November Highlights

The first part of the month was somewhat quiet although the drake Lesser Scaup did return to Cardiff Bay on the 7th and a couple of Leach's Petrels were seen off Porthcawl. Mid-month the first Waxwings started appearing with numbers increasing throughout the month and a record number of Hawfinches were seen at the traditional site at Forest Ganol. However we finally kicked into top gear during the final week of November. Large numbers of Lapland Buntings at Paviland on the Gower and a Common Rosefinch in a garden in Gorseinon were good enough but star bird was the Glossy Ibis at Dunraven. Found by Paul Roberts, it gave superb views on a small pond and nearby stream, even if people did have to brave some very cold weather to add it to their Glamorgan lists !

1st - Bittern Trowbridge.

4th - 2 Leach's Petrels Porthcawl. Water Pipit Rumney Great Wharf.

6th - 6 Med Gulls Rest Bay.

7th - Firecrest Norton Wood. Great Grey Shrike Rhyd-y-Fro. Lesser Scaup Cardiff Bay (til month end). 23 Hawfinches Forest Ganol (many further sightings through month).

8th -Bittern Dinas Powys.

10th - Slavonian Grebe Kenfig Pool.

11th - Red-throated Diver Porthcawl.

12th - Little Gull, Pom Skua & Snow Bunting Lavernock Point.

13th - Waxwing Merthyr Tydfil. 2 Ring Ouzel Caer-lan Farm. Brent Goose Aberthaw. Waxwing Sketty. Water Pipit Llanrhidian. 3 Short-eared Owls & 2 Barn Owls Llanilld.

14th - Great Grey Shrike Perthcelyn . Brent Goose Ogmore Estuary & Goldcliff.

15th - Hawfinch Penyrheol.

16th - Firecrest Kenfig River Mouth & Pant Norton. Long-eared Owl Llanilid.

18th - 2 Waxwings Brynmawr.

19th - 5 Waxwings Ebbw Vale.

20th - 5 Waxwings Ebbw Vale & 5 Brynmawr.

21st - Snow Bunting & Long-tailed Duck Rhosili. 26 Lapland Bunting & Woodlark Paviland. Firecrest Lisvane Reservoir. 7 Waxwings Ebbw Vale.

22nd - Woodlark & 17+ Lapland Buntings Paviland.

23rd - Bittern Kenfig Pool. 3 Waxwing Pontradawe. 10 Waxwings Bute Park. Little Gull Gileston.

24th - Yellow-legged Gull Lamby Lake. Waxwing Canton. 3 Waxwings Ebbw Vale & 11 Newport.

25th - 2 Waxwings Bute Park. 7 Waxwings Canton. 3 Bitterns Kenfig Pool.

26th - 5 Waxwings Bute Park. 20 Waxwings Barry. 2 Waxwings Roath. 11 Waxwings Merthyr Tydfil. 30 Waxwings Pontypool. 22 Waxwings Brynmawr. Richard's Pipit & 40+ Lapland Buntings Paviland. Snow Bunting Maesteg.

27th - Water Pipit Ogmore Estuary. Common Rosefinch Gorseinon (til 28th at least). 20 Waxwings Bute Park. 8 Waxwings Maes Glas Ind Estate.

28th - 20 Waxwings Brynmawr. 20 Waxwings Bute Park. Water Pipit Llwyn-onn.

29th - Glossy Ibis Dunraven (til 30th). 26 Waxwings Birchgrove Swansea. 32 Waxwings Bute Park. 35 Waxwings Brynmawr.

30th - Waxwing Pontycymmer. 40 Waxwings Bute Park. 3 Waxwings Ystradowen.

October Highlights

After the excitement of September and the Bobolink, October was eagerly awaited. However, it was very much after the Lord Mayor's Parade and whilst there were a few things around, October was a somewhat disappointing month, not helped by a lack of easterlies.

A Yellow-browed Warbler at Norton Wood failed to linger and a juvenile Sabine's Gull at the Ogmore River mouth was equally frustrating disappearing not long after it was first found. Elsewhere a Richard's Pipit at Rumney Great Wharf also proved somewhat elusive during its five day stay with most people having to settle for flight views, that's if they could find it at all.
Two Spoonbills flying past Peterstone Gout finally got pinned down at Neath Saltmarsh, having stopped en route at Kenfig Saltmarsh.

So next up is November a month with some pedigree in terms of local rarities. Fingers crossed for a spectacular end to the autumn !!

