Sightings

Main sighting: Redstart.

My first Redstart of the year. Male in altercation with a male Reed Bunting. Also singing were 4 Wheatears, 5 Willow Warblers, 2Chiffchaff, 4.Skylarks and Nuthatch plus 31Meadow Pipits and the local pairs ofRavens and Kestrels.

Main sighting: Curlew

Pair of Curlew seen on briefly on farmland. Distinctive call also heard – both flapping wings.

Main sighting: Swallows

3 Swallows over café area. Also several Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Grey Heron and a pair of Stonechat.

Main sighting: Whitethroat

2 chiffchaffs, pair of blackcaps, 1 common whitethroat in full song, 1 cettis calling, 2 herons, female kestrel, 2 teal, 3 pairs lapwing, pair gadwall, linnets, skylarks, 2 shelduck and a cormorant. Other: comma and small tortoiseshell butterfly.

Main sighting: Spoonbills / redstart

Dawn – mid morning visit: 18 Black-tailed Godwits were heading off high when I arrived. Single spoonbill roosting on 1st lagoon later flew over to the third lagoon to join the 2nd bird. At 11.15 3 more spoonbill flew in to join the 2 on lagoon 3. Other: Blackcaps, 3 chiffchaffs, 1 cettis, 2 swallows, 1 willow warbler and 1 common whitethroat (male). Redshank platform – Pheasant, linnets, 25 mute swans (most I have seen here), 3 gadwall, 22 redshanks, reed bunting, gt spotted woodpecker drumming, the spotted redshank is almost in full breeding plumage now, 4 lapwing only, 1 avocet only, 4 cormorants, 17 teal, single black-tailed godwit, 5 ringed plovers, marsh harrier, 1 little egret, 2 herons. Snipe platform – pair of tufteds and a male kestrel hunting. Reed warbler singing on way to sea wall and a female redstart along the hedgerow. Curlew calling. Other: small tortoiseshell, small whites and speckled woods.

Main sighting: Wood Warbler

A Wood Warbler was singing late morning in the mixed woodland above Manor Brook about 200m down the stream from the children’s play area – the first I’ve heard this year.

Main sighting: Yellow wagtail

Very bright yellow wagtail, black cap,

Main sighting: Swallow

Swallow flying through and singing Willow Warbler!

Main sighting: Grasshopper Warbler

34 species recorded on this morning’s walk with Gavin Vella. Highlights included a reeling Gropper, a single Swallow, a Lesser Redpoll and singing Willow Warblers everywhere.

Main sighting: Willow Warbler

Willow Warblers clearly heard in five separate locations on the Wye Valley way near Pen y Fan, Cuckoo Wood and east of Beacon Hill.

Main sighting: Disturbance

There will be some disturbance this afternoon at Goldcliff Lagoons when we carry out our monthly monitoring of water levels and salinities. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Dark bellied Brent Goose

2 dark bellied Brent Geese feeding on a rising tide before flying off west.Also 2 Barwits.