17TH - 23RD SEPTEMBER 2007

On the 17th, two Lesser Redpoll, four Reed Warblers and a Sedge Warbler were at Kenfig Pool. A glorious day on the 18th produced ten Siskin, a male Merlin, a Common Whitethroat and Reed Warbler were at Kenfig Pool. A Little Egret and 25 Yellow Wagtails were at Rhymney Great Wharf. With strong winds on the 19th sea watching was the only option and at Nash Point both Great and Arctic Skuas were recorded along with a breeding plumaged Great Northern Diver. Kenfig Sands produced forty Common Scoter, two Common Guillemot, four Manx Shearwaters and five Black-legged Kittiwakes. Seventy Sandwich Tern, six Common and an Arctic Tern were at Loughor Estuary. More gales on 20th meant sea watching was again the order of the day and the results were excellent. Port Eynon produced five Arctic, a Great and a Pomarine Skua, a Balearic Shearwater, 36 Northern Gannet, 51 Black-legged Kittiwakes, three Manx Shearwater and small numbers of Common Guillemot Sandwich Tern and Razorbill. A juvenile Sabine’s Gull was off Kenfig Sands among with four Arctic Terns and an Arctic Skua and a further three Arctic Terns were at Porthcawl. An adult Mediterranean Gull was at Kenfig Pool, while eight Bar-tailed Godwit, 165 Northern Pintail, 62 Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern were at Dalton’s Point, North Gower. The 21st produced two Sooty Shearwaters close in at Port Eynon, along with two Great and two Arctic Skuas, two European Storm Petrels, Red-throated Diver and an Arctic Tern. Another Arctic Skua, four Bar-tailed Godwits and seven Red Knot were at Kenfig Sands and two Bar-tailed Godwits and an Arctic Tern were at Ogmore Estuary. A Leach’s Petrel was the highlight at Porthcawl, where three Mediterranean Gulls, twelve Arctic Terns and eight Manx Shearwaters were also present. On a good day for raptors, a Honey Buzzard and a Eurasian Hobby went south over Swansea, a Hen Harrier was at Llanilid and a Peregrine was at Kenfig Pool. Overnight rain on 22nd finally produced a fall of warblers at Kenfig Pool with single Garden Warbler, Common Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler present along with 31 Common Chiffchaff, 25 Blackcap and also an Arctic Tern was over the pool. At Loughor Bridge, there were 123 Sandwich, one Black, three Arctic and two Common Terns and the adult Yellow-legged Gull. The Arctic Tern remained at Kenfig Pool on 23rd, where there was also a female Northern Pintail. A Ring Ouzel was near Caerphilly and sixty Red Knot and 24 European Golden Plover were at Sker.