1ST - 10TH OCTOBER 2009

The 1st saw the first Fieldfare of the autumn at Caerphilly and the 2nd was also quiet with just one hundred and twenty three European Golden Plover at Sker Point. More poor weather on 3rd saw two Red Knot at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. On the 4th a female Ring Ouzel was at Dare Country Park and two Whinchat were at Lavernock Point. A further three Ring Ouzel were in Maesteg. On the 5th, a Reed Warbler and two Marsh Tit were at Oxwich Marsh and a Green Sandpiper was at Ogmore Estuary. Four Common Crossbill were in Hensol Forest, a Merlin was in Swansea Bay and a Barn Owl and Yellow-legged Gull were at Lamby Lake. A very quiet day on the 6th saw just thirteen Barn Swallow and nine Eurasian Jay at Lavernock Point. On the 7th, the Yellow-legged Gull and Barn Owl were again at Rhymney Estuary and a Wood Lark was a good find at Cosmeston Lakes. The 8th saw a Whinchat and four Common Snipe at Oxwich Marsh, four House Martin at Cardiff Airport and a Red Kite at Tylorstown, Rhonnda. On the 10th, a Red Kite was at Cwm Nash and fifty Barn Swallow were at Pennard, Gower. A Dark-bellied Brent Goose and two hundred and fifty Sky Lark were at Newton Beach, Porthcawl.

Oriole Birding

Anyon reading this website and wondering why no 2010 tours are being advertised may like to know about my new partnership with Ashley Saunders at Oriole Adventures known as Oriole Birding. We have joined forces with a new website:www.oriolebirding.com Email:info@oriolebirding.com and brochure. The contact telephone numbers and addresses will remain the same as for CBT.

The CBT site will continue to operate alongside the new business until 31st December 2009 when this website will then close. All 2010 holidays are available to view on the new site, but many are already filling up and some are full. No CBT holidays have availability for the remainder of 2009, but bespoke South Wales tours van be arranged by contacting me at the usual addresses.

Its a very exciting, but rather busy time for both of us, but I look forward to welcoming you on your Oriole Birding holidays in the future.

Many Thanks to everyone who have shared the journey with me by travelling with CBT.

Happy Birding

Neil

21ST - 30TH SEPTEMBER

On the 21st, a Glossy Ibis was seen in flight over Swansea, a Black Tern, Garden Warbler, Whinchat and Eurasian Siskin were at Kenfig Pool and forty two European Golden Plover and eight Red Knot were at Sker. The first rain of the month on the 22nd saw the Black Tern again at Kenfig Pool and a Bar-tailed Godwit and three Common Scoter at Sker Point. A Razorbill was off Cardiff Heliport and a Whinchat was at Cosmeston Lakes. On the 23rd, a Firecrest was in Maesteg and the Black Tern, Whinchat, four Eurasian Siskin and eight Eurasian Jay were at Kenfig Pool. The 24th produced a Common Redstart at Kenfig Pool, along with the Black Tern, Whinchat, two Fieldfare and fourteen Song Thrush and a Jack Snipe was at Sker Pool. A Eurasian Hobby was at Broad Pool, Gower and three Bar-tailed Godwit, 180 Sanderling and 150 Ringed Plover were in Swansea Bay. A quieter day on the 25th though forty two Mediterranean Gull and six Harbour Porpoise at Mumbles was noteworthy. Otherwise, sixty six European Golden Plover and a Bar-tailed Godwit were at Sker and another Mediterranean Gull was at Lamby Lake. A Wryneck was at Lavernock Point on the 26th and a Eurasian Hobby was at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir. A Coal Tit and thirty European Robin were at Kenfig Pool. The 27th saw an Osprey again in Neath, a Pied Flycatcher in Cardiff, a Little Egret and six Redwing at Lisvane Reservoir and a Common Redstart and Dartford Warbler at Cwm Nash. Twenty Lesser Redpoll, thirty Eurasian Siskin and thirty six Eurasian Jay were at Lavernock Point and seventy seven Common Pochard, thirty eight Tufted Duck, a Common Treecreeper and a Lesser Whitethroat were at Kenfig Pool. On the 28th, the only news was of a Firecrest on Flatholm, eleven Mistle Thrush at Kenfig Pool and a Grey Plover in Maesteg. On the 29th, Merlins were present at Maesteg and Mynydd Eglwysilian, where two Red Kites and fourteen Common Raven were also present. A Yellow Wagtail was at Nash Point, eighty three Tufted Duck and eleven Eurasian Jay were at Kenfig Pool, a Barn Owl was at Lamby lake and a Garden Warbler and four hundred Barn Swallow were at Mewslade. On the 30th, ten Red-billed Chough were at Rhossili and fifty Sky Lark, five Redwing and two European Golden Plover were in Maesteg.

