Another fem. Wheatear next to the fish pass.

4 curlew sandpipers, all on the east side of the river this morning. At times feeding together.
Whinchat at the beach car park.

Heavy passage of hirundines over the bay again this morning. Mainly Swallows but also good numbers of House Martins and a few Sand Martins. Saw perhaps c.6,000 Swallow, c.800 House Martin and 100 Sand Martin heading east between 9:00-10:30

The three Curlew Sandpipers at Ogmore show large variation in colour from rusty to colourless – the more advanced juv/1st winter is quite frosty looking whilst the less advanced juveniles are warmly coloured – all three are in fresh plumage.

Had a quick look this evening -the drake gadwall is still present.

This evening: Canada Geese 80 on east lake, Swallow 300 over west lake feeding. Yesterday there was a Teal (f) on the west lake.

Spotted flycatcher and about 10 chiffchaff around the pond this evening ,also a small flock of 21 linnet over.

This morning 1 sedge warbler, 2 reed warbler, 1 whitethroat, 1 willow warbler, 9 blackcap and 9 chiffchaff were caught (among the resident species) during the ringing session.

More info here: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/oxwich-marsh-16-september-2014.html

Cannot compete with Paul’s digiscoping at this distance!

Also a small 3-5 flock of what appeared to be peeps (Little Stints?) flew down river mid afternoon.

Two still around first thing this morning at Ogmore Estuary, later joined by a third bird.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not much wader/wildfowl passage: Greenshank [1] & Pintail [3] being the highlights. Much better in the border hedgerow with a nice variety of small passerines: Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and LTT. Good passage of swallows [500+] with a few house martins.
Went down to the Ogmore, saw 2 juv Curlew Sandpipers & Common Sandpiper. Unfortunately birding ceased at 13.25 because two idiots in blue dingys came floating down the river and all the birds flew off. Pity my scope didn’t turn into a SMLE .303!

2 fem. Wheatear on the barrage grass bank. In CBWR 5 Grey Heron over, Kingfisher, Whitethroat, Blackcap(2), c.10+ Chiffchaff, 1 Willow Warbler, Sprawk over..

A Hobby passed purposefully down the estuary this evening and 20 Canada Geese headed the other way. These geese are still relatively scarce in the Loughor Estuary, for the time being at least. Perhaps they are part of the Ogmore flock looking for a safer haven!

A fem type Wheatear on the barrage grass bank mid-day. A light passage of Swallows over. Now 7 Wigeon in CBWR.

Reserve – 1 juv Whitethroat.
Churchyard – at least 6 phylloscs in the big Sycamore, mostly chiffies but 1 definite Willow Wblr. Also 2 Blackcap. Steady but light continuous passage of Swallows with a few Sand and House Martin mixed in. No sign of y’day’s Firecrest.

31 Chiffs, 2 willwa, 9 spotted flys, 115 house martin and 8 sand martin made up the migrants moving through this morning

Lisvane: 16 little grebes, 5 GC grebes, 6 pochard, 67 tufties, 58 coots, 5 mallard, 4 cormorants, a big roost of 146 LBB gulls, with 9 H gulls and 8 BH gulls. 2 swallows, pied and grey wags.

Llanishen: No sign of the recent BN grebe, but a male gadwall was a good record here. Also, 6 wigeon (photo), 1 teal, 2 shoveller, 1 pochard, 6 mallard, 5 tufties, 8 coots, 2 moorhens, 2 little grebes, 2 ad GC grebes and the large chick.

Per Jeff Curtis and Tony Messinger: 500+ house martins passed through in a single flock late this morning. At Sker there were two wheatears showing characteristics of the Greenland race and a single golden plover among the commoner waders.

Curlew Sandpiper still around this evening on the Bridgend side of the estuary (had to break the waders out to photograph it). Also several White Wagtails  and Yellow Wagtails noted, plus two Wigeon on the Watermill.

I checked out the pre-roost gathering of Pied Wagtails noted by Chris Brewer a few evenings back and in one sweep I counted 191 on the ground. Birds coming and going all the time heading off to roost toward Pentre Farm Marsh and an estimate of 250+ is probably more representative of the total. 2 Yellow Wagtails were also present feeding up until 19:15hrs when the bulk of the birds headed off to roost.

Earlier the Marsh Harrier was seen at Penclawdd, Penclacwydd & Llanrhidian (it gets about!), it came close enough at one point to read the wing tags, so hopefully details to follow…