Sightings

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.

Main sighting: Common gull

Also from Goldcliff this afternoon (photos checked and confirmed by Dan Webb) as 2nd summer common gull (2nd lagoon).

Main sighting: Little ringed plover / reed warbler

Little ringed plover from hide 3 on the right of the island, also singing reed warbler between snipe and marsh platforms. Other highlights – chiffchaffs, blackcaps, cettis, redshank, gadwall, teal, avocet, shelduck, shovler, stonechat (male), linnets, kestrel (male), 3 herons, 1 lt egret, 4 swallows, 55 curlew came onto lagoon 3 where 263 black-tailed godwits were feeding, which took off and went high. Other: small tortoiseshell, small white, brimstone and speckled wood butterflies.

Main sighting: Reed & Sedge Warbler

One Sedge and two Reed Warblers this am.

Main sighting: Black Tailed Godwit

Many Black’wits again today mostly on Becks.I counted a minimum of 645 from my photographs,also 2-Spoonbills,7-Avocets and the Spotted Redshank looking a lot blacker than on my last visit.11h30-13h45

Main sighting: Spoonbills

1400 – 1530 hrs, good views of a pair of spoonbills from snipe hide, they were on the far west bank of Becs and were resting, also flock of 250 plus blk t godwits flew over, reed bunting, chiff chaff, cettis, 14 avocets, single spotted redshank on east of Monks and finally our first willow warbler heard.

Main sighting: Red Kite

Red Kite circling over The Narth 17.45 before flying off in westerly direction.

Main sighting: Fieldfare

Pair of Fieldfare hanging around hedgerow / feeding on Ivy berries. Possibly the latest I’ve ever recorded them. Redpoll, Greenfinch, Linnet, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, amongst usual.

Main sighting: Crossbill

Four Crossbills drinking