1ST - 6TH SEPTEMBER 2009

Really wet conditions on the 1ST meant few birds, but a Spotted Flycatcher, Little Egret and two Lesser Whitethroat were at Kenfig Pool, a Tree Pipit was at Pant Norton and eighteen Pale-bellied Brent Geese were offshore at Ogmore-by-Sea. On the 2nd, the Osprey was again at Wernffrwd and 24 Red Knot, two Mediterranean Gulls, two hundred Sanderling and 150 Ringed Plover were in Swansea Bay. Another Mediterranean Gull was at Cardiff Heliport and two Spotted Flycatchers, three Common Teal and seven Willow Warblers were the highlights of another wet day at Kenfig Pool. On the 3rd, a Grey Phalarope was at Ogmore-by-Sea, 140 Black-tailed Godwit, two Yellow Wagtail and sixty five Red Knot were at Rhymney Estuary, a Red-throated Diver was off Porthcawl, a Eurasian Hobby was at Hendre Lake, two Common Swift were in Maesteg and a first winter Little Gull and a Ruddy Turnstone were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. Another very windy day on the 4th saw an interesting selection of migrants arrive. A female Ruddy Shelduck and a Common Tern were at Kenfig Pool, an Osprey, Red Kite and Spotted Flycatcher were around the Ogmore Estuary and 400 Barn Swallow, four Lesser Whitethroat and a Garden Warbler were at Lavernock Point. On the 5th, a Eurasian Hobby was at Cwm Ivy, Gower, six Tree Pipit and two Spotted Flycatcher were at Pant Norton and another Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher, as well as a Lesser Whitethroat and twelve Common Chiffchaff were at Kenfig Pool. Another Eurasian Hobby was at Mynydd Eglwysilian, two Common Swift were at Llancadle, Vale of Glamorgan and another Common Swift and a first winter Little Gull were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. The 6th brought a Glossy Ibis briefly to Baglan, near Port Talbot, a Common Greenshank to Ogmore Estuary and a Green Sandpiper at Pontsarn.

24TH - 31ST AUGUST 2009

The 24th was a very busy day for migrants with a Common Redstart, seventy Yellow Wagtail, 800+ House Martin, a Common Greenshank and a Northern Goshawk at Blaen-y-Cwm, Vale of Glamorgan. A Pied Flycatcher, fifteen Common Chiffchaff, fifteen Blackcap and twenty Common Whitethroat were at Pant Norton, a Black Tern and nine Common Eider were at Salthouse Point, North Gower, a Eurasian Hobby was at Kenfig Pool and an Arctic Skua was at Pink Bay, Porthcawl. Three Grasshopper Warbler, twelve Willow Warbler and a Garden Warbler were at Oxwich Bay, along with seventeen Reed Warbler. On the 25th, the Osprey was again at Neath, a Yellow Wagtail and Common Greenshank were at Cardiff Heliport, five Common Swift were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir and 170 Ringed Plover, 130 Sanderling, forty Dunlin, five Red Knot and two Black-tailed Godwit were in Swansea Bay. The 26th saw just a Whinchat at Blaen-y-cwm and two Manx Shearwater and twenty Sandwich Terns at Port Eynon before heavy rain set in for the day. An Arctic Tern, Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Lesser Whitethroat, twelve Blackcap, nine Willow Warbler and ten Common Whitethroat were at Kenfig Pool on the 27th, while the 28th saw a Whinchat and eleven Common Crossbill at Abercregan. A Little Egret was at Lisvane Reservoir and an Osprey was again at Wernffrwd. On the 29th a Black Tern, Ruddy Turnstone and six Common Swift were at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, while three Red Knot, eighty three European Oysetrcatcher, fourteen Eurasian Curlew, four Lesser Whitethroat, a Garden Warbler and seven Sedge Warbler were at Kenfig National Nature Reserve. A Eurasian Hobby was at Margam and a Spotted Flycatcher was at Oxwich Marsh. After a day of heavy rain and no news on the 30th, the 31st saw three Great Skua, a Common Tern and twenty four Sandwich Terns at Oxwich Bay, a Little Egret again at Lisvane Reservoir, 200 Goldfinch at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm and thirteen Common Whitethtroat, three Willow Warbler, eleven Blackap, nineteen European Robin and five Reed Warblers at Kenfig Pool.

