Quiet morning on the Estuary. Best of the bunch were 37 Goldeneye, a lonely Greylag amongst the Canadas and a group of 12 Redshank together on the far bank.

A red kite was over cimla  this afternoon, at baglan playing fields there were 75 black headed gulls 

at Aberavon beach there 5 kittiwakes 3 1st winter 2 adults

Cosmeston – no Lesser Scaup but did get brief views of what I believe to be a 4cy Yellow-legged gull before it headed off towards the bay.

Knapp Lake – Long-tailed duck was still there but strangely elusive. Also an adult winter Kittiwake put in a brief appearance but I think Andy may have got off a quick record shot before it flew away.

42 Canada geese 7 wigeon 1 little grebe 4 cormorants small numbers of herring lbbgull common and black headed gulls 

Quick visit this morning, and there was a good selection of birds in the area outside the  hide without a door including 5 bullfinch (3M 2 F), and 2 goldcrest. Kingfisher and water rail seen from the  hide, and some very vocal green woodpeckers nearby. 

A 1w little gull with 72 black-headed gulls roosting on the high tide off the Oxwich Bay Hotel this morning. Also a great crested grebe.
Waterfowl appear to have decreased in the marsh, with only 15 teal, 15 mallard and a female shoveler this am. A kingfisher was a bonus.
Still two eider off Mumbles (imm male and a female) and a peregrine was hunting over Mumbles Hill yesterday am.

Late report via my brother Edward – he and his wife Jackie saw a Short-eared Owl sat in the bracken at the northern / seaward end of the caravan park at Broughton, near Llangennith, Gower. Wonderful views as it took flight (Jammy sod!).

Mike Cram

 

A Kittiwake and a first winter Little Gull still on the beach among the hordes of dog walkers at lunchtime.

One Woodcock today.

1-Yellow Legged Gull on the roof opp. Waitrose at 16h30

LT Duck on Knap still also Yellow-legged gull.

Adult Med gull on railings beside docks opposite Morrisons – got about 50% of hood already.

but no sign of BT Divers.

Quite a busy high tide with the adult Little Gull and first summer Kittiwake still present off the point, while a Razorbill and a drake Common Scoter were close inshore and at least 12 Great Crested Grebes on the sea was a very high count for the site. The wader roost contained 4 Purple Sandpipers and 53 Turnstones of note and a female/imm Merlin was chasing Linnets near the coastguard hut.

Here’s a cropped head shot of the LTD [esp for Andy :-)] showing the bill serrations.

30 + Mediterranean Gulls (BB) others at Mumbles Blackcap 2 females near coastal path.  Spent an hour looking for Ross’s Gull late afternoon-no joy again! There was no sign of the Little Gulls either. On Blackpill Beach one dead of each Razorbill Guillemot and Kittiwake. A Mediterranean Gull at BB had a white ring on left leg with number 25 on it, I could not make out if there were other numbers. 

Male and Female Blackcap in garden. Fantastic

finally managed to get out for a little while. Here’s couple of pix of the L-t Duck seen this afternoon, one in mid-dive.

100+ pied wagtails going to roost on tescos roof neath abbey at 17 40 this evening

Long-tailed Duck back on the Knap Lake this morning, along with an adult Mediterranean Gull.

Was a nice surprise when walking yesterday afternoon