Second visit in 5 days and managed to find the Redstarts – 2 males and a female, moving about on the waste ground showing quite well. As a bonus saw a Red Kite over Cowbridge on journey home.

Today’s Wetland Bird Survey count, mostly in sunny and mild conditions, comprised 7 Grey Heron, 45 Lapwing, 2 Teal, 1 Wigeon, 1 Little Egret, 6 Mute Swan, 19 Mallard, 1 Water Rail and 3 Moorhen.

Also present a Peregrine resting on the moor, a hunting Kestrel and a Raven. Fine views of Redwing flock at the top of a nearby tree.

Pochard were up to 18 on W lake this morning, and there were 2 Common Gulls, 1 by E lake and 1 on the W lake posts. There were a few Redwing and Fieldfare in W paddock, with a Mistle Thrush, and a v friendly Robin posed by the lower Dovecote field by Sully Brook.

6 Med Gulls (4 ad Winter, one 2nd Winter, one 1st Winter), large number of Common Gulls, B-h and Herring Gulls, a few LBB. 7 Wigeon + the regulars.

There were 16 Pochard with the Tufties on W lake this morning and an ad Common Gull on the W lake posts.

there was at least 51-Common Gulls in the river in amongst Black Headed and Herring Gulls.

7-Goldeneye,4m3f and 4-Goosanders 1m3f.11h00-13h00

At the first feeding stump down the slope from the southern entrance to Cogan Wood, an obliging Marsh Tit was coming down to seed. It was mostly snatch and grab but it perched at one point and reposnded to my imitated ‘pitchoo’ call and allowed for quite a few photos, albeit in rather poor light. Walking back down the Mile Road I came upon a confiding Bullfinch feeding on buds above my head.

Sunday 16th Jan

Five Crossbills feeding in the Alders also a mixed flock of Siskin 40 Cole Tit10 Goldfinch 10 Blue Tit 8 and a Nuthatch. Raven 4 Goosander 1 with 24 Mallard.

2 adult Med Gulls – one ad winter and the second one having a delicate black shading of the hood. Other regulars present

Had all 5 thrush species this morning. Plenty of Blackbirds, single Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush in W paddock where there were about 6 each of Redwing and Fieldfare. A Mistle Thrush was singing 2 days ago. On arrival this morning a Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen calling from the top of a tree by the car park, a Green Woodpecker flew over E paddock and a distant one was heard calling there, and another was in a tree by the dragonfly pond. W lake had the usual Tufties, plus 5 Pochard and 3 Shoveler, a pair of Little Grebes doing lot of whinnying, and 2 Great Crested Grebes, and finally a single Common Gull. Yesterday a Goldcrest was singing by the main bridge and today there were a number of Great Tits singing.

21 folk joined us on our first public birdwalk of the year, on a cold , overcast day. It was good to meet friends old and new.

We were pleased to find 41 species, the highlights being Ring-necked Duck, Siberian Chiff Chaff, Scaup, and 5 very smart displaying male Goldeneye with at least 1 female.

Full List-

Canada Goose , Mute Swan, Gadwall, Wigeon, Mallard, Teal, Pochard , Ring-necked Duck , Tufted Duck ,
Scaup, Goldeneye , Woodpigeon , Collared Dove , Coot Great Crested Grebe, Black-headed Gull Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Buzzard, Magpie , Jackdaw , Carrion Crow , Blue Tit , Great Tit , Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (Siberian – tristis) , Goldcrest , Starling ,
Song Thrush , Mistle Thrush , Blackbird , Robin, House Sparrow, Dunnock , Chaffinch, Bullfinch , Greenfinch , Goldfinch.

Many thanks to Dave for leading and Rhos , deputy leader.

Sker Point & Rest Bay

Thursday 13th – Flock of Golden Plover, several hundred, basking in the January sunshine on the rocks. Also 4 Skylarks on Royal Porthcawl golf course.

Late afternoon, there were 3 Black Redstarts on waste ground opposite the Adventurer’s Quay appartments – 2 males and a female.

Portobello Island, Ogmore am Jan 12 2022

1st winter and Ad winter Med Gulls with the Gull flock. 9 Goosanders, 15 Goldeneye, 2 Little Egrets, 11 Little Grebes, Common Sandpiper, Kestrel (I have not seen one anywhere for some time), Raven + the other regular birds

Portobello Island, Ogmore am Jan 9 2022

Adult winter Med Gull in Gull flock, Merlin flew down river, 9 Goosanders, 14 Goldeneye, Little Egret + the regulars.

This morning there were 5-Wigeon 3m+2f on the west lake,an unusual sighting for this location?

7-Goosanders,4m-3f,on the river just above Radyr Weir.11h00-12h00.

I managed to get a short video of the male Black Redstart actually on my roof !