Pretty quiet this morning, the only thing of real interest, a lone Fieldfare feeding on Hawthorn by E. Lake near the main bridge. The Tufty flock remains at about 100 and Pochard about 15, and the usual Gadwall, GCG and Little Grebes. A few Goldfinch were feeding in the Alders near the cafe but no sign of any Siskin [seen by Wayne Strong yesterday].

Elsewhere in other media/fora male Hen Harrier at Cwm Cadlan yesterday afternoon, and Gt Grey Shrike still in the nearby clearfell, SEO over fields by Saltmarsh Lane, Goldcliff, Gwent, Green Sand, 2 Common Sand, 2 Water Pipit and fishing Otter near Portobello – Ogmore TODAY.

WeBS today.  Noticed more birdsong in the woods this time. 3 /5 Cygnets still surviving.

Blackbird , Buzzard , Carrion Crow , Coal Tit , Dunnock , Great Tit , House Sparrow
Little Grebe 7, Magpie , Moorhen 5 , Robin , Teal 14 , Wren , Blue Tit , Canada Goose , Chaffinch Coot , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Grey Heron , Jay , Long-tailed Tit,            Mute Swan 5 , Mallard 32,  Song Thrush , Woodpigeon  25 species

19/01/2019

It was a dull, drizzly, chilly morning, but 17 folk came along and helped us find 45 species. Pleased to welcome some new folk, hope the weather didn’t put you off.

The highlights were, the Slavonian Grebe, Great White Egret, Redshank, Mistle Thrush, Goldeneye, Wigeon,  and half a dozen (at least) Reed Bunting in the car park bushes.

Black-headed Gull , Blue Tit , Canada Goose , Chaffinch, Common Gull , Cormorant ,
Gadwall , Great Black-backed Gull , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Great White Egret , Greylag Goose , House Sparrow, Lesser Black-backed Gull , Long-tailed Tit , Mallard ,
Mistle Thrush 2, Pied Wagtail , Redshank 1, Robin , Song Thrush , Teal , Wigeon , Wren,
Blackbird , Buzzard , Carrion Crow , Collared Dove , Coot , Dunnock , Goldeneye ,
Great Crested Grebe , Great Tit , Grey Heron , Herring Gull , Jackdaw , Little Grebe,
Mediterranean Gull , Magpie, Mute Swan , Pochard , Reed Bunting , Slavonian Grebe , Starling , Tufted Duck , Woodpigeon

With thanks to Strinda Davies , our walk leader.

Was hoping to tick off the final one of the 5 ‘British’ grebes before the end of Jan but no sign of the Cardiff Bay Black-necked this morning along the whole length of the inner barrage shoreline. 2 redhead Goosander were in the bay near the big blue ‘dome’ that was Dr. Who experience. On R. Ely shoreline by Penarth Marina 1 Redshank [usual one with yellow leg ring], and 1 Grey Wag. 60 Cormorant were on the inner barrage ‘jetty’ and 4 Common Gull on the orange floats. Also on Barrage 1 Rock Pipit, several Meadow Pipits in the fenced grass area where the funfair was.

As reported there was an Otter on the river feeding below Portobella . It spent most of it’s time feeding near the shingle bank. About 12:00pm it moved upstream slowly, fishing as it went. It did not take much notice of people or dogs on the bank. It finally left the river at about 1:30 opposite the boat launch way just downstream from Portobella. It headed across open ground towards the small conifer plantation.

Report of an otter this am. Pm 5 Goosanders, 28 Goldeneye + regulars.

There was a successful GBC trip to Kenfig NNR and sites in Porthcawl dodging the showers today. Some or all of 14 participants had these highlights amongst 57 species: At Kenfig Pool – Slavonian Grebe, Gt White Egret, and drake Goldeneye, plus Oystercatcher {unusual by the pool}; at Wilderness Pond – 5 Goosander {3m, 2f} and an AdW Med Gull; at nearby Zigzag Lane – 4 Cattle Egret; and at Newton Point – 2 Purple Sandpiper, 6+ Grey Plover, 1 Sanderling, several Turnstones. Only ‘no’show’ was the recently seen Black Redstart around the Beach Cafe by Rhych Point.

