26TH - 31ST MAY 2008

More terrible weather on the 26th still managed to produce a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker in North Cardiff and a few Manx Shearwaters and Northern Gannets off Porthcawl. A better day on the 27th produced four Honey Buzzards in the breeding area. Appalling weather on the 28th produced a Common Cuckoo near the M4. Blue skies and warm weather on the 29th saw two Honey Buzzard, a male Northern Goshawk and a Red Kite in the known breeding area, and on a very good day for raptors, a Eurasian Hobby was at Overton, Gower. On the 30th, a fully winter plumaged Red-throated Diver was off Porthcawl Sea Front and a Eurasian Hobby and Common Cuckoo were at Kenfig Pool. A Turtle Dove was at Blaen-y-Cwm. On the 31st, Eurasian Nightjars were present in Ogmore Forest and Maesteg, Common Cuckoos were at Kenfig Pool and Penarth and a Spotted Flycatcher was at Aberthaw Marsh.

19TH - 25TH MAY 2008

On the 19th, a Eurasian Hobby was at Kenfig Pool, five Wood Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher were at Glyncornel, Rhondda and a Wood Warbler and a Common Cuckoo were at Maesteg. Two Spotted Flycatchers were at Wenvoe near Cardiff. On the 20th, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was at Pontardawe and fifty Common Crossbills were at Resolven.The 21st produced a Eurasian Hobby again at Kenfig Pool and five Northern Gannet and four Sandwich Terns were at Sker. On the 22nd, six Manx Shearwaters were off Kenfig Sands and a Common Cuckoo was at Kenfig Pool. A pair of Tree Pipit, Common Redstart and a Spotted Flycatcher were at Coed-y-Bedw, Cardiff. Two Grey Partridge and a pair of Yellowhammer were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm. A warm day on the 23rd saw a Cattle Egret at Miskin, while thirteen Northern Gannet and nine Manx Shearwater were off Kenfig Sands and ten Sanderling, thirty Ringed Plover and nine Dunlin were on the beach. A Eurasian Hobby was again at Kenfig Pool and two Turtle Doves were at Kilenny Moor, Gower. On the 24th, two European Storm Petrel were off Port Eynon Point and 32 Manx Shearwater were off Kenfig Sands. Really poor weather on 25th saw an Arctic Skua, a European Storm Petrel, four hundred Manx Shearwater, three Arctic Terns and five Sandwich Terns were off Porthcawl Sea Front.

NORTHERN CYPRUS

OUR inaugural NORTHERN CYPRUS tour from 24TH APRIL – 4TH MAY 2008 produced 132 species during an excellent migration. The trip got off to a flying start as six Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters were found among a flock of 300 European Bee-eaters on the first day; fantastic and a record count of this species for the island!! Also present during that huge fall were fourteen Lesser Grey Shrikes, Bimaculated Lark, Black Francolin, Isabelline Shrike, Pallid Harrier, Wryneck and both Cyprus Pied Wheatear and Cyprus Warbler. We went on to see further Bimaculated Larks, as well as other interesting migrants such as European Scops Owl, Eleonora’s Falcons, 50+European Roller, Spectacled Warblers, Isabelline Wheatear, a male Citrine Wagtail, Glossy Ibis, Purple and Squacco Herons, Temminck’s and Little Stints, Spur-winged Plover, Wood Sandpipers, Stone Curlew, Greater Short-toed Larks, Water Pipit, Golden Oriole, Red-footed Falcon, Blue Rock Thrush, Booted Eagle, Lesser Kestrel, Great Reed Warbler, Black-headed, Cretzschmar’s and Ortolan Buntings, Chukar and large numbers of commoner migrants such as Common Redstart, Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike, Spotted Flycatcher, Alpine Swift and Turtle Doves, as well as a large variety of butterflies and wild flowers. We will be visiting this marvellous destination again from 22ND APRIL – 2ND MAY 2009 and would advise early booking to avoid disappointment.

12TH - 18TH MAY 2008

On the 12th, the Whiskered Tern was again present at Kenfig Pool, along with a very late pair of Gadwall and a pair of Common Pochard. The Ring-billed Gull was again at Lamby Way Lake and the first two Eurasian Nightjars were in at Llanwonno. A Eurasian Hobby was again in Maesteg. On the 13th, a Eurasian Wigeon and a European Golden Plover were at Kenfig Pool, a Great Skua was at Blaen-y-Cwm, a Common Cuckoo was in the Neath Valley and a Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler were at Miskin. The 14th produced a drake Garganey at Cosmeston Lakes and three Arctic and four Sandwich Terns were offshore at Kenfig Sands, where there were also two Grey Plover, 28 Sanderling, nineteen Dunlin and 26 Ringed Plover. A Common Cuckoo was at Kenfig Pool. The first rain for a few weeks on the 15th saw a Wood Warbler present in Coed-y-Bedw, Cardiff, 500 Common Swift and 300 House Martin in Cardiff Bay and seven Common Terns at Kenfig Pool. Counts of singing migrants at Kenfig Pool on the 16th included 54 Willow Warbler, 45 Common Whitethroat, fourteen Reed Warbler, ten Sedge Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat and nine Blackcaps. The only news on the 17th was of a Common Greenshank and six Common Sandpipers at Llanilid and a Sandwich Tern and two Northern Gannet at Port Talbot Harbour. The 18th produced a rather elusive Golden Oriole at Westmoor on North Gower and a Honey Buzzard was seen coming in off the sea at Cardiff Bay. Three Spotted Flycatchers were in Cwn Clydach.