17TH - 23RD AUGUST 2009

A quieter day on the 17th with thirty Reed Warbler, nineteen Sedge Warbler, a Garden Warbler and a Lesser Whitethroat at Oxwich Bay being the only news. The 18th saw two Little Egret, seven Blackcap, three Common Chiffchaff and a Lesser Whitethroat at Kenfig Pool and a Red-billed Chough at Sker. On the 19th, the Osprey was again at Neath and a Marsh Tit was in Bishop's Wood, Gower, while a windy day on the 20th produced three European Storm Petrel off Porthcawl, along with twenty Northern Gannet, five Manx Shearwater and seven Northern Fulmar. The 21st saw two Honey Buzzard in the Neath Valley and a Common Tern, two Sandwich Terns, a Mediterranean Gull and four Bar-tailed Godwit at Briton Ferry.On the 22nd, a Eurasian Hobby was at Llwyn On Reservoir and a Spotted Flycatcher, seventeen Reed Warbler, sixteen Sedge Warbler, five Common Teal and two Gadwall were at Oxwich Marsh. An Osprey and 34 Sandwich Terns were at Wernffrwd, North Gower, three Spotted Flycatcher were at St Donats, a Common Swift was at Kenfig Pool and a Little Owl at Sker Farm. The 23rd saw the Osprey again at Wernffrwd, a Eurasian Hobby, Barn Owl, two Green Sandpiper and a Yellow Wagtail were at Lamby Lake and eighty Ringed Plover, two Little Egret, three Tree Pipit and a Northern Goshawk were at Kenfig National Nature Reserve.

ISLES OF SCILLY & CORNWALL 2009

Our annual jaunt to the south west once again produced some fantastic birding. As ever sea watching and our now famous pelagic boat trips were the highlight and we picked up the full range of species yet again. DAY ONE and Wilson's Storm Petrel was in the bag as at least three birds were noted, while a Sooty Shearwater, two Great Skua, two Manx Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater, thirty European Storm Petrel, Harbour Porpoise and were also recorded. Land birding produced a superb Leser Yellowlegs, two Green and two Common Sandpipers, eight Common Greenshank, Water Rail and Common Kingfisher. DAY TWO is traditionally the full day pelagic and todays excursion produced a further six Wilson's Petrels, as well as two Great Shearwaters, one Sooty Shearwater and one Balearic Shearwaters as highlights. Other species seen were a Black and an Arctic Tern, one hundred European Storm Petrel and three Mediterranean Gulls, while other wildlife included a Trigger Fish, Ocean Sunfish and one hundred Common Dolphin. DAY THREE produced some superb birding with another Wilson's Petrel, Great Shearwater, an Arctic Skua, a very close Sabine's Gull and nine Cory's Shearwaters at sea and a super Buff-breasted Sandpiper was on St Mary's and a Melodious Warbler completed a fine day. DAY FOUR was a b it quieter with the return Scillonian crossing producing fifteen European Storm Petrels, two Great Skua and six Manx Shearwater, while the Melodious Warbler again showed briefly on St Mary's. Other landbirds of note today were a Wood Sandpiper and Marsh Harrier. Back in Cornwall for DAY FIVE and two Red-billed Chough and a selection of common migrants including Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Blackcap, Common Chiffchaff as well as twenty Black-tailed Godwit. DAY SIX - the final day produced just a couple of nice trip birds in the form of Green Woodpecker and Common Whitethroat to round off another excellent trip.

