Sightings

Main sighting: Common Tern

1-Common Tern amongst 151+ Black Headed Gulls which included 4-juveniles,1-Common Sandpiper,and from sea wall hide;2-Knot in BP,1-Bar’wit,10-Black’wits in BP,On the tidal mud 1-Grey Plover in BP.1-Lesser Whitethroat near first hide.10h30-12h30

Main sighting: Common Tern

1st ptm: Common Sandpiper, Common Tern

Main sighting: Ring-necked Parakeet

Literally a minute ago 19.38 flying south from Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School …Single bird …Minutes prior to that I saw a Steve Doolan like a racing snake walking past my house …I’ve heard these birds are in Newport but it’s the first one I’ve seen outside of Clifton ..Parakeet that is not Steve .

Main sighting: Redstart

From the bench kingfisher, redstart on brambles opposite side of river, cormorant.

Main sighting: Various

Little Egret juv and adults 48in all along with 3 Grey Heron in a small pool under M48 bridge .Also a slightly bemused little owl on the motorway parapet .

Main sighting: Grey Plover

1-Grey Plover today,also 4-juvenile Black Headed Gulls amongst a flock of 160+BHGs

Main sighting: Curlew

Swallows, pheasant, skylarks, cettis calling, reed warbler singing, linnets, reed bunting family group and from the seawall 1 common whitethroat singing, 108 shelduck, 31 curlew, 27 lapwing, 1 heron and 1 little egret. Other: stoat running along the path, small tortoiseshell butterfly, large skipper and in the reen a mix of four-spotted and broad-bodied chasers and an emperor dragonfly egg laying with an azure damselfly landing on her back.

Main sighting: Juveniles

(No sign of spoonbill, garganey or wood sandpipers). Dawn – md-morning visit: Pheasants, chiffchaff 2, common whitethroat 1 male singing by hide 1, cettis calling, 6 skylarks, moorhen with 2 chicks and pied wagtail family group. Redshank Platform – 85 redshanks (46 more from hide 3), common buzzard, little egret 3 (1 juv), oystercatcher 5, lapwing 18, black-tailed godwit 2 (1 in breeding plumage), lesser whitethroat calling, dunlin 6, sanderling showing well, green woodpecker calling and 3 grey herons. Snipe Platform – juv little grebe present again, 2 pairs tufted ducks, reed warbler singing, gadwall 8, sand martins 42 with 2 swifts mixed in, 5 swallows elsewhere. Seawall – oystercatcher 21 and 45 curlew on the saltings. Mix of pied wagtails and meadow pipits along the sea wall and a pyramidal orchid half way down on the left towards hide 3. Hide three – teal 15, ringed plover 2, shelduck 23, mute swan 3, male marsh harrier, reed bunting bringing food to the nest and 3 little ringed plovers (adults). Hide one – black-headed gulls 92 with a single juvenile in front of the hide and 13 more ringed plovers. Other: good numbers of meadow browns, 1 small tortoiseshell.

Main sighting: Redshank

Further to Brian’s sightings: 18:30 -21-15 Redshank 120 Curlew 80 Whimbrel 2 Black-headed Gull 140 Ringed Plover 30 Little Ringed Plover 4 Oystercatcher 35 It was good to meet up Chris Jones who saw a female Gadwall with seven young. And most remarkable, totally calm, not a hint of wind!

Main sighting: Yellow hammer

Several males calling perched on top of ferns on the main path up the mountain about 100metres from car park

Main sighting: Sanderling

1st platform: Sanderling: 3rd hide: Garganey: Reported and gone: Spoonbill, Garganey, Green Sandpiper

Main sighting: Wood Sandpiper

Single bird from the first hide this morning. Pair of Little Ringed Plover and 3 Black Tailed Godwit from 2nd hide. Distant pair of buzzards in the haze – one was probably ‘Bosprey’ and 30+ Teal.