In miserable conditions and poor visibility. Some counts were taken

Oystercatcher, Turnstone (2), Ringed Plover, Sanderling (299), Dunlin, Common Gull (17) and Mediterranean Gull (28 (inc 1 juv))

V v quiet – small birds almost non-existent. Black Swan was on E lake and a couple of Sand Martins flew through. Shots below were still images taken with Panasonic camcorder. m & f Common Darter are the Odonata.

 

Morfa Tip pools – Greenshank (3) later flew to Saltmarsh

Kenfig Saltmarsh – Wigeon (1), Mallard (53), Teal (4), Little Egret (1), Lapwing (8), Greenshank (3), Redshank (1), Snipe (5)

Offshore from Kenfig Rivermouth – Curlew (6), Guillemot (1) and large numbers of gulls feeding.

Crymlyn Burrows Beach – Yellow-legged Gull (1 x 3rd cal yr), Mediterranean Gull (85 inc 3 juv), Bar-tailed Godwit (1) & many smaller waders

Green Sandpiper showed well on the south pool until 16:30 when it flew off towards Lisvane res

A walk around the pool this morning produced Common sandpiper 1, Little egret 1, Kingfisher 1 and 30+ Willow warbler in the west pool bushes.

30 plus Turnstones , 12 plus Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper , Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat , Blackcap, Wheatear.

Butterflies – Common Blue , Gatekeeper and Speckled Wood.

TA and JD.

2 fem Gooseander on Taff by Sofia Park and a few Swallow, House and Sand Martin by the Riding School this am.
2nd sum Med Gull in Hamadryad Park this pm with Whooper Swan on Channel View jetty and Black Swan by Penarth Marina lock.

My First wheatear of the season.. seems earlier than last year.. Also hundreds of hirundines passing through first thing this morning..

approx. 580 dunlin, 230 ringed plover, 2 peregrine, 1 ruff ( juv. male )

UL: 3 common sand, 1 green sand, 1 little ringed plover

Greylag Goose (7), Eider (21), Great Crested Grebe (c20), Whimbrel (1), Black-tailed Godwit (5), Bar-tailed Godwit (6), Greenshank (1) & Grey Plover (1)

(RJ, MHi)

A Greenshank was at the south pools this morning, otherwise fairly quiet.

I undertook the UKBMS (butterfly) survey this afternoon on my BBS square in North Cardiff. A surprise sighting was a Peregrine. I’ve done the BBS survey for 15 years and never encountered the species in the square before. Leps included nine species of butterfly plus one day flying moth sp. Also four sp of dragonfly/damselfly.

Kittiwakes doing well on the artificial nests on Mumbles Pier, Swansea:

Crossbill over first thing, and a garden warbler in the marsh this morning. 

Earlier this week, spotted flycatcher with very recently fledged young at Ilston appears to be a good Gower record.

Productivity in Cetti’s warbler (at Oxwich) proven on Wednesday last.

GBC monthly walk -pretty quiet – 2 Whitethroat, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaff, 2 Reed Bunt, small nos. of Swallow, House Martin & Sand Martin, 1 Swift, 2 imm Green ‘Peckers, 1 Heron, now 10 Tufted Duck, 2 fully grown imm GC Grebes, and a couple of Cormorants whiffling in like geese. Leps included lots of Common Blue, Small Blue, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood, Comma, and several Silver Y moths. Also 1 Emperor dragonfly and Common Darters ovipositing.

PS also had a Treecreeper in Cogan Wood – a species not often seen at Cossie.

Late news for yesterday – A Red Kite was over the salt marsh on the Bridgend side being constantly mobbed by a Curlew before drifting off over Ogmore.  A Clouded Yellow at Merthyr Mawr this morning.

Common Scoter (3), Curlew (100+), Oystercatcher (500+), Knot (2), Sanderling (c325), Dunlin (c150), Ringed Plover (220+) & Turnstone (1)

Earlier at Brunel Dock – Redshank (80), Dunlin (26), Common Sandpiper (10) and a Kingfisher

(RJ, MHi)

3 grey heron on Ploran Mawr.

1 greenshank opposite Portobello House. 2 adult shellduck with 15 large juveniles and 1 curlew lower down the estuary.

Fem Tufted Duck X Scaup hybrid with 8 well grown young 100m off boardwalk 1pm.
Whooper and Black Swan still off Hamadryad Park.