Sightings

Main sighting: Goosander

3 Goosander 2F 1 M.
Various sites in Cwmbran this AM: nuthatch, redwing, treecreeper (canal); goldcrest (boating lake), long tailed and coal tits (thornhill).

Main sighting: Avocet

34-Avocets ,45+Grey Plovers on the foreshore.5f-Goldeneyes still present on Priors.Regular Peregrine along with Glossy Ibis and BNG showing well.10h30-13h00.

Main sighting: Hen Harrier

A bright warm sunny morning at the lagoons. A male Hen Harrier flew over the seawall towards Uskmouth. On Prior’s Black-necked Grebe Goldeneye 3 Pochard 3 lots Snipe 4 and lots of Teal and Wigeon with a few Gadwall and Shoveler.

Main sighting: Common gulls

100 common gulls in school fields, plus 150 by viaduct

Main sighting: Goosander

Seven Goosander (4m, 3f) and just 2 pairs of Mallard on the river north from Usk this afternoon.

Main sighting: Glossy Ibis BNG and lots of shelducks

The lagoons remain very muddy and wellies recomended – and care required as its slippery.
Priors Lagoons – “Flossy” the Glossy showing very well. Black Necked Grebe, Goldeneyes, Pintail , Wigeon, Mallards, Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall. Male and Female Marsh Harriers very active all morning. Small flock of Curlews on borders. Big flock of Black Headed Gulls 150+ flew in over the reserve.
Monks – 285 Shelduck roosting at high tide. Peregrine – was eating prey on the island.
Foreshore – Flock of 80 Knot flew past me. Approx 150+ Dunlins and 40+ Curlew and Shelduck/. 20 + Oystercatchers.

Main sighting: Diving ducks

Posting for Thursday submitted 2nd time as first didn’t get added. Highlights included 1 cormorant, 1 heron, 748 wigeon (more out at sea), 109 teal, 56 shoveler, 2 pairs tufted ducks, now 5 female goldeneye, 5 male and 1 female common pochards, black-necked grebe still present and 2 lt grebes also, 4 mute swans, 2 barnacle geese flew in with the greylags, male kestrel, male and female marsh harriers hunting together, 14 gadwall, male stonechat, 1 redshank, spotted redshank still around, 1 buzzard, chiffchaff contact call, redwings and fieldfares. Mudflats: peregrine disturbed the waders but when they re-settled there were 940 dunlin with 1 black-tailed godwit, 11 grey plovers and 84 knot mixed in. 23 avocet beyond them.

Main sighting: Drake Smew

Drake Smew in the usual place near Usk (opposite Craig Olway Farm) 2 Little Grebes, 2 Drake Goldeneyes, 2 Moorhens, 2 Canada Geese, a Wren on the debris washed up by the river and 9 Mallards.

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

A mid afternoon visit between rain showers viewed from the visitor centre; Common Sandpiper flew from Sailing Club to the Dam this bird has been regular on the dam this winter with a second bird on the 17th Jan, 35 Mandarin in Doctor’s Bay (high count!), 50 Wigeon, 36 Teal, 6 Goosander – 3 drake, 22 Mallard, 21 Canada Geese, 17 Cormorant, pair Great Black-backed Gull, singing Mistle Thrush and Nuthatch.

Main sighting: Black tailed Godwit

Ebb tide from Pill; 120 wigeon, 45 shoveler, 2 pintail, 60 teal, 5 gadwall, 25 avocets, 24 redshank, 6 curlew on foreshore, also stonechat on sea wall. SW passage of 10 bp cormorants during the morning.

Main sighting: Glossy Ibis, Black-Necked Grebe and Waders

Dawn visit – Monks Curlews roosting x 215, Grey Plovers 15c. Flew over se wall at first light
Priors – Plenty of ducks – 4 x Goldeneye, 1 x Pintail, Shovelers,Gadwall, Teal, Mallard and Wigeon 300c. 3 x Mute Swans. Black-Necked Grebe showing well. 1 x Little Grebe. Glossy Ibis very active.
Foreshore from sea wall the Pill was later home to the Curlews, Plovers and a 20+ Oystercatchers as well as Shelduck.
Others to note- Marsh Harrier quartered Priors reedbed. Peregribe on gate near Monks. Carrion Crows, 2 x Ravens, 1 x Buzzard. Flock of 20 Pied Wagtails. Hedgerow are rear of Snipe Platform had a good flock of Fieldfare and Redwings.

Main sighting: Water Rail

Productive walk around Castle Meadows. On the Usk: Kingfisher, Goosander, Grey Wagtail, two Little Grebes and a massive domestic duck. Water Rail on the margins of the Gavenny just below the footbridge.