4-Common Sandpipers,2-Whimbrels.11h00-13h00

Cuckoo calling this evening, also Grasshopper Warbler reeling. Plenty of Stonechats, Willow Warblers & Meadow Pipits.

First Nightjar of the year this evening, wasn’t expecting it especially as it was only 7 o’clock but flew across a clearing. Also plenty of whitethroats, meadow pipit, stonechat, willow warblers and chiff chaffs.

Cuckoo heard calling in Ogwr Fach valley below Glynogwr around noon today.  Large numbers of Willow Warblers together with Chiffchaff and occasional Blackcap. Swallows and Sand Martin over the river, as were three Mallard. Dipper. Buzzard. Carrion Crow. Woodpigeon. Mipits in bracken on hillside. Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chaffinch.

Nice surprise this morning when looking for Common and Lesser Whitethroat down by Sully Brook – looked up to see what I thought were 2 high gulls, then the flight of one drew my attention – bins up and wow! male Hen Harrier circling high overhead! A first for me for the site. Panic stations with the camera and shot off a load of manual focus shots [it was v high] but got a couple of passable ones that show it wasn’t Monty’s. Pix later. Dipped on the Whitethroats but what the hell! Original taken with Canon EOS80D with 100-400mm MKII plus x1.4 converter MKIII at 400mm and man focus! It was v high!

A fabulous day for this month’s WeBS survey,  lots of dappled shade in the woods, fragrant wildflowers, birdsong, clear reflections on the still lake…

Forgot to add the butterflies to yesterday’s list for the GBC birdwalk-

Peacock, Small White, Brimstone, Orange tip, Speckled Wood, and a lovely Muslin Moth- not White Ermine, thanks Margaret.

A brilliant GBC Public Walk this morning!  Lovely weather, 24 folk came along and helped to find 51 species,including Chetti’s Warbler,Sand Martin,Willow Warbler and Whitethroat everywhere, Lesser Whitethroat, and some people heard a reeling Grasshopper Warbler.  Thanks to Strinda for leading.

Delayed Willow Tit survey visit a.m. No Willow Tits but Dipper & 3 Kingfishers on the river, Treecreeper and singing Blackcap of note.

1 Swallow over Clyne Valley this evening. Marsh Tit showing well in Clyne Woods.

Walked across the barrage and back this morning. On the way out the Common Tern was feeding mid-bay with 100’s if not 1000’s of Black-headed Gulls at around 12:00. Returning, eventually found the Tern again, plus and AdS Med Gull and also a 1st yr ‘W’ winged Little Gull. Pretty hard work picking them out with just bins but good practice!

18 species seen this afternoon at High Tide including Redshanks, Pintails and a Great Black-backed Gull. Also a  Ruddy Shelduck which unfortunately I now think is a hybrid.

Last few days – A Cetti’s Warbler has been singing for 3 consecutive days in the E lake reeds area. Yesterday there were 50+ Sand Martin over the lakes plus a couple of House Martin. Today just a single Swallow and Sand Martin. The Kingfisher was sitting outside the nest bank on E lake, same place as on 12th Apr. The Coot’s nest at the dragonfly pond was devoid of life as was the pond itself. Can’t help thinking the nest was predated. Very quiet on the small bird front due to the strong cold wind.

Interesting sight on W lake where an occupied Mute Swan nest is within a couple of feet of an occupied Gt Crested Grebe nest [far side of W lake].

Sunday 14th April. Common Sandpiper 1

There were 2 Swallows over E lake this morning plus 1 or 2 House Martin and 40 or so Sand Martin. 2 Mute Swan nests W lake a family of Coot chicks, Coot pair with nest at Drafonfly Pond, Kingfisher perched alongside E lake margin by the Mile Road and at least 8 Blackcap singing.

Little Gull adult with circa 400 Black-headed Gulls most of which were immature birds also: Goosander 1 Sand Martin 200 Willow Warbler 2 Chiffchaff 1 White Wagtail 2 Pied Wagtail 1. Green Veined White Butterfly 1. The  base  for the swift tower is making good progress the tower is due to be installed during the first week in May.

total of 15 singing Blackcaps regularly along a two mile stretch of the Ely Trail.
Two Cettis singing Grangemore Park plus three Willow Warblers.

Ten participants turned up for a very pleasant walk yesterday, taking in a route west along the coast from Port Eynon to Overton, returning via the track which runs just inland of the coast. Sightings included Shag, Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Peregrine, Ringed Plover, Purple Sandpiper, Sandwich Tern, Swallow, Stonechat and Wheatear.

Most of us stopped off along the north coast afterwards, where an Osprey had earlier been seen. Sadly no sign of it, but we did note a Great White Egret and two Greenshanks, among the birds.

27 species seen in a 2 hour walk this morning including my first blackcaps of the year. On the river were 4 Canada Geese, Redshanks and a single Teal. Over the lake were good numbers of sand martins and on the lake were great crested grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Tufted Duck, Mallard and Mute Swan.