A 3 hour circular walk around Cardiff Bay was generally quiet . A Common Sandpiper and 3 Turnstone were along the Ely embankment . Lesser and Common Whitethroat , Blackcap and Reed Warbler were seen near the boardwalk area at CBWR . 7-8 Swift seen in total with lots of Sand and House Martin and a total of 11 pairs of GC Grebes with chicks of varying ages .
Colhugh woods and stream
1400-1630, 06 August. Male Bullfinch and 2 Whitethroat in woods. Male Stonechat bathing in stream with female in vicinity- also 4/5 Goldfinches and 4/5 Linnets drinking. Andrew Lewis
Cosmeston a.m.
In W paddock, flock of c.15 Long-tailed Tits with 3+ Willow Warbler and some Blue Tits. Also folk of 20+ Goldfinch with at least 2 Greenfinch in attendance. 1 Green Woodpecker in W paddock. On W lake near the bridge a pair of Little Grebe with 2 very small chicks – either a second brood or another pair, as there was a full grown imm a few weeks ago. Ad fem Blackbird feeding a fully grown youngster between the cafe and the office building. Think they have nested in nearby bramble.
August 5th,1230-1530 Coast path between Llantwit Major and Nash Point. Peregrine flying, Female Wheatear, Willow warbler, Blackcap.
Drinking from the Colhugh as viewed from the cafe seats :- 6 Greenfinches and a Yellowhammer in a huddle, 1 Pied Wagtail, 4 Goldfinches, 3 Carrion Crows.
Cosmeston a.m.
An imm male Common Redstart was a nice surprise in a hawthorn bush south of the dragonfly pond near the lower gap in the W paddock hedgerow. It flew off into the nearby edge of Cogan Wood. Also 1 Willow Warbler, ad Green Woodpecker in W paddock on the dragonfly pond side of the hedge, and a pair of Gt Crested Grebes on E lake with 2 half grown young. These are either a second brood for the pair that had a single surviving chick raised to maturity earlier, or a late brood from another pair. Had no idea there was another nest.
Cardiff Bay
Amazing find by Gareth Stamp this aft of a Manx Shearwater in Cardiff Bay, reported c.16.30. I eventually found it sitting on the water offshore by the Environment building, viewing from the Ice Rink boardwalk. It was still there at 6 and looked settled so maybe will stay overnight.
Also present were a few Swift, and plenty of House and Sand Martins over the water.
Cosmeston
Spent a few hours this morning wandering around Cosmeston before the hoardes arrived . Highlights were a handsome male Redstart , on fenceposts lake end of west paddock , a Stock Dove near fenced off area and a Little Egret circling quite high up before flying eastwards . Plenty of common species including at least 2 Willow Warblers , a flock of c50 Goldfinch and a flock of c30 Linnet .
Cosmeston
Some passerine activity again, this time along the central west paddock hedgerow this morning with a party of Long-tailed Tits accompanied again by Willow Warbler, Blue Tits, a Greenfinch! , a few Linnets and Goldfinch. The Wren popped up near me by the central viewpoint along the main path. Didn’t realise until I looked at the photo on the computer that in my first shot of it, it had a Harvestman in its beak. Just liked the juv Moorhen pretending to be a skulky rare Crake! And the last one, a Devil’s Coach Horse Beetle {Ocypus olens} a species of rove beetle. Haven’t seen one for ages. Also had 3 Painted Ladies in a brief visit b4 rushing off to the dentist!
Cosmeston
A little action today. A party of around 10 Long-tailed Tits, mostly juvs, together with a few Phyllosc warblers including what was at least one Willow Warbler as per photo, plus two Painted Lady butterflies. Many other less too – Meadow Browns, Red Admiral x 4, lots of 6-Spot Burnet moths. Emperor, Common Darter and Black-tailed Skimmer dragons at the dipping pond.
Cosmeston
An imm Blackcap was in bushes beyond the dragonfly pond this morning and there were a few Goldfinch. Dipping pond had ovipositing Emperor, plus Common Darter and Black-tailed Skimmer. Butterflies incl Red Admiral, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Common Blue and Small Skipper.
Penderyn, Cwm Cadlan & Cwm Sychryd
Highlights of a circular walk yesterday from Penderyn via Cwm Cadlan, Moel Penderyn and Cwm Sychryd included Redstart, Wheatear, Raven, Peregrine, Lesser Redpoll, Siskin, 4 Green Woodpecker and at least 2 Stonechat pairs still feeding young.
CBWR
An hour or so around CBWR/Hamadryad Park this morning produced 8 species of warbler , Sedge , Reed , Cettis , Garden , Blackcap , Whitethroat , Willow and Chiffchaff , a couple of Swifts and lots of Sand Martins .
Kenfig and Sker
41 species including Several ringed plover at Sker including a pair with chick, turnstone, dunlin, sanderling, kestrel, reed warbler, wheater and whimbrel.
Hendre Lake
1-Juvenile Cuckoo perched,then flying at western end of lake area.9h40
Coed Craig Ruperra
The first bird saw was a reserve tick for us Pied Flycatcher otherwise very quiet. Southern Hawker and Azure Blue damselfly. Red Admiral Gatekeeper Meadow Brown Large White Common Blue Peacock.
Ringed Plover – update
Adult left, fledgling right.
Cosmeston
Again pretty quiet for birds. A flock of around 30 Linnet were feeding on the ‘hill’ behind the dragonfly pond, the first I’ve seen at the park for quite some time – they were too skittish for a photo. Also in the same area a group of immature Long-tailed Tits. W lake had a single adult Little Grebe and a few Black-headed Gulls and there were 5 Tufted Duck on E lake. A few pix below including some non-avian wildlife.
Mallow 
Mallow flower 
Emperor 
juv Long-tailed Tit 
juv Long-tailed Tit 
Green-veined White f
Cosmeston
The usual suspects bird-wise. 3 GC Grebes on W lake and an ad Little Grebe. No show by any Water Voles but lots of Emperor dragonflies. Also quite a few of what I think are Meadow Grasshoppers – see pic. Click on each pic for a full sized one. Fab year for flowers too – no in flower is Centaury, Yellow Wort, Common Melilot, Ladies Bedstraw, and lots of Common Fleabane and Wild Parsnip.
Cosmeston a.m.
Pretty blustery this morning. c.20 Sand Martin, 1 Swift and a few Swallows feeding over W lake, Green ‘Pecker calling from nr Medieval Village, a few butterflies despite the wind – Meadow Brown, 6-Spot Burnet moth x 2, Small Skipper, Ringlet, and 1 Common Blue.
Cardiff Bay Barrage
This evening’s GBC/RSPB walk [18th Jul] to see the swift tower and to learn a bit about the project, was well attended with 25 participants, for which thanks folks. We started at the Penarth end and Alan Rosney have a short introduction. Then we walked slowly across to the Cardiff side, and saw a number of Swift which gradually drifted higher and towards upper Penarth. A Raven was on the Bay shoreline. Across the other side we assembled by the tower, which is just beyond the environment building, and Alan talked in more detail about the project and its aims, and how the tower is set up, and also what other actions are being taken to encourage swifts to nest in our area. Afterwards, we went further along to the old Roath Basin dock where the Sand Martin colony was still pretty active. We also saw 2 Peregrines flying past over the channel, and some pretty large gatherings of Starlings [max one was about 100 birds]. Also in the shoreline bushes a Common Whitethroat gave good views as it scolded a tabby cat. An impressive ‘sun dog’ in the clouds, and a stunning sunset concluded a very pleasant evening.
