across the barrage and round Porth Teigr. A male and female Black Redstart were still on the brownfield area opposite Adventurer’s Quay, although remaining distant in the central area. No song today although recent reports refer to the male in brief song. Also rather unexpectedly there was a Redwing in the same rock pile as the Redstarts. At one end of Roath Basin there was a very smart white-headed Cormorant and I did note a fly-over Linnet on the barrage, which was very busy with people, and an adult Great Black-backed Gull flew over the low tide mud outsde the barrage where there was a nice pattern of gull footprints. I wasn’t set up for the fly-off shot of the male Black Redstart but it does show the tail quite nicely.
Also below a pic of a Song Thrush which has been singing near the dragonfly pond at Cosmeston for a few days now, and a view across a very misty E lake.

GBC Monthly Public Walk

On a cold , damp, very misty morning, 10 folk came along, and between us we were pleased to find 41 species, the highlights being Goldeneye, Pochard, Wigeon, at least 8 Common Gull, whilst a couple of folk saw an elusive Treecreeper. Good to meet old and new friends, many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

Full List

Mute Swan , Gadwall, Wigeon , Mallard , Teal , Pochard , Tufted Duck , Goldeneye , Feral Pigeon , Woodpigeon ,Water Rail, Moorhen , Coot , Great Crested Grebe , Redshank , Black-headed Gull , Common Gull, Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant , Grey Heron , Sparrowhawk , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Magpie, Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit, Great Tit, Cetti’s Warbler , Long-tailed Tit, Goldcrest , Wren, Treecreeper , Starling , Song Thrush , Blackbird , Robin , House Sparrow , Dunnock , Chaffinch , Goldfinch.

Only notice as it started to move, so all i could do was snap and hope, waited but did not return – it was life newbie for me

A pair of Great Crested Grebes were displaying on W lake this morning. After the head shaking display this one suddenly adopted this inverted wing pose, which I’ve never seen before. It’s rather like the pose adpoted by Great Bustards when they are displaying.

There were 3 Common Gulls present this morning – quite unusual for the park. Usually just occur as singles. 2 were on the W lake posts and 1 on E lake.
Yesterday there were 5 Great Ctrested Grebes, 2 pairs and an obvious ‘gooseberry’ who was trying to get in on any action, which resulted in a lot of vocalisation and aggressive posturing with necks extending along the water surface.

Sorry about late posting……..Barn Owl flew across the above 1730 Sunday evening. near Llandow

25-30 Siskins in alder trees.11h00

Lovely day today for our trip to Somerset to visit Chew Reservoir. We scanned the vast expanse of water from Herriot’s Bridge and Heron’s Green Bay. Nearly all common wildfowl were seen and sharp-eyed Alan Rosney picked out the much wanted ‘redhead’ Smew at Heron’s Green Bay – this tiny ‘sawbill’ was pretty distant, with a group of Coot and a Black-headed Gull, but scope views were OK. We dipped on the reported Scaup. It was good to see many Goldeneye, the males often displaying. Several Great White Egrets were seen including the one shown, dwarfing a Little Egret. Blagdon Reservoir was also visited for a reported Ring-necked Duck but we didn’t find that although there was plenty to see. Finally we dropped in at Barrow Gurney ‘tanks’ by the A38 and eventually found the reported male Long-tailed Duck [well spotted David Rich!]. A good day out with by my reckoning, 56 species – click here for the list.

Highlights this morning were 2 adult Mediterranean Gulls on W. lake just starting to moult into breeding plumage – don’t often see 2 let alone 1. On E. lake by the bridge, was a female Scaup with some Tufted Ducks. Judging from my friend Annie’s response to my Whatsapp post, this was the female from Cardiff Bay, where it was apparently absent. Also on E. lake was a Common Gull, presuimably the one fiorm the other day. It was very distant unlike on 2nd.
In W. paddock there were around 20-30 Fieldfare and Redwing and the usual flock of c.20 Goldfinch with a few Chaffinch and 3 Greenfinch with them.

I went to the Ice Rink boardwalk late afternoon to see the Scaup that has been present for some time. A large number of gulls were present and they were being fed, and put on a good show. There was a very smart 2nd year Mediterranean Gull and a large Lesser Black-backed Gull which at one point was plunge diving headfirst to bathe.

1st and 2nd of February and the largish flock of Teal on W lake seems to have departed. There are currently 14 Pochard which is a reasonable count these days and the usual Tufted Ducks. Today, 2nd Feb, I couldn’t find any Gadwall today either. There are 2 pairs of Great Crested Grebes in full breeding plumage now and at least one pair have been in brief display. Little Grebe has also been whinnying occasionally. Both days there have been at least 24 Fieldfare and around 10-20 Redwing. In W paddock on 1st and in trees by the Mile Road today there were around 20 Goldfinch. An adult Common Gull was present on E lake on 1st Feb.

Lone Whooper Swan off the slipway for the Cardiff Rowing Centre (Jim Driscoll Way) this morning. Trumpeting loudly and repeatedly much to the bemusement of the local Mute Swans.

Cardiff docks: Female flew from the Bob Martin site towards the fuel storage plant, Landed on a fence but not long enough to take a pic, then flew off into the fuel site.

January 28th. A Common Gull was the first we have seen here, along with three colour ringed LBBG’s two of which were ringed on Flat Holm. Also, Goosander 9 two drakes Kingfisher 1 Mute Swan 2 and the long stayer Shelduck.

See i was at WWT Llanelli on Friday, watch 2 Peregrine course havoc, moment after they attack the Greenshanks is what i call “Panic of the Little Egret” – first the scream – second the drive – third lets be cool what the problem

Sully Cricket field east to the caravan site and back along the shore, just as the tide had turned. There were 57 Black-headed Gulls on the sports field, and along the shore a nice little selection of waders, with 20 Oystercatcher, 1 Grey Plover, 14 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin and 20+ Turnstone. A lone Rock Pipit on the shore and an amazing 10 with 4 Pied Wags on the cricket pitch. Also logged a flyover Curlew, 6 Crow, 2 Greenfinch and a few Herring Gulls. There were birds roosting on Sully Island bnut I didn’t have my scope.

Whilst taking part in the annual RSPB garden bird watch this morning I was very surprised and overjoyed to briefly see a Water Rail skulking, almost invisibly, amongst shrub stems and dead leaves . it was presumably eating the fallen sunflower hearts from the feeders above, dropped by the quarrelsome Greenfinches and House Sparrows. Also of some note was 2 Blackcaps, male and female. The feeders are amongst shrubs opposite my home and adjacent to Pwll y Waun pond.

In the garden [Penarth] this morning we had both male and female Blackcaps together. The male had frst appeared on 18th. He feeds on the fat balls but the female was finding invertebrates in a nearby dense Box bush. Later at Cosmeston a Kingfisher shot across W lake and settled in the reedbed edge [long way away for photos], and by the Mile Road a very active Goldcrest tried to avoid the lens! In W paddock there were 15 Fieldfare and 2 Mistle Thrush.

3 male and 1 female sitting up at Kenfig by the old feeding table – noon 26 Jan