Gwent Sightings
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Most Recent Submit Sightings 2010 2009 All Sightings
Nigel Garside Thursday 11-Mar-2010 Peterstone Wentlooge
Great White Egret in reen on north side of road, just before first right-angled bend, approaching the village from the east i.e., the same area as reported by Nathan on 26 February. About 20 yards from the road, with Grey Heron on opposite bank.

Steve Williams Wednesday 10-Mar-2010 Blaenavon Community Woodland
Dusk walk produced 4 Redpoll and 2 Crossbill.

Hadyn Jones Wednesday 10-Mar-2010 Slade Woods
Late afternoon good views of 1 male Crossbill and 1 male Hawfinch coming down to drink in pool in old quarry area in the wood by main footpath.

Sian Wednesday 10-Mar-2010 Dunlop Semtex Pond, Brynmawr
Yesterday had a good view of the water rail when viewing the lake from the path in front of the pub. It was eventually chased away by a moorhen.

Nigel Garside Tuesday 09-Mar-2010 Peterstone Great Wharf
Three Golden Plover with Lapwing and 4 Water Pipit.

Luke Phillips Tuesday 09-Mar-2010 Trefil Quarry
2 Wheatear at lunchtime.

tony & jan jenkins Monday 08-Mar-2010 Cleddon Bog/Broad Meend
curlew over Broad Meend at sunset, plus 6 fallow deer nr Sylvan Way, Tintern.

Tom Chinnick Monday 08-Mar-2010 Trefil Quarry
1 Wheatear this morning

Hilary Gillespie Sunday 07-Mar-2010 River Ebbw, Pontymister
male and female goosander on the river at the bottom of my garden at Maple Gardens NP11 6AR. Photograph taken.

Leon Rose Sunday 07-Mar-2010 Newbridge/Mynyddislwyn
Walking home lastnight I saw a Urban Fox run out infront of me....stop to look at me and then run off. I was more suprised than him!

Nicholas Beswick Sunday 07-Mar-2010 hafod farm,brynmawr
Red Kite landed briefly to take advantage of lambing afterbirth, disappeared towards Brynmawr

Dawson Hulme Sunday 07-Mar-2010 Llandegfedd Reservoir
Water very low at the reservoir this morning,birds identified were- Pair of mute swans,8 canada geese, pair of tufted duck(2 males),mallards,20 or more Teal most down by the green pool area, 10 pairs of great crested grebe(some displaying to each other),1 little grebe, a couple of coots and moorhen,4 comorant showing breeding plumage,1 grey heron,about 20 snipe,big flock of redwing and fieldfares with starling and blackbird mixed in on the farmers field opposite the Burt Hamar hide,also in the same field 18 lapwings,lots of lesser black backed gulls and a couple of black headed gulls,acouple of pairs of bullfinch a small flock or is it a charm of goldfinches,5 singing male chaffinches, loads of blue and great tit and good numbers of long tailed tit,4 raven, 6 carrion crow, 10 magpies, 3 jays, 3 buzzard, 2 robin, a song thrush, and a pied wagtail.Also heard 2 drumming great spotted woodpeckers but couldn't locate them.

Eddie Wang Sunday 07-Mar-2010 Peterstone Gout
0940-1130: high tide. Spotted Redshank on the Gout with Redhank flock. 1 Red Kite over and flew east.

Roo Sunday 07-Mar-2010 Pentrpiod/pontypool
Blackcap still, but despite the cold weather garden bird numbers have dropped a lot, no Siskins or Bramblings for about a week now. Chaffinch flock now <20.

tony & jan jenkins Saturday 06-Mar-2010 Pant-y-Goetre, nr Raglan
circuit lanes around Gobion and return along the river, 3 buzzard, 40-50 redwing & fieldfare, 3 goosander, pair grey wagtails, 24 pied wags in turnip field, gsw, 2 prs of mute, 4 green sand, nuthatch, pair of canadas, mistle thrush, song thrush, 3 grey heron & 1 egret

Keith Jones Friday 05-Mar-2010 Malpas, Newport
Although Blackcaps in the main are summer visitors and migrate to during winter months to Southern Europe and North Africa, increasingly several now over-winter in this country. They also regularly come to bird tables. To give you some idea of how often they are seen during the winter, in the 2008 bird report sightings were made in Chepstow, Magor, Redwick, Tredegar Park, Bedwas and Osbaston. So although not unusual it is still a delight to see them in your garden Lyndon. I would be chuffed also. Seen a male in Caerleon yesterday (Thursday).

