Good views of male Black Redstart on rooftops at Llwyn Passat this a.m.

There were a lot of auks on the move this morning. I counted 170 flying up channel between 0950 and 1030. About 10 or so flew close enough for identification as guillemots. There were also 6 red-throated divers.

13 red-throated divers were off Sker Point this morning. Some were on the sea and some flew past. Also 3 distant auks on the sea and 4 great crested grebes feeding near the mussel beds.

Our ‘resident’ Yellow leg gull is back.

For those of you who are interested, this time last year we started to see what looked like a 3rd winter YLG – which we called “P8” (as it was missing a spot on it’s P8 on the left side). It was around the east lake most days until early March, often seen flying off towards Cardiff Bay. ID’ing it was not absolute as it had pink legs and as it was 3rd winter, relying on the primary wing pattern was not the best. Also it’s head wasnt quite the ‘square shape’ you would expect.

One year on and its (she?) is back. Now a 4th winter (ie almost adult) her bill shows the same black pattern although a lot lighter (as good as fingerprints?). Her head is white (much more so than the LBBs and HGs), she has a long primary extension, she has yellow legs and a more square looking head – a fine looking YLG.

There are a few shots on my web site at
http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/ylg/h3fa92824#h3fa92824
which also has the shots from last year.

If she continues to do what she did last year then she will be around for a couple of hours most mornings before flying off on her daily commute to ???? She will come ashore when bread is thrown so quite easy to get photos of.

Good selection of farmland birds…

lapwing, skylarks, reed bunting, raven, house sparrows, mipipts, grey heron,

Highlight were a couple of cracking Yellowhammer

20 magpies and 300+herring gulls at the amenites tip on the nearby river tawe 4 goosander 1 male 3 female

more reed buntins came into my garden today and one was very close to the house

56 species today on the above route. Best birds were:

4 Grey Heron, 6 Ringed Plover and 5 Turnstone on Sully Beach, and a Sparrowhawk over the fields just behind the beach at the western end of the village

Kingfisher, Little Egret and Grey Wagtail on the Cadoxton River (all just south of the bridge carrying the A4055 Dinas/Barry road over the river)

Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff, Moorhen and Mute Swans on Sully Moors

Green Woodpecker along Green Lane, and Great Spotted Woodpecker in the woods north of the lane

Male Bullfinch on Cross Common Road, Dinas Powis and a Bullfinch pair at Cosmeston

The high tide evening roost on Sully Island included 58 Oystercatcher, 9 Turnstone and 26 Curlew

 

Despite braving the cold again this afternoon I dipped for the second time on the black redstart i St Helens road… Never mind! I did get a really smart grey wagtail on my patio though this afternoon… Lovely bird

At CBWR no sign of Lsr Scaup this am or at lunchtime; Water Rail and Kingfisher showed briefly; fem. Stonechat. Yesterday 2 Kestrels hunting together. In Penarth Marina, 4 Black Redstart ( ad.male; 1st yr male? ; 2 fem/imm types ). In Hamadryad Park, lots of protesters against proposed building development showed well around entrance.

at Green Point today, Alan Cripps had at least 6 Jack Snipe, and excellent count for this site, and the highest I have known there. [I have databased this record].

A quiet couple of days on the marsh, but 88 birds caught.  Info here: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/some-nice-settled-weather-with-very-low.html

Birds not captured included a flock of 31 greylag geese and a kingfisher.  Wigeon heard but not seen on morning of 30 Nov – sporadic on the marsh.

Lesser Scaup back at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve this afternoon. Also a Kestrel – first I have seen there this year.

 

 

1 Great Northern Diver still there at 4pm this evening during a brief visit.

India & Sri Lanka by Richard Smith. 7:45 p.m. KNNR Be there or be square!

in the lane by my back garden a single male reed bunting on the tree next to my fence

this can be found the lane behind glen road, fairyland and behind illtyd street

also the usual out my garden, goldcrest, redwing, family of jackdaws, pair of black birds, coal tits, blue tits, dunnoks, robyn, wren house sparrow and the occasional long tailed tit

1 fem./imm. Black redstart on the church opposite Tescos

First wintering male Blackcap in garden today.

A red-throated diver, 4 common scoters and a redshank at high tide this afternoon.

No sign of the B-n Grebe from the mouth of the Taff back to the Clarence Rd bridge. At least 17 Little Grebes around the Cardiff Bay bridge and just upstream, and c. 40 Tufted Duck. 1 Grey Wag long the W side of the river, party of 10 Long-tailed Tit in trees by Clarence rd bridge and also a male Blackcap.

Don’t forget the indoor meeting tomorrow!