A Firecrest was present today in scrub at the southern end of the lake.

West paddock very far end – fem Great Spotted Woodpecker. East paddock – 3 Mistle Thrush and a Green Woodpecker feeding on the ground in the middle. Couldn’t find Graham Smith’s Scaup of yesterday.

Fenrod lake
140 black h gulls ,three goosander 2male 1 female ,22 mute swan ,40 + Canada geese ,10 moorhen, 8 coot, 20 herring gull, 4 common gull, mallards and tufted ln small numbers .
Nearby amenities tip 200+ herring and lesser b b gulls,and 45 starlings
2 red kites were over Longford ,and one was over Briton ferry bridge .
60 redwing were over Briton ferry yesterday (30th)
On Friday 29th a disappointing night at the Liberty stadium was brightened up by watching 10 pied wagtails chasing moths and landing on the pitch

22-Little Egrets flew from the island roost at first light

At Ogmore yesterday,28th,4-Goosanders 2m+2f,2-Common Gulls,1-Common Sandpiper,6-Goldeneyes 4m+2f and 3-Rock Pipits 10h15-12h30.

Apparently the recent Red-backed Shrike seen by the edge of Royal Porthcawl golf has relocated to Pink Bay in the vicinity of the lifeguard hut.

33 species seen this morning around RGW including my first Kestrel of the year.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S61812634

Amazing record this morning of a Garden Warbler found by Phil Bristow at St Mary’s Well Bay and a Swallow seen by Phil and also Graham Smith, at Lavernock.

Decided to walk in some different mud this morning! ….. the reserve is completely waterlogged – path v v muddy and slippery. Nevertheless lots of Redwing there. c.150 in the second ‘paddock’ bursting out of every tree, and about 200 in Rowlands Well Field [behind the caravan park] where they were feeding on the ground amongst stubble and weeds. Also around 10 Fieldfare seen.

Another Robin / Black Redstart combination. This time at the base of the cliffs to the right of the slipway, Sunday afternoon. Also male Kestrel flying along cliffs.

News from this morning:

• 4 Woodlark in stubble field E of St Mary’s Well Bay Road near Cosmeston, but mobile;
• Serin briefly in the lighthouse compound at Nash Pt then flew E.
• Hawfinch in trees SE corner of Cefn Mably Woods fringing N side of gated housing estate [just N of J.30 M4]
• 2 Firecrest trapped & ringed at Oxwich
• and finally farther afield, an impressive 52 Whooper Swans at Ro-fawr, W of Cilsan bridge in the Towy valley.

1430 – 1530. Grey Wagtail under the bridge near Llantwit. Single Bullfinch heard snd glimpsed half way down valley. In the vicinity of the beach toilet block immature Black Redstart along with a Robin friend. Also on the beach slabs a pair of Stonechats, Rock Pipit, 2 Wrens and a few Pied Wagtails.

Following a request from the farm, John Wilson, Strinda Davies, Rhos Williams and 4 other folk pus the farmer and a ranger, did a 4 1/2 mile walk in the rain around the cold, wet muddy fields of Slade Farm this morning doing a bird survey in partnership with the farmer and his daughter. The weather kept small birds low but we logged and counted 27 species, the highlights of which were around 30 Yellowhammer, 50 or so Skylark [they were flushing up all the time], 20 Goldfinch, 30 Linnet, Reed Bunting, 5 Stonechat, 2 Buzzards, 1 Kestrel, 4 Common Gulls in with a resting flock of 23 Herring Gull, and 40 Rook. 5 Curew came out of one field too. Most surprising was what was almost certainly a Quail which flushed and flew low across a stubble field, but could not be relocated. We understand that some were introduced in a nearby establishment some time ago. It’s a bit late for a genuine wild bird. The tea and cakes at the end were most welcome!

V. cold & windy this morning. Wildfowl on W lake comprised 2 Wigeon, 3 Pochard, 1 Gadwall, & 5 Shoveler. An ad Grey Heron on the W lake posts and 2 Little Grebes nearby, about a dozen Redwing dotted around the place, Green ‘Pecker in E paddock and c.50 Goldfinch feeding in alders at the RH end of E lake. There were 2 Mistle Thrush in W paddock yesterday.

Oslo is back a Black-headed Gull ringed in Oslo in 2015 is back on the moat we will submit the record to the ringer in Norway and see what history we get back. So far the bird has only been recorded in or around Oslo on at Caerphilly Castle Moat!

Also Kingfisher Goosander 6 Yellow-legged Gull.

Kingfisher, 2 Snipe, 2 Water Rail and Stock Dove among 20 species seen this afternoon.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S61581747

Single ( possible second)  Willow Tit in area of scrub adjacent to former factory site to rear of handball court. Seen and heard at @ 7.45 am on a cold but clear morning. Recorded call was used.

Brilliant weather for our WeBS today, lovely in the woods, lots of birds about, and Teal have arrived back in numbers. First time we’ve seen a shovelor here.

Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit ,Carrion Crow, Chaffinch ,Coal Tit ,Coot ,Dunnock , Goldcrest Great Spotted Woodpecker , Great Tit , Jackdaw, Jay  3, Kingfisher , Little Grebe 6 ,
Long-tailed Tit , Magpie , Mallard 14 , Moorhen 6 , Mute Swan  9 ,Nuthatch ,Pied Wagtail ,
Red Kite , Robin , Song Thrush , Starling , Teal  22 , Treecreeper , Woodpigeon ,Wren.

Total Bird Species : 30

 

There was a short-eared owl on the wharf this morning. Also 8 grey plovers and 6 stonechat among 29 species seen. Full list here. https://ebird.org/checklist/S61552579

Highlight was a female black redstart at the power station , on the building nearest to Breaksea Point at 10.20am .

Plenty of other bits about , c120 wigeon and 8 brents at the rivermouth . Waders were 25 Oyks , 6 curlew , 1 redshank , 4 turnstone and c10 snipe . 2 little egret and 2 grey heron on the saltmarsh along with rock and meadow pipits . At least 8 little grebe , 4 on the saltmarsh and 4+on the lagoon . Buzzard and kestrel hunting over the tip . Pair of stonechat and several skylarks on the tip . Water rail squealing and cettis singing at the lagoon plus a pair of blackcaps and a whole load of thrushes and bullfinches feeding on the berries .