Margam Abbey

Over the past month there has been a large eruption of Hawfinch from their eastern European breeding grounds for reasons not yet clear and they have been moving westwards in hundreds of thousands. This is a phenomena that has not happened before. They are being spotted all over Britain, current estimates is that there are 20,000 birds in Britain but experts believe that could increase dramatically over the winter as there are some 400,000 birds on the move.

Paul Parsons had found a small flock of six birds at the back of Margam Abbey last week, which is an ideal place for them to hang around and feed. Many people have been to see them and they have been reported up until at least this morning, so I decided to go and have a look.

When I arrived I immediately found a single bird in a Yew tree next to the Stone Museum, but couldn't get close enough for a photo and it promptly flew off when 3 Mistle Thrush landed in the tree. I hung around for about and hour but there were no more sightings and no sign of the flock, perhaps early morning is best when the sun is on the other Yew trees at the back of the Abbey. Poor weather forecast for the next few days means I'll have to wait a while to have another crack.

I also visited the small pond nearby as I haven't seen Mandarin in a while. A male bird was loosely mixing with the domestic ducks and was not ringed or pinioned, so I take it as a wild/feral bird rather than a collection individual.. Other birds there included Little Grebe and Tufted Duck. I also saw a Nuthatch hiding nuts in the chimney bricks of one of the houses nearby.

 Margam Abbey - The abbey was founded in 1147.

 Yew Tree in the Abbey graveyard that held the Hawfinch, next to Margam Stone Museum building that holds the original Bodvoc Stone from Llangynwyd.

 ♂ Mandarin - playing hard to get at the woods pond.