1st - 2 Little Stints & Curlew Sandpiper Loughor Foreshore.
2nd - Great & Arctic Skuas Port Eynon. Little Stint & Curlew Sandpiper Loughor Foreshore. 2 Spoonbills past Peterstone Gout later seen at Kenfig Salt Marsh. Yellow-legged Gull Lisvane Reservoir. Osprey over Uskmouth, Goldcliff & Sudbrook.
3rd - 5 Brent Geese Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. Little Gull Ogmore Estuary. Short-eared Owl Goldcliff.
4th - Hen Harrier Rumney Great Wharf (reported until 10th). 4 Bearded Tits Cosmeston (birds reported until 16th).
6th - Firecrest Blaengarw. 2 Spoonbills Neath Saltmarsh.
8th - 2 Brent Geese Margam Sands. Probable Richard's Pipit & 2 Curlew Sandpipers Petersone Gout.
9th - Red-necked Grebe Rhosilli (till 10th).
10th -Hobby, 2 Wood Sandpiper & 6 Brent Geese Rumney Great Wharf. Lapland Bunting Cwm Ivy. Osprey Baglan (until 16th - 2 reported 14th). Lapland Bunting Boat Lane.
11th - Ruff Kenfig Pool.
12th - 3 Short-eared Owls Kenfig Pool. Little Gull Eglwys Nunydd. Richard's Pipit Rumney Great Wharf (till 16th). Arctic Skua Rhosilli. 2 Snow Buntings Llantwit Major. White-fronted Goose Saltmarsh Lane.
13th - Hen Harrier Mynydd Eglwysilan. Firecrest Cwn Nash.
16th - Short-eared Owl Rumney Great Wharf. Bittern Cosmeston. Woodlark Lavernock Point.
Snow Bunting Dunraven (till 19th).
17th - 2 Bearded Tits & Goshawk Kenfig Saltmarsh. Goshawk Margam Moors. Bearded Tit Peterstone Gout.
18th - Yellow-browed Warbler Norton Wood. Hen Harrier The Garth.
19th - Curlew Sandpiper Peterstone Gout.
20th - Firecrest Upper Killay.
22nd - 5 Spotted Redshank & Manx Shearwater Goldcliff.
23rd - Red-throated Diver & Snow Bunting Aberavon. Short-eared Owl Peterstone Wentlooge.
24th - 5 Whooper Swans Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. 2 Hen Harriers Llanillid.
27th - Hen Harrier Llanillid. Yellow-legged Gull Cardiff Bay.
28th - Storm Petrel Aberavon Beach. Sabine's Gul Ogmore Estuary. Firecrest Nantyfyllon. 2 Water Pipits Peterstone Wentlooge. Grey Phalarope Goldcliff.
29th - Snow Bunting Ogmore-by-Sea.
30th - Woodlark Scurlage. 2 Great Skuas Port Eynon.
31st - Bittern Kenfig Pool. Little Gull Whiteford Point. 2 Hawfinches Forest Ganol.

September Highlights

Spoilt for choice on the photo front this month with some excellent shots on the Blog of Grey Phalarope, Black Tern, Lapland Bunting, Arctic Tern & Whiskered Tern. Anyway, lets forget them in favour of a crap shot of a Bobolink. After Marmora's Warbler and Iberian Chiff Chaff in the spring surely it couldn't get any better. Thanks to Paul 'Sid' Parsons and Kelly 'Bobolink' Thomas the best year in South Wales for many a moon continued to rumble on and on. Few would have expected Glamorgan's first American Passerine to have popped up at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, but late in the afternoon of 20th September, Sid & Kelly struck gold. Somewhat elusive in the long grass, the Bobolink was long gone the next morning. A few days later it was back to Eglwys again, when Jeff Slocombe managed to photograph a Juv Whiskered Tern, presumably the bird that has been in the UK for a little while. The Lesser Yellowlegs found by Nathan Casburn at Goldcliff on 28th failed to linger although it was seen briefly the following morning.

Otherwise, the month will be remembered for the 2 different Lapland Buntings at Sker, Grey Phalaropes at Kenfig, Eglwys & Ogmore, 2 showy Turtle Doves in Swansea and large numbers of Curlew Sandpipers at various sites.

