CHIFFCHAFF singing, KINGFISHER seen twice and probable 2 heard loudly calling. DIPPER singing and another heard.

Walk around Pontypridd area today starting and finishing at Treforest railway station:

River Taff at Treforest – Dipper, Grey Wagtail, 2 Cormorant including one fishing
Glyntaff cemetery and fields/lanes up to Eglwysilan Road – Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Raven, Bullfinch
Cefn Eglwysilan – 2 Stonechat, Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting, and on the top near the trig point lots of singing Skylark
Woods adjacent Pontypridd Golf Club – Treecreeper, nest-building Nuthatch, Buzzard
River Taff at Pontypridd (Berw Road) – Goosander pair, Grey Wagtail, Moorhen
Craig-yr-hesg Nature Reserve – Jay, Siskin, Redpoll, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Fieldfare
Barry Sidings CP/Mynydd Gelliwion/Maesycoed – Grey Wagtail on River Rhondda, in forestry Siskin, Redpoll, Crossbill, at least 5 singing Goldcrest, Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Jay, 2 Bullfinch

The AdW Little Gull reported in Cardiff Bay yesterday was still present this morning until around midday. Difficult to find as it wasn’t doing much flying when I was there. Scanned back & fore with the scope for around 20 mins. then suddenly with the scope stationary it flew into view [viewing from the barrage sails]. For the short while it was in flight it was incessantly chased by a 1st yr Black-headed Gull until forced to land on the water again. Unless it’s flying, v diff to pick up with just binos.

First singing Chiffchaff. Grangemoor Park, one Cetti’s singing. Greenfinch singing at three sites.

A pale looking Lesser Redpoll taken on 22nd Feb unfortunately it decided to take off as I pressed the button.

Brief visit east this afternoon with the grandchildren. Car park at RSPB Newport Wetlands, Uskmouth almost completely full!! Away from the noise of the cafe and playground, pleased to have nice views of a Little Owl from the inner path. Nice scope views anyway. Bit too distant for photos but had an attempt with the lens at 400mm and a 1.4x converter and a crop as far as I dare [see below original and crop]. At Goldcliff viewing virtually impossible into blinding sun but did get 3 Spotshanks at far LH end of first lagoon, plus 8 Avocet, 1 Ringed Plover, plus Redshank and Lapwing, plus the usual dabbling ducks. Click each image for a bigger one.

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Slavonian and Black-necked Grebes still on Kenfig Pool this a.m. per Alan Rosney [with permission]. Redhead Smew at Penclaccwydd WWT from Brit Steel hide [per Twitter].

Cosmeston: 2 pr little grebe, comm gull on w lake posts, coal tit pr displaying by central path, cetti’s singing by E lake adj golf cours, gc grebe pr displaying.

This morning (high tide 1024):

Bendrick Rock – 23 Dunlin, 17 Ringed Plover (both high counts for this site), 9 Turnstone and 8 Oystercatcher

Sully Island – 42 Oystercatcher, 2 Curlew, 2 Shelduck

Sully/Swanbridge playing fields – 5+ Curlew (19 here on 23/2),
3 Oystercatcher, 1 Mediterranean Gull (2 here on 23/2)

Sully Beach – 6 Oystercatcher, 23 Turnstone

Barry Dock – 1 Mediterranean Gull

Barry Old Harbour – 6+ Redshank, 3 Shelduck, 1 Curlew

Nice sunny afternoon walk with the grandchildren at Kenfig gave us Slav Grebe, v distant Black-necked Grebe, and lovely late afternoon views of hunting Short-eared Owl. No GW Egret, poss due to the number of people around the lake perimeter.

It’s just been reported that the Red-rumped Swallow was still at Cwm Ivy yesterday with a Swallow.

Delayed WeBS count: 800 Redshank, 100 Dunlin, 50 Shelduck, 6 Teal, 6 Mallard, and 3 Cormorant. All the Pintail seem to have departed unless they were along RGW.

The drake Scaup that was seen at Cosmeston yesterday was not present late morning this morning – probably popped over to Cardiff Bay.

News in this morning. 3 Long-t Ducks at Kidwelly Quay and Green Sand at the ‘Commissioner’s Bridge just outside Kidwelly town. Redhead Smew and 3 Spoonbill from Brit Steel hide Penclaccwydd WWT. Res.

2’s of water pipit, GW egret, Slav grebe, RB merganser. Mixed flock of 5 rock pipit , 8 skylark, 25 meadow pipit plus linnet were with the water pipit. Redshank 35, Dunlin 55, couple of grey plover

23 species seen in an afternoon walk around Forest Farm including 2 new year ticks – Dipper and Stock Dove – as well as Great Spotted Woodpecker and Goosander etc. The Stock Dove is a site first for me.

4 Cattle Egrets still at zig zag lane; Red-necked Grebe,Scaup and Common Scoter still Llangorse Lake; Jack Snipe, 11+ Water Pipit and 4 Golden Plover Peterstone foreshore; 5 Whitefronts and 2 Spot Red still Goldcliff; Black Redstart Goldcliff point. Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes plus GW Egret at Kenfig Pool, Firecrest at KNNR near post 6 on felled trees, and GG Shrike in the usual clear fell at Cwm Cadlan.

Two short eared owls at Kenfig yesterday evening, over the dunes. On the pond goldeneye, tufted ducks, gadwall, pochard and great crested grebe. Four buzzards and a peregrine over.

There’s been no sign of the Red-rumped Swallow at Cwm Ivy today apparently, but one has been seen at Bosherston Liliy Ponds, Pembs today. Also the Red-necked grebe, Common Scoter and Scaup were still at Llangorse Lake.

At least 10 skylarks skylarking around at the top of Garth Mountain including a couple in display flight.  Also 3 Ravens and a Peregrine in 10 species seen.

There were apparently 3 SEOs at Kenfig NNR this afternoon. Waxwings were reported in Thornhill, Cardiff but location checked and no birds seen.