10TH - 16TH AUGUST 2009

On the 10th the rain returned and a Grasshopper Warbler at Oxwich Bay and a Great Skua off Flatholm were both interesting records. A busy day on the 11th saw two Little Terns at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir, along with a Spotted Flycatcher and a Garden Warbler. Two Yellow Wagtail were at Lamby Lake, five Bar-tailed Godwit were at Blackpill, a European Nightjar and Egyptian Goose were at Rheola, a Lesser Whitethroat was in Sully and 39 Sanderling, 82 European Oystercatcher, six Dunlin and five Ringed Plover were at Sker and three Northern Shoveler, a Common Swift and four Sedge Warbler were at Kenfig Pool. The 12th saw three Pied Flycatcher, three Common Redstart and a Wood Warbler in Maesteg and another Pied Flycatcher near Port Talbot. Four Green Sandpiper were at Llanilid. A beautiful day on the 13th saw a Common Tern over Bridgend Town Centre and a Spotted Flycatcher and a Garden Warbler were at Kenfig Pool, along with a Common Chiffchaff, 25 Common Whitethroat and 21 Willow Warbler. Twenty two Reed Warbler and the same number of Sedge Warblers were at Oxwich Bay. A busy day on the 14th produced a Greater Scaup and two Green Sandpipers at Llanilid, four Lesser Whitethroat, a Common Snipe and a Northern Wheatear at Kenfig Pool and a Tree Pipit and Spotted Flycatcher at Pant Norton. Another Green Sandpiper was at Ogmore Estuary and a Grasshopper Warbler, four more Lesser Whitethroat and two Garden Warblers were at Lavernock Point. Two Yellow Wagtail and a Honey Buzzard were in Maesteg and two Red Knot, thirty Dunlin, seventy Ringed Plover and 130 Sanderling were in Swansea Bay. On the 15th a Pomarine Skua was a good record at Port Eynon, where two hundred and thirty Manx Shearwater, fifty Sandwich Terns, forty Northern Gannet, forty Northern Fulmar and two hundred Black-legged Kittiwake. A Spotted Flycatcher and a Whimbrel were in Penarth and a Lesser Whitethroat was at Lamby Lake. The 16th saw a Common Greenshank, Little Egret, Black-tailed Godwit and Spotted Flycatcher at Kenfig Pool, an Osprey over Neath Town Centre and a Common Tern in Cardiff Bay.

1ST - 9TH AUGUST 2009

A very wet start to the month as the miserable summer weather continued. On the 1ST, a Common Kingfisher was the highlight at Kenfig Pool and a Mediterannean Gull and a Spotted Flycatcher were at Lamby Lake. Better weather on the 2nd saw two Green Sandpipers, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 21 Willow Warblers and six Sedge Warblers at Kenfig Pool while the 3rd produced a Wood Sandpiper and two Green Sandpipers at Llanilid and six Common Redshank, a Common Kingfisher and a Whimbrel at Kenfig Pool. Nine Arctic Terns passed Flatholm Island and 45 Common Redshank, fourteen Common Sandpiper and six Common Greenshank were at Britton Ferry Docks. On the 5th, a juvenile Marsh Harrier was briefly at Kenfig Pool, where the first Common Snipe and two Lesser Whitethroat of the autumn were also present. A Green Sandpiper was at Llanilid and another was at Hendre Lake, where there was also a Eurasian Hobby. On the 6th, a Northern Shoveler, Water Rail, five Cetti's Warblers and a Peregrine were at Kenfig Pool and a Green Sandpiper, Tree Pipit and Northern Goshawk were at Oxwich Marsh. A Common Greenshank was a good find at Lavernock Point being only the fourth record for the site, two Common Redstart were at Parc Slip and a Pied Flycatcher was in Cardiff Bay. The 7th saw two adult Mediterranean Gulls at Aberthaw Marsh, two Garden Warblers, a Spotted Flyctacher, Tree Pipit, nine Lesser Whitethroat and seventeen Willow Warblers were at Lavernock Point and seven Sedge Warbler, four Reed Warbler, four Common Sandpiper and a Common Redshank were at Kenfig Pool. On the 8th, ten Green Sandpiper and a Wood Sandpiper were at Llanilid, two Common Kingfisher, a Tree Pipit and nine Reed Warbler were at Kenfig Pool, five Mediterranean Gulls were at Mumbles and a Yellow Wagtail was in Maesteg. The 9th saw two Marsh Harriers at Kenfig Pool, a Pied Avocet at Cosmeston Lakes, a Northern Goshawk over a Bridgend garden and a Garden Warbler and Spotted Flycatcher at Lamby Lake. Twenty Reed Warbler were at Oxwich Marsh and a Lesser Whitethroat and Mediterranean Gull were at Cardiff Bay.