1st - Ruff Kenfig Pool. Little Ringed Plover (to 16th) & 4 Curlew Sandpipers Rhymney Estuary.
2nd - Little Stint Rumney Great Wharf.
3rd - 2 Black Terns Llandegfedd Reservoir.
4th - Osprey Llanrhidian (to 19th ). Garganey Kenfig Salt Marsh. Ruff Llanishen Reservoir (to 12th). 5 Curlew Sandpipers Rumney Great Wharf.
5th - 17 Curlew Sandpipers Goldcliff. Arctic Skua, Little Stint & 25 Curlew Sandpipers Salthouse Point.
6th - Ruff Peterstone Gout.
7th - Little Stint Llanishen Reservoir (t0 9th) . 6 Curlew Sandpipers Salthouse Point. 2 Black Terns Kenfig Pool. 2 Little Gulls (several birds seen up until 26th) & 4 Black Terns (various birds until 19th) Eglwys Nunydd. Curlew Sandpiper Crymlyn Burrows.
8th - Firecrest Kenfig Pool (to 9th ). Little Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Black Tern & Little Tern Wernfrwdd. Honey Buzzard Nitten Field, Gower. Goshawk Pant Norton. 5 Ruff & 5 Black Terns Rumney Great Wharf. 2 Black Terns Llandegfedd Reservoir.
9th - Wryneck Llanishen. Curlew Sandpiper Petersone Gout.
10th - Wood Sandpiper Llanrhidian.
11th - Black Tern Lisvane Reservoir (to 15th ) . Black Tern Cardiff Heliport. Ruff Sluice Farm. 14 Curlew Sandpipers Goldcliff.
12th - Arctic Skua Mumbles Head.
13th - Grey Pharalope (to 20th joined by another on 15th ) Eglwys Nunydd. Avocet Peterstone Gout.
14th - Large Sheartwater sp Lavernock Point. 3 Black Terns Llandegfedd Reservoir.
15th - Grey Pharalope & Black Tern Sker. 3 Arctic Skuas Porthcawl. 2 Black Terns Crofty.
16th - Sabines Gull Cardiff Heliport. Grey Phalarope Ogmore Rivermouth (to 17th) . 3 Curlew Sandpipers Rumney Great Wharf.
17th - Ruff & Curlew Sandpiper Penclawdd. Little Gulls Peterstone Gout (to 19th ) & Cardiff Heliport.
18th - Lapland Bunting Sker.

19th - Manx Shearwater Nantyffyllon. Balearic Shearwater & 3 Arctic Skua Port Eynon. 2 Arctic Skuas Cardiff Heliport. Arctic Skua & 2 Curlew Sandpipers Goldcliff.
20th - Bobolink Eglwys Nunydd. 2 Curlew Sandpipers & Little Stint Goldcliff. 2 Curlew Sandpipers Peterstone Gout.
21st - Osprey Abercynon. Wood Sandpiper Lavernock Point. Marsh Harrier Goldcliff.
23rd - Turtle Dove West Cross (to 27th ) . Curlew Sandpiper & Little Stint Goldcliff.
24th - Lapland Bunting Sker (to 29th ).
25th - Turtle Dove Blackpill (to 28th ). Juv Whiskered Tern Eglwys Nunydd (to 29th ). Tree Sparrow Nell's Point, Barry.
26th - Curlew Sandpiper Goldcliff.
27th - Ruff Rumney Great Wharf.
28th - Lesser Yellowlegs Goldcliff (to 29th ).
29th - 2 Little Gulls Port Talbot Docks.
30th - 2 Curlew Sandpipers Peterstone Gout. Little Stint & Hen Harrier Goldcliff.

August Highlights

The month started quietly although a Roseate Tern on the Carms side of the Burry Estuary would have been more than welcome on a few Glamorgan lists. Seabirds seemed to be the theme of the month with Port Eynon producing a few decent seawatches. Pick of the birds were Long-tailed Skua and Sooty Shearwater, along with a few sightings of Balearic Shearwater. Towards the month end waders started to move through with a couple of records of Ruff and the first autumn Little Stints and Curlew Sandpipers. The Lapland Bunting at Whiteford on 28th could be the first of many with large numbers nationally at the moment. More typical of August was an Aquatic Warbler trapped at Uskmouth on 30th.

