1ST - 7TH OCTOBER

1st October dawned wet and windy but still offered some interesting bird activity. Seven showy male Ring Ouzels and a Black Redstart were at Cwmparc, Rhondda. Three Black-tailed Godwits were at Ogmore Estuary and a Whinchat was still at Kenfig Pool, while Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir had two Common and a Little Tern. More rain on the 2nd produced two Sandwich Terns and two Common Scoter off Ogmore-by-Sea and two Mediterranean Gulls were on the estuary there. Five Black Terns were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir and the Little Tern remained from yesterday, as did the two Common Terns in Cardiff Bay. The 3rd produced a Wryneck at Nash Point, Vale of Glamorgan which was seen well on a couple of occasions during the day. A fly through Honey Buzzard was at Kenfig Pool and a flock of 42 European Golden Plovers on the beach at Kenfig Sands. Passerine migrants were still in very short supply, but the first Coal Tit of the autumn arrived and a Common Sandpiper was on the east pool shore. A Little Stint was a Loughor Bridge and the five Black Terns remained at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. A Little Tern was at Rhymney Estuary, Cardiff. There was no sign of the Wryneck at Nash Point on the 4th, but a splendid juvenile Hobby and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were both unexpected there. Nine Grey Partridges were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm along with up to ten Tree Sparrows. Two Black Terns remained at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir and a Bittern was at Kenfig Pool. A very wet day on the 5th produced two Mediterranean Gulls and eight Common Scoters off Porthcawl and just a Common Sandpiper and a Northern Wheatear at Kenfig Pool. Sea watching at Porthcawl on 6th brought a Black Tern, Little Tern, eight Manx Shearwaters and six Common Scoters. A further three Black Terns were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, along with an Arctic Tern. An adult Yellow-legged Gull and a Common Tern were in Cardiff Bay and a Little Gull and five Mediterranean Gulls were was at Ogmore Estuary. The first Redwings of the autumn were a flock of 35 at Lliw Reservoir, Swansea on 7th and the three Black Terns were still at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, along with three Common Sandpipers. The Little Gull was again at Ogmore Estuary and a Merlin, ninety Golden Plover and 32o European Oystercatchers were at Kenfig Sands. A Snow Bunting and fifteen Brent Geese were at Salthouse Point, North Gower.