Whiteford Point

No sign of the red necked grebe this morning but a good selection of birds nonetheless. Notable species included: 4 slavonian grebe, 1 great northern diver, 40 eider, 3 red breasted merganser, 1 female merlin.

Yesterday: 2 - 3 ringtail hen harriers and 2 g w egret at Llanrhidian Marsh.

Boxing Day Birding

This morning Mark Hipkin and I headed to Wernffrwd for a look at the marsh and estuary over the high tide - it also served as a good way to clear the head after yesterday's over-indulgence. From the outer mound the usual waders and wildfowl of the Burry were spread out before us and it wasn't long after that Mark found 2 Slavonian Grebes. A little while after I picked up on a third darker looking grebe that was swimming and diving near one of the Slav's - slowly revealing itself to be a Red-necked Grebe. It was a great opportunity for comparison with the Slav's and also the nearby Great crested grebes. Distance and poor light prevented getting any decent record-shots, but i did mange to get some footage with my Iphone/scope.

A couple a screen grabs from the footage taken.

Sky dancer at Llanrhidian at Christmas time

Merry Christmas everyone from the GRC

Afon argoed.

Great grey shrike present but mobile at SS82692 93536 yesterday (Paul Tabor).

News

3 Wood Larks still at Overton, Gower [OG]

Bittern at KNNR [PS]

Bittern in reeds on the west lake at Cosmeston 18th. [per B-G]

Great White Egret at Neath River (29/11/14) record shot

© D. Sharps

Dave Sharps kindly provided a record shot of the Great white Egret that was present mid-morning on 29th November along the Neath River opposite Brunel Dock. This bird showed only briefly before flying upriver and although looked for later that day around the saltmarsh in the afternoon and again at the Egret roost opposite Brunel Dock early evening it was not seen again. This species is rarely seen in NPT and tends not to stick around for long but surely it won't be long before one chooses to winter here.

Early December

The Hawfinches continue to show well at Fforestganol with 8 there on 10th [GOS] & 3 on 12th [MCP & DRWG]. Best place is to park [with care] near the white cottage [one with the vegetable garden & bird feeders] and look up into the beech/hornbeams for them feeding on the mast. They also feed in the lower canopy and on the ground. The Lesser Scaup is back at CBWR and the Black Redstarts continue to perform well around the houses of Penarth Marina [many obs]. There is a very nice set of photos on Birders in Boxers by Jeff Slocombe of the Black Reds.

1st W Caspian Gull at Cosmeston

Lol Middleton and Andy Burns have found what the gull experts on the UK Gulls blog/Facebook page seem confident is a 1stW Caspian Gull - see the Glamorgan Bird sightings blog for link to the photos - https://glamorganbirds.wordpress.com. The bird was on E lake.

6 Hawfinches were seen at Fforestganol [GS]

Bittern at Kenfig

© P. Smith

Peter Smith sent in this fabulous shot of a Bittern at Kenfig, today. Taken from the southern hide at around 10:00. Showed for about 10 minutes before disappearing into the reedbed.

Roath Park Lake

Long tailed duck giving excellent views until dusk (found by Dave Palmer) around the islands. Also present 4 teal, 1 shoveler, 1 little egret and 10+ little grebes. 62 cormorant in the usual roost.

Yesterday - 6 jack snipe at Green Point. 2 great northern divers Llwyn onn reservoir gorging themselves on crayfish.