Record shot of the Wentloog Cattle egret.

Great Northern Diver : Aberavon

Few pics of a Great Northern Diver found during a visit on Sun 18.Dec 2016......

Nash point.

    One of two Fem/Imm Black redstarts around the lighthouse buildings on sunday.

Black Redstart : Penarth Marina

A stunning male bird from a visit last Sunday, a female/juvenile type bird also seen briefly.....

Long-tailed Duck : Cardiff Bay

Few pics of the bird from a visit last Sunday........

Richard's Pipit at Nash

A couple of record shots from this afternoon. Cracking find by Paul Parsons.

Water Pipit - Ogmore Estuary

This Water Pipit was with several Rock Pipits on the lower estuary saltmarsh (Vale side) late afternoon, but mainly keeping in the areas shaded from the sun.

Siberian Chiffchaff ( tristis) at Forest farm this morning.

Forest Farm - Sibe Chiffchaff

Just a heads up that Rob Mitchell has an excellent pic of a Sibe [tristis] Chiffie at Forest Farm - photo on SWB Facebook page and SWB [Cardiff] blog.

RGW & Foreshore

RGW: A Water Pipit with Meadow Pipits at high tide along the wharf. A Red-throated Diver D/C, an unusual species off the wharf. Jack Snipe flushed from grass & 2 fem/imm Common Scoter D/C. Also Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Redshank, Curlew, Pintail, Wigeon, Teal & Little Egret.

Cardiff Foreshore: 2 Black Redstarts along path next to WTW. Seen on fence & feeding on beach. Good numbers of B-h Gulls.

Interesting Chough record

Andy Burns of Dinas Powys photographed a Chough at Lock's Common yesterday and got a good enough pic to read its colour rings. He sent the info off to Adrienne Stratford who is involved with ringing Chough on Angelsey. It turns out that Andy's bird is a young female and one of the Angelsey ones. Ringed on 9th Jun and seen with her siblings on 2nd Jul. This is double the previous max distance one has been seen away from Angelsey. The rings carrie are Lime/BTO on left leg and Green/ Blue "9U" on right leg. There's a photo on the South Wales Birding Facebook page.

Hume's Leaf Warbler at Middleton sound recording request

I've had a request from Eddie Hunter to ask if anyone who managed to connect the Hume's Leaf Warbler at Middleton a few weeks back could make contact with this blog if they managed to record the bird calling. The true identity of this bird still seems a topic for discussion for birders that have seen and heard it or viewed photos of it online. Analysis of recording of the bird's call will certainly allow more confidence in the bird's identification. Eddie has some recording of the bird, which he is confident do produce sonograms that match Hume's, but it will certainly help the bird's assessment if these can be backed up with further good recordings if possible.

Either GlamRC@gmail.com or markhipkin1@gmail.com or edhunterhere@yahoo.com can be used as a means of contact.

Those that are completely confident in the bird's identity should be encouraged to make formal submissions to BBRC for assessment. As county recorder for West Glamorgan it is good to be kept informed about these types of records and I politely request that I am able to have a copy of all submitted material for my and the Glamorgan Rarities Committee's records. Thank you!

The Cardiff bay Long-tailed duck.

Aberthaw Grey Phal

I caught up with this bird this morning, so here's a couple of closer shots for use in circ if req'd.

East Aberthaw

Just seen a post [and photo] on Facebook - Grey Phal at E. Aberthaw pool today. Have asked for permission to copy photo here - awaiting reply. Permission granted see below. Observer and finder was Maxine Levett.

Pallas's Warbler in Middleton lane.

Ed Hunter found a Pallas's Warbler at Middleton Lane this morning at 10:25. Luckily for me I work just down the road from there and by 10:40 was watching the bird feeding frantically in the Apple Tree and surrounding bushes. It was showing very well and called a few times before heading off with with a tit flock. Probably a different bird to the bird found by PP & PT last weekend, but difficult to be sure. Hopefully it will stick around so that a few more folk can catch up with it. My thanks goes to Ed for my latest Glamorgan tick.

The Middleton Warbler more of the same record shots.

Black Redstarts : Broughton Bay Caravan Park, Llangennith

Couple of pics from a visit today with Richard Smith after spending time at Middleton first......

Putative Hume's Leaf Warbler : Middleton, Gower

Few 'record' images of the bird from a visit today with Richard Smith, heard calling several times and call good for Hume's, responded several times to 'tape', general consensus of the birders present is that it looks good for a 1st winter Hume's, not an easy one......

Record shots of the Hume's leaf warbler at Middleton, Gower today. Found yesterday by Eddie Hunter.

                                    Overall duller than the Yellow browed warbler also present
                                    in the same spot. Both birds were heard and this bird made
                                    the distinctive call of a Hume's.

Pallas warbler, Rhossili today. PP, PT.

                               At 11:45 this morning at Vine lane leading down from
                               Middleton at approx SS414 877, Paul Tabor and I found
                               this Pallas warbler. It was working it's way north along the
                               hedge and we lost it near a green metal barn. It was very
                               mobile but I managed this short burst of shots before we
                               lost sight of it.

BairdsSandpiper (3rd in Glamorgan?) thanks to ND for finding!

Baird's sandpiper at Kenfig.

Baird's Sandpiper - Kenfig

A great find by Neil Donaghy on the east pool shore this morning. Third Glamorgan record and the first since 1975.

Dotterel record shots from Nash a nice find for me!

dotterel in ploughed field near cwm nash

YBW Penarth

3 p.m. this afternoon I was out in the garden, when alerted by a high pitched strident call, heard only Sunday on the GBC Portland trip. Ran inside to get my bins and was soon on to a Yellow-browed Warbler feeding with Chiffchaff in the trees that overhang the old railway line which is now a public path. Didn't appear to stay long - I lost it in the canopy fairly quickly although the Chiffie was still around 30 mins later. Went searching with my camera but no luck. Will get something down on paper.

YBW Cardiff

Had a phone call at around 6 p.m. - a GBC member had a YBW in his garden in Cyncoed this afternoon.

yellow browed warbler this morning at kenfig NNR north dunes

Yellow-Browed Warbler : KNNR

Few pics of one of two birds at the location posted below by Paul, big thanks to Neil for the "heads up" on the location.....