Sightings

Main sighting: House martins

3 house martins just arrived back to their usual patch- nearly 3 weeks earlier than last year – nice to see something different other than magpies, wood pigeons, house sparrows, and jackdaws!!

Main sighting: Swallow

1-Swallow and 2m+f Wheatears.17h00-17h35

Main sighting: Willow Warbler

Heard Willow Warber then saw it, also heard several Chiffchaffs and saw 2 Redpolls.

Main sighting: Swallow

4 swallows over.

Main sighting: Mistle Thrush

Pair of mistle thrush (good views and sound of calls). 3 Linnet. 27 Oystercatchers. 150 Redshank. 2 ringed plover, 6 Herring Gull. 5 pairs of Pintail. 30-40 shelduck and teal, few widgeon, cormorant, 20 Canada geese. Plenty of chiff chaff heard, one seen! 1 great tit.

Main sighting: sand martins

50 sand martins (21 days late), pair of tree creeper in rapid manouvering flight.

Main sighting: Swallow

My first Swallow of the year. Also a vole (presumably Bank) standing on hind legs to reach a Candytuft flower which he/she nipped off and carried away; returned 30 seconds later and repeated the action so clearly intentional. Is this common behaviour?

Main sighting: Firecrest

Good birdtrack day today. A firecrest was in goat willow in my top field together with 4 goldcrests.
Quite a few chiffchaffs and blackcaps in woods and lots of skylarks over plough grounds
Curlews still calling

Main sighting: Crossbill

Crossbill drinking at the pond this morning – a garden tick!

Main sighting: Sand Martins

Sand Martins (x9) at Northern end of Nedern Brook, Caldicot from 0940hrs; Gadwall; Teal; Dabchick; Widgeon, Lapwing; Little Egret; Tufted Duck; Chiffchaffs; Buzzard.

Main sighting: Brambling

Small flock c30-50 Brambling making plenty of noise

Main sighting: PAIR MANDARIN DUCK

MALE AND FEMALE MANDARIN DUCKS ON RIVER TROTHY 300 MTRS DOWNSTREAM OF BRIDGE CAMPSITE.