JUNE 2007

June started very quietly as Neil took a couple of days off from guiding to complete the 2008 brochure. A Common Cuckoo was at Kenfig Pool on 3rd and a pair of Tufted Ducks was a new arrival there the same day. On the 4th, eight Cetti’s Warblers ten Sanderling and fourteen Grey Herons were at Kenfig Rivermouth. The 5th saw a very elusive singing Golden Oriole arrive at Kenfig Pool and a Turtle Dove was at Cosmeston Lakes. Today also produced a very showy male Eurasian Nightjar at Ogmore Forest, where there were also seven Lesser Redpolls and seven Tree Pipits in display flights. On the 6th, the Golden Oriole was heard but not seen at Kenfig Pool, where a lesser Whitethroat was feeding young. Pairs of Grey Partridges were seen at both Lan and Tyn-y-Caeau Farms. On the 7th, Dartford Warblers were showing well at the usual site and a couple of male Yellowhammers were also present there. A Common Cuckoo and Common Redstart were at Gelligaer and a Dipper was in Bridgend Town Centre. On the 8th, glorious weather at Worms Head produced fantastic views of a pod of fifteen Common Dolphins, 100 Manx Shearwaters and large numbers of Northern Gannets, Common Guillemots and Razorbills, as well as a couple of Northern Fulmars, Black-legged Kittiwakes and Atlantic Grey Seals. Back on land, a pair of Red-billed Chough were at Pennard, while a woodland walk in Clydach produced fantastic views of a pair of Pied Flycatchers, a Wood Warbler gathering food, a male Common Redstart and a very active Spotted Flycatcher. A Honey Buzzard at the usual site on the 9th was the highlight, but three Red Kites were also there. A new Little Ringed Plover nest was found at Llanilid. An Osprey was a very late migrant at Kenfig Pool on 10th, but was soon chased off by a flock of gulls. The 11th saw pairs of Grey Partridges at Tyn-y-Caeau and Lan Farms, as well as good numbers of Yellowhammers and Linnets, while four Tree Sparrows and a Little Owl were at The Monktons Farm. Two Little Ringed Plovers were at Llanilid and a Red Kite was over Penarth. On the 12th, sea watching produced 100 Manx Shearwaters, two Razorbills, five Northern Gannets and two Black-headed Gulls off Porthcawl, while Kenfig Rivermouth held a Little, a Common and nine Sandwich Terns, a breeding plumaged Mediterranean Gull, a Common Cuckoo and nine Sanderling. A Northern Goshawk was at the usual raptor watch point. Two Eurasian Hobbies were at Bonvilston on 13th when 400 Manx Shearwaters were off Porthcawl. On the 15th, an Egyptian Goose was on the River Neath, while on the 17th, seven Red-billed Choughs near Bridgend included four newly fledged juveniles – terrific news! Over 500 Common Swifts were in Cardiff Bay on 18th and breeding pairs of Common Redstarts and Pied Flycatchers were at Parc Cwm Darren in Caerphilly. On the 19th, fifty Manx Shearwaters, five European Storm Petrels, two Northern Fulmars and three Northern Gannets were all seen close inshore off Porthcawl, despite the wind coming from the NE which is offshore there! An excellent count of 2500 Common Swifts were at Aberthaw Power Station on 20th, a Little Tern was again at Kenfig Sands, where three Northern Gannets, a Northern Fulmar, eleven European Storm Petrels and 130 Manx Shearwaters. A Eurasian Hobby was at Coychurch, Bridgend. Sea watching was again the main focus on 21st when 225 Manx Shearwaters and seven European Storm Petrels were the highlights of a short morning stint at the shelter. On the 22nd, a female Common Redstart at Lan Farm was most unexpected, while three Grey Partridges were at Tyn-y- Caeau Farm. On the 23rd 214 Black-legged Kittiwakes were at the colony on Swansea Pier including 103 chicks. Surprisingly, a Common Tern was also there. A Sandwich Tern was at Kenfig Sands, an unseasonal female Merlin was in the north of the county and good numbers of Whinchat were found during a breeding survey. A Common Cuckoo was at Llanilid on 24th during another day of heavy rain. Yet more rain on 25th produced 1000 Common Swifts and 100 House Martins in Cardiff Bay, as well a two returning Black-headed Gulls. Twenty four European Storm Petrels and 62 Manx Shearwaters were off Porthcawl and a European Storm Petrel and a Northern Fulmar were at Sker Point. More sea watching on 27th produced seven European Storm Petrels, forty Manx Shearwaters and four Northern Gannets off Porthcawl and a Common Redshank was on the east pool shore at Kenfig, where a Dartford Warbler was in the west pool. A Sandwich Tern was in Cardiff Bay and three Common Sandpipers were back at Ogmore Estuary. Bird of the day though was a Eurasian Hobby watched for fifteen minutes at a suspected breeding site in the Vale of Glamorgan. On the 28th, further signs of the coming autumn were noted with two Little Ringed Plovers at Ogmore Estuary and a Sandwich Tern was again in Cardiff Bay. Fifteen Manx Shearwaters were off Porthcawl. Sea watching on 29th produced six European Storm Petrels, four Common Scoter, a Common Guillemot, ten Northern Gannets and 350 Manx Shearwaters off Porthcawl. The 30th produced five Little Egrets at Ogmore Estuary and twelve Common Scoters off Porthcawl.