Sightings

Main sighting: Flock of at least 26 Jays

About 12:00 hrs. today, I watched a huge (by my reckoning) flock of Jays fly over my house in Risca, roughly ENE to WSW (043° on the compass).
I counted 26 Jays and there may have been more.
Weather conditions at the time of sighting were beautifully bright and clear so plumage colours were clear and they flew at a height of only 30-40 feet from the ground so they were quite big and easy to identify. These were definitely jays.
In all this time, I have only ever seen jays in family groups of up to 7. I have never seen such a such a size of flock together.

Main sighting: Jay

A flock of 24 Jays near Perry’s Lane. House Martin 2 Swallow 2 Marsh Harrier 1 hunting along the shoreline , Migrant Hawker 30 Common Darter 10 Red Admiral 1

Main sighting: Barn Owl

I saw the Barn Owl come up off the ground between the solar panels, it landed on a perimeter post. If appeared to be holding some prey, it was then mobbed by 2 crows. It circled around a couple of times and then headed off east.

Main sighting: pair sand martins

Pair sand martins heading south. {appropriate as I will be in the Sand martin public house tomorrow before watching City v WBA.

Main sighting: Pectoral sandpiper

Excellent view of Pec sand from seawall hide with Green sand, but probable Pec Sand (timing making it likely a 2nd bird) also from last platform before sea wall looking towards seawall hide – in reed edges in furthest corner towards hide. Snipe, ruff and 2 curlew sands in proximity for comparison but (Pec) only seen very briefly in extreme corner and usually obscured. Also Marsh harrier, kestrel, “white” buzzard, 1 Greenshank and big movements of meadow pipits and flocks of up to 13 jays moving over.

Main sighting: Mistle Thrushes

Had a flock of about 20 Mistle Thrushes flying over my house and land in my large fir trees.
this morning

Main sighting: Various

First Back Garden Grey Wagtail at pond. Also huge flock of mixed Hurindines ( mainly House martin } moving south at altitude Probably around 200 birds . Nuthatch Siskin Goldfinch and Tit flocks visiting feeders plus a sudden appearance of 14 Blackbirds arriving together on the Rowan Berries.

Main sighting: Common Scoters

two Common Scoters on Severn probably female and juv approx 5.20 pm on turning tide

Main sighting: Pectoral Sandpiper

2 buzzards, gt spotted woodpecker, pheasant, 3 chiffchaffs, cettis calling and a flock of 13 jays overhead. Hide two – 3 black-tallied godwits, 2 herons and 3 little egrets. Hide three – wigeon, teal, linnets, 8 mute swans, female marsh harrier, shelduck, kestrel, 2 male stonechats and around 60 meadow pipits. Seawall – only 13 swallows overhead, 1 yellow wagtail calling, 1 gt black-backed gull, black headed gulls, 61 curlews and oystercatchers. A flock of about 75 dunlin flew in but lost sight of them over the lagoons. Marsh platform – looking back towards hide 3, down in the dip on the waters edge were all the waders – the pectoral sandpiper was roosting amongst 3 snipe, also there were 4 ruff, 1 greenshank and 97 lapwing. Lapwing platform – 7 ringed plovers only and a single redshank. Lots of migrant hawkers on the wing.

Main sighting: Pectoral Sandpiper

Pectoral Sandpiper showing well from sea wall hide.9-Ruff,3-Buzzards and several Wheatears around the hay bales.13h30-14h55.

Main sighting: Merlin

Merlin low and fast over the road just above The Riflemans Pub

Main sighting: Redshank

Redshank 132, Dunlin 2, Ring plover, also a very suttle looking Ad Med gull?