Lyndon Moore Friday 05-Mar-2010 Malpas, Newport
Male BLACKCAP has been a regular visitor to the garden feeding station over the last 2-3 weeks. Is this unusual?. Have not seen one before, so very chufft!

tony & jan jenkins Friday 05-Mar-2010 Beacon Hill, Nr Trellech
A circuit of Beacon hill around to Cleddon gave several good views of crossbill, redpoll & siskin, mostly singles and pairs.

Keith Jones Friday 05-Mar-2010 Ynysyfro Reservoir
A count mid morning produced 5 Little Grebe, (2 displaying), 3 Great Crested Grebe, (2 displaying), 1 Cormorant, 2 Mute Swan, 5 Canada Geese, 6 Mallard, 38 Tufted Duck, 1 female Goldeneye, 1 Buzzard, 1 Moorhen, 50 Coot, 1 Common Gull, 1 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Jackie H Friday 05-Mar-2010 Brynmawr
Fabulous close-up view of Red Kite just metres from the Brynmawr to Blaenavon road near Llanelly Hill.

malcolm spokes Thursday 04-Mar-2010 Parc Seymour, Penhow
Red kite being mobbed by 2 gulls above A48 this morning and a peregrine flying over the Coldra Roundabout.

Thursday 04-Mar-2010 Llandegfedd Reservoir
2 Shelduck seen from the Dam .

Keith Jones Thursday 04-Mar-2010 Caerleon
Single male Blackcap along Lodge Road early morning. Forgot to mention at Goldcliff this morning, as I left 0920hrs waders mainly Dunlin, Knot, and Grey Plover continued to arrive.

Keith Jones Thursday 04-Mar-2010 Goldcliff Lagoons
Walked to the sea wall early morning with 46 birds noted including 4 Canada Geese, 291 Shelduck, 63 Wigeon, 12 Teal, 14 Mallard, 10 Pintail, 17 Gadwall, 1 female Smew (still on Becs Lagoon), 1 Buzzard, 3 Moorhen, 6 Coot, 7 Avocet, 14 Oystercatcher, 12 Ringed Plover, 1 Golden Plover, 50 Grey Plover, 76 Lapwing, 180 Knot, 700 Dunlin (block count), 5 Common Snipe (flushed while walking to sea wall), 31 Curlew, 1 Greenshanks, 4 Turnstone, 2 Great Black Backed Gull, 2 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare.

Gordon Hill Wednesday 03-Mar-2010 Llantilio Crossenny
Single Red Kite hunting over Great Treadam Farm moving towards Whitecastle.

Mike Warburton Wednesday 03-Mar-2010 Rhyd y Blew, Ebbw Vale
17.30-18.15. One Mipit,a Buzzard,2 Lapwing and three Grey Heron two of which were having a right old go at each other!

Keith Jones Wednesday 03-Mar-2010 Wentwood
Walked mid morning from the reservoir up to Cadira Beeches via Nine Wells and Nightjar path, west to Little Oak, and completing walk a little north of Wentwwod Gate. Just 26 species noted including 2 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Canada Geese, 6 Mallard, 34 Tufted Duck, 1 Buzzard, 20 Coot, 6 (including 2 drumming) Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 Mistle Thrush, 29 Blue Tit, 42 Coal Tit, 15 Great Tit, 1 Nuthatch, 34 Siskin (mostly Foresters Oak and Little Oak), 66 Redpoll (mainly Little Oak). 9 Crossbill (singles or paired off), 1 Jay, 2 Raven.

John O'Sullivan Tuesday 02-Mar-2010 ringland estate newport
2 Marsh tit and calling nuthatch in the woods behind ringland community centre.

