Sightings

Main sighting: Willow Warblers

Bit quieter here today but species seen included Canada geese, robin, chiffchaff, wren, magpies, woodpigeons, mallards, blue tit, crows, coot, gadwall pair, single lapwing, skylark, cormorant, 2 singing willow warblers, cettis, jackdaws, long tailed tits and a pheasant.

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper on River Usk a little upstream of Llanfoist bridge. Sand Martins swarming above their nest colony.

Main sighting: Swallow

Swallow flying through 15:15pm.

Main sighting: Goosander

Male flying low and fast downstream between the old post office and Biotage section.

Main sighting: Swallow

A swallow over the Wye bridge

Main sighting: Wheatear

En-route to hides: wrens, ls black-backed gulls, greenfinch, jackdaws, collard dove, magpies, raven, chiffchaff, woodpigeons, cettis, starlings, pheasant, sparrows and blackcap. Hide one – fem marsh harrier, 1 cormorant, 1 heron, 28 shelduck, mallards, 28 redshank, 18 teal, 27 avocet, 6 shoveler, 9 wigeon, Canada geese, greylags, 4 lapwing, coot, 2 black-tailed godwits, 2 gadwall, herring gulls, spotted redshank and 5 singing skylarks. En-route to hide 2 – goldfinches, robin, reed buntings, moorhen and blue tit. Hide two – pair pintail, 2 snipe, 2 oystercatchers and 2 stock doves. Snipe platform – 8 male and 3 fem tufteds and lt grebes. Marsh platform – long-tailed duck. Seawall – 2 male stonechats with a male wheatear, pied wagtail, gt black-backed gull and 12 curlew. Hide three – the remaining 207 black-tailed godwits were on the edge of the island, 3 lt egrets, linnet and 10 ringed plovers.

Main sighting: Swallow

A swallow frying around the village hall .

Main sighting: Red kite

Red kite near recording studios

Main sighting: Merlin and roundup

En-route to hides – wrens, chaffinch, crows, chiffchaffs (6 recorded throughout the reserve), blackcap in song, pheasant, collard dove, starling, woodpigeons, cettis, blackbirds, magpies, moorhen, blue tits, buzzard (light-morph bird), long tailed tits and a dunnock. Hide one – 41 redshanks, 2 little egrets, 55 shelduck, Canada and greylags, skylarks, 26 avocet, 8 shoveler, 221 black-tailed godwits with 2 knot mixed in, 1 heron, 5 gadwall, pair pintail, 6 teal only, 4 lapwing, 5 wigeon only, ls black-backed gulls, coot, female stonechat, meadow pipit, female marsh harrier, 1 snipe and a female sparrowhawk. Female goldcrest and linnets en-route to next hide. Hide two – male merlin flew low and landed on the fence to the right of the hide, stayed there for about 15 minutes preening / stretching (photos on @ecology_cymryu), 2 cormorants, 2 oystercatchers, spotted redshank, mistle thrush and 4 mute swans. Snipe platform – robin, 2 little grebes, 4 male and 3 female tufteds and mallards. Seawall – 7 curlew and a reed bunting only. Hide three – pair of spoonbill resting, 14 more teal, 4 more wigeon, 2 more oystercatchers, 2 more shoveler, 4 more lapwing, 4 more little egrets, 1 ringed plover, raven and what looked to be an albino-type mallard. marsh platform – long-tailed duck showing well.

Main sighting: Willow Warbler

Willow warbler in full song and a 2nd heard further into the reserve. Also seen, male kestrel, 2 chiffchaffs, jackdaws, crows, 25 teal, 1 little egret, skylarks, blue tits, good count of 12 reed buntings feeding together, coot, gadwall, 1 heron, cettis, magpies, cormorant, pheasant, robin and goldfinch.

Main sighting: Sand Martin

Three Sand Martins; also an Otter, watched for some time feeding on what looked like small eels

Main sighting: Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler singing gently in Manor Wood, Chiffchaffs have been regular for several days.