October Highlights

Find of the month went to Richard Smith with 2 Penduline Tits at Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve on 14th October. The first since the long staying birds at Kenfig Pool during the winter of 96/97. Unfortunately for Glamorgan's newer listers they didn't hang around although they may well have been heard over subsequent days. The drake Lesser Scaup returned on 11th October and with Bonaparte's Gull and Wryneck it really has been a great year for Cardiff Bay. Elsewhere it was fairly quiet, with a scattering of Firecrests, an obliging Woodlark at Cosmeston and a Leach's Petrel off Porthcawl.

1st - Fieldfare Nant Garw. 123 Golden Plover Sker Point. 3oo Swallow & 300 House Martin, 12 Chiff Chaff, 1 Whitethroat & 4 Jay Lavernock Point.
3rd - Single Gulliemot, Razorbill & Leach's Petrel Porthcawl. Med Gull River Ogmore.
4th - Ring Ouzel Dare Country Park & 3 Ring Ouzel Mynydd Bwllfa. Green Sandpiper Ogmore Estuary.
6th - 9 Jay Lavernock Point.
7th - Ad Yellow-legged Gull Rhymney Estuary. Woodlark & Firecrest Cosmeston. Merlin & Red Kite Waun-y-Gilfach.
8th - Goshawk, Red Kite & Peregrine Mynydd Egwlysilan.
9th - Red Kite Monknash. Little Stint & 2 Whimbrel Rumney Great Wharf.
10th - Dark-bellied Brent Goose & 250+ Skylark Newton Beach. Ad Med Gull Cardiff Bay.
11th - Dark-bellied Brent Goose Newton Beach. Porthcawl, Common Scoter 37, Red-breasted Merganser 1, Red-throated Diver 1, Shag 1, Arctic Tern 2. Lesser Scaup & Ad Med Gull Cardiff Bay.
12th - 2 Ring Ouzel Maesteg. Ad Med Gull Ogmore Estuary. 25 Crosbbil Mynydd Egwlysian.
13th - 4 Med Gulls Bracelet Bay. Hen Harrier Mynydd Egwlysian. Tree Pipit Pontcanna.
14th - Penduline Tit 2, Cardiff Bay. Firecrest Cwndu Maesteg.
15th - Lesser Scaup Cardiff Bay. 2 Med Gulls Kenfig Pool. Dark-bellied Brent Goose Newton Point.
16th - Med Gull Ogmore Estuary. 2 Gadwall & Wigeon Cardiff Bay.
17th - 4 Redpoll, Med Gull, Scaup & Lesser Scaup Cardiff Bay.
18th - 17 Crossbill & Goshawk Margam Mountain. 4 Jack Snipe Oxwich. 4 Ring Ouzels Dare Country Park. Lesser Scaup Cardiff Bay.
19th - Red Kite Sarn.
21st - Green Sandpiper & Med Gull Ogmore Estuary. Lesser Scaup Cardiff Bay.
23rd - 3 Med Gulls Porthcawl.
24th - Ad Little Gull Ogmore Estuary.
25th - Firecrest Crymlin Burrows. Porthcawl Sea Watch, Kittiwake 19, Common Gull 9, Common Scoter 8, Razorbill 19, Gulliemot 4 & Red-Throated Diver 1. Lesser Scaup & 350 Wood Pigeon Cardiff Bay.
26th - Brambling Lamby Tip. Purple Sandpiper Ogmore-by-Sea. 3000 Wood Pigeon & 2500 Redwing Barry.
27th - Scaup & Redpoll Watermark, Cardiff Bay.
28th - Black Redstart Gileston. 14 Crossbill Coed-y-wenallt. Med Gull Kenfig Pool. Purple Sandpiper Ogmore-by-Sea. Lavernock Point, Ring Ouzel 1, Redwing 220, Fieldfare 48, Blackbird 40, Mistle Thursh 2, Siskin 4 & Brambling 1.
29th - 400+ Redwing Cosmeston.
30th - Goldeneye Cardiff Bay. Ad Med Gull Hamadryad Park. Lesser Scaup Cardiff Bay.
31st - 6 Goldeneye Eglwys Nunydd. 5000+ Wood Pigeon Leckwith. 12 Med Gulls Bracelet Bay. 2 Med Gulls Kenfig Pool. 50 Common Scoter, 4000+ Wood Pigeon & 9 Grey Partridge, Monknash. Ring Ouzel Ffordd-y-Gyfraith.

