Raven, long tailed tits, red kite, gold crest, peregrine and 10 wigeon (M) on upper reservoir.

First thing I noticed is that E. lake appears to have acquired the entire Canada Goose population of E Glam – I counted 280!

There were at least 100 Redwing around the park this morning, mainly in the trees around the bird table and the W. paddock hedgerow and the edge of Cogan Wood by the dragonfly pond. Also 30+ Fieldfare mainly in the latter location, plus 10+ Blackbird and a few Song Thrushes, all feeding on hawthorn. There were 2 Reed Bunts in the W paddock hedge and a Snipe flushed from the boggy area by the sunken copse behind the dragonfly pond. Around the ‘T’ junction of the path from the boardwalk and mile road [central path] there was a feeding flock mainly consisting of Long-t Tits [c.15], plus Gt Tit, Blue Tit and Coal Tit, plus 2 Nuthatch, a Treecreeper and a few Chaffinch. No sign of the Bittern but the rangers were doing some work behind the RH end of the W lake reed bed using a rotary cultivator. Tufties number about 50, 4 GCG, 1 Little Grebe and a Green ‘Pecker in W paddock. ….. just remembered – a Water Rail ran under the main boardwalk as I returned.

A drake mandarin with 7 mallards in the river by cadaxton saltmarsh also 50 b h gulls seen from the viewing area by morrisons

Delayed WeBS this morning at Green Point: c.500 Shelduck, 800 Dunlin, 500 Redshank, 2 Cormorant, 10 Mallard, 5 Canadas, 60 Pintail, 10 Shoveler, and 20 Teal.

Snipe numbers building up as winter approaches.13-Snipe on the island this morning,also a flock of 50+ Fieldfares flew over.11h00

At the far end of east paddock, where it is very muddy, and just before the heavens opened this morning, there were at least 30 Redwing feeding in the many berry trees there [in the fenced in area], with a Song Thrush and at least 8 Blackbirds. Did quickly check for the Ring Ouzel in W paddock but it was chucking it down so I didn’t look too hard or long.

St. Bride’s Major. In field opposite pond. 7/11/18.

Between 15.30-17.00hrs

Ring Ouzel still in central hedgerow of West Paddock. At least 25 Redwings moving through. Kingfisher was on East Lake, Cetti singing on boardwalk.

 

From the closed Whatsapp group – the Ring Ouzel apparently showed again this afternoon  – was nowhere to be seen in my walk this morning although c. 20 Redwing were flying around. Also this morning there seemed to be just 1 single fem Shoveler left on W lake unless the 4 drakes of yesterday [2 full plumage, 2 eclipse] were skulking in the reeds. I didn’t have time to check the gulls for an ad Yellow-legged that David Rich saw yesterday afternoon, which had creamy rather than yellow legs.

Just a reminder about this evening’s GBC indoor meeting when David Rich will be giving an illustrated talk on a trip to the Falklands Islands. Shd be very interesting. Starts 7:45 p.m. prompt.

On Monday 5th November, a quick walk around , the highlights being 2 Kingfishers,        Snipe-2 ,  a Dipper and a Grey wagtail in the Taff by the footbridge to the station.

Plus-     Buzzard , Chaffinch , Dunnock , Great Tit, Jackdaw , Magpie , Moorhen Woodpigeon , Blue Tit,  Carrion Crow , Great Spotted Woodpecker , Grey Heron
Jay, Long-tailed Tit,  Mallard , Robin , Starling , Wren

On Monday 5th Nov. Rod saw a Bittern , it flew from in front of the the ‘hide’, across the West lake into the reed bed. He also managed to find the Ring Ouzel.

On Sunday 4th November-

Blackbird , Buzzard , Chaffinch , Coot ,Goldfinch 20+flock , Jackdaw , Little Grebe ,
Moorhen , Starling,  2 Wigeon, Wren,  Blue Tit,  Carrion Crow,  Coal Tit, Dunnock ,
Great Tit , Jay, Long-tailed Tit , Mallard , Robin , Teal 18+, Woodpigeon,  Magpie

Ring Ouzel still in the West Paddock at Cosmeston earlier this morning, in the shallow valley between the dragonfly pond and the fenced area (snipe field) to the north. On the lakes 5 Shoveler, 2 drake Pochard and the Aythya hybrid.

Yesterday afternoon a male Brambling with Chaffinch flock in tree along St Mary’s Well Bay Road between the disused railway bridge and the caravan site. The flock was mobile over the fields and hedgerows east of the road. Fieldfare and Redwing there too.

On Sully beach yesterday afternoon a single Grey Plover close to the water’s edge between the sailing club slipway and Burnham Avenue beach car park. My first there this autumn.

Male Ring Ouzel still at Cosmeston W. Paddock this morning. 2 Arctic Skuas d/c off Nash Pt plus Guillemots and 3 Porpoise.

Mid morning/early afternoon visit on Saturday. Several small groups of Crossbill, mostly in flight and typically 2-6 birds. Excellent views of perched adult male Crossbill. Twenty four species in total including a Sparrowhawk, 3 Nuthatch, 3 Jay, 3 Siskin, 2 Mistle Thrush, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Goldcrest, a Pheasant and a large mixed flock of Blue, Coal, Great and Long-tailed Tits.

We’re back from the GBC annual weekend visit to the Portland Bird Observatory in Dorset. Clear skies meant that many migrants went straight through, although we did see some special birds, including Corn Bunting, Lesser Yellowlegs, Brambling and Short-eared Owl. The trip list was 99 species. Full list below:

Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Brent Goose, Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Pintail, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Scoter, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Spoonbill, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Gannet, Shag, Cormorant, Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Knot, Dunlin, Ruff, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Lesser Yellowlegs, Redshank, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Sandwich Tern, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Little Owl, Short-eared Owl, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Skylark, Swallow, Cetti’s Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Common Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Goldcrest, Wren, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Starling, Blackbird , Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Robin, Stonechat, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Chaffinch, Brambling, Goldfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Corn Bunting.

Annie Irving photographed a Lapland Bunting on the barrage today. Not sure if there’s any further news.

Monday afternoon a pale-bellied Brent Goose was with 3 Teal on a small pool about 100m west of of the Thaw river mouth, where there were also 60 Wigeon, a Great Black-backed Gull and 2 Little Egret present.

At Limpert Bay 7 Ringed Plover, 15 Turnstone, 2 Curlew, 1 Common Gull and a Little Egret.

On Aberthaw Power Station buildings a flock of 150 Feral Pigeon, and on one of the coal piles a flock of 20 Linnet were enjoying the afternoon sun whilst keeping out of the cold wind.

Earlier in the day, 17 Curlew split between Swanbridge playing fields and Sully Island was my highest count there so far this autumn. There was an adult Mediterranean Gull on railings at Barry Docks waterfront, 10 Stock Dove on Flemingston Moor and at Cosmeston a Cetti’s Warbler in the East Lake reedbed, a hybrid Aythya duck and 275 Canada Geese on the East Lake, and a drake Pochard and 5 Teal on the West Lake.