Some garden delights today – Family of Long Tailed Tits passing by, Blue Tit parents (who successfully reared some young a while ago) ” checking out” their nest box again??, 2 Robins together – one adult and one fledgling and, the non-avian highlight, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth visiting our flowers 2130 Sunday.

Today i have witnessed something i have never seen before.

A Mute Swan attacking and killing a Mallard duckling.Death was probably by drowning as the swan kept it underwater.Has anybody else witnessed this behaviour?

13 members had a successful trip to the Somerset Levels on Saturday 11th. In total we logged 53 species, and with patient observation, had good views of the main ‘target’ species of Bittern, Marsh Harrier, Great White Egret and Hobby. Several Bitterns gave rather good fly-by views although grabbing a decent image wasn’t easy as most were siilhouetted against the sky. The first Hobbys were very distant, but later from the Meare Heath hide at Shapwick Heath we had a couple of excellent fly-bys. Picturee below – Bittern, Great Crested Grebe & ‘humbug’, Great White Egret, imm Grey Heron and a rather tatty Buzzard.

A Hobby few over Caerphilly Castle last evening chasing the Sand Martin a flock of 40. Also Kingfisher and two Ravens and two Swifts. The ‘Wild Meadow’ is doing much better this year and it looks like they have prepared other flower beds.

Nice morning at PCD. Birds Redstart Green and Great Spotted WP Raven Blackcap Cap Willow Warbler Chiffchaff. Dragonflies; Broad Bodied Chaser 8 five females together on bramble, Large Red, Blue-tailed and Azure Damselflies. Leps; Green veined White Orange Tip and Common Blue and up to 10 Orange Underwing moths

Great Spotted Woodpecker –

Good to hear a Yellowhammer‘s song coming from inland from the path. (Sunday afternoon)

A group of 9 or 10 swifts over the lake yesterday evening in quite cool blustery conditions. On the water itself Coots and Moorhens already with young as have the pair of Canada geese, although it seems at least 3 goslings are missing from 2 days ago, leaving only 2. No sign of any mallard ducklings and the pair of mute swans don’t seem to be nesting yet.

2 Swifts flying about

On Monday morning two kingfishers at hide 1 and 2, it seen Forst farm is the best place to go just now, see the birds

Tiring GBC trip to RSPB Dinas yesterday leading a group of 13 members, to whom thanks for coming. Left Penarth in nice sunshine and arrived at Dinas to be greeted with low grey cloud, drizzle and a temp of 12 deg C! Birds v quiet until about 2 p.m. and light in the woods v low. We eventually logged 46 species. No prize winners in the photos – v poor conditions for photography! All target species logged in the reserve although Wood Warblers were only heard. A few of us went up the road past Llynn Brianne reservoir and added a few more species – see the list here: https://drive.google.com/…/1EKUj75q…/view…

Blue Tit parents visiting nest box 14 times in 15 minutes yesterday while several fledgling Long Tailed Tits were being fed in the hedge in the background.

I have picture of a pair of Mediterranean gulls with readable tags on legs – do i contract somebody – if so who and how

2 G-c Grebe families on W lake – 1 fem had 2 v small ‘humbugs’ on her back and the other had three slightly larger ones, 2 carried and one on the water. 2-3 Reed Warblers are singing by the main boardwalk, plus a Reed Bunting, and 2-3 more Reed Warblers are in the reeds by the dipping pond. Whilst trying to see one, a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew by, into the trees bordering the car park.

One singing for half an hour in my Canton, Cardiff garden. Previously in same location in 2005 and 2014; garden is 500 metres away from nearest water!

Reed Warbler singing again in this location which is alongside the busy Leckwith Road.

Two Cettis Warblers singing along the Ely trail as usual.

Next Sat, 21st May there will be the regular walk at Kenfig NNR but this one will be dedicated to birdsong and call ID, esp for beginners. As usual, all welcome, meet at KNNR building at 9 a.m.

Then on the Sunday, 22nd May we have a field trip to the RSPB Dinas woodland reserve, north of Llandovery. Some folk, including me as it happens, have been already, so we know the target birds are there [Redstart, Pied Flycatcher and Wood Warbler]. It’s just under a 2 hour drive from me via the A470 and A40 to Llandovery then north on minor lanes via Rhandirmwyn. Post code given is SA20 0PG, GR SN788471, What3Words suave.height.splash

I suggest meeting in the car park there at around 10 a.m. – it’s on the left just past a small church and graveyard.

So, if you intend coming please let me know by email [replying to this will be OK]. If you wish to car share please also let me know at the same time. The meet point for that will be the  usual spot at the bottom end of St Margarets’ Rd in Whitchurch [see the Events>Field Trips page on this website]. Be there at just before 8:30. It’s about 1hr 30 mins from there.