September Highlights

The beginning of the month was dominated by the search for a Glamorgan Glossy Ibis after up to 25 birds appeared across the county border in Burry Port, Carms. However, apart from several reports of birds in flight, County listers were to be left disappointed. Two Wrynecks, one trapped in Cardiff Bay and one at Lavernock Point were more typical September rarities. Elsewhere a satellite tracked juv Honey Buzzard roosted overnight on the Gower en route to Africa and several days saw large movement of Swallows, presumably Irish birds.

1st - 2 Med Gulls Crymlyn Burrows.

2nd - 1st w Med Gull Cardiff Heliport. 2 Osprey Wernffrwd. Little Gull Eglwys Nunydd. Hobby Hendre Lake.

3rd - Ad Med Gull Cardiff Heliport. Porthcawl, Red-throated Diver 1, Manx Shearwater 1 & 10 Kittiwake. Rhymney Estuary, 140 Black-tailed Godwit, 65 Knot, 2 Yellow Wagtail . Grey Pharalope, Ogmore-by-Sea.

4th - Rhymney Estuary, 135 Black-tailed Godwit, 55 Knot, 33 Ringed Plover. Ogmore Estuary Osprey & Red Kite. Lavernock Point Swallow 400+, Sand Martin 21, Common Whitethroat 6, Lesser Whitethroat 4, Chiff Chaff 3, Willow Warbler 1, Blackcap 2, Garden Warbler 1 & Tree Pipit 1. Gannet & 7 Wheatear Aberthaw.
5th - Hobby Mynydd Eglwysilan. Med Gull Cardiff Bay. Litte Gull Eglwys Nunydd.

6th - Sker Point, 12 Brent Geese & 8 Wheatear. Glossy Ibis reported near Baglan. Greenshank Nash Point. Green Sandpiper Miskin. Port Eynon , 70+ Sandwich Terns, 2 Arctic Skua, 2 Arctic Tern, 20 Common Scoter, & 2 Med Gulls. Osprey Wernffrwd. 5 Brent Geese & ad Med Gull Aberthaw.

8th - Wryneck trapped Cardiff Bay. Hen Harrier near Rhymney.

9th - Rhymney Estuary, 2 Spotted Redshanks, 50 Knot, 1 Black-tailed Godwit & Green Sandpiper.

10th - Ad Med Gull Cardiff Foreshore. 5000+ Swallow Summerhouse Point.

11th - 4 Chough Cwm Nash.

12th - 6 Whimbrel & 9 Little Stint Sker Beach. Hen Harrier, Dare Valley Country Park. 5000 Swallow Rhossilli. Rinz Ouzel near Pontycymmer.

14th - Ad Yellow-legged Gull Cardiff Heliport.

15th - Satellite tracked Honey Buzzard, Parkmill, Gower.

16th - Hobby Eglwys Nunydd.

18th - Lapland Bunting Rhossilli.

20th - 19 Jay Mynydd Ty Talwyn. Osprey Crymlyn Burrows .

21st - Glossy Ibis reported Swansea Enterprise Park. Black Tern Kenfig Pool. 4 Wheatear Nash Point.

22nd - Razorbill Cardiff Heliport. Black Tern Kenfig Pool.

23rd - Firecrest Nantyffyllon. Black Tern Kenfig Pool. Lavernock Point, Swallow 3000, Sky Lark 65, Goldfinch 300, Wheatear 2, Chiffchaff 12, Jay 4, Linnet 80, Meadow Pipit 100 & Reed Bunting 12.

24th - Hobby Broad Pool, Gower.

25th - Ad Med Gull Lamby Lake. 42 Med Gull, Bracelet Bay, Mumbles. Pied Flycatcher Pontcanna Fields.

26th - Wryneck & 36 Jay Lavernock Point. Hobby Eglwys Nunydd.

27th - Dartford Warbler & Redstart Cwm Nash. Osprey Crymlyn Burrows. Firecrest Flatholm.Lavernock Point, Redpoll 20, Siskin 30, Chiff Chaff 10.

29th - Merlin Mynydd Eglwysilan.