Sightings

Main sighting: shelduck

High tide walk from Magor pill, 250 + shelduck on foreshore, 55 curlew, 22 little egrets, flock of 20 linnets, a few goldfinches, whitethroat, a few swallows near the stables and return to van just as heavy rain started.

Main sighting: Pied Flycatcher

A very interesting & educational GOS walk this morning led by Steph Tyler. Only two members braved the much cooler day with heavy rain forecast from 9.00 am which didn’t materialise until 11.00 am.
Limited bird species the highlight being a Pied Flycatcher nesting in a bird box and visiting to feed young. Other species: Robin, Woodpigeon, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Wren, Carrion Crow, Grey Heron flying over, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Blackbird, Treecreeper, Willow Warbler, Garden Warbler, Stonechat, Blue Tit and possible Redpoll.
Amongst the many plant species pointed out to us were: Zig-Zag Clover, Fairy Flax, Hedge Woundwort, Glaucous Sedge, Tormentil, Lesser Spearwort, Hard Fern, Marsh Thistle, Silverweed, Water Figwort, Marsh Bedstraw, Brookline Speedwort, Corn Mint, Bell Heather, Eared Willow,Scarlet Pimpernel, Yellow (Wood) Pimpernel, and many others. (Apologies to Steph if I have mis-spelled any.)

Main sighting: Disturbance

There will be some disturbance at Goldcliff Lagoons on Sunday afternoon, when volunteers cut vegetation around the fox fence. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Disturbance

There will be some disturbance at Goldcliff Lagoons on Thursday between 12pm and 1.30pm when we carry out our monthly monitoring. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Med.Gull

1-adult Med.Gull in with Black Headed Gulls which numbered several hundred.Also a pair of Shelducks with six ducklings.17h00

Main sighting: Garden Warbler

Nine members joined the GOS walk this morning through Blaen Bran Community Woodland, Cwmbran. Species noted were: Buzzard, Goshawk, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Cuckoo, Green Woodpecker, House Martin, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Siskin, and Bullfinch.

Main sighting: Bittern

0500 – 0830 visit, 44 species including highlights: Lesser whitethroat calling by the first gate and a pair of common whitethroats near the first hide. Redshank platform – 17 (un-ringed) curlew which flew off at 0520 over the sea wall, cettis calling, 12 swifts passing through, 3 oystercatchers, 14 redshanks, 44 shelduck, 32 lapwing, reed buntings, 1 buzzard, female kestrel, skylark singing, pair of bullfinches flying through, 8 dunlin, 2 herons, 9 ringed plovers and a pair of little ringed plovers mixed in. Hide three – pair of gadwall and a pair of tufteds and 25 mute swans. Only birds of note from seawall were a pair of great black-backed gulls over the sea. Marsh platform – 1 little egret. Hide two – juvenile stonechat on the mud by the reeds with several pied wagtails, 3 meadow pipits and 5 linnets, great tits (family group) in the bushes behind the hide, 2 chiffchaffs, 2 blackcaps, 1 pheasant (calling), and a single sand martin through. Back at hide 1 (0810hrs) a bittern flew right to left across lagoon 3 and landed, then took off again about 5 minutes later and flew left to right for about 50 yards then dropped back down into the reeds – possibly an adult bird?

Main sighting: Goosanders

Female goosander and 9 young, little egret, grey heron, kingfisher, stock dove

Main sighting: Goosander

Pair of kingfisher parent and youngster, cormorant, F goosander with fishermans nightmare-26 youngsters!

Main sighting: Little egrets

3 little egrets, grey heron, cormorant, 18 swifts, 5 swallows, spotted flycatcher, female goosander

Main sighting: Goshawk

Large female Goshawk seen from my garden showing well above Mountain next to Tescos.

Main sighting: Curlew Sandpiper / Juvenile Dunlin

Blackcap 1, chiffchaff 2, common whitethroat 1, cettis 1 and reed warbler 1 (all singing birds). Redshank platform – 91 dunlin including a single juvenile bird, also 1 curlew sandpiper and 3 sanderling mixed in (1 in partial breeding plumage), greenshank 1, shoveler 2 pairs, gadwall 1 pair, ringed plover 9, avocet 2 pairs, lapwing 25 (good sized group at the moment), cuckoo calling towards the seawall tea rooms area, linnets, skylark singing, 2 herons, reed buntings, 2 swifts, 7 swallows and female kestrel. Seawall – 5 curlew only birds of note. Hide three – mute swan 12, oystercatchers 4, little egrets 3 and a pair of tufteds. back at redshank mid-morning – single black-tailed godwit. Other: common blue, meadow browns and small skipper butterflies, female hairy dragonfly and a dead mole.