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.

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.