19TH - 25TH JANUARY 2009

On the 19th, the Bearded Tit was at Cosmeston Lakes, where the Lesser Scaup was also relocated and the second winter Ring-billed Gull was at Lamby Lake. Sixteen Purple Sandpipers, a superb adult Iceland Gull, a Red-billed Chough and a Little Gull were at Ogmore-by-Sea and another Little Gull and three Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Aberthaw Marsh. Four Greater Scaup, the Slavonian Grebe, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, a Common Chiffchaff and six Lesser Redpoll were in Cardiff Bay, two Little Owl were at Maerdy Farm and another Little Gull was in Swansea Marina. Two Dippers were in Bridgend Town Centre and seven Stock Dove and an amazing thirty two Red-legged Partridge were in Tythegston. A male Hen Harrier was at Mynydd Eglwysilian. Three Red Kites were in East Cardiff. On the 20th, two Great Northern and four Red-throated Divers were in Oxwich Bay and a Spotted Redshank, a Black-tailed Godwit and a Water Pipit were at Penclawdd Pill. Whitford NNR had 26 Common Crossbill, 21 Common Eider, 150 Northern Pintail, 150 Dark-bellied Brent Goose, fifty Grey Plover, two Red-breasted Merganser, six Slavonian Grebe, a female Merlin and forty Bar-tailed Godwit, while Llanrhidian Marsh had 1000 European Golden Plover, 3000+ Red Knot, two Peregrine, a Green Sandpiper and two ringtail Hen Harrier. A Snow Bunting was in Mumbles, two Great Northern Diver were in Swansea marina, the male Hen Harrier was again at Mynydd Eglwysilian and a male Brambling was in north Cardiff. On the 21st, a Water Pipit was at Ogmore Estuary, a first winter Glaucous Gull and a Common Guillemot were in Margam Breakwater and two Red Kite were at Abernant. The 22nd saw a Great Bittern at Cosmeston Lakes and a Little Egret and thirty nine Little Grebe at Roath Park, Cardiff. On the 23rd a first winter Glaucous Gull was at Ogmore Estuary and a first winter Iceland Gull was at Swansea Marina. The 24th saw the Glaucous Gull again at Ogmore Estuary and the first winter Iceland Gull again in Swansea Marina. A Eurasian Woodcock was at the Lliw Reservoir. On the 25th the first winter Glaucous Gull and two adult Mediterranean Gulls were at Ogmore Rivermouth and two Grey Partridge and thirty Yellowhammer were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm. The first winter Iceland Gull was again in Swansea Marina and the Snow Bunting at Mumbles Head. A Great Northern Diver and six Red-throated Divers were in Oxwich Bay and ninety Eurasian Siskin were in the woods there.

12TH -19TH JANUARY 2009

The 12th saw milder but very wet weather and a Common Sandpiper in Central Cardiff and the Bearded Tit at Cosmeston Lakes was the only news today. On the 13th, the drake Lesser Scaup was again in Cardiff Bay and a Black Redstart was in Penarth Marina. The Great Bittern and a Barn Owl were at Lamby Lake, a Black-throated and Great Northern Diver were in Oxwich Bay and six Greater Scaup were on Kenfig Pool. A Bohemian Waxwing was nearby in Kenfig Hill. The 14th saw a first winter Ring-billed Gull, a displaying male Northern Goshawk and a Jack Snipe at Kenfig Pool and a Bohemian Waxwing was in Bridgend. The Lesser Scaup and Slavonian Grebe were in Cardiff Bay. Another very wet day on the 15th saw the second winter Ring-billed Gull at Lamby Lake, six Common Goldeneye at Kenfig Pool and three hundred Fieldfare in Maesteg, while 2000 Dunlin, 1750 Red Knot and two Black-tailed Godwits were at Rhymney Estuary. On the 16th, two Brambling were in north Cardiff and a female Northern Goshawk was at Mynydd Eglwysilian. Three Pale-bellied Brent Goose were at Aberthaw Marsh, along with seventy Eurasian Wigeon. On the 17th, a Black-throated Diver was a good find at Aberavon Beach, eight Little Egrets were at Aberthaw Marsh and the Slavonian Grebe, two Greater Scaup and eight Lesser Redpoll were in Cardiff Bay. A Jack Snipe was at Kenfig Pool and an Egyptian Goose was at Neath. The Bearded Tit was again at Cosmeston Lakes. The 18th produced a Great Bittern, eight Goosander and a huge female Peregrine at Kenfig Pool, a pair of Greater Scaup at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir and a Northern Goshawk at Hafod Farm. Seven Purple Sandpiper were at Ogmore-by-Sea and Oxwich Bay had a Great Northern and two Red-throated Diver, as well as forty Gadwall and a Eurasian Woodcock. A Northern Goshawk was in Maesteg, two Greater Scaup were in Cardiff Bay, along with a Slavonian Grebe. Fifteen Common Crossbill were in Garw Fechan Forest.

