This morning on the Pond was Grey Heron fishing – Cromorant on a post both first for me at Parc Slip – along with Greylag – Canada Geese – Tufted Duck – Teals – Mallards – Little Grebe – Coots – Moorhen – Magpies – Carrion Crow then for small birds Meadow Pipit – Blue Tit – Great Tit – Blackbird – pair of Long-tailed Tit – House Sparrow – heard a Wren and to finish loveily sighting of Red Kite floating over

The 2 “Siberian” Chiffchaff are still present, quietly flitting through the trees edging the lake. Their very obliging, giving excellent views from the road. There’s a Common Chiffchaff singing nearby which offers a very good chance to compare plumage differences.

Three large flocks of Herring Gulls amounting 550 birds, Goosander 1 Gadwall 2 Wigeon 6 Redshank 10 Stonechat 2 Chiffchaff 2 Linnet 28 at at the Watermill Teal 22

An almost full breeding plumaged Med Gull was over E lake this morning and settled on the water preening but then disappeared. There’s a Coot on a nest on W lake. W. paddock revealed 1 Jay, 1 Green Woodpecker, and 3 Buzzards were thermalling and several Chiffchaff were singing, plus a solitary Blackcap. We saw at least 10 Brimstones around the park, plus single Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell. A Cetti’s Warbler was foraging briefly in the open in the ditch behind the cafe but not long enough for me to grab a photo.

8.30 this morning, 100+ Common Gull & 1 Mediterranean Gull in full summer plumage.

Wayne Strong found a drake Red-crested Pochard at Cosmeston this morning, which is undoubtedly the bird that had been at Kenfig Pool since its discovery by Neil Donaghy a while ago. As at KNNR it favoured the middle of the lake [W lake at Cossie in this case] but here’s a much cropped record shot. Other than that it’s very quiet – weather is too nice. I wandered round Lavernock reserve for a while this afternoon but the only things of note were at least 6 singing Chiffchaffs.

V busy. Paddocks are drying out. A Stock Dove flew over W paddock and a Cetti’s Warbler seems to have territory behind the dipping pond, as it has been singing there on and off for a while now.

Rhymney WeBS this morning. V cold onshore wind – v choppy water. There were about 400 Redshank on Greent Point, which was almost completely under water. They flew around and the flock contained about 30 Dunlin. In the river mouth, there were about 27 Pintail. Other birds present were about 9 Teal, 27 Shelduck, 4 Cormorant and a few Mallard. At Heliport Bay there were another 28 Pintail.

A bright and breezy day for the Kenfig Monthly Birdwalk today, good company, welcome to some new folk. We were pleased to find 40 species.

The highlights were a Red-crested Pochard and a Marsh Harrier, both showing well in the sunshine. Lots of activity on the pool, some difficult to spot, bobbing about on the waves!

Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shoveler, Gadwall, Wigeon , Mallard , Red-crested Pochard , Pochard,

Tufted Duck, Goldeneye , Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon , Moorhen, Coot , Great Crested Grebe, Lapwing

Herring Gull , Lesser Black-backed Gull , Cormorant , Marsh Harrier , Buzzard, Great Spotted Woodpecker 

Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit , Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin

House Sparrow, Dunnock , Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Greenfinch , Goldfinch, Reed Bunting .

Many thanks to Dave Carrington for leading.

Signs of spring. Singing Blackcap 1 Chiffchaff 4 Song Thrush 2 also Goldcrest Buzzard 8 displaying. More hedge has been laid looks really amazing new drains too-someone has been hard at work.

Pleased to find 37 species on Tuesday, low tide, highlights being – Barnacle Geese, Whooper Swan and about 50 Shellduck

Two singing male Blackcaps on the Ely Trail , Leckwith today.

A smart male Wheatear was in W paddock Cosmeston, on the hill behind the dragonfly pond, seen during the very heavy rain shower. There were 7 Gadwall on W lake and a small group of folk were looking for the Bonaparte’s Gull which I found on 9th and has re-appeared a couple of times since, on its forays from Cardiff Bay.

Singing Chiffchaff; singing Blackcap; two singing Cettis.

Late afternoon, rain stopped, so I popped over to the Ice Rink boardwalk by Cardiff Bay to try & see the adult Little Gull that had been reported. Pulled up and stopped the car …. rain started again! It stopped after 10 mins so I headed out, and scanning with binos and immediately got onto the bird in the middle of the Bay. They’re pretty easy to pick up as the jet black underwings of the paddle shaped wings flash at you as the bird tilts and jigs tern-like low over the water. Enjoyed some nice scope views as it flew up & down in a regular pattern. Also mid Bay was a pair of Goosander.

Successful trip today with a Glamorgan Bird Club group. Despite a rather damp start which soon cleared, 16 participants walked from Rest Bay along the coast to Sker Point and back. Rest Bay car park gave us views of all significant ages of Mediterranean Gulls and a couple of Common Gulls. Along the coast we had around 10 Purple Sandpiper on rocks at Pink Bay. Sker Point gave us lots of Turnstone, around 6 Ringed Plover, c.30 Sanderling, 4 Grey Plover, a few more Purple Sandpipers, 20 Curlew, a few Dunlin, and eventually [they were well camouflaged] about 150 Golden Plover. Alan got us on to a Red-throated Diver flying up-channel. Thanks to all who attended. John Wilson. Full trip list is here: https://drive.google.com/…/1okgRxvi70Sjp68Wsm47…/view…

On the usual dog walk at Cossie this morning, first thing was a posing Wren, albeit in dense shade but managed to retrieve a passable shot. Then 9 Gadwall on W lake was a good count. Then – wow! – scanning through the loafing Black-headed Gulls on W lake by the centre viewpoint, a smaller individual with a black, shorter bill …. Bonaparte’s Gull! A first in the park for me. Quickly got a Tweet and a Whatsapp out then got some photos. Fortunately it wasn’t right out in the middle of the lake. Also of note, a Chiffchaff singing by the conservation area gate, and a Cetti’s Warbler singing in E lake reeds.

A good trip on Sunday morning with Strinda, birding with a keen young family from Brecon. We were very pleased to find 22 species, good numbers of waterfowl on the pond, Skylark and Mistle Thrush calling well.

Canada Goose , Mallard , Teal, Moorhen, Tufted Duck , Woodpigeon, Coot, Little Grebe, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit , Skylark, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Mistle Thrush , Blackbird, Robin , Dunnock , Chaffinch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch