Sightings

Main sighting: Ruff

Highlights of today’s hightide count: Ruff 2 Ringed Plover 34 LRP 2 Curlew 170 Snipe 3 Oystercatcher 103 Whimbrel 4 Black-tailed Godwit 315 Bar-tailed Godwit 1 Green Sandpiper 3 Wood Sandpiper 1 Greenshank 2 Knot 1 Dunlin 249 Black-headed Gull 490 Mediterranean Gull 2 Sparrowhawk 1 Kestrel 2 Yellow Wagtail 2 Black Swan 1 Tufted Duck 1 female with 1 young

Main sighting: Green Sandpiper and Merlin

Early AM first bird we saw today on Monks was a Green Sandpiper ( initially suspected Wood) but have now been able to review my pics. Neville has summarised a great deal of what was seen. Loads of waders today. Two Peregrines caused havoc. Highlight was a first year male Merlin which was ringed (Dan Web had a look at it as well). Curlews increasing in numbers and some ringed seen.

Main sighting: Gulls

9am-10amish. Movement of 185+ juv Lesser Black-backed Gulls up channel along the Gwent coastline, 135 Mallard, 110 Redshank, 1 Greenshank, 1 Blackwit, 7 Dunlin, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Curlew, 6 Grey Lag Geese, 2 Heron, 2 Lgrt, 1 Cormorant, Kestrel, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 1 Common Whitethroat. An abundance of Painted Ladies.

Main sighting: Merlin

63 species in morning visit including highlights of 4 chiffchaffs (hedge leading to seawall), green woodpecker, family group of mute swans and 2 separate adults, 3 herons, 360 black headed gulls (6 juvs), 198 curlew at high tide on 3rd lagoon (3 colour ringed birds and 3 whimbrel mixed in), 176 dunlin (6 juv birds also), 2 lt ringed plovers, 2 green sandpipers, 1 common sandpiper, gt b b gull, 6 teal, 4 ruff (2 together and 2 seperate birds elsewhere and all of different plumage’s), 146 sand martins through with 46 swallows (and resting briefly on mud 2nd lagoon), 4 knot (1 colour ringed adult), 1 spoonbill, 1 turnstone in breeding plumage, 36 coot, 2 buzzards, 136 redshanks, 1 cettis calling, sedge warbler feeding, 1 yellow wagtail over with 3 later on, female wigeon, 3 common snipe, 72 oystercatchers (lagoon 1), 1 greenshank, 1 wood sandpiper, 6 lt egrets, 3 reed warblers, gadwall, 2 peregrine possibly 1st year males?, 305 black-tailed godwits, 406 shelduck (raft on sea), male sparrowhawk hunting, female tufted, pair of stock doves and a 1st year male merlin from hide 3 which caught an eat a linnet. Unusually it had two metal leg rings as opposed to the usual one – wondering if possibly an escaped falconers bird? Other: good numbers of gatekeepers and meadow browns, 2 emperor dragonflies, 1 red admiral, 4 painted ladies and 1 small skipper.

Main sighting: Wood Sandpiper

Single wood sandpiper in front of Snipe platform now .Also Blackwit 3 knot lapwing redshank 2 greenshank Common Sandpiper Green sandpiper little egret Mute and Black Swan Greylag Canada Grey Heron Mippit Yellow and pied wag moorhen coot teal single curlew

Main sighting: Wood Sandpiper

Two wood sandpiper at near edge of Monks Lagoon. Keeping close to the front edge, sometimes hidden by vegetation but generally great views. Calling frequently. Also 4 green sandpiper here (intermittently chased by lapwing), 1 kingfisher and hundreds of black-tailed godwit on Prior’s. Several painted lady. Between Raglan and Dingestow, an adult and juvenile yellow wagtail on wires.

Main sighting: Below

Record should read Green Woodpecker not Green Plover !! What ever that is

Main sighting: Various

285 BHgull 82 LBBG 6 GBBG 1 Little Gull 12 Little Egret 2 Common Sandpiper 1 Oystercatcher 3 LRPlover 3 Buzzard 2 Red Kite 123 Cormorant 1 Green Plover !! willow Warbler Reed Warbler Green woodpecker 80 Canada Geese 31 GCGrebe 5 Little grebe 1 random shelduck !! 1 Lapwing lookimg decidedly ill.

Main sighting: Red Kite

10.30am Red Kite flying low over nearby woods .superb sight

Main sighting: Erratum

Thats 317 blackwit not knot

Main sighting: Waders

Knot 317 blackwit redshank 6 greenshank 4 common sand .8 little egret 2 grey heron 94 canada geese 61 lapwing 1 juv Water rail !!! 31 coot 6 greylag et al

Main sighting: Wood Sandpiper

Wood Sandpiper 1 Green Sandpiper 4 Common Sandpiper 1 Avocet 2 Knot 4 Greenshank 1 Little Ringed Plover 2 Snipe 1 Black-tailed Godwit 250 Spoonbill 1 Wigeon 3 Teal 4 Gadwall 2. Also: Black-tailed Skimmer Gatekeeper Holly Blue Small Tortoiseshell Meadow Brown