Cardiff Bay

2 Garganey in Cardiff Bay this afternoon found by Gareth Stamp

Whiteford Point

Late News 16/08/2013
Slavonian Grebe in SP at Whiteford Point [M. Maher]

Late news 13th & 14th August

13th

Port Eynon 07:00 to 08:30

Arctic Skua (2 (1pm + 1dm)) & Common Scoter (14) - P. Howe


Brunel Dock & Neath River

Arctic Tern (1ad), Whimbrel (6) & Redshank (89) - R. Jones

14th

Forest Farm

Hawfinch (5) - [C. Morgans]

Yellow-legged Gull on Crymlyn Burrows beach

A 3rd Cal yr (2s -> 3w) Yellow-legged Gull was on Crymlyn Burrows beach, this afternoon. It's a species that I'm not able to find as often as I would like at this site, or anywhere for that matter. Herring Gull numbers are often very good in Baglan Bay but also often very spread out making checking them all, near impossible. When the tide comes in, birds that you hope would favour a high tide roosting location somewhere along the beach often sit far out at sea; it's very frustrating.

The photo above shows today's bird is in an active primary moult with P1 & P7 still growing and P8 missing. The legs seem to be in the process of changing colour with the feet still fleshy-coloured, which is typical of this age-group.

I find that the shade of grey that our Herring Gulls show can appear surprisingly dark at certain angles and light, so it was nice to see this bird between Herring Gull adults all facing the same direction. It appears to me that this bird is a female and so the structural differences are more subtle than a male might show. However, the elongated flat back line of a bird standing on long-looking legs with a heavy bill are all noticeable on this bird. Other good features include the remnants of the dark mask, large head and slender hind parts. Combine these with the darker shade of grey on the back and this bird looks good for Yellow-legged Gull to me. I'm acutely aware that the Gull ID scene is loaded with experts, far more advanced than I, as such any comments or differing opinion will be welcomed.

Med, Black-headed and Common Gull mixed flock.

Apart from being very pleased with the YLG, I was also very impressed by the numbers of Mediterranean Gulls present today. I counted 63 (inc 3 juv) on the beach with a further 22 flying in with mixed gull flocks that were feeding offshore.
85 Med Gulls doesn't come close to the numbers found around Blackpill from time to time but it is over four times more than my previous best from this site which was less than 20.

Sanderling B1YWYB

Late news from Friday. The Sanderling flock continue to hold around the 300+ mark along the beach and at least 2 colour ringed individuals were amongst them. No photo this time (because I wasn't ready!) but one of the birds did show well enough to take its details before going to roost on the shingle ridge.

Blue flag above the left knee = 1; Yellow above White on the left leg; Yellow above Blue on the right leg

B1YWYB

Roseate Tern in the Burry Inlet

 An adult Roseate Tern was found by Rob Hunt at Pembrey Harbour, yesterday evening, around the high tide mark. Today the bird showed well for Rob J, Darren C and myself. Although it did disappear for 45mins split either side of high tide when it moved off with the chaotic tern flock made up mainly of Sandwich Terns (120+) and a couple of Common Terns. In the past when this bird has turned up, it has ventured over to the Glamorgan side; Barry Stewart has picked it on at least two of the more recent years. The tide height at the moment isn't big enough to force the terns from Pembrey by submerging their favoured sand bar roosting point. However, if this bird sticks around for a few more days the higher tides may persuade the tern flock to explore alternative roosting locations on the Glamorgan side. Probably worth a shout...

Little Ringed Plover on Neath River

Rob J, Gwyn R, Darren C and I had a quick look around the Neath River and Crymlyn Burrows Beach, yesterday evening. Some counts taken are as follows

Curlew (80+), Whimbrel (17), Bar-tailed Godwit (1), Oystercatcher (c350), Redshank (c70), Common Sandpiper (17), Little Ringed Plover (4), Ringed Plover (120), Sanderling (330+), Dunlin (200), Turnstone (5), Mediterranean Gull (10), Stonechat (2juv), Sedge Warbler (1) and 10 Reed Buntings

Little Tern on Crymlyn Burrows Beach

 1 adult Little Tern came in to roost with the wader flock, this evening, on Crymlyn Burrows Beach. It would periodically go out into the bay to fish and then return to where the main group of waders were roosting/feeding to rest up and preen. The Little Tern was also seen to be supporting a metal ring on its right leg as shown below.

Also present Turnstone (10), Ringed Plover (150+), Knot (2), Sanderling (240+) and Dunlin (356). Mediterranean Gulls again in small numbers with 8 on the beach including 3 adults and 5 2cy birds

Heron Zapped

This morning around 0600 hrs I watched a Heron [presuming Grey] hit the overhead national power lines running alongside my factory RPC at Kenfig industrial estate. At the point of contact there was a loud Zap like a when a moth hits a bug zapper and the bird dropped like a stone to the ground on the other side of the factory fence into an unviewable scrubby area. Birds regularly sit or collide with these lines and are unscathed because they are not earthed. But in this instance I think the bird was still wet from feeding [ it had a frog in its mouth] and the water must have conducted the electricity causing a power surge around the bird making an electrical circuit at contact. Its the first time I've seen this happen, So if a anyone knows of a better explanation please feel free to comment. As a side note about 10 Days ago I watched 3 out of a flock of 14 Canada Goose make contact with the power lines but remain unscathed. I'll research it a bit more when I get up as I was nights.

Sanderling G3WBGW

G3WBGW

On Crymlyn Burrows this afternoon amongst c350 Sanderling. Ringed Plover numbered an encouraging c150 and Dunlin were c200 strong. The birds were quite mobile though so accurate counts not really possible with so much feeding ground exposed. Hope I didn't miss anything....

I'll put the life history of the Sanderling up here when it's been returned.