Had a brief walk at Cosmeston this morning after a long tiring weekend away in Portsmouth. A Cormorant was looking rather regal drying its wings by E lake, and there were 2 Blackcaps actively foraging behind the dipping pond, so I suspect they have a nest with young nearby.

Also seem drinking the sap

no Goshawk today

This trip had 14 participants and was led by club member Ceri Jones [many thanks Ceri]
It comprised a linear walk from Castell Nos car park to the miners’ memorial at Maerdy. Forestry tracks to Castell Nos and Tarren y Bwllfa, before crossing moorland to the Rhondda Fach at Pont Lluest-wen. It then followed the river downstream along a mostly surfaced track to Maerdy.
Highlights of the 47 species seen, as suppliued by Ceri were: Whinchat (1 seen – found by Barrie Gardiner), Cuckoo (2 seen at same time, quite possibly more there as heard numerous times – but hard to be certain as they are mobile up there), Wheatear (1 seen), Spotted Flycatcher (1 seen well by everyone – it was flycatching over the Rhondda Fach – found by John Western), Crossbill (heard only), Garden Warbler (heard and seen – found by Barrie) and Raven (scope views of young in nest).
Click here for the list.

I visit Westhay moors on grey skies afternoon, long distance shots and the pair was really fast and big luck more then skill plus i was also told 8 more at Ham Wall – maybe feeding on bee’s instead of dragonfly’s

Interesting sight this morning [at least I thought so anyway]. House Martins and a couple of Sand Martins, landing on the verge right by the road by Penarth Marina/R. Ely mouth, collecting dry bits of grass. Obv for nest material but [a] one usually sees HM collecting mud [of which there isn’t any atm] and [b] the Sand Martins were a long way from their nest site on the other side of the bay, where I did get a pic of one collecting grass the other day.

There was 1 Rock Pipit by the R. Ely embanment there. Sadly no sign of any Swifts altho’ it’s early days.

We had a successful sunny trip to Penderyn this morning with 16 participants, led by Ceri Jones [many thanks Ceri]. We walked part of the old mineral line and then basically did a circuit of Moel Penderyn. We did well, with 45 species [link to list below], highlights being singing male Redstarts, Cuckoo, Tree Pipits, Stonechats, Willow Warblers galore, a Grasshopper Warbler heard [not by me!] but not seen – well picked up by Julia Banks. Birds all distant for photos but some heavily cropped record pix below. Photos captioned individually. {Edit – I forgot to link to the trip list. Click here now to see it.

During this morning’s circuit:
Around the dipping pond: A Common Whitethroat sang a few times and did a brief song flight, and Blackcap and Cetti’s Warblers were singing.
Upper Dovecote field and the plantation: 2-3 Common Whitethroats singing incl another song flight in the big island of scrub on the slope; Lesser Whitethroat singing in dense scrub on the far side of the plantation by the new fence.
Sully Brook: 2-3 Reed Warblers singing, and Cetti’s, and a v brief snatch of Sedge Warbler song. [confirmed by Merlin].
The stiff chilly breeze was keeping birds hidden.

The Osprey warden still talking about the big group turning at chair on the canal – Glamorgan Birds are famous

Around 6 Reed Warblers singing in the E lake reeds by the boardwalk, not showing; 1 Willow Warbler by the W lake viewpoint and 2 Common Whitethroats singing in the ‘snipe paddock’, again not showing. Male Redstart reported by Graham Smith late afternoon in the W paddock long hedge.

At Peterson Gout

Decided on a day out today and went to Slimbridge. Sunny Sunday so not a good idea you may think. The car park was rammed when we arrived late morning, usually not a good sign. However the hides were fine and we ended up seeing 44 species, the highlights being a Spotted Redshank, a lingeringTundra Bean Goose, Common Sandpiper, 60 or so Black-tailed Godwits, a very brief Bittern. Reed and Sedge Warblers were a-plenty and v active so getting pix was tricky. Highlight at the end was 4 Cranes seen feeding from the Zeiss hide and then a group of 9 circling above, from the Kingfisher hide. Click here for the full list.

Anne & I did a walk from Penarth Marina, across the barrage to the Norwegian Church for a coffee & snack, and back again. There was much action in the old dock where the Sand Martins nest – see the pix below and a short vid from my Youtube channel. I’ve never seen a Sand Martin that close before. The old dock also had 2 pairs of Tufted Ducks and a Grey Wagtail. In the scrub by the path beyond the swift tower a Common Whitethroat was song flighting and there were 6 Shelduck on the mud outside the barrage. A few Swallows were over the bay and a House Martin entered a nest cup on one of the Penarth Marina houses. The adjacent R. Ely embankment had 1 Common Sandpiper and 2 Turnstones

My first Picture of Red Legged Partridge

Marsh Harrier with what a local called the Pleasure Dome in the background

Last Picture just before it yet out a boom

Image i love the best as the reeds look like a sea

19 members shivered in the cold at Craig Cerrig Gleisiad this morning, gazing up at the Cwm hoping to see Ring Ouzel, We did hear 1, possibly 2 birds calling but they weren’t being acive enough to betray their location. A pair of Peregrines and a pair of Kestrels chased around and a Red Kite circled and sat in a dead tree. Other highlights were a male Wheatear and a male Stonechat and a few singing Willow Warblers. After a lunchtime snack in the layby some of us went to Talybont-on-Usk and walked along to the Usk Valley Osprey viewpoint by the canal. We were treated with great scope views of a bird in the nest tree and flying around, being harassed by a Red Kite. Whilst in the tree it didn’t get much peace due to a hoard of irritating Crows & Jackdaws. The photos are cropped images I managed to ‘phone-scope’, plus the offending Red Kite.
Click here for the list [35 species]. List updated from 28 to 35, 10 Apr.

From today’s wanderings. At Cosmeston late morning a Reed Warbler was singing by the main boardwalk, first of the year. Two Green Woodpeckers flew out of W paddock and 2 Jays flew over there, and another Green Woodie called in E paddock. As to butterflies, I noted several Holly Blues and Brimstones and an Orange-tip. This afternoon down at the Bay a Common Sandpiper was along the R. Ely embankment and on the outer barrage rocks was my first Wheatear of the year, a female, and a Rock Pipit.

As it was a nice day, I decided to go to Ogmore this aft to see the American Wigeons. They were still at the donwstream end of Portobello Is. Pretty distant for photos but I shot off quite a few and managed to retrieve some half decent shots. Also present was a pair of Goosander initially resting on the island, and a [Common] Ringed Plover amongst the stones. Just before I left I did a quick scan from near Portobello House and noticed a Ringed Plover ‘sp’ in a muddy gulley on the island and tho’ it was at distance I thought I could see a yellow eye ring. I headed back to nearer the island and lo & behold it was indeed a Little Ringed Plover. Year tick! There was a Willow Warbler singing behind us.

Willow Warbler singing this morning.

Cetti’s singing plus of course numerous Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.