Sightings

Main sighting: Spoonbills and waders

Dawn visit today. Highlights – 9 x Black Tailed Godwits, 12 x Avocets, 2 x Marsh Harriers ( M and F), Brent Goose ( Pale Bellied) , 14 x Redshanks, 1 x peregrine, 2 x Ringed Plover and 15 x Lapwing.
Ducks – Wigeon, Gadwall, Pintail, Teal, Mallard , Shelduck and Shoveler
Skylarks and Reed Buntings all over the place.
There are still Redwings in the hedgerows.
Monks had 13 x Mute Swans and there were two others on Priors Lagoon.
Chiff Chaff head singing in the blossom trees.

Main sighting: Wheatear

Male Wheatear West Pill and also 1 Jack Snipe

Main sighting: Wheatear

Male Wheatear near West Pill plus 1 Jack Snipe flushed.

Main sighting: Wheatear

Male Wheatear at quarries this am.

Main sighting: Chiffchaff

Quick lunchtime walk in Mitchel Troy, both chiffchaff and blackcap singing from scrubby woodland on way up to Mitchel Troy common. This was the same location I heard blackcap a few weeks ago (early February?) Neither singing strongly, but great to hear them anyway.

Main sighting: Common Gull

Afternoon visit with 45 species seen, highlights were 2 Chiffchaffs (contact calls), Pheasant, Stonechat, 21 Redwings with a single Fieldfare mixed in and a male Reed Bunting. Hide one – Shelduck and 2 Curlew (one colour-ringed bird). Redshank platform – Spotted Redshank with 9 Common Redshanks, 29 Lapwing, 1 Little Egret, 26 Teal, 16 Wigeon and a Gt Black-backed Gull over. Seawall – 48 Avocet flew overhead and settled on second lagoon, 2 Common Gull on the foreshore quite close n, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, distant Dunlin, 2 Cormorants and 41 Black Headed Gulls (most with full breeding hoods). Hide three – 279 more Wigeon, 1 Heron, 4 Gadwall, 11 Shoveler, 1 Ringed Plover and a male Marsh Harrier hunting twice. Finally, a pair of Tufted Ducks were from the Snipe platform. Other: Teal feather remains.

Main sighting: Hawfinch

A longish walk around the village of Mitchel Troy early this morning, with the main aim of looking/listening for lesser spotted woodpecker. No luck with these, but an interesting mix of species anyway. This included at least 12 hawfinch in and around the church, with a group of nine sitting at the tops of trees and another three flying over at the same time. At least four greenfinch singing in the village and at least six separate mistle thrush singing. A dipper on the Trothy behind the church. On the higher fields behind the village were three skylark singing, small groups of redwing and 25 fieldfare. In one of these fields were 80+ common gull. The only woodpecker was great spotted, with three separate individuals.

Main sighting: Curlew

Curlews seen at two more former breeding sites this morning! There are doubtless more out there so listen hard and send any records to Curlew@gwentbirds.org.uk . Small flocks of Fieldfare and Skylarks singing.

Main sighting: Chiffchaff

2-Chiffchaffs around the hide area,migrants or over winterers,no way of knowing.4-Grey Herons already nesting and a vocal Cetti’s Warbler.12h00-13h00.

Main sighting: Yellowhammer over

Amongst 58 species seen on a morning HT visit, the highlight was a Yellowhammer flying east over the Redshank viewing platform at 10.45ish. The bird was calling as it flew over along with half a dozen Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. It was a hark back to my early days on the farmland in Nottinghamshire in the early ’80s.

Main sighting: Mandarin

Afternoon walk along river to Redbrook spotted 2 pairs of Mandarin and several pairs of Canadas displaying on the river

Main sighting: Waders

Dawn visit until and hour after high tide. Main highlights – Avocet 62 in largest flock seen. Black Tailed Godwits 100c ( including 1 x Knot). Dunlins 300c. Female Marsh Harrier and Buzzard.
Spotted Redshank remains on Monks.