Sightings

Main sighting: Goosander

Seven Goosander (4m, 3f) and just 2 pairs of Mallard on the river north from Usk this afternoon.

Main sighting: Glossy Ibis BNG and lots of shelducks

The lagoons remain very muddy and wellies recomended – and care required as its slippery.
Priors Lagoons – “Flossy” the Glossy showing very well. Black Necked Grebe, Goldeneyes, Pintail , Wigeon, Mallards, Teal, Shoveler and Gadwall. Male and Female Marsh Harriers very active all morning. Small flock of Curlews on borders. Big flock of Black Headed Gulls 150+ flew in over the reserve.
Monks – 285 Shelduck roosting at high tide. Peregrine – was eating prey on the island.
Foreshore – Flock of 80 Knot flew past me. Approx 150+ Dunlins and 40+ Curlew and Shelduck/. 20 + Oystercatchers.

Main sighting: Diving ducks

Posting for Thursday submitted 2nd time as first didn’t get added. Highlights included 1 cormorant, 1 heron, 748 wigeon (more out at sea), 109 teal, 56 shoveler, 2 pairs tufted ducks, now 5 female goldeneye, 5 male and 1 female common pochards, black-necked grebe still present and 2 lt grebes also, 4 mute swans, 2 barnacle geese flew in with the greylags, male kestrel, male and female marsh harriers hunting together, 14 gadwall, male stonechat, 1 redshank, spotted redshank still around, 1 buzzard, chiffchaff contact call, redwings and fieldfares. Mudflats: peregrine disturbed the waders but when they re-settled there were 940 dunlin with 1 black-tailed godwit, 11 grey plovers and 84 knot mixed in. 23 avocet beyond them.

Main sighting: Drake Smew

Drake Smew in the usual place near Usk (opposite Craig Olway Farm) 2 Little Grebes, 2 Drake Goldeneyes, 2 Moorhens, 2 Canada Geese, a Wren on the debris washed up by the river and 9 Mallards.

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

A mid afternoon visit between rain showers viewed from the visitor centre; Common Sandpiper flew from Sailing Club to the Dam this bird has been regular on the dam this winter with a second bird on the 17th Jan, 35 Mandarin in Doctor’s Bay (high count!), 50 Wigeon, 36 Teal, 6 Goosander – 3 drake, 22 Mallard, 21 Canada Geese, 17 Cormorant, pair Great Black-backed Gull, singing Mistle Thrush and Nuthatch.

Main sighting: Black tailed Godwit

Ebb tide from Pill; 120 wigeon, 45 shoveler, 2 pintail, 60 teal, 5 gadwall, 25 avocets, 24 redshank, 6 curlew on foreshore, also stonechat on sea wall. SW passage of 10 bp cormorants during the morning.

Main sighting: Glossy Ibis, Black-Necked Grebe and Waders

Dawn visit – Monks Curlews roosting x 215, Grey Plovers 15c. Flew over se wall at first light
Priors – Plenty of ducks – 4 x Goldeneye, 1 x Pintail, Shovelers,Gadwall, Teal, Mallard and Wigeon 300c. 3 x Mute Swans. Black-Necked Grebe showing well. 1 x Little Grebe. Glossy Ibis very active.
Foreshore from sea wall the Pill was later home to the Curlews, Plovers and a 20+ Oystercatchers as well as Shelduck.
Others to note- Marsh Harrier quartered Priors reedbed. Peregribe on gate near Monks. Carrion Crows, 2 x Ravens, 1 x Buzzard. Flock of 20 Pied Wagtails. Hedgerow are rear of Snipe Platform had a good flock of Fieldfare and Redwings.

Main sighting: Water Rail

Productive walk around Castle Meadows. On the Usk: Kingfisher, Goosander, Grey Wagtail, two Little Grebes and a massive domestic duck. Water Rail on the margins of the Gavenny just below the footbridge.

Main sighting: Blackcap

2 male and one female blackcap are overwintering on garden feeders in St Julian’s, Newport.

Main sighting: Blackcaps

Female blackcap on the feeders two days ago and this morning a pair of female blackcaps present (no sign of a male yet).

Main sighting: Various

The GOS trip to Tregaron, Ynys-Las, Borth & Aberystwyth provided a mix of species totaling 50 by the end of the day. Species: Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Shelduck, Wigeon, Mallard, Pintail, Shoveler, Common Scoter, Goosander, Pheasant, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Red Kite, Buzzard, Merlin, Coot, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Knot, Purple Sandpiper, Snipe, Curlew, Turnstone, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Kingfisher, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Wren, Robin, Stonechat, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Willow Tit, Blue Tit, Jay, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, Chaffinch & Reed Bunting.

Main sighting: Goldeneye

5f-Goldeneyes on Priors,1-Black Necked Grebe,25-Avocets on tideline,35+Grey Plovers and the usual Peregrine on first island.10h00-12h00.