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.