Sightings

Main sighting: Cuckoo

Cuckoo,meadow pipit

Main sighting: Black Headed Gull

I counted at least 298-Black Headed Gulls but only one juvenile amongst them.Also 5-Knot and a male Ruff,all from first platform.12h45-13h45.

Main sighting: Quail

Just heard a single three part run of “wet-my-lips” at 10.35 pm whilst enjoying watching the bats and hedgehogs in my garden. Call came from fields S of the village.

Main sighting: Ruff

Male Ruff at the back of the first lagoon, female then later on male Marsh Harrier, 70+ Redshank, a few Ringed Plover, and Lapwing. Avocets and Black Tailed Godwits out on the mud. 3 Reed Warblers in full song, as were a couple of Skylarks. Swallows, Swifts and House Martins zooming around. A few of the other usual species present although not sure who was responsible for the ‘murder at the Marsh Patform’, skeletal remains, and lots of feathers but not very good at identifying them if their not attached to the bird, also an owl pellet on the shelf at the platform-maybe not prime suspect for what looked like a reasonable size bird carcass?

Main sighting: Goosander

two families of Goosanders,one with nine adult size juvs. and the other with seven smaller juveniles.3/4-Common Sandpipers,2/3-Red Kites,1-Peregrine and 1-Oystercatcher,10h30–13h00.

Main sighting: spotted flycatcher

1 spotted flycatcher in the churchyard
NB firecrest remains in situ in the Grosmont area as per Mark Whitaker

Main sighting: Shelduck

A pair of Shelducks with ten small juveniles also a first summer Mediterranean gull.20h25-21h15.

Main sighting: Raven

Raven, 16 swifts, 30 sand Martins, 2 grey wagtails, heron, buzzard, 2 adult mallards with 9 large ducklings

Main sighting: Hobby

Single Hobby over river this morning . Also Goosander with 10 chicks , a Spotted Flycatcher , several Grey Wagtails with fledglings and at least a dozen Common Sandpipers between Llanwenarth and Llanfoist

Main sighting: Seabirds

I done a bit of a sea-watch on the Severn from my home yesterday, raising my bins I picked up what looked like a small tern flying west, it was quite dark the wings appeared greyish , and flying with it’s wings folded back in the manner of a Swallow, unfortunately I did not get it in my scope, and then I lost it behind some trees. I picked it up again flying away from me and then it was gone, As it was morning the light was coming at me. I am wondering if it could have been a Black tern? but will have to just dismiss it as one that got away. To cap all I later I had what was certainly three comic terns flying n/w but picked them up to late to be certain. there was a Scoter though which was probably two. Oh well

Main sighting: Spotted Flycatcher

36 species on a long walk from home to Strawberry Cottage Wood and back. Highlight a Spotted Flycatcher in a tree by the Honddu

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper, Mandarin pair, Goosander with six well-grown young, Kingfisher and Garden Warbler seen but missed the reported Yellow Wag feeding four young and a Cuckoo.