Abercwmboi Lake

First visit to this site as part of Willow Tit survey and was surprised by the number of species, which will obviously increase in the coming weeks. Species of note- 1 Willow Tit (close views of male calling), 1 Water Rail, 1 Little Grebe, 20+ Coot, 6 Moorhen, Mute swan (pair nest building), 3 pairs of Canada Goose, several Chiffchaff, Sparowhawk (f), 3 Buzzards and several pairs of Bullfinch

Cosmeston

Very crowded this morning and many people not observing the 2m ‘rule’ and walking around in groups and queueing cheek by jowl for ice creams [a bit surprised the cafe was open]. A Mistle Thrush was quite active in Cogan Wood and Blackcap singing there again too. The 3 Shoveler of Thurs had increased to 4 yesterday [3m 1f] but no sign of any today, or Sand Martins. A fem Bullfinch seen briefly by E paddock. Quite a lot of what I assume to be Dog Violet out now.

Talygarn Lake

A damp WeBS count this lunchtime,   Teal and Shoveler appear to have gone, along with most of the Little Grebe.  First spotting of a Sparrow Hawk here.

Blackbird,  Blue Tit , Canada Goose (2), Carrion Crow,  Chaffinch , Coot (9),
Dunnock , Great Spotted Woodpecker,  Great Tit , House Sparrow ,
Little Grebe (1), Magpie,  Mallard (11), Moorhen (1), Mute Swan (3), Robin ,
Song Thrush,  Sparrowhawk , Starling , Woodpigeon, Wren .

 

 

Cosmeston

A Buzzard was sitting in a tree by the dipping pond this morning – a favourite perching area. There were 4 Pochard on W lake and a Coot was sitting on a nest in the reeds on the far side of W lake. Also several Chiffchaff seen and a couple of Goldcrests.

Excitement in Fairwater

  1. At Birdies Lane, R Ely, a Dipper flew upstream, the first I’ve seen there for a while.
  2. A great deal of commotion at Fairwater Park as a passing Red Kite, about 20-30m above the car park,  was mobbed by Gulls, corvids and small birds. This is  a new bird for my records of this site (which go back a  long way) and is the 59th species I’ve recorded there.

These will be daily birds for some of you and I myself see them quite often in other places, but it certainly made my morning.

Kenfig NR

A Long-tailed Duck has been on the pool for two days now, and a Short-eared Owl has been seen in the dunes, plus a female Merlin, photographed by Neil Donaghy [see South Wales Birding Facebook page if you have access.