I noticed four Little Egrets between the castle and Watermill while driving past today. However, for January I will be mostly seeing birds on foot only, as I have entered the Foot It Challenge 2014. The idea is to see as many bird species as possible on foot from your home and back, in January only. With some trepidation I have set myself a target of 100. Looks like I might get webbed feet by the end of it.

Details here: http://birdingbyfoot.blogspot.co.uk

Anyone else foolhardy enough to accept the challenge?

26-Little Egrets flew in to the island roost,16h10-16h45

Great Northern Diver still showing well at the north end of the reservoir this afternoon

I had a call from a lady who had picked up a dead Kingfisher on the Rhondda in Porth. I wasn’t sure what to advise. Any interest, please let me know by the end of the day. 01443 841555

Sparrowhawk hunting over Pioneer car park, Pyle, this afternoon causing a commotion amongst Starlings.

The adult male Surf Scoter and female Velvet Scoter were in with 1060-strong flock of Commons off Rhossili this morning. With 2000+ Herring Gulls on the beach feeding on an abundance of moribund shellfish it seems the storm has stirred up the seabed making good foraging. Maybe more storms will bring in more birds? At approximately SS3989 the scoter flock is pretty distant, so don’t expect good views if you go looking for the Surfy. The light this morning was bright and crisp making it pretty easy to to pick out.

Just picked up from Twitter that there’s a drake Surf Scoter in Rhossili Bay. No other details I’m afraid.

4 Brent Geese on the sea, in the lee of Sedgers – departed as the tide rose.

Also, a Black Guillemot at the edge of the sea at high-tide, just below the Youth Hostel.  However, within 10 minutes of the sighting, the bird was attacked by two juvenile Herring/LBB Gulls, and last seen floating upside-down (so believed killed) out in the centre of the bay.

20+ redwing around the treetops, grey wagtail by the pond.

A quick look around Port Eynon beach at pretty much high tide – 2 Curlew, 2 Turnstone, 1 Dunlin, 1 Little Egret, approx 20-25 Ringed Plover and a small supporting cast of Oystercatcher, Rock Pipit, and BH, Herring and LBB Gulls.

3(2m & 1f) Bullfinch from hide without a door. Also good views of water rail, moorhen wren and robin. 7-8 snipe in far left corner and kingfisher showed twice. Also plenty of activity at new hide by wardens centre.

For info for anyone thinking of going for the Brunnich’s Guillemot in Portland Harbour, here’s a map of the best place to park – plenty of room and it’s free!

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=368325&Y=74275&A=Y&Z=120 

Basically go all the way across the causeway/road over towards Portland Bill and at the very last roundabout where there’s a brown sign for Portland Castle, turn left and about 200m along this road there’s a dirt car park. This gives access to the shoreline by the Castle and and also along to the sailing academy. When I saw it on boxing day it was very mobile but did give exc views near the shore, but when it dives it can travel a long way before it comes up again! There’s also a BLack Guillemot in that location and all three divers. On the other side of the harbour at Castle Cove I had all three ‘rare’ grebes [there were at least 8 Black-necked and singles of Slav and Red-necked].

For this park here, just before the entrance to Castle Cove sailing club:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=367270&Y=77235&A=Y&Z=120

Brilliant day with great sights of a bittern flying down the channel of cut two and landing in the reeds of cut one. Ten minutes later an otter swam towards the south hide in channel of cut two and going into the reeds of cut one. Didn’t see the otter again but the bittern showed well after this.

Headed out for a Winter Thrush Survey of Cardiff Riding School yesterday to clear the boxing day cobwebs:

Blackbirds 24 – included 6 ringed as part of the Cardiff Blackbird Project (http://www.cardiffblackbirds.blogspot.co.uk/)

Mistle Thrush 2, Song Thrush 2 and 51 Starling.

Biggest surprise was the 423 redwing, highest count I’ve had for the site, which were recorded in three groups. The first near the allotments next to the river comprised 25 fly which flew north east. Walking from the Blackweir end of the paddocks back towards western avenue a second flock of 212 was moving between two trees in the paddock closest to the weir which flew east into Bute Park, and shortly after a separate group of 186 were feeding in “Pope’s Field” (large square paddock next to Pontcanna Fields).

No fieldfares yet.

Southern Hide- 3pm- bittern walked across flattened reeds at the back of the first cut.

Swanbridge/Sully Beach/Bendricks early morning – 6 Curlew, 30 Oystercatcher and a single Turnstone

Cosmeston early morning – Drake Gadwall (East Lake), Drake Teal (West Lake), Cetti’s Warbler in the West Lake reeds and a Common Gull on the posts

Llwyn On – Great Northern Diver viewed around 1pm from the car park on the west side roughly half way up the reservoir

Jepsons Pond – 3 Goosander on the pond and a Red Kite over.

Rhaslas Pond – 2 Goosander plus Wigeon and a Cormorant

Pond next to derelict Ffosyfran training centre – 4 Teal

Incline Top pond late afternoon – 7 Goosander