19TH - 28TH FEBRUARY 2007

On the 19th, three Iceland Gulls were at Pontitscill Reservoir and the Firecrest was again in Cardiff Bay. The 20th saw the six Pink-footed Geese again at Penclawdd and the Black Redstart at Ogmore-by-Sea. On the 21st a Barn Owl was at Bridgend and two Common Crossbills were at Margam Forest, while two Green Sandpipers were at Hendre Lake, Cardiff. Two Black Redstarts were at Gileston on 22nd and the drake Red Crested Pochard was again at Ogmore Estuary. A Eurasian Woodcock, Green Woodpecker and two Siskin were at Kenfig Alder wood on the 23rd, while The Loughor Estuary produced 606 Brent Geese, 51 Common Eider, 1300 European Golden Plover, seventy Grey Plover, nineteen Red-breasted Merganser, a Green Sandpiper 830 Northern Lapwing and 2000+ Red Knot. Incredibly early migrants included a Barn Swallow at Treforest, Rhondda and two White Wagtails at Ogmore Estuary. The 25th produced a Great Northern Diver and Purple Sandpiper at Port Eynon, the Red Crested Pochard, Green Sandpiper and a female Merlin at Ogmore Estuary, three Common Scoter at Gileston and a Black Redstart and an adult Little Gull at Cardiff Bay. A female Greater Scaup was at Cosmeston Lakes and a female Northern Goshawk was at Mynydd Eglwysilian. Eight Tree Sparrows were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm and a first winter Little Gull and 82 Sanderling were at Kenfig Rivermouth. A Taiga Bean Goose was an exceptional record thirty miles inland at Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly. A Great Bittern was at Kenfig Pool again on 26th, along with a Jack Snipe, fourteen Common Goldeneye and a male Yellowhammer. Three Marsh Tits were at Millwood, Gower and three Red-billed Chough, two Green Sandpiper and 35 Common Teal were at Ogmore-by-Sea. A first winter Iceland Gull was again at Pontitscill Reservoir on 27th, the adult Little Gull was again in Cardiff Bay and two Red-billed Choughs were at Porthcawl. The Iceland Gull was again present on 28th and a drake Greater Scaup was at nearby Llwyn On Reservoir. Four Brambling were at Llanwonno Forest and Red Kites were out of normal range at Lamby Way and Loughor Bridge

MOROCCO

OUR inaugural tour to MOROCCO provided us with some outstanding birding and wonderful experiences in this exotic, vibrant and richly diverse country. The full tour report will appear soon, but amongst the many highlights, despite it being a bit early for migrants, were some very showy Desert Sparrows, singing Black-crowned Tchagra, 200+ Bald Ibises flying in over a sparkling Atlantic Ocean, several flocks totalling over fifty Cream – coloured Coursers as we drove through the Sahara Desert in full bloom, two Houbara Bustards, nest building Brown-necked Ravens, twelve Crowned and 35 Black-bellied Sandgrouse, hundreds of Trumpeter Finches, Red-rumped, Mourning, Desert, Black and White-crowned Black Wheatears, Desert, Bar-tailed, Thick-billed, Hoopoe, Temminck’s Horned, Shore, Short-toed and Lesser Short-toed Larks, displaying Levaillant’s Woodpeckers, an amazing count of fifty Crimson-winged Finches, Bonelli’s Eagle, Marbled Ducks, Wrynecks, Golden Eagle, Barbary Falcon and Barbary Partridges, but whilst hugely impressive, the birds alone don’t do the tour justice, as how can one begin to describe the glorious weather, the colours and smells and in particular the sight of the desert stars to those who have not had the good fortune to have witnessed them? We will be returning in February 2008 with dates to be announced in the near future – I cannot recommend this tour highly enough, so if it does appeal, please book very early as it is sure to be extremely popular again.

1ST - 18TH FEBRUARY 2007

FEBRUARY began with a pair of Goshawks displaying over some forestry near Pontardawe and Dippers in song at several locations. The 2nd produced three Black Redstarts in Cardiff Bay and the Firecrest again nearby, while elsewhere in the Cardiff area, two Marsh Tits were at Forest Fawr. A glorious, sunny day on 3rd produced a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and a Dartford Warbler in Maesteg, the Great Northern Diver again in Barry Docks and the Firecrest and three Black Redstarts were in Cardiff Bay, while the birch wood at Kenfig had a Eurasian Woodcock. Twelve Purple Sandpipers and two Red-billed Chough were at Rhossilli Bay and a female Merlin was at Mewslade Valley. A Little Egret was again at Sker on 4th and three Red-billed Chough were at Ogmore-by-Sea. The Firecrest remained in Cardiff and a Cetti’s Warbler showed well at Kenfig Pool. A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Bryngarw Country Park on 5th while the 6th brought Goshawk activity from many places, the Great Northern Diver again in Barry Docks and a Spotted Redshank at the Rhymney Estuary, Cardiff. The 7th produced a Great Grey Shrike at Porthcelyn near Merthyr Tydfil and a Purple Sandpiper and 200 Sanderling at Sker. The Great Grey Shrike was again present on the 8th and three Brambling were at Mountain Ash, while the 10th saw an exceptional count of 568 Northern Lapwings at The Watermill, as well as a Black Redstart, 33 Common Goldeneye and 24 Rock Pipits at Ogmore Estuary. The Firecrest remained at Cardiff Bay. A busy day on the 11th saw a male Merlin and three Goosander at Kenfig Pool, a Little Gull was at Cardiff Bay and a female Greater Scaup at Cosmeston Lake. The Ogmore Estuary also had a Little Gull, a Green Sandpiper and a female Hen Harrier and a Red Kite was at Maesteg. On the 13th, the Rhymney Estuary had counts of 1200 Red Knot, 2000 Dunlin, 105 Northern Pintail, 650 Common Redshank and an adult Yellow-legged Gull while Cardiff Bay again had the Firecrest and two Black Redstarts. On the 14th, a Eurasian Woodcock was an unusual find in the centre of Swansea, a Northern Goshawk was displaying at Margam and three Back Redstarts were in Cardiff Bay. The Great Grey Shrike was seen again on the 16th, the Little Gull was still present at The Watermill and two Willow Tits were in Caerphilly. The Great Grey Shrike was again present on the 17th and an Iceland Gull and a Hen Harrier were at nearby Pontyscill Reservoir. The drake Red Crested Pochard returned to the Ogmore Estuary, where a Black Redstart, three Red-billed Choughs and a Dartford Warbler were present. A Black Redstart was also at Southerndown, along with fourteen Purple Sandpiper. A Bittern and Jack Snipe were at Kenfig Pool. On the 18th a Long-tailed Duck was amongst 240 Common Scoter at Rhossilli and two Green Sandpipers and the Little Gull were again at The Watermill. The Great Grey Shrike was again present at Porthcelyn and a Common Crossbill was also present there.

ISLES OF SCILLY PELAGICS

There is just one place remaining for this fabulous seabird spectacular from 17th - 20th August 2007. If you are interested, please BOOK NOW to avoid disappoinment - first come first served! Cost £375.00 plus £50.00 single room supplement