oxwhich 3/5/14

went to oxwhich on saturday bout 4ish where we saw and head a good few chettis warblers, reed Warblers, whitethroats and the ususal wrens, robins. blackbirds etc and also the noise that keeps bugging me that i still cant seem to spot is that there was a Green Woodpecker heard numerous times around by the marsh and the pond by the road, tried for ages to try to spot it but could not see it i have checked the voice/call compared to other woodpeckers and im sure its the green woodpecker heard.

Rudry Common

Sadly couldn’t find Tim’s Whinchat of y’day. A Wheatear was on top of the mountain, and other than that, Skylark, Tree Pipit a family of Stonechats, Willow Warbler, a few Whitethroat, and 2 Garden Warblers, open heard in brief song, and another singing and seen briefly as I walked back along the lower, middle path. Also a few Swallow and a single Swift over.

Cardiff Bay

The highlight from a walk along John Bachelor Way this lunchtime was a beautiful summer plumage Dunlin.  Not a bird I see often in this location.  Also present were the usual Turnstones (in varying degrees of plumage, including one in full breeding colours), and lots of very active House Martins.

Longhole Cliff to Porteynon Point

Lesser whitethroat in the valley at Longhole, along with a family party of stonechat.
Whimbrel (3) on the foreshore in front of Overton Cliff, and my first swift of the year over.
More fledged stonechats on the west side of Overton Mere, and a second pair alarming on the east side.
Singing wheatear at Porteynon Point.

Rudry Common

Two singing garden warbler on the Common this am ,deep in scrub, but did get good but brief view of another at woodland edge just East of Rudry school. 6 skylark at the mountain top and plenty of the usual migrants ,including cuckoo.Image

Kenfig on Sunday

Hobby hawking insects over the pool during the afternoon. Garden warbler (seen by Strinda), Lots of sedge warblers on the move. Siskin and redpoll over. A yellow wagtail was next to the haul road during the evening. Otter out on Kenfig Pool during the afternoon.

Rams Tor (Limeslade) and Oxwich Point

Two chough over Rams Tor, Limeslade this afternoon. First time in 2 years I have seen them this far east (well outside breeding range in Gower). The birds were last seen flying back west over Langland.
Off Oxwich Point today 2 common scoter, 2 grey seal and a foraging harbour porpoise. In the fields above a white wagtail.

Lavernock WT reserve

Common & Lesser Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Orange Tip, Holly Blue, Speckled Wood, Green-veined White and a few Swallows. Also the remains of 12 packs of Peroni, Heiniken & Carling including all the cans. These people can be bothered to carry it there but not back, when it’s a fraction of the weight. 

Garganey pair apparently still at Cossie.