The other recent GBC trip was to Whiteford Point on Gower, where an amazing 34 participants saw 70 species. I couldn’t make that trip but the list can be seen here: Click here

This takes you to a pdf of the list.

At least 5 Fulmar were at Nash Point this morning, along with 9 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechat and a Curlew. A Mediterranean Gull was on the railings at Barry Waterfront.

The Great White Egret was on the south east side of Abercwmboi Lake this afternoon; also there 13 Little Grebe, 5 Mute Swan, 2 Greylag, 1 Cormorant, 1 Grey Heron, 32 Coot and 9 Moorhen.

13-Redshanks on south side of the island.To my knowledge an unusual sighting for this location. 16h00 jan.14th.

Records!! My thanks to the nine people who have already sent me their records for 2018. If you are someone who sends in their records direct to me rather than using BirdTrack or SEWBReC and haven’t done so yet, then please get them to me ASAP, so I can get on with consolidating them all. Many thanks in anticipation. John Wilson

Great to see Goosander and Goldeneye today.

Black-headed Gull , Carrion Crow , Curlew 12, Goosander 4, Herring Gull
Magpie , Redshank 2, Woodpigeon , Canada Goose , Cormorant , Goldeneye 4
Great Black-backed Gull , Little Grebe 6,, Mallard , Pied Wagtail , Shelduck 2,

Plus 4 grey Heron and a Little Egret on the Watermill flood

The Oxwich Ringing Report is now on line. See LINK

Excellent productivity for many residents in 2018, an eight-year old reed warbler, and a nice range of species captured, including yellow wagtail, willow tit, whinchat, yellow-browed warbler (4), firecrest (2), jack snipe and brambling.

Photo: yellow-browed warbler (Amy Schwartz)

I’m pretty sure I saw, and heard, a black redstart on Locks Common Porthcawl, yesterday. I will keep a look out and try to get a photo.

Siberian chiffchaff and good company at parc slip,  4 cattle egrets porthcawl, Slavonian grebe and g w egret at kenfig all found almost instantly, makes a change. Most remarkable bird of the day was a shag hunting in the melin griffiths feeder at Forest Farm, I had to rub my eyes.

 

Various records today from other fora:

JackSnipe at Kenfig rivermouth; 4 Cattle Egret in field at Zigzag Lane, Porthcawl; Spoonbill British Steel hide Llanelli; Gt White Egret Kenfig Pool; Siberian Chiffchaff still at Parc Slip cafe pool.

Quiet in the woods today,  pleased to find 3 Redwing with the Mistle Thrush in the horse field from the top path, and heard what sounded like a Blackcap singing in the trees to the right of the path from the bottom of the steps by the school ..

Blackbird , Bullfinch , Dunnock , Grey Heron , Jackdaw,  Magpie , Redwing 3, Woodpigeon Blue Tit , Carrion Crow, Great Tit , House Sparrow , Jay 2, Mistle Thrush 1, Robin.

Four Cattle Egrets still in field opposite entrance to caravan park on Zig Zag Lane, Porthcawl late afternoon.

A full day’s birding today around a few sites in the eastern Vale produced 74 species, including:
Gileston/Aberthaw: 9 Golden Plover, 10 Pale-bellied Brent Geese, 2 Peregrine, 1 Kestrel, 20 Ringed Plover, 13 Curlew, 2 Snipe;
Flemingston Moor: 300+ Lapwing, 4 Stock Dove;
Barry Docks: Mediterranean Gull
Cosmeston: Marsh Tit, Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler, Siskin

Two redhead Goosander were on the East Lake at Cosmeston at noon today. The female Goldeneye was still on the West Lake along with at least 7 Gadwall and 25 Pochard. An over-wintering Chiffchaff was in Cogan Wood.

Later in the day an adult Mediterranean Gull was with 45 Black-headed Gull on railings at Barry Waterfront.

Lamby Lake and then up to RGW for one last look for short eared owls for 2018 but still no luck. 24 species seen in all as follows

Coot, moorhen , bh gull, LBB gull, herring gull, mute swan, tufted duck, gc grebe, jackdaw, kestrel, shelduck, lt tits, blue tits, teal, Redshank, mallard, cormorant, grey heron, magpie, carrion crow, woodpigeon,blackbird, starling and pied wagtails.