Sightings

Main sighting: Common Redstart

Juvenile Redstart sighted around garden pond. May have been after insects or looking for somewhere to perch to take a drink.

Main sighting: Disturbance

There will be some disturbance today at Goldcliff Lagoons between 11.30am and 1pm when we carry out routine monitoring of water levels and salinities. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Great White Egrets

5 Great White Egrets seen from Snipe platform. Also 34 Little Egrets, 150+ Black-tailed Godwits, 40+ Redshank, 50+ Lapwing, 8 Curlew, 6 Ringed Plover.

Main sighting: Nightjar

Nightjars churring faintly in the distance from direction of Beacon Hill at 22.30.

Main sighting: Mediterranean Gull

While driving over the bridge to visit my family home, an adult Mediterranean Gull flew WSW in front of the car over the bridge at 9.06am . I originally posted this on the South Glocs. Whatsapp group, but on reflection it was probably on the Welsh side of the bridge !
MN775

Main sighting: Red Kite

Red Kite circling overhead around mid-day, also on 24th June being mobbed by crow.

Main sighting: Spotted Redshank

A Spotted a Redshank in summer plumage originally seen in front of the first hide but relocated directly in front of the second giving excellent views. Also in addition to Neville’s previous list a Green Sandpiper on the mud behind the island on Monks and a Greenshank at the bottom of the island in Bec’s.

Main sighting: Lesser Whitethroat

Just heard a male rattling close to my house near the centre of the village. Spotted Flycatchers around again this year but not apparently breeding in castle grounds though one successful nest in a garden nearby. Another nest abandoned due to disturbance from workmen. None nesting along lane to Hoaldalbert unlike last two years. Birds return to the area but not particularly faithful to former nest sites.

Main sighting: Snipe

Dawn visit: En-route to hides woodpigeons, 3 chffchaffs, wrens, blackcap, pheasants, 3 whitethroats, reed warbler singing, crows, moorhen and magpies. Hide one – skylark, 3 gt white egrets (including the Ham Wall project ringed bird), 21 lt egrets, 3 herons, greylags and Canada geese. Hide two – cettis, 60 lapwing, 121 black-tailed godwits, 46 redshanks, 7 gadwall, 10 swifts, ls black-backed gulls, 7 swallows, 7 ringed plovers, 5 cormorants, 3 snipe, 3 oystercatchers, herring gulls, starlings, 5 black headed gulls and fem marsh harrier. Snipe platform – 67 mallards (most in eclipse plumage), 2 lt grebes, pair tufteds, 14 swans and 21 coot including juveniles. Single curlew only bird of note from the seawall. Hide three – 8 teal, 6 shoveler, 5 shelduck, lone female tufted and 18 sand martins passing. Back at hide two – pair of lt ringed plovers, female peregrine through, great tits and jackdaws. Plenty of early morning meadow browns on the wing.

Main sighting: Yellow-legged gull

Yellow-legged gull with lesser blackbacks on boys’ school cricket field

Main sighting: Wood Warbler

Wood warbler singing among hardwoods.

Main sighting: Sand Martin

Active colony with a number of nest holes in Welsh bank – birds seen entering and exiting. Around 35 birds in flight. Sadly the few that nested in holes by the old bridge at Monmouth no longer appear to be doing so – unless anyone knows differently.