Sightings

Main sighting: Swallow

re previous note here regarding sighting of an apparent juv Swallow(Tues 12th May) at Sudbrook, another was photographed yesterday at Portland, there is a photo of it on their blog . Current thinking is that the Swallows return to southern Europe in Feb or even January, have a brood and then the young move north with the adults. See tomorrows Portland blog. The above explanation had already been suggested by John Martin for the Sudbrook bird.

Main sighting: Dipper

Seen on Tresenny Brook. Also in vicinity 2 Redstarts singing, 1 Garden Warbler singing, 2 Linnets singing, 3 Willow Warblers singing. House Sparrows breeding in 3 nest boxes on one house.

Main sighting: Stonechat

Stonechats in abundance, Linnnet, Lesser Redpolls, Bullfinch, Pied Wagtails, Willow Warbler, Chiff Chaff, Blackbird, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Buzzard, Robin , Wood pigeons , Swallows and Herring Gulls.
Tremendous Gorse Habitat.

Main sighting: Yellowhammer

Male heard singing when I stopped briefly on B4347 to let a bee escape through my car window – returning from work.

Main sighting: Hirundines

12 house Martins, 6 swallow, Jay, raven, blackcap, chiffchaff, whitethroat willow warbler, song thrush

Main sighting: Tree Pipit

Highlights of our walk today Tree Pipit singing, Red Kite 1 Blackcap 6 Willow Warbler 6 Chiffchaff 4. Dunnock 3 Song Thrush 3 Mistle Thrush 4 Swallow 6 House Martin 4 the latter two gathering mud. The Blackbirds are eating the ‘grapes’ of the Mahonia in our garden.

Main sighting: Redstart (male)

Just returned from my daily walk in the golf club. Spotted a male redstart performing its typical flickering dance high up in the branches of an oak tree. A beautiful sight as the bright sunshine made the colours come alive, both the bird and the leaves.

Main sighting: Peregrine

Highlights of a week off work spent in the garden were a Peregrine being severely harassed by a LBB Gull overhead , the return of Swifts to East Newport, the antics of the regular House Sparrows, Wood Pigeons, Collared Doves, and Blackbirds, but topping it all watching a pair of Magpies chase a cat out of my garden, and, as it sat on the roof of next door’s shed, one of them gave the end of the cat’s tail a tweak with it’s beak at least 3 times! The cat moved on and hasn’t returned yet.

Main sighting: Hirundines

At least 800 mixed flock of Swallow House Martin and Sand martin over newly ploughed college fields to the left Usk bound opposite the Equine centre plus at least 40 swift over the town Waters…they are late but they have arrived sporadically in number .

Main sighting: Marsh Tit

Calling by Boat Inn (working nearby). Siskin calls also heard.

Main sighting: Linnet

Seven Linnets, 4 Greenfinches, 1 Siskin busily feeding on the seeds of a rosemary bush at the same time. A useful plant!

Main sighting: Swallow

We had a strange sighting on Tuesday of a Swallow that seemed to be in juvenile plumage, It was first considered that it could be a hybrid, but others have now put forward the idea that it was a juv/winter plumage bird, whose plumage is somehow stunted (apparently similar seen in south Africa). The jury is still out at the moment. Managed to get some snatched photos it of perched on a telegraph wire. Could still be around.

Also 2 Com sand + 2 Whimbrel +5 Mute swans.