1st - Med Gulls Barry & Rumney Great Wharf. Little Gull Cardiff Bay.
2nd - Little Tern Whiteford. Med Gull Barry. 4 Quail Marcross.
3rd - Crossbil Kenfig Pool.
9th - Med Gull Kenfig Pool.
10th - 2 Red-leged Partridge Lamby Tip. Med Gull Lamby Lake. Roseate Tern Burry Inlet.
13th - Spotted Redshank Goldcliff.
14th - Bonxie Lavernock Point. Spotted Redshank Goldcliff. Common Scoter Llandegfedd Res.
15th - Hobby Kenfig Pool. Marsh Harrier Petersone Wentlooge. 7 Grey Partridge Gileston. Spotted Redshank Rumney Great Wharf.
16th - Marsh Harrier St Mellons. Med Gull Heliport Bay.
17th - Med Gull Neath.
18th - Little Stint Llanillid. Dartford Warbler Cwn Nash. 3 Med Gulls Crymlyn Burrows
19th - Sooty Shearwater, 6 Balearic Shearwater & 2 Great Skuas Port Eynon. Wood Warbler Lavernock Point.
20th - Balearic Shearwater Port Eynon.
21st - Balearic Shearwater & Black Tern Port Eynon. Yellow-legged Gull Salthouse Point. Wood Warbler Lamby Lake.
22nd - Wood Sandpiper Watermill Flood. Ad Long-tailed Skua & 2 Balearic Shearwaters Port Eynon. Hobby Lisvane Reservoir. 2 prob Great White Egrets Aberthaw. Wood Sandpiper Nell's Point, Barry. Black Tern Llandegfedd Res to 28th. 2 Ruff Rumney Great Wharf.
23rd - 13 Black Terns Port Eynon. Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper & 8 Med Gulls Blackpill. Osprey Wernffrwd till month end. Spotted Redhsnak Goldcliff. Ruff Rumney Great Wharf.
24th - Great Skua Lavernock Point. 2 Little Stints, Arctic Skua & Black Tern Port Eynon. 4 Med Gulls Crymlyn Burrows.
25th - 3 Balearic Shearwaters & 2 Arctic Skuas Port Eynon.
26th - Little Gull, Black Tern & 2 Great Skuas Cardiff Heliport.
27th - Arctic Skua Sker Point. Little Tern Cardiff Heliport. 2 Hobby Ynysyfro Res.
28th - Lapland Bunting, Wood Sandpiper, Black Tern & Curlew Sandpiper Whiteford Point.
29th - 3 Curlew Sandpiper & 2 Spotted Redshank Goldcliff.
30th - 5 Curlew Sandpipers Goldcliff. Curlew Sandpipier Peterstone Gout. Med Gull Caerloen. Aquatic Warbler Uskmouth.
31st - Little Ringed Plover & 3 Ruff Kenfig Pool. Yellow-legged Gull Cardiff Heliport. Little Gull Nell's Point, Barry.

July Highlights

After the excitement of Iberian Chiff Chaff & Marmora's Warbler in May & June, it was odds on that July would be a damp squib of a month. So it proved and the only excitement on offer seemed to be for those who delight in counting Med Gulls. A few days of south westerly winds mid month flattered to deceive with small numbers of Manx Shearwaters pushed up the channel. Let's hope for better in August.

1st - Little Ringed Plover Kenfig Pool.

2nd - Med Gull Cardiff Heliport. Med Gull Peterstone Gout.

5th - Med Gull Goldcliff.

6th - Med Gull Ogmore Est. Green Sandpiper Kenfig Pool.

7th - Med Gull Cold Knap Pool.

8th - 2 Med Gulls Porthcawl. Little Ringed Plover & Med Gull Ogmore Estuary. Med Gull & Common Tern Cardiff Heliport.

9th - 11 Med Gulls Cardiff Heliport. 2 Med Gulls Barry.

10th - Green Sandpiper Ogmore Estuary. Med Gull & Common Tern Llandegfedd.

11th - 2 Med Gulls Ogmore Estuary.

12th - Marsh Harrier Kenfig Pool.

13th - Med Gull Cardiff Heliport. Common Tern Eglwys Nunydd. Med Gull Peterstone Gout.

14th - 2 Med Gulls Cardiff Heliport. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Llandaff. 39 Manx Shearwater Cardiff Heliport. 2 Common Tern Llandegfedd.

15th - 12 Black-tailed Godwit Ogmore Estuary. 34 Manx Shearwater & 6 Common Scoter Lavernock. 100 Manx Shearwater Cardiff Heliport. 2 Common Tern Llandegfedd.

16th - 2 Little Ringed Plovers Egwlys Nunydd. 24 Med Gulls Bracelet Bay. 12 Storm Petrels & 623 Manx Shearwaters Tutt Head.

18th - 40 Manx Shearwater Porthcawl. Med Gull Goldcliff.

19th - 4 Green Sandpipers Miskin.

20th - Med Gull Eglwys Nunydd.

21st - Med Gull Ogmore Estuary. Little Gull Margam Sands. 5 Med Gulls Port Talbot. Common Tern Llandegfedd.

23rd - 2 Green Sandpipers Kenfig Pool & 6 Rumney Great Wharf.

25th - 2 Green Sandpipers & 2 Med Gulls Rumney Great Wharf.

