Couple of good birds in the last 3 days, not seen by me I hasten to add, but found by Graham Smith – a Red-rumped Swallow on Weds evening and a Ring Ouzel yesterday, both in the area above Sully Brook.
For me today a good number of Fieldfare & Redwing dotted around the place, one feeding bunch disturbed by a Sparrowhawk that shot into their bush and settled for a few seconds. A Cetti’s Warbler was singing v close to me along the Mile Road near the centre viewpoint but would not show. A total of 3 feeding parties of Long-tailed Tits were seen, tho’ nothing too exciting accompanied them, apart from a Goldcrest. A Chiffchaff was calling by the Mile Road yesterday morning.

Juv Ruff, 2 Kingfishers, 6 Goosanders, Dunlin, Redshank, Teal, Little Egret and only BH and Herring in Gull flock

An ‘official’ GBC field trip with 13 participants. We walked out to Sker Pt then along the Haul Road to the rivermouth. Highlights were reasonable if distant [for photography] views of the smart Red-backed Shrike that was near the ‘surfers path’ out towards Sker. At Sker Pt were c.200 Golden Plover with a single Grey Plover in with them. 6 Chough were ferretting through livestock poop E of Sker Pt, finding plenty of bugs to eat. At Sker Pt there were also a few Oystercatdher and Turnstone and plenty of Curlew. Out by the rivermouth was dead [3 noisy offroad bikers present]. On the way back we had an unexpected Red-throated Diver just offshore by Kenfig Sands. Just 31 species seen – click here for the list.

There have been large movements of winter thrushes in the last two days. Yesterday I saw several flocks of up to 100 birds, a mixture of mainly Redwing and Fieldfare mixed in with them. Today a couple more flocks of nearly all Fieldfare, sizing around 80 birds in each. Also a Red Kite drifted over west paddock heading north, mobbed by Crows.

I have heard reports of the above bird being seen near the Wenallt road car park in Cardiff.

Mass arrival of Redwing and Fieldfare this morning with large flocks seen flying over at many locations. I had quite a few over Cosmeston late morning.

First Redwings arrived in garden this morning. Very large flock ground feeding in field to south and flitting between perimeter hawthorn, beech and hazel. Precise count impossible but estimate 80 to 100.

Is this one of the odd Willow Warbler with dark legs or a Chiffchaff with a strong supercilium? Photo’d in flock of Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Mixed Tits.

At Porth Teigr on Sun there was a fem type Redstart in conifers outside the BBC studios – not conclusive as to whether it was a Common or a Black Redstart, the latter of which had been reported a few days before. Too brief and quick for a photo. There were 3 Meadow Pipits on the rough ground there and a few Goldfinches.

At Cosmeston today there were 2 Stonechats in the Snipe paddock, and a single Swallow flew over. Two days ago there were 4 Little Grebes in W lake bay and several Swallows flew through.

11 Curlew feeding in the field opposite Pwll y waun pond just off the Porthcawl road. Hopefully numbers will rise as the autumn progresses. Also a couple of late Swallows.

!3 folk brave folk came on our GBC Public Walk on Saturday morning on a very blustery and sometimes damp day, and were rewarded by a good sighting of a Red-backed Shrike on the dunes, , and the arrival of a Great White Egret on the pool. Good to welcome some new people and see old friends.
Lots of fungi, and Burnet Rose in flower.

Full list:
Mute Swan, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Great White Egret, Little Egret, Kingfisher, Kestrel, Magpie, Red-backed Shrike, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Stonechat, House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Goldfinch.

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

A Grey Wagtail was in Sully Brook by the Medieval Village. E lake had 8 Tufted Ducks and a Heron was resting in a tree by W lake bay. A fem Sparrowhawk flew over W paddock and a Chiffchaff was with some Long-tailed Tits in the car park.

Pretty quiet at Lavernock this morning during a gentle post-Covid walk [managed to avoid it for 2 1/2 yrs!], but this imm Redstart was nice to watch foraging from the hedge by the coast path.

Lucky to see the Pectorcal Sandpiper at Meadow Hide at Langford Lakes Steeple worth the two and half hour dive

6.55 pm, another 2 Little Egrets have just passed over heading the same way. All were flying at about 15- 25 Mtr ( twice house height).

6.35 – 1x Great white Egret ( directly over my garden ) closely followed by 3 Little Egrets ( 50mt to South) , then a 4th 5 mins later. All heading NW and all from the comfort of my garden chair.