David Hathaway Tuesday 02-Mar-2010 Fawr Gawr reservoir area,
Greta day on Black Mountains today,10 Grey Plover in winter plumage,1 Snipe,2 Dippers,4 Red Grouse flock Mistle Thrush and a few Fieldfares

Ed Stevens Tuesday 02-Mar-2010 Caldicot Pill
This afternoon on flooded grazing marsh at Caldicot Pill 200+ black-headed Gull, 2 Common Gull and 1 mediterranean gull

Darryl Spittle Tuesday 02-Mar-2010
From Severnsidebirds - Common Crane north over Aust Warth at 09:30, everybody look up, especially if you are west of the Usk.

Maurice Chown Tuesday 02-Mar-2010 Peterstone Sluice Farm
Further to Nigels report I saw the G W Egret at 10.30 am at St Mellons Business park flying east from the Hendre Lake area.I Was returning from Sluice Farm where there were 2 Short Eared Owls and at least 2 very flighty Water Pipits with Meadows.

Nigel Garside Tuesday 02-Mar-2010 Marshfield
Possible sighting of Great White Egret over Marshfield village at around 10:40, heading towards St. Mellons Business Park. A few minutes later I was able to find the GWE in the reen next to Castleton Court (CCW offices).

Keith Jones Tuesday 02-Mar-2010 Ponthir Reservoir
A mid day visit produced just 1 Little Grebe, 2 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Canada Goose, 6 Tufted Duck, and 1 Coot.

susan lewis Monday 01-Mar-2010 lane pass castell coch
i saw a tricoloured heron walking on the side of the wood,it had dark blue plummage and an orange beak

John Bennett Monday 01-Mar-2010 Goldcliff Pools
Redhead Smew seen on all 3 lagoons this morning and male tufted duck with grey flanks present . Also large numbers of waders present early morning .

Keith Jones Monday 01-Mar-2010 Uskmouth
Walked around the lagoons and part of the foreshore a little after high tide this morning. About 47 species noted including 15 Little Grebe, 4 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 1 Canada Goose, 65 Shelduck, 100 Wigeon, 40 Teal, 75 Mallard, 5 Gadwall, 53 Tufted Duck, 1 male Pochard, 1 Pheasant, 5 Water Rail, 10 Moorhen, 51 Coot, 1 Common Redshanks, 70 Dunlin, 20 Common Snipe, 50 Curlew, 88 Black Headed Gull, 1 Stock Dove, 26 Cetti’s Warblers, 6 Fieldfare, 1 male Bearded Reedling (just west of R6). Also of note Wren seem to have started singing again, although I heard my first on 5th February, and very few since, but 12 singing around Uskmouth this morning.

john o'sullivan Sunday 28-Feb-2010 Pen y lan (above Bassaleg)
still no yellowhammers this winter. 8 reed buntings back (from before the snow)tho. 70 fieldfare north, otherwise nothing of note.

John Davies & Steven Butler Saturday 27-Feb-2010 Gobion
3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Little Egrets, 19 Teal, 6 Common Snipe, Green Woodpecker, G.S.Woodpecker

Lee Parsons Saturday 27-Feb-2010 St. Illtydds, Brynithel
Red Kite showing well ! Pair of Siskin and Reed Bunting welcomed sightings at feeding station ! Skylark singing and displaying !

mark davies Saturday 27-Feb-2010 Llanwenarth
2 kites , 3 buzzard & 2 raven circling above the church this afternoon

Ed Stevens Saturday 27-Feb-2010 Black Rock
This morning flock of about 10 grey partridge on top of foreshore just east of Black Rock picnic site.

Bryn Burgess Friday 26-Feb-2010 Neddern
Mid day visit- Still good numbers of duck - Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Mallard, Coot 7 Gadwall. Also 3ad & 2 1st year Bewick Swan and 2 Shelduck, 2 Little Grebe, Lapwing, 2 Redshank

Keith Jones Friday 26-Feb-2010 Moorings Fields Newport
Walked part of the loop of the River Usk north of Chichester Close at low tide this morning. Birds noted include 2 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Canada Geese, 19 Teal, 81 Wigeon, 6 Mallard, 2 Lapwing, 8 Common Redshanks, 155 Black Headed Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull developing black hood, 2 Grey Wagtail, 4 Meadow Pipits 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 3 Reed Bunting.

