Sightings

Main sighting: Little egrets

3 little egrets by sports pavilion 8am

Main sighting: Whinchat

2 Whinchat to left of first hide. I Ruff from Snipe hide, amongst 22 Knot and good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit

Main sighting: Redstart

This afternoon sea wall just east of Black Rock At least 5 redstart, 2+ males 3+ female/juvenile. At least 3 spotted flycatcher, 2 whinchat, 1 garden warbler. 1 clouded yellow butterfly.

Main sighting: Wigeon

A flock of 22 Wigeon in front of Snipe platform at 12:30. A pair of Ruff in front of Marsh platform plus usual large number of Blackwits dispersed in smaller flocks on both sides of the central reed bed on Prior’s. 8 Knot. Whinchats and Stonechats on the fence and vegetation in front of the first hide.

Main sighting: Disturbance at Goldcliff Lagoons

There will be some disturbance at Goldcliff Lagoons on Wednesday 7th September, when we cut vegetation on Monks’ and Bec’s islands. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Passage Waders

2-4pm. Main sightings 8 Curlew Sandpiper and 3 ruff and juv little stint back of Priors.

A surprisingly stout bird with wings visible behind tail. For much of the time did not show obvious tramlines. Saw it fly and wings not unusually long. Don’t know if this was the same bird as yesterday but myself and another birder saw it in excellent light and could go to full magnification on our telescopes whilst maintaining clear image.

Main sighting: Barn owl

0601hrs, barn owl flying over the road and over the Lysaught building.

Main sighting: Great White Egret

0600 – 12noon visit, 57 species. Snipe platform – 3 kestrels, 3 chiffchaffs (contact calls), cettis, 9 lapwing, 12 little egrets, 215 black-tailed godwits, 2 ruff, gadwall, shoveler, teal, 5 mute swans, 2 house martins, 9 redshanks, gt white egret over at 0602 heading towards seawall tea rooms direction, 1 lt stint, female sparrowhawk, 6 wigeon, steady passage of sand martins (at least 145 birds), 2 yellow wagtails, green woodpecker calling, 18 swallows, 3 snipe, 2 curlew, 176 black headed gulls, reed warbler, 4 bar-tailed godwits in lovely plumage, 3 pintail came in and left straight away heading over the seawall and green sandpiper seen twice in flight. Hide three – female garganey, pair stonechats, female peregrine and a turnstone. Seawall – 54 ringed plover with 46 dunlin, 3 oystercatchers, 3 curlew, 1 grey plover and 128 shelduck. Back at Snipe platform – 12 knot, 1 ringed plover, curlew sandpipers now at 4 birds (3 feeding together) and 1 on its own, 2 avocet and a stock dove over. Hide one – 5 whinchat and 4 stonechats along the fence to the right of the hide.

Main sighting: Clouded yellow butterfly

Clouded yellow, painted lady and small copper between Peterstone and St Brides. Common sandpipers 3, turnstones 33, dunlin & ringed plover (flock of 200 combined), oystercatchers 25, curlew 2, redshanks, F pintails, teal, mallard, shelduck; M kestrel; F sparrowhawk; many herons; BHGs; whitethroat; wheatears on the wall.

Main sighting: Baird'sandpiper

Further to the posting by Chris Foster Brown. We saw the bird late evening. At fiest the sunlight was too bright to see much detail however even them the very long primary projection was evident. Later we had better views although at a distance of 250 metres. We agree with Chris that it looks good for Baird’s. Black legs, dark upper breast, gleaming white underparts even white scalloping to upper sides. Beak dark medium small. Head marking difficult at this range.

Main sighting: Migration

Large flock of house martins headed south over house in Llanyrafon this evening . Up to 400 mixed House Martin and Swallow just north of Usk this afternoon but being predated by a nearby hobby family and a juv peregrine falcon on a regular basis ..Hobby have done fairly well across 5 of my licensed sites and also a kingfisher with regularity on the Afon Llwyd due to clear water and low levels at Llanyrafon .

Main sighting: Black Kite

Adult Black Kite circled over Goldcliff Point area at 13.20, seen from the sea wall. Showed well in good light. Last seen circling over my head as I tried to log in to BirdGuides (which seems to have crashed!) So I didn’t see which direction (or if) it departed unfortunately. Couldn’t relocate it after a couple of hours trying.