5TH - 11TH MAY 2008

The 5th saw the Whiskered Tern again present at Kenfig Pool, along with a Black-tailed Godwit and a Eurasian Hobby. Eurasian Hobbies were also in Maesteg and Cardiff. Two Pied Flycatchers, a Wood Warbler and a Grasshopper Warbler were at Cwm Clydach. On the 6th, the Short-eared Owl was again at Kenfig Pool along with a male Whinchat and at least five Spotted Flycatchers. Two Turtle Doves were seen in flight at the Rhymney Estuary, Cardiff. A Eurasian Hobby was in Barry and a Yellow Wagtail and a Red Kite were at Lavernock Point. A first summer Little Gull and a similarly aged Mediterranean Gull were in Cardiff Bay and two Common Redstart and a Garden Warbler were at Lliw Reservoir, Swansea. On the 7th a single Dark-bellied Brent Goose remained at Woebly, North Gower, where there were also 293 Dunlin, a Common Greenshank, 24 Northern Wheatear and 24 Ringed Plover. Two very showy Little Terns were off Kenfig Sands, along with two Manx Shearwaters, four Common Scoter and eight Common Terns. A Common Cuckoo and three Grasshopper Warblers were in Maesteg. The 8th produced another new bird for the county when a Greater Short-toed Lark was found in the afternoon between Sker Point and Kenfig River mouth – superb! Eight Black Terns were also over Kenfig Pool on another red letter day for the reserve. A Common Cuckoo was in Pencoed, two Red-billed Chough at Ogmore-by-Sea and a Red Kite near Bridgend. On the 9th, the Greater Short-toed Lark and a Short-eared Owl were again at Kenfig Pool, along with a Eurasian Hobby and ten Dunlin. A Turtle Dove was in Crofty, Gower with another at Mewslade, Gower and a male Pied Flycatcher was in Cardiff. One Little, nineteen Common and six Arctic Terns were on the Loughor Estuary and another Eurasian Hobby was in North Cardiff. A Common Cuckoo, Lesser Whitethroat and Whinchat were at Dunraven Walled Garden and a Grey Plover was at Ogmore Estuary. A Sanderling was a good find inland at Llanilid. On the 10th, the Greater Short-toed Lark was again present at Sker and another Turtle Dove was on Gower; this time at Rhossilli. The first Honey Buzzards were in and a Eurasian Hobby was at the same site and nearby two Pied Flycatcher and two Spotted Flycatcher were in the Neath Valley. On the 11th, a Whiskered Tern was again at Kenfig Pool, along with a Yellow Wagtail.

EXTREMADURA 19TH - 25TH APRIL 2008

EXTREMADURA this year produced some exceptional birding despite some of the most mixed weather we have ever experienced in Spain in April! Fantastic views of Black-shouldered Kite, Spanish Imperial Eagle, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Great and Little Bustards, Pin-tailed and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Black Wheatear, Orphean and Spectacled Warblers were among the main highlights, while remarkable numbers of Golden, Short-toed and Booted Eagles, Montagu’s Harriers, Lesser Kestrels and Black Storks were noted, including several that drifted over the hotel while the group was enjoying an end of day drink in the courtyard; it doesn’t get much better than that! A fine supporting cast of Egyptian Vultures, European Bee-eaters, European Roller, Pallid and Alpine Swifts, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting, Collared Pratincole, Savi’s and Great Reed Warblers, Purple Heron, Red-rumped Swallow, European Serin, Little Bittern, Purple Swamp-hen and Gull-billed and Whiskered Terns in a total of 129 species. We also enjoyed a fine selection of flowers and butterflies including the Spanish Festoon photographed by our leader Paul Roberts during our stay. Our superb little hotel again pulled out all of the stops to ensure maximum enjoyment including plentiful supplies of free wine during superb home cooked dinners and excellent packed lunches and a selection of fine liqueurs. We will be returning from 25TH APRIL - 1ST MAY 2009 and can currently take advance bookings if you wish to secure your place in advance of our brochure being published.

1ST - 4TH MAY 2008

MAY 1ST saw the Black-winged Stilt again at Kenfig Pool, along with a fly over Curlew Sandpiper, three Black and a Little Tern were at Aberthaw Marsh and a Yellow Wagtail at Lisvane Reservoir, but there was no sign of the long staying Spotted Sandpiper. A Common Cuckoo and a Common Redstart were in Oxwich Marsh and ten Pale-bellied Brent Goose, six Bar-tailed Godwits, twenty Sandwich Terns, an Arctic Skua and three Red-throated Divers were offshore there. A Garden Warbler was in Central Cardiff . On the 2nd, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Garden Warbler were at Kenfig Pool, while a pair of Dotterel were at Mynydd Eglwysilian – a traditional spring site for the species. On the 3rd, the Black-winged Stilt returned to Kenfig Pool two Common Cuckoo, four Grasshopper Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher were at Pant-y-Sais Fen, Swansea, two Sandwich Terns were at Ogmore Estuary and a Yellow Wagtail was at Nash Point. Three Tree Pipit, a male Pied Flycatcher and a Common Cuckoo were in Maesteg and a Whinchat was in Cardiff. The two Dotterel were again at Mynydd Eglwysilian, along with a Whinchat and a Lesser Whitethroat was in Bridgend. A pair of Northern Goshawk were in full display near Llantrisant. On the 4th a Whiskered Tern was a major find at Kenfig Pool - the first for Glamogan for 34 years. The Black-winged Stilt remained there, a Short-eared Owl was in the southern dunes and a Eurasian Hobby flew east. A Black Tern, the Ring-billed Gull and a Grasshopper Warbler were at Lamby Lake and an Arctic Tern and the adult Little Gull were again in Cardiff Bay.