20TH - 31ST AUGUST 2007

Torrential rain again on 20th produced two Common Sandpipers, a Tree Pipit, Garden Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat of note at Kenfig Pool and six Common Sandpipers and a Gadwall were at Ogmore Estuary. Sea watching produced three Little Gulls, an Arctic Skua, three Arctic, three Common and three Sandwich Terns in Swansea Bay, where there were also 49 Mediterranean Gulls, 1325 European Oystercatchers, 35 Dunlin, 33 Sanderling, twelve Red Knot, 212 Ringed Plover and 248 Black-legged Kittiwakes remained at the colony on Mumbles Pier. On a busy day of passage the 22nd saw a Wryneck at Aberthaw Marsh, though it was a skulking bird and showed only briefly. A Marsh Harrier was at Kenfig Pool along with four Tree Pipits, two Yellow Wagtails, sixteen Common Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, seven Sedge Warblers and five Northern Wheatears. At Sker, five Red Knot were new in and a Whinchat posed beautifully amongst a family of Stonechats. Eight Common Redshanks flew in off the sea there and a Sandwich Tern roosted on the rocks. On the 23rd, a Common Greenshank and seven Northern Wheatears were at Aberthaw Marsh. A Pied Flycatcher was an excellent find at Kenfig Pool where there was also a Spotted Flycatcher. On the 24th, a Ring Ouzel was in a Cardiff garden and a Whinchat was at Lavernock Point. A Common Greenshank and five Common Sandpiper were at Kenfig Pool, where eleven Common teal and a Northern Shoveler were on the pool. Six Common Crossbills were in Maesteg and three site firsts were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm with two Yellow Wagtails and single Tree Pipit and Lesser Whitethroat recorded. On the 26th, a Common Greenshank, Whinchat, Common Redstart, three Little Ringed Plovers and five Spotted Flycatchers were at Llanilid and a Northern Goshawk was at Parc Slip. A Little Owl and Yellow Wagtail were at Sker Farm. Four Yellow Wagtails and three Common Sandpipers were at Ogmore Estuary and four Whinchat were at Nash Point. The 27th produced some good birds at Kenfig Pool, where single Spotted Redshank and Green Sandpiper were the pick of the shorebirds, a Black-necked Grebe was on the pool, along with 20 Common Teal, five Northern Shoveler and a drake Gadwall while a large female Peregrine, and unusually, a juvenile Northern Goshawk provided the raptor entertainment. A Whinchat and twelve Ringed Plover were at Sker and eleven Grey Partridges were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm. In the evening, a Eurasian Spoonbill, nine Eurasian Wigeon and two Ospreys at Wernffrwd rounded off an excellent day. The 28th was much quieter with two Yellow Wagtails and two Sandwich Terns at Cardiff Bay and two Grey Wagtails at Kenfig Pool. The two Ospreys remained at Wernffrwd and a female Ruddy Duck was at Lamby Lake, Cardiff. Two Spotted Flycatcher, 150 Linnet and 22 Red-billed Chough were on South Gower. The Ospreys were again present at Wernffrwd on 29th and two Yellow and four Grey Wagtails were at Kenfig Pool. On the 30th, twenty Red Knot, four Northern Lapwing, three Bar-tailed Godwit and a Common Tern were at Sker. Two Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Greenshank were at Llanilid. The 31st brought a Northern Gannet and adult Mediterranean Gull to Sker and a Common Tern to Cosmeston Lakes. The two Ospreys remained at Wernffrwd.

CELTIC DEEPS PELAGIC 26TH AUGUST 2007

Here is the update from our 26th August Celtic Deeps Pelagic led by Paul Roberts. The conditions were superb throughout, but we would have hoped for just that little extra something special to put the icing on th cake to what was still a very enjoyable day:

Birds:
Fulmar - a few dozen, especially after chumming.
Manx Shearwater - hundreds, mainly between Grassholm and The Smalls on the outward journey.
Sooty Shearwater - 1 seen very well on the outward leg between Grassholm and The Smalls.
Storm Petrel - at least 10, all attracted to chum.
Gannet - 67,873 counted on Grassholm (honestly!), stunning close up views of the colony.
Shag - double figures in total, especially near Grassholm.
Kittiwake - dozens seen, plenty of young indicating a good breeding season?
Common Tern - 2.
Guillemot - plenty seen (100s in total) in rafts.
Razorbill - small numbers among the above.
and................. Sand Martin - 3 in the middle of nowhere!

Cetaceans:
Common Dolphin - several small groups on the way out, a bigger pod all around the boat while chumming on the way back.

Fish:
Ocean Sunfish - 3.

ISLES OF SCILLY PELAGICS 2007

Celtic Bird Tours Scillies Pelagic 2007: Photos by kind permission of Ben Geldenhuis

Here are a summary of birds and other aquatic life seen on three pelagics aboard the MV Sapphire of St. Mary’s and the outward and return trips between the Scillies and the main land on the MV Scillonian 17th - 20th August 2007.

10 Wilson’s Petrel amongst 500+ Storm Petrel
15 Great Skuas
1 Arctic Skua
2 Long-tailed Skuas (a 2nd/3rd year bird and a full adult)
12 Sooty Shearwaters
100+ Manx Shearwaters
8 Great Shearwaters
1 Mediterranean Gull
1 juv Puffin
2 Arctic Terns
Many Sandwich Terns and Common Terns
Large numbers of Gannet and Fulmar
Large numbers of Great Black- backed, Lesser Black-backed & Herring Gulls with small numbers of Black-headed Gulls.

37+ Basking Shark
1 Blue Shark (tagged)
50+ Common Dolphins
2 Harbour Porpoise
3 Sun Fish
1 Ling

In addition excellent views were had of a Semi-Palmated Sandpiper on Porth Hellick Pool.

For next years tour, it is now possible to book the pelagic only element of thre trip from 15th - 18th August 2008. Cost £375.00 plus £50.00 single room supplement.Places are already very limited especially in single rooms, so PLEASE BOOK EARLY to avoid disappointment

13TH - 19TH AUGUST 2007

Five Common Greenshank were at Llanilid on 13th and a mini arrival of birds at Kenfig Pool included a Ringed Plover, two Eurasian Curlews, a single Common Swift, 22 Willow Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat and six Reed and six Sedge Warblers. A drake Common Scoter, 22 Common Snipe, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Greenshank were at Rhymney Estuary. On the 14th, despite the torrential rain in the morning, an excellent count of 21 Red-billed Chough were at Overton South Gower and a further six along with five Northern Wheatears were at Ogmore-by-Sea. Another Northern Wheatear and an adult Mediterranean Gull were at Kenfig Pool. Sea watching off Porthcawl produced an excellent count of 58 European Storm Petrels, 45 Manx Shearwaters and a drake Common Scoter. More heavy rain on the 15th saw five Black-tailed Godwits and seven Reed Warblers at Kenfig Pool and the drake Common Scoter, two Mediterranean Gulls, two Whimbrel, two Northern Wheatears and a European Storm Petrel were at Porthcawl. Twenty Common Swifts and 150 House Martins and the drake Greater Scaup were at Ogmore Estuary. Eurasian Hobbies were seen on the 17th at Trowbridge, Cardiff and near Caerphilly and a Common Kingfisher was at Kenfig Pool. On the 18th, thirty Sand Martins were at Cosmeston Lake and forty Common Terns were in Cardiff bay – a good count for the site.

BRITISH BIRDWATCHING FAIR

I enjoyed my visit to the Birdfair enormously this year after being absent in 2006. It was wonderful to meet up with so many old friends and also to make quite a few new ones too. I hope that we will be able to establish new working relationships and look forward to announcing some exciting new tours over the next couple of years as a result of this.

6TH - 12TH AUGUST 2007

The 6th was a red letter day as Glamorgan’s first ever European Roller was found in the early afternoon at Bryn Farm, Llanmorlais, North Gower. The bird had apparently been present since last Thursday according to the local farmer. Five Lesser Whitethroats and a Garden Warbler remained at Kenfig Pool, where there were also a Coal Tit, six Sedge Warblers and five Reed Warblers and two Red Foxes. Two Hawfinches were the second very good find of the day at Lavernock Point, where there were also two Common Chiffchaff. A flock of eighty Stock Doves at St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan was an excellent count for Wales. The European Roller was again present at Bryn Farm on 7th, a Eurasian Hobby was in Cardiff and a Northern Wheatear was at Kenfig Pool on an otherwise quiet day for migrants. A glorious morning on the 8th produced the first Common Greenshank of the autumn at Kenfig Pool and Spotted Flycatchers were there and at Pant Norton, but there was no sign of the European Roller after clear skies overnight. A Eurasian Hobby was at Mynydd Eglwysilian and another was at Parc Slip, near Bridgend. More splendid weather on the 9th saw a small increase in migrant numbers at Kenfig Pool with three Common Redshanks, nine Sedge Warblers, six Reed Warblers, three Common Swifts and a Garden Warbler present. An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Dunraven. A quiet day at Kenfig on 10th with just a Common Snipe and Common Kingfisher of note and a moulting drake Greater Scaup and two Green Sandpipers were at Ogmore Estuary. A Pied Flycatcher and a Spotted Flycatcher were at Llanilid and three Lesser Whitethroats and a Tree Pipit were at Pant Norton. The 11th was again relatively quiet at Kenfig Pool, where five Lesser Whitethroats, a Tree Pipit and a Common Redshank were the highlights. Three Common Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, three Spotted Flycatcher and three Tree Pipits were at Llanilid. A Eurasian Hobby was at Broad Pool, Gower. On the 12th, the wader roost at Sker/Kenfig Sands included 118 European Oystercatchers, six Ruddy Turnstone, six Whimbrel, 34 Ringed Plover, four Dunlin, seven Sanderling, a Common Redshank and a Common Sandpiper, while Kenfig Pool had a Common Snipe on the east pool shore. The drake Greater Scaup was again at Ogmore Estuary and two Spotted Flycatchers were near Caerphilly .

ROLLER ON NORTH GOWER

This European Roller - the first for Glamorgan was found early afternoon on 6th August 2007 at Bryn Farm, Llanmorlais, North Gower and was still showing well at 19.15 this evening. Thanks to Barry Stewart for the pix!

1ST - 5TH AUGUST 2007

AUGUST began with a single European Storm Petrel and a Great Skua off Porthcawl on 1st and a Eurasian Hobby flew over the M4 at Pencoed. At Kenfig Pool, a female/juvenile aythya duck strongly resembling a Redhead was present, along with two Dunlins. Heavy rain on the 2nd produced four Lesser Whitethroats at Kenfig Pool, as well as the Redhead type, which has been identified as a juvenile. Two Little Owls were at Sker Farm. A Eurasian Hobby was at Parc Slip near Bridgend, while Wernffrwd had 1000 Eurasian Curlews, nine Whimbrel, 76 Little Egrets, thirty Mediterranean Gulls and four Yellow-legged Gulls. A Pied Flycatcher was at Pant Norton. On the 3rd, two Whinchat and a Pied Flycatcher were at Trethomas near Caerphilly. The bushes at Kenfig Pool were busier than of late with two Garden Warblers, 23 Common Whitethroat, 24 Willow Warblers, , seven Bullfinches, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Stock Dove. A female Common Teal was on the pool and the Redhead type juvenile remained, while Sker had 25 Ringed Plovers, 150 Sanderling, twelve Dunlin and nine Whimbrel. A Tree Pipit was at Pant Norton. More rain on the 4th produced eight Green Sandpipers and a Little Stint briefly at Llanilid, where there were also thirty Mistle Thrush, five Spotted Flycatchers and a very early European Golden Plover. Kenfig Pool had two Common Teal, a Grasshopper Warbler and three Lesser Whitethroat of note, but there was no sign of the Redhead type aythya duck despite sevreal people searching. On the 5th, Kenfig Pool had a fly over Little Egret, five Lesser Whitethroats, two Garden Warblers, a Kingfisher, seventy Barn Swallows and four Northern Shoveler were new in on the pool. Forty Ringed Plover, 38 Ruddy Turnstone and an adult Mediterranean Gull were at Gileston.