Sightings

Main sighting: Curlew chick

The first Curlew chick of the year was found this morning! Hopefully more to follow. Please keep your eyes open for chicks or agitated adults and send all sightings to Curlew@gwentbirds.org.uk .

Main sighting: Wheatear

Seven Wheatear territories, with some fledged young, on the Gwent part of the mountain. Count of thirty Linnets including a flock of twenty. Two male Cuckoos calling occasionally, one with some “cuck-cuck-oo” phrases.

Main sighting: Garden Warbler

On riverside path downstream from old railway bridge. At least 8 singing males, similar Blackcaps. 1 Dipper, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Bullfinch, number of House Martins collecting scarce mud at river’s edge. No Marsh Tits however. Several salmon (grilse) leaping. Also saw sizeable sewin (about 50 cm) under old Monnow Bridge in Monmouth.

Main sighting: Egrets

En-route to hides – magpies, pheasants, wren, chiffchaff, kingfisher in reen right of bridge, blackcap, 3 whitethroats, crow and blackbirds. Hide one – reed bunting, cettis, 2 gt white egrets (one ringed, lower left leg), 21 little egrets, 3 herons, 2 spoonbills, 38 redshanks, 5 cormorants, ls black-backed gulls, 194 black-tailed godwits, 6 gadwall, mallards, 1 swift, Canada geese, skylark, harriers, coot, 4 black-headed gulls, 2 oystercatchers, woodpigeons, 4 shoveler, 2 shelduck, greylags, 7 avocet, 7 ringed plovers, 2 dunlin, 1 curlew calling, reed warbler and starlings. Snipe platform – 2 pairs tufteds, 9 swans, 3 swallows. Marsh platform – unexpected male wigeon in amongst mallards and herring gulls. Hide three – 18 more avocet, male pintail, 11 more gadwall little grebe and 21 lapwing. Hide 2 on way back out – jackdaws, gt tit and a buzzard. A male cuckoo showed briefly.

Main sighting: quail calling

10-30pm single bird calling. often heard at this location over the years

Main sighting: Ring-billed gull

Ringbilled gull feeding on dead pike (otter kill?) at Wye shingle beach. Kingfisher took 2 minnows below Priory St. 4 blackcap, 30 Canada geese, greenfinch, 12 house martin, 30 sand martin, 2 gsw, song thrush, grey heron, 2 juv ltt, grey wagtail, chiffchaff, 20 barbel, toad. Only June, already the Wye has a greenish tinge.

Main sighting: White Wagtail

Morning visit. En-route to hides – 2 male pheasants, woodpigeons, wrens, crows, herring gulls, 2 chiffchaffs, magpies, robin, mallards, 2 herons, 2 whitethroats, reed warbler singing and jackdaws. Hide one – most of the activity was here with 190 black-tailed godwits, 5 avocet, 2 shelduck, blue tits, Canada geese, 11 redshanks, lesser black-backed gulls, 5 lapwing, 2 ringed plovers, 6 dunlin, 10 lt egrets, 2 shoveler, coot, a good count of 39 gadwall (my highest count here) with 5 more from hide 3, skylark singing, 3 oystercatchers and 4 cormorants (1 a juvenile). Hide two – buzzard, cettis calling, cattle egret in the usual spot on the island ,a single curlew came in and stayed for about 5 minutes, black headed gulls and a moorhen. Snipe platform – 2 male and 1 fem tufteds, 14 mute swans, greylags, little grebe and 1 swallow. Seawall – 6 more swallows, 85 starlings including juvs on the seawall, also 3 pied wagtails (1 juv), and a male white wagtail and 1 yellow wagtail mixed in, 2 sand martins with 18 house martins and 9 swifts. Hide three – sparrows, linnets, 14 more avocet, great white egret, another male tufted, juv male marsh harrier and on the way back another pair of whitethroats, one had nesting material.

Main sighting: Fledged Great tits and Starlings

At least 6 recently fledged Great tits being fed by parents and 8 fledged Starlings in a very busy back Garden. Also Blue tits feeding 8 young in nest box, Blackbirds with beaks full of worms and a very busy Robin. Jackdaws and Magpies on the hunt. Goldfinches and Greenfinches in front Garden and Chiffchaff heard.

Main sighting: Goldcrest

Juvenile flying around my garden

Main sighting: Hobby

Whilst enjoying an al fresco breakfast at 08:00 a Hobby flew over the garden, having first eyed up the local swifts.

Main sighting: Garganey

A male and female Garganey on Monk’s lagoon this evening. The northerly winds seem to be holding up 220 Black-tailed Godwit’s migration.

Main sighting: 2 Red Kites

2 Red Kites spotted over Rumney heading East towards Newport. I regularly see kites as I frequently vidit Ceredigion. My husband saw them and confirmed they were not buzzards