Sightings

Main sighting: Disturbance

Contractors will be carrying out survey work on the Goldcliff Lagoons starting on Wednesday the 12th August, they should hopefully be finished by Friday 21 August. Sorry for the potential disturbance and incovenience.
Regards, Tom

Main sighting: Yellow Wagtail

At least 5 Yellow Wagtails in around the feet of cattle then at the top of the sea wall – very active. Large numbers of Black Tailed Godwit; Lapwings. Several Dunlin; a few Knot – some still hanging on to the last of their summer plumage; Redshanks; Greenshank; Ringed Plovers; Teal; Little Egrets; Swallows.

Main sighting: Great White Egret

Great White Egret flew in to a small pond on Beaufort Common early afternoon and disappeared into the bulrushes – likely the bird that has been around locally for a while. Flock of seven Lapwings nearby. Unidentified large long-billed wader over – possibly a shank or godwit. Two female Teal in Parc Nant-y-Waun. Two Swifts over Hafod Farm this morning.

Main sighting: Whimbrel

Whimbrel at high tide on seaweed covered rock 200metres North of Black Rock

Main sighting: Common Swift

Adding this sighting in for a single bird as not sure if this will be my last swift sighting as most seem to have migrated already.

Main sighting: Little Stint

Highlights of a morning visit;1-Little Stint,1-Green Sandpiper,1-Greenshank,15-Turnstones on first island,200+Black Headed Gulls with just a single juvenile.The Glossy Ibis flew over and put everything up.10h30-13h00.

Main sighting: Lots of Curlews and Oystercatchers

Evening visit until after sunset.
An hour before dawn the Black Tailed Godwits , Knot and Oysercatchers were feeding on the foreshore. At the mouth of Godcliff Pill large numbers of Curlews were seen and they were steadily joined by waves of Curlews as sunset neared.
At sunset the waders all came off the mud and headed int the lagoons to roost.
Becs= Mainly Black Headed Gulls and Curlews .
Priors Lagoon = Full of waders. Black Tailed Godwits 200+ , Knots 20c, Oystercatchers 100+ ( big flock), Lapwings 20+, Glossy Ibis, 40+ Redshanks. Grey Heron and Little Egrets.
Dunlin 20+
Monks Lagoon = 150+ Curlews , Black Headed Gulls 100c
More on my blog later www.thewildlifeoculus.com

The lagoons were very busy and great to see every lagoon full of birds.

Other – Seawall – Yellow Wagtails very active around the path to the Seawall Hide.
Wheatears.

Main sighting: Waders

Dawn visit until 1pm.
Priors Lagoons – 200 + Black Tailed Godwit, 10 + Knot, 10 + Dunlin, 1 Bar Tailed Godwit, 1 Wood Sandpiper ( Nev has pic), Green Sandpiper ( Nev has pic) (I have some distanct vid).
“Flossy” The Glossy Ibis showing incredibly well. 7+ Egrets, 2 Herons, 1 Cormorant, 3+ Yellow Wagtails, 2 Linnets, 2 Goldfinches. Mallard, Teal and Shovler Ducks. Coot and Moorhen. Oystercatchers, 30 + Black Headed Gulls and 2 x Lesser Black backed Gulls. Carrion Crows. 1 x Marsh Harrier, 2 x Ringed Plovers, 30+ redshank, 30 + Lapwing

Becs Lagoon – 50+ Black Headed Gulls 2 x Wheatars.

Monks – Dunlin, Curlew and Black Headed Gulls and Lapwings

Other – Green Woodpecker heard calling in the field near the farm.
Usual Canada and Greylag Geese.

Main sighting: Great White Egret

Great White Egret

Main sighting: Comic terns

c100 terns over river Severn gained height flew off over Second severn crossing high west mid afternoon – Passage pill Redshank 43 – Sudbrook Wheatear

Main sighting: Wood Sandpiper

Sat 8th – 55 species from 0645 – 1100. Of note 2 chiffchaffs and 1 common whitethroat en-route to first hide. Hide one – 1 little stint in partial breeding plumage, female sparrowhawk on the mud, 4 curlew, 10 ringed plovers and 1 common sandpiper. Redshank platform – 41 lapwing and small passage of swallows (31 counted with 20 house martins also). Snipe platform – very productive with 12 little egrets, 5 grey herons, 1 green sandpiper which flew off towards Uskmouth but a 2nd one located at the top end of the lagoon where I was pleased to also pick out an adult wood sandpiper. The glossy ibis at one point was very close in offering excellent views by all, 4 yellow wagtails over, sedge warbler going into the reeds, 1 stock dove, 21 teal, buzzard, 1 turnstone, 106 dunlin, green woodpecker calling, gt spotted woodpecker overhead, 1 bar-tailed godwit with some lapwings and a fem marsh harrier made a brief appearance, Marsh platform – huddled along the edge of the reeds were 206 black-tailed godwits with 1 ruff, 16 knot, 2 greenshank (1 juv) and a good count of 181 redshanks mixed in together., soveler and 2 sand martins also. Seawall – male wheatear moving along the wall and a raft of 280 shelduck on the water. Other: numerous gatekeepers, meadow browns, 1 red admiral, common darter (male), large whites, small blue and a possible southern hawker.

Main sighting: Common scoter

Looking out on the Severn this afternoon 4 scoter were found at approx 2.45pm floating out on the outgoing tide, when they got near to the Second severn crossing, they took off and flew back up river and repeated the exercise at least once, before flying off high s/w over the bridge. Also Med gull, Common buzzard and Common sand