Sightings

Main sighting: Whooper Swan

A single Whooper Swan was with a flock of 22 Mutes feeding in pasture; the carcass of a nearby dead Mute Swan was mostly eaten away. Two Wigeon were the first I’ve seen here. Also 5 Goldeneye, 10+ Mandarin, 4 Goosander and a single Little Grebe.

Main sighting: Pintail

Caldicot pill over high tide. Pintail 129, black tailed godwit 32, dunlin 3000 to 4000, curlew 190, shelduck 314, oystercatcher 54, shovler 3, grey plover 39, teal 3 and turnstone 150+

Main sighting: Little Owl

2 Little Owls in barn at Llanwenarth today . Also 1 Snipe on the riverbank plus 2 flyovers and 2 Lapwing

Main sighting: Chiffchaff

3-Chiffchaffs,3-Common Gulls in the field to the south of reserve.Also a Woodpecker was drumming.11h00-13h00

Main sighting: Hunting sparrow hawk

While fishing bottom pond, sparrow hawk hunting and chasing blackbirds & redwings feeding on grass bank, chasing them along wooden fence and into bushes few times. Great distraction from the fishing

Main sighting: Wigeon

1 Wigeon on the river near Llanwenarth this morning plus Little Owl in barn again . Also Bullfinch inn garden next to church

Main sighting: Marsh harrier

About 14:30 female marsh harrier hunting over saltmarsh between blackrock and st Pierre pill. Possibly different bird to one seen at caldicot pill yesterday, marking especially on front of wing seemed less bright, but could be due to light conditions. Also 10 snipe 4 jack snipe, 1 woodcock, 5 black-tailled godwit, 2 gadwall, 30+ teal, 40+ skylark and 30+ lapwing flying over

Main sighting: Marsh harrier

This afternoon between about 14:00 and 15:30 female marsh harrier hunting over saltmarsh between second Severn bridge and rogiet sea wall

Main sighting: Lapwing

Walk along the Usk from Llanfoist to Llanwenarth had 3 Lapwing , 4 Teal (1m 3f) , 2 Kingfisher , a Dipper , 3 Little Egret , a Sparrowhawk , a Treecreeper , a Nuthatch , a pair of Stonechat and 3 Otters . Also on Wednesday a single snipe in the field near the church and the Little Owl is back in the barn .

Main sighting: Water Rail

Parc Nant-y-Waun: Water Rail foraging around the Mustard Pond. A very occasional visitor locally and our first record in the Parc. Elsewhere, a group of five Lesser Redpolls and a Stonechat. Woodpigeon and Collared Dove calling despite dismal weather.
Waun Pond: many Herring Gulls on ice or bathing along with a few LBB and BHs. Nothing unusual, yet…

Main sighting: Barn Owl

Barn Owl fly over Goytre A4042

Main sighting: Spoonbill

Spoonbill flying over reserve (didn’t see it wading) from Snipe screen 11am;
Around 48 species across Goldcliff and Nash including spotted redshank, ? 1000 dunlin; snipe; linnet, blackcap (M), greenfinch 3; GS woodpecker 3 – but still dipped the dartford and the black redstarts!