Snow Bunting at Werfa

 The Snow Bunting found by Dave Cornish, on Sunday, was still present this morning and showing well. It was a little further along the track to the NW, today, at SS91129439

Whooper Swan and Long-tailed Duck

The 1st winter/female long-tailed duck was present this morning on Kenfig Pool. The swan was there until about 10am when the resident mute swans chashed it and it flew off south-east. There was no sign of the pink-footed goose.

Long-billed Dowitcher Glamorganside

Whooper Swan (c) R.H.A. Taylor
 Broad Pool 28th October 2012

(c) R.H.A. Taylor
Penclacwydd (VC44) 28th October 2012

The Long-billed Dowitcher was with a mixed godwit and Knot flock on the rising tide around 3pm today. When the tide eventually pushed the birds off the mudflats they flew across the river to the Carmartheshire side and the bird appeared in front of the hide at Penclacwydd around 4.20pm. I suspect the best time for seeing it in Glamorgan is on the falling or rising tide. There are good numbers of feeding Bar-wits, Black-wits and Knot visible from Dalton's Point during these periods and I connected on my third check here since yesterday morning - good luck!

Glamorgan News

A nice selection of news, today, from around the county.

Kenfig Pool - 1 Whooper Swan, 1 Pink-footed Goose, 1 female Long-tailed Duck and also 1 Great Northern Diver. The diver only stayed briefly, but the others were still present till midday, at least. (DGC) & later (GP)

Werfa - 1 female Snow Bunting this afternoon at SS914942 (DCo)

Mynydd Bach - 2 male Ring Ouzel (CR)

Mumbles Hill - 2 Ring Ouzel this morning. 1st W male + 1st W female (MHi, RJ)

Bracelet Bay - 14 Common Scoter(w) and 1 Red-throated Diver(e)

Swansea Bay - 11 Wigeon, 6 Teal and 31 Great Crested Grebe

Late news from yesterday

Lavernock Point - 1 Firecrest (AB)

Mumbles Hill

Rob Jones found a male Ring Ouzel and a couple of Firecrests at Mumbles Hill early morning. I later joined him and a further search of the area found the male Ring Ouzel still present and showing infrequently till 15:00. Also at least 3 Firecrests were seen in quick succession, but none after 11:00. Otherwise 3 Blackcaps were around the scrub. Overhead migration was fairly constant with good numbers: 300+ Goldfinch, 3 Redpoll, 4 Siskin, 400+ Chaffinch and 1 Swallow seem worth of note.

Bittern - Cosmeston

A Bittern was seen at 10:30 this morning by Ceri Jones from Barry. It flew out of the E lake reeds by the boardwalk and settled back in again.

Ring Ouzels

Two of the four Ring Ouzels reported from Dan-y-darren Quarry by Mike Hogan 25/10/12. The two pictured show a lot of white feathering on the head.

Scaup at Cardiff Bay

A couple of record shots of two of the imm drake Scaup at Prospect Place on 23rd. The third drake had just one small grey feather showing on the side I could see.

Long-tailed Duck still in Rhossili Bay

1f Long-tailed Duck still with Common Scoter in Rhossili Bay. Similarly to Sunday, she seems to prefer being with the Scoter that are closest to the car park, but can also be found alone in the same general area. There were well in excess of 3000 Common Scoter between The Worm and Burry Holms. A search for a scarcer Scoter among the Scoter flocks was unsuccessful, but hopefully the Scoter numbers will remain high around Rhossili Bay this winter and surely with it a chance of a Surf or two. Elsewhere, the eclipse Eider was still around the causeway and 2 Merlins past, offshore while heading east, which brought an angry reaction from one of the local Peregrines.
Overhead passage was nowhere near as busy as on Sunday and the most notable migrants being a female Blackcap and 30+ Redwings.

Lavernock Point & LNR

The highlight was a Firecrest (top stubble field hedgerow) in with mixed flock.

Viz-mig was good with Goldfinch & Chaffinch being the most numerous. Also Lesser Redpoll, Brambling, Sky Lark & Linnet. Good numbers of Wood Pigeon & Goldcrests there too. House Martin was the only hirundine. Peregrine over cliffs. 26 Lapwing >NE was unusual for site. [JDW, PB & DRWG]
Late news: Wryneck at Aberthaw 12th Oct [R. Brockway] & Sedge Warbler there 21st Oct [per SPH]