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.