8TH - 14TH JANUARY

Another very wet day on the 8th produced five Goldeneye on Kenfig Pool, a Little Egret again at Sker and twelve Sanderling at Newton Point, Porthcawl. A very wet and windy day again on the 9th saw 78 Great Crested Grebes, 258 Pochard and four Goosander at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, a Peregrine a Kenfig Pool, three Mediterranean Gulls on Swansea University roof and a Firecrest in a Swansea garden. A Red-throated Diver and ten Fulmars went past Porthcawl. The 10th produced a Jack Snipe at Kenfig Pool, where there were also two drake Goosanders, a female Merlin and a Peregrine, while five Common Scoters were offshore. A Water Pipit and four Red-billed Chough were at Ogmore Estuary, a Great Northern Diver was again at Barry Docks and two Mediterranean Gulls were in Porthcawl. A truly awful day with violent westerly gales meant that birding was difficult on 11th, but the Jack Snipe, two Goosander, six Common Snipe and an adult Mediterranean Gull were at Kenfig Pool and two Greater Scaup were again at Cosmeston Lakes. On the 12th, two Woodcock and a Willow Tit were at Millwood on Gower, a Bittern showed briefly at Kenfig Pool and the two Goosander were still present. Four Little Gulls were at Swansea Docks and the drake Red Crested Pochard was back again at Ogmore Estuary. More poor weather on 13th saw the Great Northern Diver at Barry Docks and a Black Redstart again at Llancadle. The 14th produced two male Hen Harriers and a Merlin at Llanrhidian, three Grey Plovers were at Kenfig Sands, the Black Redstart and Great Northern Divers were both still present at Llancadle and Barry Docks, while 200 Common Scoter and 400 Dunlin were off Aberavon, Swansea Bay.