5TH -11TH JANUARY 2009

On the 5th, the Lesser Scaup was at Cardiff Bay, a Black Redstart was at Penarth Marina and three Eurasian Woodcock were at Llanwonno. The drake Lesser Scaup was in Cardiff Bay and two Ring-billed Gulls were at Lamby Lake. The drake Greater Scaup, two Common Kingfisher and four Goosander were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. Twelve Bohemian Waxwing were in Barry Island and a female Black Redstart was in Penarth Marina. A Black-tailed Godwit was at Ogmore Estuary and the Water Pipit was again at Llwyn On Reservoir. The Bearded Tit was at Cosmeston Lakes and a Short–eared, two Little and two Barn Owls were at Rhymney Great Wharf. The 6th produced a male Northern Goshawk, two Jack Snipe and a Dartford Warbler at Kenfig Pool, five Greater Scaup in Cardiff Bay and a Brambling and Common Chiffchaff at Forest Farm, Cardiff. Three Bohemian Waxwing were in Sully and two Ring-billed Gull were again at Lamby Lake along with a Common Sandpiper. Twenty Purple Sandpipers were at Ogmore-by-Sea, a Greater White-fronted Goose was at Lavernock Point and the Slavonian Grebe was back at Penarth Marina. The Bearded Tit was at Cosmeston Lakes and the five Greater and the drake Lesser Scaup were in Cardiff Bay. On the 7th, a Water Rail and Cetti’s Warbler were at Kenfig Pool, a Merlin and Red Kite were at Mynydd Eglwysilian, a Pale-bellied Brent Goose, 120 Eurasian Wigeon and 100 Fieldfare were at Gileston and the Slavonian Grebe was back in Cardiff Bay. A busy day at Kenfig NNR on the 8th with Merlin, Peregrine and Eurasian Woodcock in the dunes, a Red-throated Diver on the sea, 125 Common Teal and a female Northern Pintail at the Rivermouth and 134 Sanderling on Kenfig Sands. A Red Kite was again at Mynydd Eglwysilian and a Hawfinch was nearby in Caerphilly. Two Long-tailed Ducks and the Lesser and five Greater Scaup were in Cardiff Bay and the two Ring-billed Gulls were at Lamby Lake. A Dartford Warbler was at Portobello Island car park, Ogmore Estuary. On the 9th, the Slavonian Grebe, the Lesser and five Greater Scaup, a Black Redstart, four Common Chiffchaff and an adult Yellow-legged Gull were in Cardiff Bay and a Marsh Tit was in Forest Ganol. The Water Pipit as again at Llwyn On Reservoir, a Great Bittern and the second winter Ring-billed Gull were at Lamby Lake and another Great Bittern was at Parc Slip LNR, Tondu. A Black Redstart was on the building of Swansea University, a Red-throated Diver was at Ogmore-by-Sea and a Water Pipit was at Ogmore Estuary. The 10th saw more cold weather and a Common Crossbill was at Parc Slip and the Great Bittern and both Ring-billed Gulls were again at Lamby Lake. Eight Bohemian Waxwing were in Sully and the Slavonian Grebe, Lesser and four Greater Scaup were in Cardiff Bay. The Bearded Tit was again at Cosmeston Lakes and the Water Pipit and thirty Common Goldeneye were on the Ogmore Estuary. On the 11th, the second winter Ring-billed Gull was again at Lamby Lake, along with a Green Sandpiper and eight Bohemian Waxwing were again in Sully. A Red Kite and Northern Goshawk were at Mynydd Eglwysilian and the Lesser Scaup, six Common Chiffchaff and the Slavonian Grebe were in Cardiff Bay.

1ST - 4TH JANUARY 2009

New Years Day saw the Lesser Scaup and Bearded Tit again at Cosmeston Lakes, a Barn Owl at Maerdy Farm and the second winter Ring-billed Gull at Lamby Lake. Eighteen Common Snipe and a Jack Snipe were in Maesteg. A Great Bittern was at Kenfig Pool and two Greater Scaup at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. Three Black Redstarts were at Gileston. On the 2nd, two Bohemian Waxwings were in Sully, the Lesser Scaup and Bearded Tit were still present and a Black Redstart was again at Gileston. An adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Rhymney Estuary and the Water Pipit was at Llwyn On Reservoir, while a Green Sandpiper was at Hendre Lake. On the 3rd, an adult Mediterranean Gull and a Common Kingfisher were at Ogmore Estuary and eleven Purple Sandpiper were on the seafront at Ogmore-by-Sea. The Ring-billed Gull was at Lamby Lake and a Great Grey Shrike was at Llwyn On Reservoir. A Water Pipit, Firecrest, Siberian Chiffchaff and four Common Chiffchaff were at Merthyr Mawr. A further fifteen Bohemian Waxwing were in western Cardiff, the Lesser Scaup relocated to Cardiff Bay, a Northern Goshawk, Firecrest and two Eurasian Woodcock were in Maesteg, the Bearded Tit was at Cosmeston Lakes and another Mediterranean Gull was in Porthcawl. The 4th saw the Firecrest and Water Pipit, as well as a Water Rail and four Blackcap at Merthyr Mawr. The Ring-billed Gull, a Eurasian Woodcock and a Jack Snipe were at Lamby Lake and a Red-throated Diver, 500 European Golden Plover, two Red-billed Chough and a Jack Snipe were at Blaen-y-Cwm. The Bearded Tit was at Cosmeston Lakes, four Greater Scaup were at Cardiff Bay and a Firecrest was again in Maesteg. Twenty Red Kites were at Abernant, 185 Dunlin, three Bar-tailed Godwit, three Common Eider, ten Mediterranean Gull and seventy Sanderling were at Blackpill and the two Bohemian Waxwing were again in Sully to round off an excellent start to the years birding.