Confirmed breeding success of little grebe on Llanishen -2 parents feeding 3 small chicks today (top quality record shot of 2 of the chicks). Also, the first returning teal of the winter (!) -a male going into eclipse. 14 Canadas and the two Canada-Greylag hybrids which often visit the site at this time of year. 4 mallards, 5 tufties, 3 broods of coots (6 young in total) and a pair on eggs, male reed bunting singing in the willow carr.

Lisvane: 2 mute swans, 35 Canadas, 15 tufties, 14 coots, 7 GC grebes, 1F mallard with a brood of 3.

Lisvane (yesterday, 10/5): In strong winds, good numbers of hirundines – c200 swallows, 40 house martins, 60 sand martins, 4 swifts, 8 coots, 6 gc grebes, 3 mallards.

Llanishen (today): 1 sedge warbler still singing in the SW corner. 1 meadow pipit, 4 tufties included 2 mating. 4 Canadas, 6 mallards, 8 coots, 2 mute swans, 1 juv heron, 2 moorhens, 2 little grebes but no sign of the GC grebes today.

In Lisvane village the ravens have successfully fledged at least 1 chick.

Llanishen: Highlight was a sedge warbler singing intermittently from the flooded willow scrub in the SW corner of the ever-growing south pool. This is my first sedge warbler at the site -I wonder if it will stay to breed. Also visible were 7 tufties, 2 gc grebes, 2 little grebes, 2 mute swans, 6 coots, 2 mallards, 2 Canada geese and a moorhen. Lots of hirundines in the blustery weather; approx. 30 swallows, 100 sand martins and 50 house martins as well as 20 swifts. 

Lisvane: remains very quiet, no tufties at all today, 6 gc grebes, 6 coots, 3 mallards and another of those delicious black pheasants.

Lisvane: lots of disturbance today (strimming) but the highlight was a yellow-legged type gull among 87 lessers and 12 herring gulls out on the water. Just 8 tufties left now, plus 6 gc grebes, 8 coots, 5 mallards, 1 mute swan, grey and pied wags. A tame black pheasant in the car park!

Llanishen: The incremental rise in water levels continues, with the south pool now extending as far as the nearest of the three middle pools. 4 little grebes, 2 gc grebes, 6 tufted, 9 mallard, 7 coots, 1 Canada, 2 moorhens, 1 mute swan and lots of hirundines ahead of the rain. A dry-land roost of 76 LBB gulls and 10 herring gulls did not include any colour-ringed birds.

Lisvane: after a few days of swallows filtering back to Lisvane in small numbers, there was a big arrival today with approx. 150 at Lisvane Reservoir mid-afternoon. Otherwise fairly quiet.

Llanishen at dusk: 18 tufties is my highest count here post-drainage. A pair of GC grebes looks very settled. At least 4 little grebes were having a very noisy territorial dispute deep in the willow swamp. 2 moorhens, 2 mute swans, 3 Canadas, 10 coots, 8 mallards, another 20 or so swallows and 10 sand martins. A buzzard was watched catching a frog or toad.

Lisvane: 44 tufties and the usual suspects. A sizeable gull roost (for here) of 113 lessers and 16 herring. Lots of chiffchaffs and blackcaps in song.

Llanishen: A good collection of wildfowl on the south pool, which remains very full and looks perfect for a garganey any day now! 2 mutes, 4 Canadas, 1 GC grebe, 2 little grebes (nest), 15 coots, 11 tufties, 2 mallards, 1 snipe visible, and 32 LBB gulls roosting on land included white D+N (Flatholm?) and blue 598 (Gloucester Landfill).

Of interest: the whole of the recent Welsh Seabird Symposium held last week at Cardiff Uni, is available via The You Tube, here. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX3tKS_jsg3RnZkz09LcIkrxbw4sYE5s8 

Lisvane: No sign this morning of the pair of common scoters found yesterday by Mike Powell (see GRC page). Otherwise, business as usual in the sunshine, with 7 GC grebes, just 1 little grebe, 10 pochard, 38 tufties, 10 mallard, 4 Canadas, singing grey wags and drumming GS woodpeckers.

Llanishen: 7 little grebes (a post-drainage record), along with 2 mute swans (first of the winter), 10 teal, 10 coots, 1F pochard, 14 mallards, 1 meadow pipit, 10 redwings etc. No snipe visible today.

Lisvane: 23 pochard, 25 tufties, 3 GC grebes, 11 little grebes, 8 mallards, 36 Canadas, 2 coots, heron, 2 ravens and a sparrowhawk.

Llanishen: 1 chiffchaff (Collybita type) foraging silently in hazels at the SW corner. 16 teal, 6 snipe, 2 tufties, 15 mallards and 12 coots.

Lisvane: 2 GC grebes “dancing”, 8 little grebes, 24 pochard, 30 tufties, 6 mallard, 4 coots and a heron.

Llanishen: At least 33 teal and 53 snipe out in the open, viewed from the perimeter fence so surely many more hidden. 7 tufties, 1 little grebe, 16 coots and the long-staying dead Canada goose.

1F blackcap in my garden (Llanishen) today and 4/2/14. Apparently Steve Ormerod (RSPB chairman) currently has 5M & 1F blackcap in his garden near Roath Park. I wonder what the total winter population of Cardiff blackcaps is…?

My first day back at the reservoirs after some warbler-related adventures in Senegal… feeling a bit chilly now! On Lisvane: a good count of 39 pochard, 32 tufties, 4 mallard, 10 little grebes, 1 GC grebe, 3 coots, 3 Canadas, and nothing unusual among the gulls.

On Llanishen, where the south pool is very full: 1F pochard (as far as I know this is the first pochard on Llanishen Res since the draining of the reservoir), a mind-boggling 17 coots, 1 moorhen, 13 mallard, 12 Canadas flew in, and 1 dead Canada floating in the south pool. Only 4 snipe and 5 teal visible from the fence, but as recent counts have revealed, there are undoubtedly many more hiding among the flooded vegetation.

A final look at the reservoirs for 2013, in fading light. On Lisvane: 1 Y-L gull, among a good roost of 80 LBB gulls, 12 herring gulls and 161 BH gulls. Gunshots from just north of the reservoir caused the whole flock to fly off at 15:50. Also, 48 tufties, 5 pochards, 2 mallards, 11 little grebes, 30 Canadas, 11 coots, 1 heron, 2 grey wags.

On Llanishen: 1 water rail, 57 mallard, 12 teal, 4 coots (my highest count here since the res was drained!), 2 tufties, 5 common snipe, 2 pied wags. Happy New Year everyone 🙂