Spotted Flycatcher (at least 2), Redstart (2), Tree Pipit (1), Swift (2), Willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Whitethroats passing through. Autumn has arrived! (GJJ)

Late news for Sat 9 Aug: 7 Swift high over the bay. 2 Ad Med Gulls on the playing fields of Hamadryad Park.The Oystercatcher chick has changed its plumage almost over night to blackish upperparts and white below. Its also cleverly moved from the pebbles to the darker rocks to enhance the effect of its camouflage.Little Grebe pair plus chick present again in the first little bay from the boardwalk.

2 hour sea watch from the car to avoid the storms! 1 gannet, lots of kittiwakes as per usual, 10 to 20 med gulls mixed with bh’s.. No manxies which was a surprise… And usual mixture of herring/lbb’s floating around.. Ravens over the lighthouse

Three kingfishers ringed this morning (adult female, adult male and juvenile [probable male]).
Also 2 garden warblers.
Clear out of Acros since Thursday, when there were large numbers of sedge warbler in particular in the marsh.
More here: http://gowerbirdringinggroup.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/oxwich-marsh-9-august-2014-tale-of.html

In the Bay, a couple of Swift, and a few Sand & House Martin, and Swallows. Also a mini daytime ‘murmuration’ of Starlings over the dock area, c.200.

While out with the Kenfig Ringing Group this morning a green woodpecker was calling on the north side of the pool (pretty rare at Kenfig these days). Also 4 tree pipits, little egret and sparrowhawk. There were plenty of Acros about first thing and the group trapped over 50 birds. The highlights were this juvenile female kingfisher and a control sedge warbler (ringed at another site).

Marsh Harrier very high over the wetlands reserve at 09:30, drifted off to the north.

Quite  a few migrants in the bushes as well, including a Garden Warbler

Caswell Bay – Buzzard being mobbed, several Mediterranean Gulls coming to bread with B.-H. Gulls, Wheatear and juvenile Stonechat came down on rocks; 1 Silver-washed Fritillary in Bishop’s Wood.
Blackpill – 2 Wheatears on beach in evening; 1 each of Brimstone and Painted Lady on Buddleia.

Somewhat ‘as you were’ on the bird front with Green and Common Sandpiper the only migrant waders on site (although a Whimbrel was noted overhead on the 5th). Sedge Warblers appear to be passing through and Green Woodpeckers are conspicuous; presumably a good breeding season for them.

Butterflies: 15+ Clouded Yellow (pictured), Painted Lady, Wall Brown, Grayling, Common Blue, etc.

Dragonflies: Common Hawker (3), Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Emperor, Golden-ringed, Keeled Skimmer, Black-tailed Skimmer, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Darter, Black Darter.

 

 

Ringing session this morning resulted in 41 sedge warblers, 13 willow warblers, 22 reed warblers, 7 whitethroats, a lesser whitethrroat and 5 garden warblers among a catch of 140.  Three foreign controls.

Two kingfishers were chasing around the marsh early am.

Details here: http://ow.ly/A4GVt

Twice in the last month a Common Whitethroat singing like a Garden Warbler by the entrance gates to Cardiff Yacht Club;
Bird Guide says some Whitethroats do this, calling it their
‘ecstatic’ song.
A single, presumably Common Sandpiper along the water’s edge on the barrage coast path by the picnic benches and old wooden jetty viewed from St.David’s Hotel.In CBWR a Little Grebe with one chick.
2 Clouded yellows today and one in mid-May by the Penarth Oystercatcher.

A juv cuckoo last evening seen by bob anderson

Fancy a trip to the Isle of Wight to see the nesting Bee-eaters this Saturday? Contact Matt Evans to car share (2 places up for grabs). Tel Matt on 07772553003

Dogfight over skewen involving 2 perigrine 4 ravens a buzzard local gulls a red kite flew by but didn’t join in lasted about 5 minutes I’m sure the perigines were just having fun

Not much to report except these ringed LBBGs: 2UF white on black; 0LF black on white; 5NF white on red. In total c.150 LBBGs about 50/50 ads/juvs [latter mostly imm], and 8 Herring Gull.

Walking the course boundary tonite.. Med gull in Oxwich (that’s a first for me).. Rock pipit,gbb gull.. And lots of cormorants in the bay.. Its also butterfly city at the moment.. Gatekeepers,common blues,meadow browns,small heaths,skippers….etc etc etc lovelyf

Here’s a picture of the escape seen at Sker in June along with a celebrity confirmation of identification. From Sandra Evans’ blog.

Kingfisher flew under the bridge at Cosmeston this evening, and a Little Egret flew off north from the West Lake reedbed. The 2 well-grown Great Crested Grebe juveniles are still on the West Lake.

Yesterday evening at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve at the St Davids Hotel end a Great Crested Grebe was carrying 1 of its 2 young on its back. A Tufted Duck was with its 4 young on one of the rafts.

Greenshank over this morning.

Sightings this morning included juvenile Cuckoo, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper (2), Little Ringed Plover (5), Swift (3), Grey Wagtail and Sedge Warbler.