D Coles Friday 26-Feb-2010 Ebbw Vale
Goldcrest in the garden this morning

Sally Snow Friday 26-Feb-2010 Anywhere in Wales
Hi, This is a request as opposed to a sighting-a request I hoped members of the forum may be able to help me with. I work for an independent television company in Cardiff called Aden Productions and we are currently producing two wildlife series for the BBC both of which will be presented by Iolo Williams. We are searching for a mute swan nest (building etc) location for the bird series we are producing and I wondered if anybody had any suggestions? Ideally we are looking for an accessible nest to film-it could be in a public park or along a river walk-we were hoping to film in the next few weeks. It would be wonderful if anybody had any suggestions. If so please email me (sally.snow@adenproductions.com) rather than posting the information on the forum. Thank you kindly and best wishes, Sally

Nathan Casburn Friday 26-Feb-2010 Peterstone Wentlooge
Great White Egret this morning East of the Village just before double bend in road in North side fields.

mark davies Thursday 25-Feb-2010 Abergavenny
10 moorhen on bank of the usk just below the castle

Lyndon Gwillym Thursday 25-Feb-2010 Llanover Rd Blaenavon
Three red grouse on snow covered mountain at 7.15am this morning,near the mountain gate

Roo Thursday 25-Feb-2010 Thanks Mark
Thanks for the info, will bell them asap. It escaped last night and is now hiding behind the freezer!

Mark Stevens Wednesday 24-Feb-2010 FAO Roo
Re. injured jackdaw. Give City Wildlife Care a bell in 07794 179207

Roo Wednesday 24-Feb-2010 Pontypool
Have a Jackdaw with a broken wing (not badly) in a box with food, water and hay. Any suggestions what to do with it? Great White Egret seen this morning at 09:20 and this evening at 17:20ish just north of railway line on outskirts of Cardiff, west of Hendre lake.

Roo Wednesday 24-Feb-2010 Newport
Male Goosander on the Usk seen from the train as it crossed the river entering Newport outskirts. Nice for my commuting list which now has Great White Egret as well!

tony & jan jenkins Wednesday 24-Feb-2010 Out of County
Long weekend on the north norfolk coast produced 96 species, with 95 within 2 square miles, highlights being 10 barn owls in one morning with 4 in field of view at one time, hunting male & female marsh harriers & barn owl adjacent to cottage, 15 cranes at stubb mill, bittern flying at Holkham, single tree sparrow with mixed flock of reed bunting & 25 yellowhammer and a snow goose finally located with pinkfeet near Titchwell - highly recommended for curing winter blues.

Tom Chinnik Wednesday 24-Feb-2010 Goldcliff Pools and Boat Lane
7:45-9:15am. 1 Fem Smew still, 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Greenshank, 1 Golden Plover over, 15 Pintail, c500 Wigeon and c35 Grey Plover on foreshore in large Knot/Dunlin flock.

Simon Harrison Tuesday 23-Feb-2010 Llantarnam
Llantarnam Ponds - 11:00 am 3 male & 6 female Goosander

John Evans Monday 22-Feb-2010 Goldcliff Lagoons
4 Avocet, 3 Ringed Plover, Greenshank, no sign of either the Smew or the Spot-shank, few Pintail and a Bullfinch in the car park.

Monday 22-Feb-2010 Uskmouth
re nigle williams report . i would like to point out that newport wetlands in not an rspb reserve it belongs to the country side council for wales

Hadyn Jones Sunday 21-Feb-2010 Collister Pill
1 Jack Snipe flushed from saltmarsh.

mark davies Sunday 21-Feb-2010 Abergavenny
3 little grebe on usk near mouth of river gavenny - also 5 moorhen , a coot & a kingfisher At llanwenarth a little owl enjoying the afternoon sunshine & a peregrine falcon overhead

Keith Jones Sunday 21-Feb-2010 Newport Wetlands - Goldcliff
A walk between the Lagoons to Boat Lane at mid morning produced a count of 47 species including 1 Little Grebe, 1 Cormorant, 4 Grey Heron, 5 Little Egret, 2 Mute Swan, 52 Canada Geese, 1 Barnacle Goose, 199 Shelduck, 256 Wigeon, 115 Teal, 90 Mallard, 8 Pintail, 10 Gadwall, 12 Shoveler, 8 Tufted Duck, 1 female Smew, 1 Buzzard, 1 Moorhen, 9 Coot, 955 Lapwing, 18 Ringed Plover, 7 Avocet, 11 Curlew, 1 Greenshanks, 12 Common Redshanks, 2 Ruff, and 14 Stock Doves.

