MAY 22ND - 31ST

On the 22nd, three Common Cuckoos and a Water Rail with chick were at Kenfig Pool and a Red Kite was at Gileston. Six Eurasian Nightjars were at Llanwonno on 23rd and two Common Cuckoos, four Whimbrel and fifty Common Swifts were at Kenfig Pool. Two Grey Partridges were near Tondu, Bridgend. The 24th produced a Spotted Flycatcher at Llanilid, ten Wood Warblers were at Pontneddfechan and two Honey Buzzards were at the usual site. Three Nightjars were at Ogmore Forest on 25th and a female Pied Flycatcher at Coed-y-Bedw on 26th was one of very few recorded this year. After a total washout on 27th, two Red-billed Chough were at Aberthaw Marsh on 28th – a site further east than they have previously been recorded. Four Red Kites and two Common Cuckoos were at Ogmore Forest, where single Pied Flycatcher, Common Redstart and four Wood Warblers were present. Raptor watching was also worthwhile with Northern Goshawk, three Red Kites, European Sparrowhawk, Peregrine and large numbers of Common Buzzards seen at the usual site. On the 29th, Ogmore Forest held six Wood Warblers, ten Common Redstarts and a Dipper feeding chicks. The 30th produced 2000+ Manx Shearwaters, forty European Storm Petrels, three Northern Gannets, three Sandwich Terns and two Black-legged kittiwakes off Porthcawl, while three Red-billed Chough and a male Northern Wheatear were at Ogmore-by-Sea. Three Yellowhammers and a Peregrine were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm and 25 Eurasian Sky Larks, a female Northern Wheatear and a Tree Sparrow were at Lan Farm. On the 31st, a female Marsh Harrier was a very pleasant surprise at Kenfig Pool, where there was also a Common Cuckoo and 250+ Common Swifts overhead. Three Sandwich Terns, 675 Manx Shearwaters and seven European Storm Petrels were again off Porthcawl. Three Eurasian Nightjars were at Llanwonno, a Spotted Flycatcher was at Darren Woods, Maesteg and Tawny Owls were seen in a couple of locations.