Happy New Year!!!

© P. Parsons

2015 has been a great year for birding in Glamorgan and I've chosen a few of my favourite images from the last 12 months to see us into the New Year. Special thanks to Paul Parsons for use of the Black Stock sketch and to the finders:
Little Bunting - M.C. Powell & D.R.W. Gilmore
Great Spotted Cuckoo - M.J. Bevan
Cattle Egret - N. Donaghy
Ring-necked Duck - A.G. Stamp
Pallid Swift - E.A. Hunter

Here's to more of the same next year! Best of luck birding 2016 everyone!!

Short-eared Owls : RGW, Cardiff

A few pics from another visit this afternoon in sunshine just for a change.....

Wentlooge levels.

Part of a 40 + group of Little Egrets.

Grey Phalarope : Sker Pool

Few pics of the Grey Phalarope on Sker Pool today...........

Grey Phalarope at Sker Pool

© R. Jones

Rob Jones kindly sent a very nice shot of the Grey Phalarope at Sker Pool from this afternoon. The bird was at times quite mobile this morning before settling down in the afternoon and showing well to those who made the trip to see it. The retained juvenile dark tertials help age the bird as a first winter.

Stock Dove - Opposite Millenium Stadium

I can't see why this isn't a stock dove. Strangely this is the 3rd occasion I have seen it at this location in the last two months. Today I photographed it with my phone from approx. half metre away. I thought it might be injured but as I went to pick it up it flew off strongly. Apologies for poor photos, it was 7.45am.

Grey Phalarope at Sker

The bird found yesterday (and possibly same bird that was briefly on Kenfig Pool on 24th) was still present this morning. It was very tame and not bothered by runners or dogs after it finally settled on Sker Pool.. However, it had been tricky earlier, flying about the various scattered shallow pools in the area.

Merry Christmas

On behalf of the GRC a very Merry Christmas to all.

Firecrest - Hamadryad Park

The firecrest is still present but has moved north into Hamadryad Park. It was favouring the bank of brambles at the south end of the park just before the roadbridge. It was calling constantly and showing very well this afternoon.

EGBR 2014

Pleased to report that or printer has just delivered the 2014 reports to my house in person, so the rest of this afternoon will involve lots of envelopes and our dining room table!

BBRC

Glamorgan VC41
2015: The BBRC have accepted the Great Spotted Cuckoo & Black Stork.
Well done to the finders.

Late Manxies past Common Cliff

Gower Ornithological Society field trip today started at Rhossili before calling in on Common Cliff (via Paviland Farm) and finishing at Llanrhidian roost.

At Rhossili - 681 Common Scoters were in Rhossili Bay and 2 GND near Inner Worm. Also 1 Red-throated Diver, 5 Great Crested Grebes, a few Guillemots and a couple of Razorbills, with lots of unidentified Auk sp further out.

Common Cliff - 4 Red-throated Divers and 2 Manx Shearwaters flew east

Llanrhidian roost viewed from Marsh Road - 3 GWE, male + ringtail Hen Harriers and 5 SEO

The day was hard work on the land with no Golden Plovers  <40 Chaffinches, <100 Linnets, <30 Goldfinches, no winter thrushes, no Yellowhammers, but on a positive note Kestrels were almost constantly on view throughout the day.

Grey Phalarope at Crymlyn Burrows

A Grey Phalarope was showing at Crymlyn Burrows this morning. Initially seen at 09:15 as it flew over the surf over the shallow waters just west of the Neath River mouth, on the receding tide. Settling on the water between short flights where it was very difficult to keep track of, and was subsequently lost not long after first sighting. The bird remained unseen until 11:00 when it was again in the same area flying over the surf and settling on the water. Attempts to close the distance to get any record shots of it were unsuccessful before time ran out.

Note parking on Elba Crescent is now restricted to max 2hrs with 2hrs no return.

Firecrest - Cardiff Bay Wetland

The firecrest was still present this afternoon showing on and off at the start of the boardwalk.

Saturday 5th December - 10 shoveler at Roath Park Lake (highest number I have seen here). Also 1 gadwall.

Little Auk past Port Eynon

Chris Brewer had a Little Auk while seawtaching at Port Eynon this morning. The bird past close in (just beyond the point) heading west at 08:30. This bird among a steady movement of Auks past Port Eynon and in addition were Great Northern Divers, Red-throated Divers and a dark morph Skua sp (probable Pomarine).

CBWR

The Firecrest is still around but now in the brambles on the north side of the track by the St David's Hotel car park. Not seen by me, reported by another birder.

News

Great Northern Diver off Knab Rock © P. Douglas-Jones

1/12/2015
Black-throated Diver [2] off Sker Point [ND]
GND [3] off Knab Rock, Mumbles [PDJ]
GND on Kenfig Pool [ND]
GND off Ogmore [MCP]
Greater Scaup [1st W drake] on Kenfig Pool [ND]
Little Gull (ad W) off Gileston [MCP]
Firecrest @ Newton Burrows [DCB]