Birdin' in the Docks and the Bay (with apologies to Otis Redding)

I left my home in Whitchurch

Headed for the Cardiff Bay. 'Cos I've had nothing to bird for

And look like nothing's gonna come my way.

So I'm just gonna sit in the docks and the Bay

Watchin' the tide (fail to) roll away

Ooh, I'm sitting in the docks and the Bay wasting time.

Black Redstart was our target bird today, down around Cardiff Bay Barrage/Penarth Head. We dipped. Still, Geth and I had a decent few hours' birding - starting in Hamadryad Park and then walking all the way over to Penarth Head, before walking back and jumping in the car to have a look at the Bay from Prospect Place.

The River Taff at Hamadryad had plenty of Coot, fewer Mute Swans than of late, a sprinkling of Little Grebes and Tufted Duck and 3 Pochard. At Cardiff Bay Wetland Reserve we added 10 Teal, some G C Grebes, Reed Bunting, Water Rail, Gadwall, Kestrel and it was great to hear 2 Cetti's Warblers.

There was nothing much on the Barrage itself but things picked up at Prospect Place where we picked up 9 Lesser Redpoll and, pick of the bunch, a Slavonian Grebe - most probably the one that's been hanging around Atlantic Wharf recently. It spent most of its time asleep, but it finally woke up and allowed me to take this 'image' of it.