Presumably the same Great Northern Diver seen by Owain last week was still present very close inshore mid-day today (video HERE). Also a Razorbill close inshore and frustrating views of an adult Glaucous or Iceland Gull flying west along the coast in Bracelet Bay where there were 20+ Med Gulls.

An adult Little Gull was just downstream of the house at 13:00.

The Black-throated Diver showed well in difficult conditions on the waterfront side of the dock in front of the flats towards the Premier Inn.

Black-throated diver still at Barry Dock around 15.45. Favouring the east side of the dock at that time and viewed from Barry Waterfront. Also an adult Mediterranean Gull, and unusual for this site, a Little Grebe.

At Cosmeston late afternoon on the west lake, the Lesser Scaup was with the Tufted flock and there were 27 Magpies in a single group on the west bank. Also 17 Pochard and at least 2 Gadwall.

 

Goldeneye 35, curlew about 40 but disturbed before I could count them, goosander 5 and little egret 1 were the birds of note this afternoon.

from Paul Howe via e-mail – Hen Harrier seen ‘near St Mellons’ today. Sex not spec’d but more detail requested.

Update – this was a male and was seen from St Mellons Business Park off Cypress Drive, overlooking the Wentloog Levels and was last seen heading towards Cardiff, basically near the Hendre Lake area.

Bittern at Kenfig Pool. At Sker Point: Little Gull [ad W], Med Gull [ad] & Kittiwake [1st W]. [ND]

OOC A Green-winged Teal reported from Peterstone Wentloog foreshore (Gwent) this am. This could possibly move over the border into Cardiff (RGW). 

Yep the LTD seems to have taken the advantage of a nice day to depart – just ‘cos I took my new camera down there! BT Diver was still at Barry Docks at 2:40 on the far LH side by the dock gates, then it swam left and disappeared into an inlet in the far LH corner by the blue buildings where it says TANK WASH.

I note from the Gwent site that there has been a GWT at Peterstone Gout today

A BTD at Barry Dock (see GRC). Also there a ad W Med Gull and a Common Sandpiper. [DRWG & JPH].

No sign of the LTD at the Knap Pool this am.

This morning:

Rhaslas – 3 Goldeneye, 21 Wigeon, 8 Tufted, a Cormorant and a singing Skylark

Butetown – 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Goosander, 2 Tufted, 6 Coot, 5 Moorhen and a Mute Swan

Ffosyfran/Isaac Morgan – 3 Teal, 4 Coot, 6 Mallard and a Kestrel

The Great Northern Diver was at the top end of Llwyn On reservoir late yesterday morning.

 

 

3 adult med gulls 31 common gulls 55 b headed gulls ,at Aberavon beach there was an adult little gull by the stone pier 1 adult med gull 41 turnstone 30 sanderlings and a rock pipit 

with bob anderson 

A few record shots of the Long-tailed duck on the lake at the Knap this morning.

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/ltd/h186f1a29#h186f1a29

Thanks to John and team for letting me know it was still there. It took off and flew round with the tufties and landed again.

Wood Street Bridge, Cardiff, drake.

Male and female regularly at fat ball in Canton garden.

Damp GBC midweek trip. Lesser Scaup, Marsh Tit, Redwing, Treecreeper and Nuthatch at Cossie, and Long-tailed Duck at The Knap, Barry.

I need some help from any Gull experts out there.

For the past 2 months there has been a gull down at Cosmeston that looks like it is a 3^rd winter type Yellow Leg Gull. A number of people have commented that it is not a yellow leg but no one has offered any conclusive suggestions on what it is. I have photographed the bird many times since the end of November (it is quite unique as it is missing white spots on the ends of P8 and P10 on its left side). The wing tip pattern says it is not an argenteus or an argentatus. The mantle colour is too light for a graellsii. On balance it looks then like a YLG….but what else could it be? Any ideas?

There are 14 photographs on starting at

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/ylg/h2119a527#h2119a527

 which take you through all the key ID points. On some browsers you may need to scroll down to see the text below the photos.

The bird has been around most days since the end of November although on many occasions took off mid morning and flew north east in the direction of Cardiff bay. Having said that, I have not seen it since the 28^th Jan, so keen to hear if anyone sees it (usually near the main entrance on the east lake). It would be good to get some more shots as it moves towards summer plumage. If you do see it, send me an email (address on web site).

It’s that time of year when I begin to receive pictures from photographers for potential use in the EGRC Annual Bird Report. So I am looking for high quality, high resolution digital photographs of  birds taken in Eastern Glamorgan in 2013.

Priority will be given to birds that are rare or uncommon in the recording area where a photograph substantiates a submitted, accepted record. Secondly I shall be looking for uncommon species that have not been featured in recent bird reports – a quick review will determine which these are, and finally, for excellent photographs of the more common species in the recording area that have also not featured in recent reports.

For submissions under 5Mb please send by email to rgsmith@birdpix.freeserve.co.uk. For larger submissions please use the excellent (free) service provided by http://www.wetransfer.com sending to my email address. I can thoroughly recommend wetransfer. Failing that send me an email and I will, by return, send an address for you to mail a CD.

At dusk today, 20-30+ Pied Wagtails gathering in Oystermouth car park, before going to roost in evergreen bush opposite the Co-op.