Sightings

Main sighting: Pectoral Sandpiper

A fine adult Pectoral Sandpiper which has been here since Saturday when it was seen for the first time close to the Spotted Redshank. Currently on the side of the island closes to the Curlew hide or the partially dismantled Redshank platform.

Main sighting: Mandarin Duck

17 birds – none in male breeding plumage and seemed to include well grown juveniles, all on the same stretch of river (though arguably a Gloucestershire record). Kingfisher heard up the river (from the Boat Inn), a number of Blackcaps still singing but only one Garden Warbler doing so. Pied Wagtail feeding juvenile and 2 Grey Wagtails on river bank plus 1 Bullfinch and 1 Marsh Tit near the pub. 2 lots of Mute Swan cygnets.

Main sighting: Curlew returns

Dawn – 0900 visit. Hide one – wren, crows, greylags, mallards, blackcap, skylarks, pheasant, moorhen and a pair of stonechats. Hide two – common whitethroat family group, 35 curlew (flew off over seawall at 0502), 5 oystercatchers, 11 shelduck, 33 redshanks, woodpigeons, Canada geese, herring gulls, ls black-backed gulls, 61 lapwing, 6 lt egrets, reed warbler, 4 gt white egrets, 309 black-tailed godwits, 19 sand martins, 18 dunlin, 1 swift, blackbirds, chiffchaff, gt tits, starling, 3 ringed plovers, juv pied wagtail and a spotted redshank. Snipe platform – coot, 3 lt grebes, sedge and reed warblers (1 each), linnets and goldfinches. Seawall – gt black-backed gull. Hide three – water rail calling, 7 teal, pair tufteds, 1 cormorant, 2 ravens, 2 lt ringed plovers, magpies, fem marsh harrier and yellow wagtail. Other: Many gatekeepers, meadow browns, 1 green-veined white, 1 peacock, large whites.

Main sighting: Goldcrest

Family recently fledged (nested in tall conifers) edge of town.

Main sighting: Disturbance

There will be some disturbance today at Goldcliff Lagoons, between approx. 12.45pm and 2pm. when we carry out our monthly monitoring of salinities and water levels. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Little Egrets

A gathering of between 50 – 60 egrets sighted from the M48 as we returned from Goldcliff.

Main sighting: Lapwing

Retrospective report. Pair seen and heard in maize crop for several weeks including display and injury feigning (reports from locals) so likely to have bred though no nest or juveniles seen. No calls heard today so breeding activity seems to have finished. This species not at all common in this part of the county.

Main sighting: Sparrowhawk

Juvenile sparrowhawk, male redstart, 2 male stonechats, 3 skylarks, 5 meadow pipits, 3 ravens.

Main sighting: Yellow Wagtail

Highlights of todays WeBS count: Little Egret 43 GWE 1 Common Gull 3 Redshank 40 Black-tailed Godwit 99 Bar-tailed Godwit 3 Little Ringed Plover 6 Dunlin 18 Knot 6 Spotted Redshank 1 Black-headed Gull 325 Yellow wagtail 2 Pied wagtail 10
Other: Marbled White 1 Large White 8 Green Veined White 4 Red Admiral 3 Gate Keeper 20
Meadow Brown + Comma 1
Black-tailed Skimmer 1 Ruddy Darter 6 Emerald Damselfly 1 Azure Blue Damselfly 10

Main sighting: Bittern

A varied day with blue skies interspersed with extremely heavy showers. 5 members braved the elements for an all day walk culminating in 47 bird species, 6 Butterfly and at least 3 Dragonfly/Damselfly species.
Mute Swan, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Gadwall, Mallard, Shoveler, Pochard, Little Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, Cormorant, Bittern, Little Egret, Great Egret, Grey Heron, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, Moorhen, Coot, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Swift, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Swallow, Wren Robin, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Treecreeper, Magpie, Rook, Carrion Crow, Starling, Chaffinch, Goldfinch and Reed Bunting.
Butterflies: Red Admiral, Peacock, Green-veined White, Speckled Wood, Small White and Meadow Brown.
Dragonfly/Damselfly – Emperor Dragonfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly.

Main sighting: Mandarin Duck

Female Mandarin Duck with four ducklings. Female Goosander with nine.

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper 4 Redshank 162 Black-tailed Godwit 210 Ringed Plover 2 Little Ringed Plover 3 Little Egret 30+ GWE 3 Snipe 2 Little Grebe 3 Whitethroat Chiffchaff Reed Warbler Singing. And a very smart juvenile Whinchat from the seawall hide.
Other: Ruddy Darter 3 Blue-tailed damselfly 2 Gate Keeper Red Admiral and lots of Meadow Browns.