Brian Thomas Sunday 21-Feb-2010 Newport Wetlands - Goldcliff
Morning: 7 avocets

Nigel Williams Saturday 20-Feb-2010 Newport Wetlands RSPB
Goldfinches and greenfinches on the feeders in front of the visitor centre. Pochard and tufted duck on the reed bed pools along with a little grebe. Kestrel and buzzard put in an appearance. about 15 fieldfares and 2 redwings mixed with a flock of starlings in the field next to the visitor centre. On the beach in front and to the left of the lighthouse were shelduck, mallard, pochard, curlew, sanderling, dunlin, redshank, black headed gulls, a mediteranian gull. A pair of pintail were seen on the marshy area between the beach and the footpath. A cormorant and a heron were seen flying overhead.

Mal Jenkins Saturday 20-Feb-2010 Trevethin, Pontypool
The usual birds on the feeder today,Goldfinch, Great & Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Dunnock and the female Brambling showed up again.

Nicholas Beswick Saturday 20-Feb-2010 Dunlop Semtex Pond, Brynmawr
Water Rail showing well on the stream behind the Halfords row of stores, also Grey Wagtail. Pond almost completely frozen with about 150 gulls on the ice but nothing unusual.

Chris Jones / Nathan Casburn et al Saturday 20-Feb-2010 Goldcliff Pools
Selection of birds this morning on the partly frozen lagoons: single Spotted Redshank, Greenshank and Golden Plover, 2 Ruff and 20+ Ringed Plover in amongst the Dunlin. Female Smew still present on far (No.2) lagoon and a Peregrine over. Also the returning female Pochard x Scaup hybred with a female Pochard.

Barry Ingram Saturday 20-Feb-2010 Dewstow Golf Club, Caldicot
Played golf yesterday, among the usual species two tawny owls heard but not seen and a barn owl seen floating over the course near the club house

Hadyn Jones Friday 19-Feb-2010 Lower Minnetts Wood
Late afternoon 2+ Hawfinches in usual area with a flock of Chaffinches,also 2 Marsh Tits. Nearby 6 Crossbills were feeding in Slade Wood.

Keith Jones Friday 19-Feb-2010 Bulmore Lakes
Walked from the lakes to Caerleon along the Bulmore Road mid morning. A count of 38 species recorded including 2 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Cormorant, 1 Grey Lag Goose, 64 Canada Geese, 4 Wigeon, 42 Teal, 44 Mallard, 2 Tufted Duck, 4 male 8 female Goosander, 1 Buzzard, 9 Coot, 1 Common Redshanks, 168 Black Headed Gull, 1 Common Sandpiper (Ultra Pontem), 6 Green Woodpecker, 1 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 male 1 female Bullfinch, 2 Raven. Also of note my first singing Skylark of the year.

Jill Friday 19-Feb-2010 Pontypool, Blaendare Area
This morning, four Redpolls, a whole gang of Goldfinches, two Siskins, Chaffinches, and the Blackbirds are back after an absence of about ten days!

Brian Thomas Friday 19-Feb-2010 Newport Wetlands - Goldcliff
9.30-11.30:Great White Egret in lagoon in front of first platform (viewed from sea wall) - stayed for about 20mins. Smew, greenshank, spotted redshank, common gulls, skylarks.

