Sightings

Main sighting: Whinchat

1-juv.Whinchat along with 4-juv.Stonechats.Large flock of Black Headed Gulls 200+,contained 29 juveniles,7-Little Egrets,3 distant-Kestrels all juveniles?,1f-Marsh Harrier and large numbers of Sand Martins over Priors lagoon.10h30-12h00

Main sighting: Stonechats

25 or more stonechats, mostly juveniles. 1 juvenile whinchat, 2 mipits, 2 stock doves, a jay, 7 juvenile redstarts, 5 willow warblers, a raven, a buzzard, 3 gsw, 2 green wpecker, 2 nuthatch, 4 song thrush, 2 skylarks, 60 rooks and 2 linnets.

Main sighting: Avocet Hide closed

We have closed the Avocet Hide (the largest hide next to the sea-wall) as the flooring is rotten. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Water levels

With the unprecedented heat forecast, it is unlikely that we will be able to keep water in all three lagoons at Goldcliff. We will concentrate efforts on Priors Lagoon as it is the deepest

Main sighting: Wigeon

Webs count today A Wigeon on Priors Great White Egret 1 Little Egret 7 Grey Heron I Mediterranean Gull a Juveniles on Monks Black-head Gull 200 Dunlin 90 Little Ringed Plover 2 Ringed Plover2 Black-tailed Godwit 80. Teal 1 Gadwall 10. There were lot of butterflies Meadow Brown Ringlet Gate Keeper Painted Lady Red Admiral Dragonflies Emerald Damselfly Blue-tailed Damselfly Emperor Common Darter

Main sighting: Great White Egret

Great White Egret at 2ish this pm from 3rd platform.

Main sighting: Caspian Tern

At 9.10 a.m. Adult Caspian Tern flying west over my head and calling. Lost to sight when close to Collister gull roost that was put up by paddleboarder

Main sighting: Ruff

18:05-20:40 A male Ruff in smart plumage remnant of ruff remaining Common Sandpiper 1 Snipe 4 Little Ringed Plover 2 Ringed Plover 2 also Dunlin Black-tailed Godwit Oystercatcher Redshank Curlew Lapwing, and a large flock of Black-headed Gulls several l hundred. Other: Ruddy Darter 1 Blue-tailed Damselfly 1 Gatekeeper 6 lots of Meadow Browns.

Main sighting: Mediterranean Gulls

1 Mediterranean Gull at sudbrook, 2 on shore just east of black rock and at least two probably more with flock of black-headed gull feeding on flying insects over black rock

Main sighting: Mediterranean Gull

This afternoon near smaller jetty between sudbrook and black rock 1 Mediterranean Gull. This morning under second Severn crossing pair of shelduck with 23 young.

Main sighting: Whinchat and barn owl

0550 – 0900. 45 species seen, highlights included 2 blackcaps, pheasant and green woodpecker on the way in. Hide one – male whinchat showing briefly. Redshank platform – 3 reed warblers in the near reeds, 4th bird singing close by, also 2 common whitethroats there with 2 more seen further along, 44 lapwing, 2 shelduck, 5 oystercatchers, 2 little ringed plovers, 3 herons, 5 redshanks only, 6 teal (some in eclipse plumage), linnets, 2 skylarks singing, sedge warbler in the near reeds, 1 adult cormorant and later a fly-by of 5 juveniles. Seawall – reed buntings, 17 curlew, 300+ black headed gulls, 17 swallows aerial feeding over the lagoon and a female marsh harrier sat on the ground in the saltings. Hide three – 32 dunlin, 6 ringed plovers, 1 little egret, kestrel, barn owl hunting for about 5 mins (0757hrs), 11 mute swans, 14 black-tailed godwits and a meadow pipit. Other: Large skippers, meadow browns, gatekeepers, large whites, 1 painted lady, 2 male common darters and a large female dragonfly (tbc).

Main sighting: Help

Has anyone sighted what I can only describe as a great white egret, but with totally black plumage, long sharp completely yellow bill, cardiff side of wentloog. Humbolts heron is nearest I can get, nothing missing from Slimbridge.