1ST - 3RD FEBRURY 2008

FEBRUARY began quietly with a Hen Harrier in Maesteg and 45 Eurasian Siskin at Tonypandy the only records of note on the 1st. Hafod Farm had seven Common Crossbills and a pair of Northern Ravens as well as good numbers of Coal Tits. Two Yellowhammers and two Lesser Redpoll were good records for northern Cardiff and a Brambling was again in the city centre. On the 2nd Whiteford NNR produced four Slavonian Grebes, eleven Common Eider, nine Red-breasted Merganser, a female Merlin and flocks of Dark-bellied Brent Geese, Northern Pintail, Red Knot, Common Redshank, Common Teal, Common Shelduck, Eurasian Curlew and two Grey Plover. Three Short –eared and a Tawny Owl were at Llanilid, while a stunning male Hen Harrier and a Green Sandpiper were at Llanrhidian Marsh and at least 500 European Golden Plover and the same number of Northern Lapwing were at Oldwalls, North Gower. The Spotted Sandpiper was again at Lisvane Reservoir, three Red Kites were at Abernant Tip, three Green Sandpipers were at St Mellons, Cardiff, a Firecrest and four Brambling were in the city centre and four Hawfinches were again at Tair Onnen. Six Goosander were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. A very windy day on the 3rd saw a Black-throated and three Red-throated Divers off Porthcawl Sea Front, along with a Common Guillemot, while seven Purple Sandpipers, a Peregrine and a European Shag were at Ogmore-by-Sea. A Little Egret and a Northern Goshawk were at The Watermill Flood, two pairs of Goosander and fifteen Gadwall were on the river and a Great Bittern and six Common Goldeneye were at Kenfig Pool. A male Blackcap, 150 Redwing and five Brambling were in Bute Park, Cardiff and the Spotted Sandpiper was at Lisvane Reservoir.