Pair of Green Woodpecker in the garden looking fantastic in the late afternoon sun. Courtship and breeding observed.

Recent activity of interest that hasn’t appeared on here. Sand Martins are inspecting the holes in the wall of the old Channel Dry Dock [past N end of the Cardiff Bay barrage], a male Pied Flycatcher turned up at Cosmeston on Tues 12th, then back to the Bay, a Common Tern yesterday [apparently still present this morning] together with a male Wheatear on the outer Barrage rocks and a White Wagtail.

Good to see (and hear) 12 or so House Martins have arrived back over our estate this afternoon.

13 Sand Martins, 4 Swallows, 1 Grey Wagtail, several Pied Wagtails, 2 Buzzards high up.

Nicely appeared for third day at WWT Wetland Llanelli – 13 April 2022, most of the time spend feeding

A very handsome male Mandarin Duck amongst the usuals on Pwll y Waun lake this evening.

Is this a Tree Pipit, it hell of different from my offer image of Meadow and Rock, i took the image at Parc Slip this afternoon – just before a storm arrived and with every bird in the area up in tree singing their hearts out, so don’t ask about the calls. I have put the image on facebook {Uk Bird Identification} result even split, as new starter help ? taking Pic’s is easy part.

A small group of us were on a Glamorgan Bird Club trip to Craig Cerrig Gleisiad [above the A470 N of Storey Arms] this morning, and after some patient scanning of the crags, eventually saw a couple of male Ring Ouzels, which obligingly sang for us. We thought there were perhaps 3 or even 4 birds due to the calls heard, but only 2 were seen. Couple of silly shots below to give some idea of how far away they were [‘scopes essential]. The one shown was right on the top of the ridge as can be seen. Also seen in flight there, 2 Peregrines, a few Red Kite, and in the nearby wood by the youth hostel some common woodland birds but Pied Flys, Redstart etc not yet arrived.
Click here for the complete list [from my own database so apologies if I’ve missed any – John W].

Interesting observation at Cosmeston, W lake this morning. A pretty aggressive fight between Great Crested Grebes. A pair had been displaying [see pic] and there was another pair present, one of which was tucked in close by the central viewpoint on the Mile Road. The other one of that pair was out in the middle. There was a lot of vocalisation from all concerned and then one of the displaying pair came shooting in and had a real go at the tucked-in bird, wings flying etc etc, just like Coots do. I couldn’t get any decent shots of the fight as the overhanging brambles were in the way but in one pic you can see one bird coming in with its partner still visible further out, and the attacked bird just visible through the undergrowth.
Also of interest a pair of Gadwall still present on W lake, a pair of Little Grebes, Willow Warbler singing, loads of Blackcaps and a lingering sum plum Black-headed Gull.

Heard first Chiffchaff and first Blackcap for the year in the garden yesterday

Green Woodpecker in railway trees – first for us since moving here in July 2019.

Afternoon walk Llantwit beach to Tresilian : Kestrel, Stonechat pair, single Swallow flying east along clifftop. Again no Wheatears

This time last year i walked around roath park lake and counted 17 occupied Coot nests.Today i repeated my walk and this time i counted 28 occupied Coot nests.

1-Red Kite between St.Nicolas and Bonvilston 10h30.

A good mornings birding today from an early visit after dropping my daughter to the airport.

Chiffchaffs seen and heard,Blackcaps heard,several Cetti’s from various spots heard.To cap it all off,a flock of 40 or so hirundines around the bridge area included an even mix of Swallows,Sand Martins and at least two House Martins.08h40-10h20.

A few Stonechat, Chiffchaff (heard), single Song Thrush (heard), a few Blackbirds, Goldfinches, Dunnocks, Robins, single Wren, Green Woodpecker (seen and heard) just east of Atlantic College.

No Wheatears seen

Yesterday, 27th Mar, 6 members and 2 guests enjoyed a great trip & day out at Chew Valley Lake south of Bristol. This huge lake has a number of viewing points, some public and the rest requiring permits from Bristol Water, which luckily, we were able to buy from a ranger at our first meeting point. Most birds were distant and required the use of ‘scopes, and the highlights were a 1st yr Little Gull, initally sitting amongst distant black-headeds but eventually giving some good flight views. Topping that were 6 Garganey including some smart drakes. Gulls were also represented by a fine breeding plumage Mediterranean Gull and an adult Great Black-back. A total of 7 species of gull wasn’t too bad! About 10-20 Fieldfare were still around, and just a single Great White Egret was seen in flight. We called in at the Barrow Gurney ‘tanks’ by the A38 and saw the very smart adult male Long-tailed Duck. Below is a record shot of one of the drake Garganeys. Click here for the full list of 55 species!.

Today was defaintly a Eye Scopes day with camera and binoculur was revented to second best but i manage on decent Pic’s of a Garganey

Blue Tit. Pair started busily bringing in nesting material to the nest box on Sunday

Several chiffchaff singing from the small stands of woodland throughout the dunes, 2 Blackcap singing plus my first Willow Warbler this spring. Female Goshawk soaring overhead was unexpected. Meadow Pipits and Skylarks everywhere. Rivermouth reedbeds – 3 Shoveler, 3 grey heron, at least 4 or 5 Cetti’s warbler singing, a calling Water Rail,  13 Gadwall and 12 Lapwing, the latter 2 spooked into flight by a beautiful male Marsh Harrier quartering the reedbeds.

A pair of Grey Herons are nest building on the south side of the island.I haven’t known Herons to nest here previously only to roost.As the nest is on the island,human disturbance should be near to zero.I will monitor developments.