Allan Dowson Friday 19-Feb-2010 Goldcliff
1-Great White Egret flew in from the west at 10h30.It landed near the small reed bed at north west corner,giving good views from the second platform.I assume this to be the same bird as seen at Hendre.It has orange rings on both legs over whitish rings.Also present were 1-Spotted Redshank,1-Greenshank and a singing Chaffinch.

mark davies Thursday 18-Feb-2010 Abergavenny
1st siskin of the year on feeders in garden along with 7 goldfinch

Alice Thursday 18-Feb-2010 Abersychan
In garden: 1 female Sparrowhawk (unsuccessful attempt to make kill), ~10 lesser redpoll & siskin, 3 brambling (2M&1F), 11 bullfinch (max count), greenfinches, 1 goldfinch, 1 song thrush, robins, dunnocks. Not seen any tits today - unusal.

Ruth Brown Thursday 18-Feb-2010 Llanwenarth
6 Skylarks overhead. Spring Migration?!!! Or just filthy weather to the west? A remnant of Redwing still around.

Keith Jones Monday 15-Feb-2010 Goldcliff
Walked two hours, the second visit for the Winter Atlas early morning from Boat Lane, following the western footpaths to lower Saltmarsh Lane as far as the coast completing at Nash via Farmfield Lane. Still a little slow, a full 30 minutes behind my November 2009 walk. The morning produced 52 species including 6 Little Egret, 6 Mute Swan, 1 Grey Lag Goose, 1 Barnacle Goose, 11 Canada Geese, (much more heard but not seen), 490 Wigeon, 118 Teal (more heard), 68 Mallard, 63 Shoveler, 5 Tufted Duck, 1 Kestrel, 1 Pheasant, 6 Moorhen, 22 Coot, 620 Lapwing, 35 Grey Plover, 70 Knot, 170 Dunlin, 1 Common Snipe, 31 Curlew, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, just 3 Wren, 1 Cetti’s Warbler, 1 Skylark, 23 Fieldfare, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Goldcrest, 6 Long Tailed Tit, 3 Redpoll, 1 Jay, 1 Raven.

Martin Bell Sunday 14-Feb-2010 Newport Wetlands
Uskmouth - 5 Bearded Tit (2 male), Goldcliffe - Spot Red and Greenshank from 1st platform; Redhead Smew on back pool.

Bryn Burgess Sunday 14-Feb-2010 Neddern
Midday visit. 22 Mute Swan, 5 Grey Heron with 1 with its wings shaped like an umbrella catching the warm sun, 45 Coot, 36 Wigeon, 132 Teal, 254 Lapwing, 2 Shoveler, 8 Gadwall Little Grebe 3, 1 Snipe & 3 Redshank

John Pickering Saturday 13-Feb-2010 Woodlake Park Golf Club
Woodlake Park is on the edge of Llangdegvedd Resevoir. In the lake adjacent to the 16th green was the usual flock of Canada Geese and around 8 wild Tufted Ducks, but there was also a single goose about the size of a barnacle goose.It had yellow/orange legs greyish body and a part white head. Looking through my guides it looks like a White Fronted Goose but the head was much whiter than in the pictures. Its definitely wild and has not been ringed.Has anyone seen it?

Barry Ingram Saturday 13-Feb-2010 Dewstow Golf Club, Caldicot
Played golf today at Dewstow. Before the game had a coffee in the coffee shop and watched the feeders on the patio. One long tailed tit, several blue tits, 3-4 house sparrows, 1 dunnock, pair of blackbirds,a robin, a wren on the ground and the highlight, a nuthatch. While playing the course a green woodpecker and two drumming great spotted woodpeckers. Flying over the course at least 40 lapwings in two loose flocks plus the usual gulls, magpies, jackdaws and rooks.

mark davies Saturday 13-Feb-2010 Abergavenny
A pair of egrets in 2nd field up from the llanfoist bridge . Also a pair of dippers on the usk

KJK Saturday 13-Feb-2010 Harlech Retail Park, Newport
Just saw a huge evening gathering of pied wagtails in Tesco car park and on Hobbycraft roof. Counted 60 and then another bigger flock arrived, so could have been as many as 200.

Mike Warburton Saturday 13-Feb-2010 Silent Valley Nature Reserve
Red Kite seen again today and has been present since the New Year.Pic on Birdguides.

chris hurn Saturday 13-Feb-2010 GLWR Uskmouth
female marsh harrier hunting foreshore towards goldcliff and about an hour later re located on reedbed four.uskmouth

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