24TH - 31ST DECEMBER 2007

The Spotted Sandpiper was still at Lisvane Reservoir on the 24th, an adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Cosmeston Lakes and a pair of Willow Tits were at Llwyn On Reservoir. The first winter Little Gull and six Little Egrets were at Gileston. Christmas Day and the Spotted Sandpiper was again present at Lisvane Reservoir, while 100 Sanderling were on Aberavon Beach. A pair of Greater Scaup were at Cosmeston Lakes and a Short-eared Owl was again at Llanilid. On the 26th, two male Blackcaps were in a Cardiff garden, four Grey Plover and five Mediterranean Gulls were at Porthcawl. A Short-eared Owl was again at Llanilid, nineteen Northern Fulmar and seven Red-billed Chough were at Nash Point. The Spotted Sandpiper was at Lisvane Reservoir and a Great Bittern was at Kenfig Pool. On the 27th an amazing count of 24 Purple Sandpiper were at Ogmore-by-Sea, a Mediterranean Gull and second winter Yellow-legged Gull were at Lisvane Reservoir and six Green Sandpiper and a Little Owl were at Pendoylan and a two Great Bittern, a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Jack Snipe were at Kenfig Pool. On the 28th a Firecrest was in Pant Norton, two Great Bittern and four adult Mediterranean Gulls were at Kenfig Pool and the Spotted Sandpiper was at Lisvane Reservoir. A Dipper was in Bridgend town centre and an excellent count of 1094 Northern Lapwing were near Lan Farm. A Short-eared Owl and a Black-tailed Godwit were at Lamby Way. A further two hundred Northern Lapwing were at The Watermill Flood. Two Greater Scaup were at Cosmeston Lakes on 29th and a Green Sandpiper was near Caerphilly. Fifteen Common Crossbill, two Peregrine, a Northern Goshawk and Red Kite were all near Maesteg and 102 Sky Larks, 55 Stock Dove and ten Red-legged Partridge were at Laleston near Bridgend. Another Northern Goshawk was at Llantrisant Forest along with 100 Brambling and a male Hen Harrier was at Llanrhidian Marsh. On the 30th, the Spotted Sandpiper was again present at Lisvane Reservoir, while Kenfig Pool had a female Merlin and a first winter Black-legged Kittiwake and two Common Scoter, two Purple Sandpiper and seven Red Knot were offshore at Kenfig Sands. At least 1000 Brambling were again at Tair Onnen and a Great Grey Shrike and five Common Crossbill were at Perthcelyn. Two Short-eared Owls were at Llanilid and a Firecrest and Dartford Warbler were at Pant Norton. New Years Eve and the final day of the year brought some excellent birding with Whitford NNR producing 37 Common Eider, eight Slavonian Grebe, five Red-breasted Merganser and the usual thousands of Red Knot, Grey Plover, Dunlin, Common Redshank and Eurasian Curlew. Male Hen Harriers were at Cwm Ivy and Llanrhidian and a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was in Bute Park, Cardiff. A Merlin and two Red Kite were at Merthyr Common and an amazing count of 200 Coal Tits were in Llantrisant Forest. Another Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Margam Park and two Greater Scaup were again at Cosmeston Lakes. Another five Common Eider were at Rhymney Estuary and two Willow Tit were at Tir Founder Fields.

Finally, I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who travelled with CELTIC BIRD TOURS in 2007 - we've seen some amazing birds and enjoyed some fabulus travel experiences and I look forward to many ore in 2008. Happy New Year and Good Birding to you all.

