On the rocks just down by the gate in the south of the car park at high tide.

20 species seen in a 90 minute estuary watch this morning.

Shelduck, mallard, shoveler, pintail, teal, gadwall, lapwing, Redshank, dunlin, knot, bh gull, herring gull, buzzard, meadow pipit, carrion crow, magpie, starling, cormorant, blackbird, pied wagtail.

Up to 40-Siskins,maybe more,in a mixed fragmented flock also containing Goldfinches.

18-Little Egrets in two fields alongside the business park.8h45-9h30

Seven Goosander  three males and four females

Yesterday afternoon at the lagoon a Snipe sat out in the open on one of the islands, 8 Little Grebe, a Kingfisher, 2 Water Rail calling and 2 Mute Swan. On the saltmarsh a Redshank, 11 Rock Pipit and 3 Mute Swan.

At the rivermouth 14 Brent Geese (2 dark-bellied, 12 pale-bellied) and 135 Wigeon on the sea (flew in from up-channel).

22 species seen this morning in a 2 hour walk.

Mallard, moorhen,jackdaw,woodpigeon, jay,mistle thrush,redwing,  kingfisher, dipper, grey heron, magpie, robin, wren, grey wagtail, blackbird, great tit, blue tit, coal tit, treecreeper, nuthatch, dunnock and carrion crow.

The Black-necked Grebe was in the usual area between the sails and level with the play park, off the Barrage this morning, in very choppy water. Also 3 Goosander [2f 1m] briefly off the Barrage then flew towards the main road bridge.

Wildfowl today: fem Goldeneye W lake bay, pr Shoveler & 1 drake Wigeon W lake, 6+ Gadwall. c10 Pochard, and the usual c100 Tufties.

Negatives were: [1] the Scaup seems to have done a bunk; [2] 2 people walking a dog right through the conservation area; and [3] late p.m. a guy with a large blue plastic sack full of old bread and what looked like bits of pizza, feeding the whole lot to the gulls and worse still the Mute Swans. There needs to be a much more prominent notice asking people not to do this. The current laminated A4 sheet [if it’s still there] goes unnoticed.

Only 8 intrepid souls for our trip to Rhossili and the Worm. The Scoter flock was close to the beach – all Common Scoter with no Velvets found. Off the cliffs there were several Fulmars. Two Purple Sandpipers with Turnstones and 100’s of Oystercatcher. Two Eiders, A Red-throated Diver, Guillemot, Great Crested Grebe and a poss Black throated Diver were off the Worm. On the Vile were Linnets, Goldfinches and Reed Buntings as well as Peregrine and Kestrel. We managed to dodge all the showers. A pleasant, if windy trip. Afterwards we spent a little time at Llanrhidian Marsh until the rain really set in. John Duffy had a Marsh Harrier, and we added Grey Heron, numerous Little Egret, 2 Red Kites and a couple of Snipe. A total of 51 species were seen. Click here to see a trip list. Thanks to all the participants. Happy Christmas one and all.

In fairly atrocious weather, 15 folk joined in the Christmas celebrations  on our monthly public birdwalk this morning.  We were pleased to log 33 species, the highlights being 2 Great White Egrets in the North shore reedbeds,  plus a Sparrowhawk hiding amongst the branches next to the hide.

Great White Egret, Black-headed Gull , Blue Tit , Canada Goose, Chaffinch ,Coot ,
Dunnock , Great Crested Grebe , Redwing, Greenfinch , Herring Gull , Magpie ,
Lesser Black-backed Gull , Mute Swan ,  Raven , Sparrowhawk , Tufted Duck ,
Woodpigeon , Blackbird , Bullfinch , Carrion Crow , Collared Dove , Cormorant,
Gadwall , Great Tit , Grey Heron , Jackdaw, Long-tailed Tit , Mallard , Pochard,
Song Thrush , Teal , Wigeon .

Everyone enjoyed the ‘beautiful’ decorations, hot mulled juice, mince pies and snacks.

With thanks to Strinda for leading the walk.

From Cosmeston this morning. The drake Scaup found by Graham Smith yesterday was on E lake with all the Tufties. A fem Goldeneye was in the middle of W lake, too distant for a decent photo. A couple of fem Reed Buntings were feeding next to the main boardwalk, and a flock of Goldfinch were feeding in Alder by the car park. One managed to get a beak full of whole Alder cone!

24 species seen in a 2 1/2 hour walk around Bute Park this morning plus a drumming GS Woodpecker heard. Good to see the redwing numbers building in the Paddocks. Hopefully some Fieldfare will soon join them. Full list as follows

Bh gull, lbb gull, woodpigeon, magpie,carrion crow, jackdaw, feral pigeon, goosander,mallard, dipper,starlings, great tit, mistle thrush, song thrush, blackbird, redwing, robin, chaffinch, goldfinch, grey wagtail, pied wagtail, buzzard, grey heron and nuthatch.

Late WeBs on 11th December

Blackbird , Carrion Crow , Coal Tit , Great Tit , Long-tailed Tit , Mallard 17
Mute Swan 5, (another cygnet lost, down to 3) Robin , Treecreeper , Wren
Blue Tit , Chaffinch , Coot 15, Little Grebe 8,, Magpie , Moorhen 8, Nuthatch,
Woodpigeon, Teal 8.

A circular walk this morning via Rhumney Estuary, Rhumney Little Wharf & Cors Crydych Reen starting at 09:15 and lasting 2 1/2 hrs. A distance of about 2 miles. 31 species seen as follows

Mute swan, moorhen, coot, mallard, gc grebe, bh gull, herring gull, LBB gull, tufted duck, teal, shoveler, shelduck, cormorant, grey heron, LT tits, great tit, curlew, oystercatcher, barn owl, starling, peregrine, kestrel,carrion crow, magpie, jackdaw, blackbird, woodpigeon, collared dove, Canada geese, feral pigeon, lapwing.

A late post, but a Woodcock was seen flying at 16:50 on Sunday.

24 species seen this morning including my first Siskins of the Winter.

Blue tit, great tit, Lt tit, coal tit, house sparrow, chaffinch, bullfinch, siskin, robin, wren, blackbird, dunnock, nuthatch, jackdaw, carrion crow, magpie, jay, woodpigeon, grey wagtail, BH gull, mallard, moorhen, goldcrest, grey heron.

Per Dave Bush – 4 Little Egrets were present today, as indeed they were on Mon 3rd.

A non bird news reminder. Tues 4th Dec Richard Smith is giving an illustrated talk on a trip to Peru, travelling from the coast south of Lima, over the High Andes and back.

Yellow-legged Gull A pair of Gadwall the first we have seen here also Water Rail 1 Kingfisher 1 Black-headed Gull 163