Sightings

Main sighting: Redstart

First Redstart singing here this morning. Still no Swallows or House Martins in residence.

Main sighting: Sparrowhawk

Sparrowhawk seen circling over
Allt-yr yn and Ridgeway at 1pm

Main sighting: Warblers

20+ singing willow warblers, 6 chiffchaff, 3 blackcaps. 2 dunnock 5 jays 3 buzzards 6 goldfinch 2 little grebe 2 Canada goose 2 gsw. Long-tailed tit, coal tit, linnet, swallow, nuthatch song thrush stock dove.

Main sighting: Tree pipit

A walk along footpath through the felled forestry area previously posted (behind Pen y Clawdd farm, Dingestow) resulted in two separate singing tree pipit, two whitethroat and two willow warbler. Many chiffchaff and especially blackcap (everywhere).

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

12 Common Sandpipers on the river above the Llanfoist bridge . Also 3 Swallows

Main sighting: Sand martins

Sand martins (over trout lakes). 2 linnets. 5 oystercatchers, 5 pintail pairs, several teal and shelduck. 1 little egret. Canada geese, incl on the mud flats. Flock of >100 mixed crows and jackdaws. 1 song thrush. 1 mistle thrush (same spot as last week’s pair).

Main sighting: House Martin

The first House Martins have arrived to inspect last years nests. Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks and Commas have emerged from hibernation in good numbers, and the Orange Tips have hatched. A pair of Grey Wagtails have laid a single egg in a nest in a flowerpot in the garden.

Main sighting: Barn owl

Sad to report, especially at this time of year, dead barn owl, hard shoulder westbound, must have been particularly unlucky given roads are so quiet at the moment

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

6 Common Sandpipers above Llanfoist bridge plus several female Goosanders , at least 8 Sand Martins and a Kingfisher

Main sighting: Goshawk

It was a day for raptors from the garden today male Goshawk Red Kite 1
female Sparrowhawk and Buzzard 3. The House Sparrow are engaged in a team building event by the sounds of it, they have been going crazy all day. Blackcap and Chiffchaff singing. Butterflies Large White and Orange Tip.

Main sighting: Ravens

7 ravens, 5 buzzards, 4 goldfinch, 2 mistle thrush, 2 Green woodpecker, 2 greater spotted woodpecker, 2 herons, stock dove, long tail tit, common sandpiper, female bullfinch, yellowhammer, jay, male mandarin, chiffchaff. Also a hare.

Main sighting: Whitethroat

Single tree pipit, redstart and whitethroat all singing from scrubby felled forestry immediately behind Pen y Clawdd farm Dingestow. Also a potential male goshawk over but more likely female sparrowhawk, with five buzzard. Not bad for five minutes’ lockdown watch. .