17TH - 23RD DECEMBER 2007

A hard frost on 17th saw a Common Greenshank at Penclawdd and a mini influx of wildfowl at Kenfig Pool included 34 Eurasian Wigeon, 53 Northern Shoveler, 36 Common Teal and a Siberian Chiffchaff. A Black Redstart was again at Swansea University and two Green Sandpipers and six Water Rail were at Hendre Lake. On the 18th a Great Bittern, Firecrest and female Goosander were at Kenfig Pool. Two Slavonian Grebe, 330 Common Shelduck, 1040 Northern Pintail, 80 Northern Shoveler, nine Greater Scaup were at Wernffrwd and a Common Sandpiper was at Penclawdd Pill. Freezing again on the 19th and a female Merlin, three European Sparrowhawk, a drake Goosander, six Gadwall, two Yellowhammer and a Great Bittern were at Kenfig Pool. A Black Redstart was at Cardiff University, a Jack Snipe at Rhymney Estuary and a Short-eared Owl was at nearby Newton Farm, while thirty two Common Goldeneye were at Ogmore Estuary. On the 20th, the Spotted Sandpiper was still at Lisvane Reservoir and several hundred Brambling were again at Tair Onnen. A Dark-bellied Brent Goose was at Kenfig Pool. On the 21st a Jack Snipe was at Kenfig Pool, along with a Peregrine, 44 Eurasian Wigeon, eleven Gadwall, a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Ruddy Turnstone. A hundred and thirty Common Teal were at The Watermill Flood. The 22nd produced a Great Bittern at Cosmeston Lakes, along with a drake Greater Scaup, 370 Common Pochard and 165 Tufted Duck. Eight Brambling were at Llantrisant Forest and six Tree Sparrows were at Newton Farm, Gower. A first winter Little Gull was at Gileston and three Dark-bellied Brent Geese were at Newton Beach, Porthcawl. On the 23rd, two Barn Owls were at St Athan and a Peregrine and two hundred Redwing were in Bridgend. The Spotted Sandpiper was again at Lisvane Reservoir and two Hawfinch were at Tair Onnen. Two Short-eared and a Barn Owl were at Llanilid at dusk.

10TH - 16TH DECEMBER 2007

A glorious day on the 10th produced a Great Bittern, Peregrine, 28 Fieldfare, forty Common Snipe, a Common Kingfisher, a Brown Hare and a Common Redshank at Kenfig Pool. An amazing count of 500 Brambling were at Tair Onnen near Cardiff, a Firecrest was at Pant Norton and a Dartford Warbler and Black Redstart, two drake Common Scoter, three Great Northern Diver and thirty Mediterranean Gull were at Mumbles. A Hen Harrier was at Mynydd Margam and two Greater Scaup were at Cosmeston Lakes. A cold and frosty day on the 11th produced two Barn Owls at Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff and a Eurasian Woodcock at Tondu, Bridgend. Another Eurasian Woodcock was at Candleston, where five Common Chiffchaff were also present. A Hawfinch and an amazing count of 1000 Brambling were at Tair Onnen and the Spotted Sandpiper was again at Lisvane Reservoir. Two Black Redstarts were at Swansea University. A Barn Swallow at Nash Point on the 12th was a very late record. Two Hen Harriers were at Llanrhidian Marsh, while Kenfig Pool was busy with four Great Bittern, three Peregrine, a female Merlin, a Eurasian Woodcock, eighteen Eurasian Wigeon and a Brown Hare. Another cold day on the 13th saw a Yellow-browed Warbler in the southern bushes at Kenfig Pool, alongside a Siberian Chiffchaff and a Great Bittern was in the west pool. A Northern Goshawk was near Bridgend and the Black Redstart was again in Swansea Marina. A Water Pipit was at Llwyn On Reservoir near Merthyr Tydfil. On the 14th, a Siberian Chiffchaff and Yellow-browed Warbler were again at Kenfig Pool, while Rhymney Estuary had a Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 400 Dunlin, 36 Grey Plover, 185 Northern Pintail, 360 Common Shelduck and 145 Eurasian Curlew of note. The Spotted Sandpiper was at Lisvane Reservoir and a first winter male Black Redstart was at Gileston. Three Green Sandpipers were at Ogmore Estuary and 500 Brambling were again at Tair Onnen. On the 15th, the Black Redstart was again at Gileston and a Short-eared Owl was again at Kenfig Pool. Sadly, the Humpbacked Whale was found dead on the beach at Aberavon. A bitterly cold day on the 16th found the Black Redstart again at Gileston, the Spotted Sandpiper at Lisvane Reservoir, the drake Red Crested Pochard in St Bride’s Major and two Water Pipits at Llwyn On Reservoir. Two Eurasian Woodcock were at Norton Woods, Ogmore Estuary, another was at nearby Candleston and nine Tree Sparrow, a Green Sandpiper and four Grey Plover were at Newton Farm, Gower. Two Hawfinch were at Tair Onnen.

