JULY 2007

JULY began with eight Common Sandpipers at Ogmore Estuary on 1st and sea watching at Porthcawl produced 153 Manx Shearwaters, six European Storm Petrels, fifteen Northern Gannets, a Sandwich Tern, three Black-legged Kittiwakes, seven Northern Fulmar and two Common Scoter. Sea watching was the only option again on 2nd as yet more wind and rain came in from the west. Totals today included a Porthcawl high of 59 European Storm Petrels off Porthcawl, along with 275 Manx Shearwaters, five Northern Gannets, nine Common Scoter, seven Northern Fulmar and a Black-legged Kittiwake. On the 3rd sea watching from Port Eynon produced 500 Manx Shearwaters, three Arctic Skuas, thirty Northern Gannets, thirty Black-legged Kittiwakes and a European Storm Petrel. A Lesser Whitethroat was at the point and fourteen Red-billed Choughs were at Mewslade. Six Mediterranean Gulls were at Wernffrwd, along with 54 Common Gulls and 930 Herring Gulls, 150 Eurasian Curlew, fifteen Little Egrets and sixty Common Shelduck. The 4th saw the first Yellow-legged Gull of the autumn at Crofty, where a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Common Sandpiper, three Whimbrel, nine Sandwich Terns and an excellent early autumn count of ten Mediterranean Gulls. Fourteen European Storm Petrels were off Porthcawl, along with sixteen Northern Gannets, five Northern Fulmars, twelve Common Scoter, 122 Manx Shearwaters and fourteen Eurasian Curlews, while a Common Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover were at Kenfig Pool. The Little Ringed Plover remained at Kenfig Pool on 5th, where there were also four Common Sandpipers. Yet more sea watching, in much lighter winds today at Porthcawl produced twenty European Storm Petrels, 17 Manx Shearwaters, six Common Scoter and a Northern Fulmar. Four Common Crossbills and two Spotted Flycatchers were in forestry near Bridgend. The 6th was again blessed with gale force winds and counts at Porthcawl of twelve Northern Fulmar, nine European Storm Petrels, five Eurasian Curlew, 175 Manx Shearwaters, nine Common Scoter, twenty Northern Gannets and a Black-legged Kittiwake. The moulting adult Little Ringed Plover remained at Kenfig Pool and a Eurasian Hobby was in the Vale of Glamorgan. On the 7th, 27 European Storm Petrels were at Porthcawl along with a Sandwich Tern and a Little Egret and seventeen Black-headed Gulls were typical seasonal migrants at Kenfig Pool. The 8th produced a Green Sandpiper at Tir Founder Fields and a Grasshopper Warbler at Lliw Reservoir, Swansea. Signs of autumn at Kenfig on 10th when eight Common Pochard were on the pool and 42 Common Swifts, 21 Sand Martins, ten Barn Swallows, three Sedge Warblers, a Little Egret and 130 Black-headed Gulls passed over going north west. Two Mediterranean Gulls were at Oxwich Bay on the 12th and a Green Sandpiper was an early migrant at Ogmore Estuary. Eighteen Tufted Ducks were back on Kenfig Pool on 13th while the 14th produced a summer plumaged Black Tern at Porthcawl, along with 307 Manx Shearwaters, four European Storm Petrels, ten Northern Gannets, five Northern Fulmars, to Black-legged Kittiwakes and eight Common Scoter. The 15th produced a Honey Buzzard near the usual breeding area. On the 16th, the sun shone and North Gower was the place to be with two newly arrived Ruddy Shelduck present at Wernffrwd. Also present were fifty Little Egrets, six Mediterranean Gull, twenty Dunlin, 735 Eurasian Curlew, 1050 European Oystercatcher, thirteen Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwit and a Peregrine. A Black-tailed Godwit and two Dunlin were at Kenfig Pool. The 18th produced a Grasshopper Warbler and a Whinchat at Caerau, Maesteg and a Blackcap and tow Great Spotted Woodpeckers were early migrants at Kenfig Pool. On the 19th, a Common Cuckoo was at Colwinston near Bridgend, along with several Yellowhammers. A family party of Barn Owls were at Llanilid and a Yellow-legged Gull was at Crofty. Two Common Greenshank and 23 Common Sandpiper were at Penclawdd. A further eleven Common Sandpipers and ten Sand Martins were at Kenfig Pool. On the 20th, twelve Common Eider were back at Whitford NNR and a Green Sandpiper was at Llanilid. The 21st produced a Black Tern at Porthcawl, along with 107 Manx Shearwaters and the 22nd saw another Green Sandpiper at Ogmore Estuary and three Dunlin at Kenfig Pool, while three Little Egrets were in Cardiff Bay. On the 23rd, four European Nightjars were near Swansea and 33 Mediterranean Gulls were at Blackpill. Eleven Common Sandpipers and two Dunlin were at Ogmore Estuary. The 24th produced family parties of Red-billed Chough at Nash Point and nearby Southerndown and 56 Eurasian Curlews at Porthcawl. On the 25th, single Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin and Common Sandpiper were at Kenfig Pool, where Tufted Duck numbers had risen to 29 and Common Pochard to fourteen. Sea watching at Port Eynon produced forty European Storm Petrels in two hours on 26th. The 27th produced a Mediterranean Gull bonanza with 116 counted in Swansea Bay including 83 at Blackpill alone! Also there were seven Whimbrel and a Common Tern, while the adult Yellow-legged Gull was again at Loughor Bridge. Eleven European Storm Petrels and 61 Manx Shearwaters went past Porthcawl, a Honey Buzzard was at an unnamed location and 48 Common Ravens were at Mynydd Eglwysilian. On the 29th, a Eurasian Hobby and a fall of Spotted Flycatchers and Willow Warblers were at Llanilid and a Northern Wheatear was at Kenfig Pool. The 30th saw two Common Crossbills over Penylan, Cardiff and a Little Egret, Kingfisher and Sandwich Tern were in Cardiff Bay. A Coal Tit and Great Spotted Woodpecker at Kenfig Pool were early passerine migrants. On the 31st, a churring Eurasian Nightjar was an unusually late singer at Llanwonno Forest, while two Common Sandpipers were at Kenfig Pool, where passerines included two Lesser Whitethroats, Garden Warbler and four Sedge Warblers.