14TH - 20TH SEPTEMBER 2009

On the 14th, a Little Stint was at Kenfig Rivermouth and thirty one Eurasian Wigeon and a Northern Pintail were at Kenfig Pool. Fifteen Yellow Wagtail, twelve Northern Wheatear and a Spotted Flycatcher were at Cwm Nash, an adult Yellow-legged Gull was at Rhymney Estuary, three Whimbrel were in Maesteg and a Whinchat, another Yellow Wagtail and eight Dunlin were at Ogmore Estuary. On the 15th, three Ruddy Shelduck were at Kenfig Pool, nine Common Snipe, forty eight Common Teal and a Bar-tailed Godwit were at Kenfig Rivermouth, a Red Kite was at Pant Norton again and a Common Redstart was at Lavernock Point. The 16th saw a Honey Buzzard at Parkmill, Gower, a Eurasian Hobby at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir and a Wood Warbler at Cosmeston Lakes. Four Red Kites and a Whinchat were at Maesteg and a heavy passage of Meadow Pipits were overhead at Nash Point. On the 17th two Honey Buzzard flew east over Neath, three Barn Owl were at lamby Lake and fifty five Northern Pintail were at Rhymney Estuary. A Whinchat was at Cwm Nash. The 18th saw an Osprey, Merlin, seven Common Eider, a Little Stint, four Bar-tailed Godwit and one hundred Eurasian Wigeon on the Loughor Estuary, a Common Redstart at Lamby Lake, three Whinchat were at Nash Point and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and two Mistle Thrush were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm. A quietish day on the 19th saw eleven Red Knot at Kenfig Sands and a female Common Redstart and Lesser Whitethroat at Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir.The 20th saw an Osprey in Swansea Bay, a Lapland Bunting again briefly at Rhossilli, along with a Whinchat and a Spotted Flycatcher at Kenfig Pool.

7TH - 13TH SEPTEMBER 2009

On the 7th the Osprey was still at Wernffrwd, seven Goosander were at Ogmore Estuary, two Spotted Flycatchers at Lisvane Reservoir and a Tree Pipit and Whinchat were at Lavernock Point. A Wryneck was in Cardiff Bay on the 8th, three Lesser Whitethroat and twelve Blackcap were at Eglwys Nunydd Resrevoir and six Pale-bellied Brent Geese were at Aberthaw Marsh, while on the 9th two Spotted Redshank, two Green Sandpiper and a Yellow Wagtail were at Rhymney Estuary. Glorious weather on the 10th and a Common Redstart and Whinchat were at Cosmeston Lakes, two more Whinchat were at Tyn-y-Caeau Farm, four Eurasian Wigeon and three Northern Shoveler were at Kenfig Pool and two Spotted Flycatcher, two Tree Pipit and a Garden Warbler were at Pant Norton. More fantastic weather on the 11th and a Ruff was at Kenfig Pool, along with ten Common Teal. Four Spotted Flycatchers were at Parc Slip. On the 12th, a Honey Buzzard was at the Loughor Estuary, a Ring Ouzel was in the hills at Pontycymmer, five Red-billed Chough were at Porthcawl and another six were at Ogmore-by-Sea. A Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher were at Leckwith, Cardiff, Spotted Flycatchers were also at Overton, Gower and Kenfig Pool, where seven Whimbrel, two Ruddy Duck, sixteen Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat were also present. More fantastic weather on the 13th saw a Hen Harrier in Aberdare, two Whinchat, two Spotted Flycatcher, a Red Kite, Tree Pipit and ten Northern Wheatear in Maesteg and another Whinchat was at Sker. A drake Eurasian Wigeon was at Kenfig Pool and 580 Black-legged Kittiwake, four Red Knot, a Merlin, two Red-billed Chough and a Whinchat were at Rhossilli.