1ST - 9TH DECEMBER 2007

DECEMBER began with really poor weather. The two Siberian Chiffchaffs were again at Kenfig Pool, where three Ruddy Turnstone were an unusual record on the east pool shore and a Great Bittern was in the south pool. Forty Brambling were near Merthyr Tydfil and the Spotted Sandpiper remains at Lisvane Reservoir. The awful weather continued on the 2nd when a Jack Snipe was near Caerphilly and an adult Mediterranean Gull was in Cardiff Bay. Five Little Egret, 29 Common Teal and two Dark-bellied Brent Geese were at Ogmore Estuary. A Great Northern and two Red-throated Divers, as well as an Mediterranean Gull were at Porthcawl. Three Hen Harriers and 100+ Dark-bellied Brent Geese were at Llanrhidian Marsh. On the 3rd, a Water Pipit flew south at Kenfig Pool, but could not be relocated, and 357 European Oystercatchers were at Kenfig Sands. A Short-eared Owl was at Nash Point and the Spotted Sandpiper was again at Lisvane Reservoir. Excellent counts of 129 Mute Swan, 24 Little Grebe and 45 Great Cormorant were at Roath Park Lake in Cardiff, where there was also a drake Gadwall and fifty Redwing. On the 4th, a Black Redstart was again at Swansea Marina and a Great Bittern, drake Northern Pintail and a Ruddy Turnstone were at Kenfig Pool. More poor weather on the 5th, though a very impressive mixed flock of up to a thousand Chaffinches and 100 Brambling were at Margam Park. A Peregrine and ten Black-legged Kittiwake were off Kenfig Sands. After a washout on the previous day, a wild but dry day on the 7th produced two Great Bittern at Kenfig Pool, along with forty Common Snipe and two Red-throated Divers and 22 Red Knot were at Kenfig Sands. A Great Northern Diver was at Mumbles and a first winter Mediterranean Gull was at Ogmore Estuary. The Spotted Sandpiper was at Lisvane Reservoir and eight Tree Sparrows were at Newton Farm, Gower. Another foul day on the 8th produced an amazing record of a Humpbacked Whale off Mumbles Head, Swansea – it has apparently been present since the 5th and has been seen very close inshore. A Great Northern Diver was also present there and a Firecrest was at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. The Spotted Sandpiper was at Lisvane Reservoir along with the first Red-breasted Merganser for the site since 1988. More appalling weather on the 9th and the Humpbacked Whale was again at Mumbles in the morning along with two Great Northern Divers and a Peregrine. A female Greater Scaup was at Kenfig Pool and the Spotted Sandpiper and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were at Lisvane Reservoir. A male Hen Harrier was at Loughor Bridge.

26TH - 30TH NOVEMBER 2007

A ringtail Hen Harrier was again at Llanrhidian Marsh on 26th and two Siberian Chiffchaff and a Brown Hare were at Kenfig Pool. A Eurasian Woodcock was at Mynydd Eglwysilian. On the 27th, a Great Bittern was a surprise find in the small reed bed at Hensol Lake, 3000 Wood Pigeon and 24 Stock Dove, 100 Chaffinch and two Brambling were at Lavernock Point. On the 28th, two Firecrest were at Pant Norton and a Ring-necked Parakeet was at Cosmeston Lakes. A mixed flock of 200 Chaffinch and 150 Brambling were at a Beech Wood near Mountain Ash. On the 29th five Red-throated Divers, 270 European Golden Plover, a Purple Sandpiper, 33 Red Knot, six Common Guillemot and three Common Scoter were at Sker and a drake Northern Pintail and five Common Goldeneye were on Kenfig Pool. A female Merlin was in the southern dunes there, a Great Bittern was in the north pool and a Dartford Warbler was on the east pool shore. A Ring Ouzel was a very late migrant at Lavernock Point, where there was also a Brambling and a Ring-necked Parakeet. Seventeen Purple Sandpipers, a drake Red Crested Pochard, Green Sandpiper and two Firecrest were again in the vicinity of Ogmore Estuary. A wet and windy day on 30th saw a Whooper Swan; the only one of the autumn so far, flying west at Rhymney Great Wharf. Also present were 250 Common Shelduck, 350 Northern Pintail, 300 Dunlin, 65 Red Knot, 32 Grey Plover and 230 Eurasian Curlew. The Spotted Sandpiper was again at Lisvane Reservoir and eleven Dark-bellied Brent Geese and thirty Ruddy Turnstone were on Newton Beach, Porthcawl.