26th - 12 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Green Sandpiper & 1 Med Gull Rumney Great Wharf. Marsh Harrier Goldcliff.

27th - 39 Manx Shearwater & 8 Common Scoter off Aberavon. 25 Med Gulls Bracelet Bay. 7 Med Gulls Penclawdd. Common Tern Llandegfedd.

28th - Green Sandpiper, Med Gull & Yellow-legged Gull Rumney Great Wharf. Med Gull Sluice Farm.

29th - Goshawk Kenfig Pool.

31st - Osprey Cwmtillery.

June highlights.

Gwent stole the show,firstly the Iberian Chiffchaff,then a much desired mega, a singing male Marmora's Warbler ,which consequently proved to be very obliging for those who twitched it.Meanwhile Cardiff bay turned up a female Marsh Warbler,despite some determined searching it was seen only once at the time of ringing.The rare parade continued with a Gull-Billed tern off the heliport.The good birds continued with Red kite,Whinchat,Garden Warbler, and Green Sandpiper also putting in an appearance locally.





2nd- Red Kite-flying over North Cardiff.
3rd-MARMORA'S WARBLER (until 16th) & IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF (until 22nd at least) both in Gwent.
5th -Marsh Warbler trapped and rung at CBWR,Common Sandpiper-Trefil.
6th-Report of Osprey at Creigiau.
8th-Gull Billed Tern-Heliport
10th-Gannet,Manx Shearwater and Med Gull off the Heliport.
11th Peregrines fledged at Cardiff City Hall.
12th-Red Kite again over North Cardiff,Red Legged Partridge at Craig llwyd,Garden Warbler at Cefn Mably,Med Gull and Guillemot at RGW
13th-Whimbrel at RGW.
17th-Hawfinch,Wood Warbler and Marsh tit at Draethen.
19th-Wood Warbler,Redstart,Spotted flycatcher and Tree pipit at Ogmore Forrest,Med Gull at RGW and the Heliport.
22nd-Hobby over Lakeside.
23rd-Med Gulls at the Heliport.
26th-Red Kite again over Cardiff and another over Blaengwynlais,Green Sandpiper at Llanhilid.
27th-Red Legged Partridge at RGW
29th-Common sandpiper at Peterstone Gout,Little Egret at Sophia Gdns and Cuckoo at Parc Penallta.
30th -Chough (7) at Ogmore and an impressive 53 Med Gulls at Blackpill.

May Highlights

Star billing went to the Iberian Chiff Chaff, a first for Wales, that sang it's little heart out from 10th onwards in Wentwood Forest. Elsewhere, 2 Dotterel at Cefn Cadlan provided great photo opportunities and unlike Garreg Llwyd, there was no need to walk too far from the car! Talking of walking, Highlander was rewarded for the long walk out to Whiteford Point with a cracking male Kentish Plover. Unfortunately (or should that be fortunately) it was a one tide bird, so most of us were saved the dreaded hike out there!

1st - 17 Wheatears Rumney Great Wharf. 30+ Whimbrel Rumney Great Wharf. Common Tern Cardiff Bay.
2nd - 2 Dotterel Cefn Cadlan. Spotted Redshank Goldcliff. Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Llandegfedd.
3rd -2 Dotterel Cefn Cadlan. Osprey Uskmouth. Curlew Sandpiper & 2 Spotted Redshank Goldcliff.
4th - Kentish Plover Whiteford Point.
5th - 2 Dotterel Cefn Cadlan.
6th - Great Northern Diver Llandegfedd.
7th -2 Dotterel Cefn Cadlan.
8th - Temminck's Stint & Little Stint Goldcliff. 2 Gargeney Caerleon.
9th - Curlew Sandpiper Whiteford. 2 Garganey, Curlew Sanpiper & Spotted Redshank Goldcliff.
10th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood. 2 Garganey Caerleon.
11th - Osprey Crymlyn Burrows.Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood
12th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood. Osprey Redbarn.
13th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood. Osprey Penywaun. 2 Garganey Caerleon.
14th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood. Med Gull Heliport Bay.
15th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood.
16th - Quail Pyle.
18th - Spoonbill Goldcliff.
20th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood.Spoonbill Goldcliff.
21st - 2 Wood Sandpipers & Spoonbill Goldcliff.
22nd - Osprey Neath Abbey.Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood
23rd - Spoonbill Goldcliff.
24th - Marsh Harrier & Spoonbill Goldcliff.
25th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood.Spoonbill & Curlew Sandpiper Goldcliff.
26th - Iberian Chiff Chaff Wentwood
27th - Turtle Dove Caldicot.