A fem/imm Black Redstart showed briefly this morning at around 11:00 on roof by Plas Taliesin although it had flown in from the flats farther down towards John Bachelor Way. It’s probably worth checking all the rooftops of the flats along by the R. Ely here. Also on roadside bushes by Plas Taliesin, by the riverside, a fem Blackcap. 5 Redshank and 3 Turnstone were along the river side there, plus a Rock Pipit.

By the barrage, 53 Common Gulls on the orange buoys and 140 Black-headed Gulls on the jetty and buoys.

No sign of the 2 Black Redstarts nor of the drake Lsr Scaup yesterday afternoon nor this morning.
The BNG still showing well – best viewed from on top of the down river side of Grangetown fly-over.

A close encounter this evening with a Barn Owl on the moor, plus a pair of Tawny Owls nearby, brings my Foot It running total to 83. A few other recent goodies on foot have included Water Pipit, Goshawk, Red Kite, Cetti’s Warbler and Kingfisher. 

 

Peregrine and merlin at lunch time today

 

from observer Steve Hughes [thanks Steve], a flight pic of 10 Pale-bellied Brents at E. Aberthaw on 9th Jan [the same birds as reported by Rob & Linda Nottage on 5th Jan].

An adult med gull 200 black headed gulls 20 plus mute swan
45 Canada geese smaller numbers of tufteds mallards pochard
Coot herring and common gull

Very quiet between Nash Point and Cwm Nash the only birds of note were 2 raven giving an aerial ballet and a few fulmar. There was a lesser tortoiseshell basking on a rock by the stream.

2 Black Redstarts (1 ad.m and 1 fem/imm.) chasing each other across the roof-tops at the beginning of Plas Taliesin best viewed both from inside the cul-de-sac opposite the road sign on the corner and also from the road adjacent to the bay, where up to 3 Redshanks are also present on the shore line.8.50-9.15am.

Three Goosander from the ice rink first thing this morning, but distant.  Couldn’t find either the BN Grebe or Lesser Scaup.

A female goosander 15 mallard and a grey wagtail

Present at Llwyn Onn from 9-1, always keeping its distance from the banks, ate a couple of crayfish.

Ad.m.Black Redstart glimpsed twice on the ridge-tiles in Plas Taliesin around 1pm but could not re-locate.
BNG still present under the fly-over together with the Lsr Scaup in company with c.20 Tufted Duck close to the west bank of the Taff.

Extended lunch break as Sandra desperately wanted to see the Thayer’s Gull. No sign amongst the 280+ Herring Gulls on the island when we arrived at 12:00, but at 12:30 just as the rain started I found it perched on top of the island. Lord Nelson was also there but no sign of any American Herring Gull lookalikes. Scoters much closer today, but no time to check them. Weather looking very good for the weekend – let’s hope it sticks.

With Neil Donaghy. Neil got the Bearded Tits just b4 I arrived. A few Tufted in CBWR but Lesser Scaup drake was with another group of Tufteds over by the west side of the road bridge by Windsor Quay, just downstream of the bridge. The Black-necked Grebe was in the Taff just upstream of the bridge, with about 30 Little Grebe there too and 2 GCG. Neil had a singing Redwing round by the Ice Rink earlier, and I had a fly-over back at CBWR where I spent another hour trying for the Beardies with no success. A couple of Cetti’s heard and a few Water Rail. About 20 or so Teal flying around CBWR.

Checked out the Little Egret roost at first light today.At least 31 Little Egrets flew from the roost.

Black-necked Grebe still present, seen off east side of Taff, south of the A4232 flyover, off the marina at around noon today – best viewed from opposite side of river. At least 20 Little Grebes also present.

Great Northern Diver showing well this morning.Also 2-Goldeneye 1m+1f.Garw nant still closed.

A kingfisher was at the pond next to the visitor center at 10:15 this morning.

A short seawatch (30 mins) this morning from the Tutt resulted in 1 red-throated diver, 1 unidentified diver species, 2 fulmar, 11 kittiwakes and small numbers of auks (GU/RZ).
2 female eiders off the pier again this morning. No sign of imm male.

Cracking Lesser Redpoll on garden feeder. Signs of Spring (?) both Dunnock and Greenfinch singing early this morning.