Red Kite over Pyle yesterday afternoon, approx 4pm. Soaring over Pyle church end of Collwyn woods and then checked out the fields being mowed on other side of Afon Cynffig. Treated to close views as almost over my garden at one point.
Fairwood Common
first Gower yellowhammer of 2017 (female)
several singing willow warblers
skylark, chiffchaff, gsw, goldfinches but overall very quiet
GBC at Llanwonno
There was a successful trip last night to Llanownno for Nightjars [and midges!!!]. 20 folk attended [thank you] to fight off the little biting pests but we had a total of 5 Nightjars, with at least 3 churring males, one of which showed in short low down flights. We struck lucky when I spotted a dark shape flying away from us along the track we were standing on. A couple of mins later it came back and flew right along the track and right past us, nearly hitting someone in the process!. This was a female so all dark with no white wing & tail flashes. Also recorded were Tree Pipit, Redpoll and Siskin, and I think it was 18 House Martin nests on the Brynfynnon Arms hotel eaves.
GBC Field Trip to RSPB Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath NNR
Highlights of yesterday’s GBC field trip to RSPB Ham Wall and Shapwick Heath NNR included a Red-footed Falcon, “barking” Little Bittern, Cattle Egret, Glossy Ibis, Great White Egret, Hobby, Marsh Harrier and Bittern.
Sixty four species seen or heard in total. Many thanks to John Wilson for leading the 10 participants.
Full species list: https://tinyurl.com/GBC-Somerset
Parakeet in Singleton Park, Swansea
The long-staying Ring-necked Parakeet seems to have left the park, but I’ve seen this bird a couple of times recently. Anyone know what species it is? Thanks. :-
Sanatorium Park/fields
Following regular sightings of adults (male and female) during the Spring, male and femal with two fledged juveniles present today. First breeding in this locality that I am aware of in the last forty years.
Whitethroat singing.
M4 near Llanharry
Red Kite over Eastbound carriageway of M4 near Llanharry at 11.45am this morning
Mumbles Head
Posted for R H Davies
Sea watch 9am – 11am.
3500 Manx Shearwaters all going west.
19 Storm Petrels, 7 Gannets, 10 Auks.
Porthcawl
Martin Bevan and myself had a few hours seawatching off Porthcawl this morning. As soon as we arrived at 9:40 Martin picked up 2 very close Storm Petrels going west. I then picked up another going west at 10:00. Not much else happening with 89 Manx Shearwaters mostly quite far out, 3 very distant Gannets and 3 Turnstones.
Porthcawl this morning
A short seawatch 0535-0705 this morning off Irongate point in strong WNW winds at high tide produced the following all flying down-channel: 4 Gannet, 4 Common Scoter, 1 Fulmar, 1 GBB Gull and the highlight a Storm Petrel from 0615 which was lingering close in a few hundred yards off the shelter. Several Starling, House Sparrow and Linnet were nearby and a Siskin flew over calling.
Llanwonno nightjar trip
Apologies for non-sighting – just trying ot make sure I reach everyone. Just seen the forecast for tomorrow eve and it’s awful [continuous rain all eve and strong winds]. Hence I have decided to cancel and re-schedule for the following Weds, 14th Jun as it looks better then. Hope that’s OK.
Oxwich Marsh
Photo request
Hi,
It’s my quarterly request for photos for the next GBC newsletter (due out in July). If you’ve got any (preferably taken in East Glam or on a GBC trip), please send them in.
Out of Area
……if anyone is interested, we have just returned from a 2 week trip up to Shetland including 10 days on Fair Isle – a great place to see migrants who get lost!
Best photos are at
http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/p802178202/h8c498b35#h8c498b35
and the record shots are at
http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/p725844471/h8c498dcc#h8c498dcc
Overall I managed 137 ticks there and back with 119 species on Shetland/Fair Isle. Highlights were 7 ‘lifers’, Red Breasted Flycatcher, Rustic Bunting, Red Throated Pipit, Woodcock, Quail, Grasshopper Warbler and Snow Goose – but the weather was great with a lot of sunshine which helped the photography.
Porthcawl this morning 0820-1010
A short seawatch in strong westerlies with blustery showers produced the following all down channel: 430 Manx Shearwater, 4 Fulmar, 1 Gannet, 1 Cormorant, 6 Common Scoter and 6 Kittiwake.
Great White Egret at Kenfig
Picture of the bird over the saltmarsh/reedbed. It flew back to Kenfig Pool shortly after this shot. A bird in breeding condition with dark bill
Lamby Lake
on a previous visit I noted a pair of Coots with 6 juveniles.Well,tonight there was a pair of Coots with 8,yes 8 juveniles! This could be some sort of record,possibly.The juvs. were 3/4 the way to adult size.I have several photos of the family.
Jim Ellis
Apologies for non-sighting. I have just got the funeral arrangements courtesy of Jan Scheeres.
Friday 23rd June at 11.00 AM -Thornhill Crematorium (Wenallt Chapel). Afterwards there will be refreshments at The Fleurs Club Portmanmoor Road Splott Cardiff. The family would be pleased to see any of Jim’s old birding friends.
Grangemoor Park; Sanatorium Park
Reed Warbler and Whitethroat singing, Grangemoor with Cetti’s just outside and near Penarth Road Bridge.
Sanatorium Park, female Stonechat in same locality where male present on a number of occasions recently. Whitethroat singing.
Photos
Richard Smith, the photo editor of the East Glam Bird Report has put out a request for good quality high res photos of birds for consideration for inclusion in the 2016 Bird Report which I and others are currently working on. His request and attendant details can be seen in a post on the Glamorgan Rarities Committee blog here:
