Sightings

Main sighting: Red Kite

13 Red Kites in the air together, following farm vehicles collecting newly mown grass

Main sighting: Firecrest

Firecrest singing in woods by path up. Also: Garden Warbler, Blackcap (3), Common Whitethroat, Tree Pipit (3), Treecreeper, Stonechat (4), Green Woodpecker, Skylark, Raven, and plenty of Goldcrest, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff.

Main sighting: Firecrest

A warm start at 8:30 saw six members take a 3hr stroll through Blaen Bran Woodland, Upper Cwmbran. 30 Species were noted the highlight being close-up views of a Firecrest. The other species noted were: Buzzard, Peregrine, Herring Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Cuckoo, Skylark, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Goldcrest, Spotted Flycatcher, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Carrion Crow, Raven, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch.
Notable by their absence wee, Stonechat, Magpie and House Sparrow.

Main sighting: Reed warblers

Five reed warblers, 3 great crested grebes, a little grebe, three cormorants

Main sighting: Dipper

GOS walk Lower Machen to Coed Craig Ruperra
When the nine members met at 09:00 the day was grey and cold, it ended in bright sunshine after some mission creep. The walk was meant to last three hours but the view of Dipper from Iron Bridge it was 13: 30 before we made it back to the cars
List of Birds seen.:
Little Egret Mallard Goosander Buzzard Red kite Moor Hen Lesser Black-backed Gull Woodpigeon Green Woodpecker Skylark Swallow Sand Martin Raven Carrion Crow Jackdaw Blue Tit Long-tailed Tit Wren Dipper Mistle Thrush Song thrush Blackbird Robin Blackcap Whitethroat Willow Warbler Chiffchaff Dunnock Pied Wagtail Grey Wagtail Goldfinch Chaffinch Canada Goose
Butterflies: Peacock Small Tortoiseshell Green-veined White Small Copper +other Whites unidentified.

Main sighting: Nightjar

Nightjar called once and churred briefly at very last light (9.45 pm)

Main sighting: Garden Warbler

Garden Warbler calling near the pond. Other species – Blackcap, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Goldcrest, Woodpigeon, Mallard, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Robin and Great Tit.

Main sighting: Swift

At Redbrook, 2 swifts, a great spotted woodpecker, 7 house martins, about 20 sand Martin nests a mile downstream.
At Cleddon 5 swallows, a song thrush, mistle thrush, buzzard and a stock dove.

Main sighting: Whinchat

Early morning walk produced: Whinchat, Red Grouse, Wheatear, Reed Bunting (2), Stonechat (5), Tree Pipit (3), Linnet (2), Swallow (3). Also 2 Cuckoos showing well (and constantly mobbed) just north of Carn Y Gorfydd car park.

Main sighting: Whimbrel

Whimbrel 40
Bar-tailed Godwit 70
Black-tailed Godwit 16
Oystercatcher 120
Dunlin 200
Ringed Plover 7
Lapwing 2
Curlew 5
Little Egret 2
Lesser Whitethroat 1
1 harbour porpoise feeding in the mouth or the estuary

Main sighting: Dunlins and Bar-Tailed Godwits

Dunlins 300 + ( on Monks), Bar-Taile Godwits (10), Black-Tailed Godwits (50), Whimbrel ( 1), Avocets ( lots of nests and over 6 chicks seen). Ringed Plover Chicks x 2. Lapwings, Shoveler, Gadwall, Grey Heron, Shelduck, Carrion Crow, Buzzard, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Goldfinch, Redshanks and Oystercatchers. Swallows and Whitethroat. Little Egret ( x 2). Mute Swans.

Main sighting: Red Kite

2 x Red Kite over Foxhunters Carpark. Cuckoo on lower slopes chased off by one of the Kites. Stonechat, Willow Warbler, Tree Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Buzzard.