Sightings
Kevin Dupé
Goldcliff Lagoons, Newport Wetlands NNR
Wed 28th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Disturbance
There will be some disturbance tomorrow when we mow the vegetation on the islands. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Andrew King
SO245294
Tue 27th Aug 2019
Main sighting: 1000's of House Martins
Alison thanks for reporting this. The Grwyne Fawr valley, Breconshire where these were seen does have the habit of turning up migrant House Martins. They occur normally here as you saw in the lee of the conifer forestry, presumably where insects gather. Generally up to 300 birds so your flock was exceptional – and perhaps a couple of weeks earlier in the autumn than peak numbers normally. Andrew – Breconshire Bird Recorder.
Alison Griffies
Grid reference SO245294
Tue 27th Aug 2019
Main sighting: 1000s of housemartins gathering on telephone wires
About 1000 housemartins gathering in this valley on 27/8/2019 at 10am. In the Black Mountains of S Wales 1mile west of Capel-y-ffin. Grid reference SO245294. Is this a gathering before they fly south? Anybody know if this is a common phenomenon to gather in such large numbers? There were plenty of insects around as well at a reservoir for water which they were dipping into. I can send a poor quality mobile phone video if this helps.
mark davies
Abergavenny
Tue 27th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Swifts
2 Swifts over the house this afternoon
Mike andJackie Pointon
Peterstone Gout
Tue 27th Aug 2019
Main sighting: clouded Yellow
A few migrant about at low tide. Blackcap 3 Whitethroat 1 . Butterflies: Clouded Yellow 1 Painted Lady 15 Small Tortoiseshell 2 Green-veined White 2 Large White 4 Common Blue 2
Adrian Edwards
Marshfield
Mon 26th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Siskin
1 male Siskin visiting feeders in the afternoon. Many sparrows doing very well this year, 2 or 3 broods from one nest in the roof. Usual other garden birds – BT, GT, coal tits, one greenfinch, many goldfinches including Young this year, starlings same.
Brian Thomas
Goldcliff
Mon 26th Aug 2019
Main sighting: curlew sandpiper
Curlew sandpiper, ruff, hen harrier.
Blair Jones
Blorenge Foxhunter carpark
Mon 26th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Wheatear and Pipits
There are a lot of Wheatears and Meadow Pipits gathering in small flocks around the Foxhunter carpark. Buzzard seen flying above the Keepers. Watched Wheatears all along the foot path.
Ed Stevens
Black Rock
Sun 25th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Common tern
Black Rock this afternoon 20+ redshank, 3 dunlin, 2 ringed plover, 1 wheatear, 30+ yellow wagtail, flock of 24 terns roosting on island, later most flew off down channel. Most to far away for me to id to species, but at least one definitely common and one probable arctic. Also 1 clouded yellow butterfly.
martyn jones
Marshfield
Sat 24th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Barn owl
Barn owl over the garden for the third time this week. Late in the evening.
The local sparrows seem to have had a good year with at least three pairs with double broods in the garden. The local post breeding sparrow flocks are in the hundreds in the local meadows.
In contrast not had a single Greenfinch in the garden since about april and swifts are notable by their absence.
Ed Stevens
Black Rock
Sat 24th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Comic tern
Flock of 60+ comic tern just off shore at black rock heading west this afternoon.
Mr Neville James Davies
Goldcliff Lagoons
Sat 24th Aug 2019
Main sighting: Warbler passerines
Dawn visit and joined later by John Lawton. Excellent mornings migration, highlights included 2 buzzards, house martins, 8 lt egrets, 3 herons, 6 curlew (71 more on mudflats), 46 swallows passing through with 6 sand martins, 1 common sandpiper, 1 greenshank, 1 black swan which relocated to the Pill, 10 teal, 21 gadwall, 10 shoveler, 1 cettis, an excellent count of 266 knot, 59 redshank, 233 black-tailed godwits, 1 common snipe, 1st yr male merlin on the seawall, 1 sedge and 2 reed warblers in the reeds opposite snipe platform, and 2 female kestrels. Seawall – the wall had 18 yellow wagtails along it (11 also seen over the lagoons),with 2 wheatears also. 2 grey plovers and 1 whimbrel on the mud. Working their way through the hedgeline opposite the snipe platform was migration in full swing with 2 male and 1 female common redstarts seen with 3 common whitethroats, 1 lesser whitethroat, 15 chiffchaffs, 2 spotted and 1 pied flycatchers. Awesome.