21ST -31ST OCTOBER

A Pallas’s Warbler was an excellent find at Middleton on Gower, along with a Black Redstart on 21st, a Turtle Dove was in Cardiff and a Black-tailed Godwit was at Ogmore Estuary. A Black Redstart was also in Cardiff Bay. The Pallas’s Warbler was still present at Middleton on 22nd and a Barn Owl was at Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff. Two Dartford Warblers were at Pant Norton, Ogmore and a Black-tailed Godwit remained at The Watermill Flood, while seven Ring Ouzels were near Aberdare. A Firecrest was at Mewslade on 24th and a Great Northern Diver flew over Kenfig Pool. A Black Redstart was at Bracelet Bay, Swansea and the Snow Bunting was again at Dunraven along with a Sandwich Tern. A Merlin and Brambling were the highlights at Nash Point. Three Ring Ouzels and a male Hen Harrier were at Craig Walter. The 25th was a total wash out with stair rods of rain and little news other than fifteen Grey Partridges at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm. A better day on 26th produced four Red-billed Choughs and a Northern Wheatear at Ogmore-by-Sea and an adult Mediterranean Gull and two Red Knot at Porthcawl. A Brambling was at Dunraven and a female Hen Harrier was a site first at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm. Two Peregrines were at Kenfig Pool on 27th and were watched pursuing a large flock of migrating Wood Pigeons, while hunting in tandem. An excellent count of 171 Common Pochard were on the pool and small numbers of overhead migrants included 275 Wood Pigeons, forty Chaffinches, four Siskins, five Redwings and 68 Eurasian Jackdaws. A Ring Ouzel and Brambling were at Nash Point and up to eight Tree Sparrows at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm. The 28th was another wash out with no news at all, but thankfully the 29th dawned bright and clear and visible migration at Kenfig Pool included 670 Wood Pigeons, 375 Redwings, fourteen Siskin, twenty Sky Larks and the first five Lesser Redpolls of the autumn. A Long-tailed Duck was at Cardiff Bay and a further 5500 Wood Pigeons were at Lisvane Reservoir, Cardiff. Another very wet day on the 30th produced an adult Yellow-legged Gull and an adult Mediterranean Gull at Kenfig Pool. The 31st saw Common Pochard numbers at Kenfig Pool up to 219 and three Gadwall were new in on a very windy day. The Snow Bunting remained at Dunraven, but on the whole October has been rather disappointing this year.