Sightings

Main sighting:

Hi fellow birders,

Please do not post reports of nesting birds or sightings of rare or Schedule 1 breeders. Sightings which might lead to disturbance will be removed.

There have been several posts recently where we think it would be better to have notified the county recorder than to have publicly posted the location on the sightings page.

Schedule 1 bird sightings at well-known nature reserves, such as Goldcliff Lagoons, are fine, but if there is any potential for disturbance of birds that may be breeding in other locations, it would be prudent to share the information via the county recorder.

Thanks

Main sighting: Marsh Harrier

Marsh Harrier (female or juv) quartering south slope; dropped into bracken; seen again later over sedge/moorland near summit. Also on south slope: Whinchat (3), Stonechat (12), Common Whitethroat, Tree Pipit, Green Woodpecker, GSW (2), Reed Bunting (heard). Also Spotted Flycatcher (2) in wood by SE corner of Punchbowl.

Main sighting: Woodcock

Woodcock (2); Nightjar; Song Thrush (5); Blackbird; Blackcap (3); Blue Tit; Carrion Crow; Collared Dove; Dunnock; Long Tailed Tit; Rook; Siskins; Swallows; Willow Warbler; Woodpigeon; Wrens; Robin. Others: Roe Deer (3) , Pipestrel Bat,. Late evening visit.

Main sighting: Redstart

Redstart – male seen for an instant from the cqr – also a Painted lady butterfly – first seen here several days ago – has been faithful to a small patch of tarmac on the side of the road – when the sun is out?

Main sighting: Whimbrel

En-route to hides: woodpigeons, pied wagtail, wren, blackcaps, chiffchaff, pheasant, moorhen, heron, goldfinch, whitethroat, 3 ravens, mallards, blackbirds and magpies. Hide 2: Canada geese, skylark and crows. Snipe platform: 123 black-tailed godwits, 7 avocet, 4 shoveler, reed warbler singing, 13 lapwing, 35 redshanks, coot, 6 greylag geese and starlings. Seawall: 4 oystercatchers, 103 more black-tailed godwits on the mud feeding and male stonechat on the fence line. Hide 3: female marsh harrier (caught prey on the island), 7 dunlin, 14 ringed plovers, black headed gulls, 4 curlew, 3 more herons, linnets, herring gulls, 1 whimbrel, 81 shelduck (came in on high tide), 1 male teal only (no sign of 2nd usual male), great black-backed gull, 45 more lapwing, lesser black-backed gulls, 2 stock doves (fence line left of hide), meadow pipit, 2 adult and 1 juvenile little ringed plovers and 1 knot in full breeding plumage. Marsh platform: dead shelduck on the mud. Back at snipe platform: female tufted with single chick and 3 swallows. Other: 1 green-veined white, 1 gatekeeper, 3 meadow browns and 1 common blue.

Main sighting: Kingfisher

Canada Goose; Greylag Goose; Mute Swan; Mallard; Tufted Duck; Swift; Wood Pigeon; Collared Dove; Moorhen; Coot; Little Grebe; Herring Gull; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Cormorant; Grey Heron; Red Kite; Buzzard; Kingfisher; Great Spotted Woodpecker; Green Woodpecker; Magpie; Carrion Crow; Coal Tit; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Swallow; Long Tailed Tit; Chiffchaff; Blackcap; Goldcrest; Wren; Nuthatch; Tree Creeper; Starling; Song Thrush; Blackbird; Robin; House Sparrow; Grey Wagtail; Pied Wagtail; Chaffinch; Greenfinch; Goldfinch. (44 species in all).
GOS Event led by David Brassey.

Main sighting: Kingfisher

Kingfisher, green woodpecker

Main sighting: Great White Egret

Difficult birding here at the moment as nearly all 3 lagoons totally dry, and NRW are not showing any signs of letting some water in, therefore the reserve is not appealing to waders. The avocets have relocated to the foreshore with their young. Birds seen today however included en-route to hides – woodpigeons, swallows, wrens, blackbirds, blackcaps, magpies, chiffchaffs, blue tits, pheasants, crows, goldfinches, herring gulls, lesser and common whitethroats, moorhens, dunnock and starling. Hide 1: pair of stonechats. En-route to hide 2 – skylark, song thrush, meadow pipit, mallards and jackdaw. Hide 2: Canada geese, marsh harrier and lesser black backed gulls. Snipe platform: 21 redshanks, coot, 2 shoveler, reed bunting, the 2 male teal, little egret and 3 greylags. Marsh platform: reed warbler singing. Seawall: 3 curlew, 128 shelduck, pied wagtail and great black backed gull. Hide 3: no avocet, 4 oystercatchers (pair with 1 chick), 18 lapwing, 2 ringed and 1 little ringed plovers, 3 dunlin, linnets, black headed gulls, 3 herons, 4 stock doves, 2nd fly-by little egret and 236 black tailed godwits. En-route to hide 2: swift and a great white egret passing The Point. Back at the car park 2 juvenile sand martins sharing the wires with swallows. Other: large whites, meadow browns and 1 common blue.

Main sighting: Kingfisher

4 Kingfishers, Grey Wagtail, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper x2, Muscovy duck, lots of Sand Martins and Mallards

Main sighting: Lesser Whitethroat

Shelduck; Mallard; Pheasant; Swifts; Cuckoo; Wood Pigeon; Collared Dove; Oystercatcher; Herring Gull; Lesser Black Backed Gull; Curlew; Little Egret; Grey Heron; Buzzard; Magpie; Jackdaw; Carrion Crow; Blue Tit; Great Tit; Skylark; Swallows; Long Tailed Tits; Sedge Warbler; Reed Warbler; Blackcap; Lesser Whitethroat; Whitethroat; Goldcrest; Wren; Song Thrush; Blackbird; House Sparrow; Dunnock; Linnet; Goldfinch. – GOS Event led by Lyndon Waters.

Main sighting: Nightjar

Nightjar flew across the road near keeper’s pond. 10:30 . First time I’ve seen one up here. Usually see them lower down in the clearings in Govilon woods

Main sighting: Redshank

Little ringed plover 6 – Redshank (bad heat haze)