Sightings

Main sighting: willow warbler

At least 40-50 willow warblers, a couple of them singing, flying around the rowans and birches along the eastern slopes of the Blorenge. A juvenile redstart in the felled area below, and a raven over. Many young stonechats and meadow pipits. Butterflies included a faded dark green fritillary and a small heath. No raptors seen.

Main sighting: Lapwing

After the failure of two Curlew nests on my patch beside the Usk I was relieved and delighted to see fledged young of LRP and Lapwing; sadly at least 2 chicks seem to have been predated.

Main sighting: Swift

Single swift screeching overhead lunchtime.

Main sighting: Kestrels

Male & female kestrel hunting all morning along the far bank of Monks. Female predating on ground feeding finches. Observed a least one successful kill. Flew off with prey and returned 20 minutes later to continue hunting.
1 Ruff 5 BT Godwit 6 R Plover 1 Knot 100 plus Dunlin 3 Green Shank

Main sighting: Swifts

Have the Swifts finally gone? First recorded May 9th, 20+ July 22nd, dwindled to 3 on July 29th and none since.

Main sighting: Red Kite

1-Red Kite over Castleton,seen from the car briefly.12h20

Main sighting: Little Owl

2 Little Owls in barn for the first time in a couple of years

Main sighting: Sandpipers

Pheasant, chiffchaff (contact call), 3 stock doves, 3 cormorants, rooks, sparrowhawk, 2 sedge warblers and 1 common whitethroat. Hide two – 52 lapwing, 1 heron, 12 teal, 2 little egrets, juv female marsh harrier (seen 3 times), 10 mute swans, 62 black headed gulls, redshanks, 4 ringed plovers, 1 little stint, 1 wood sandpiper (flew up high and headed off around 0800, 2 black-tailed godwits, 3 snipe, skylarks, 3 swallows and reed buntings. Snipe platform – 32 sand martins (more seen throughout the morning numbering over 100), linnets, adult male little grebe, green woodpecker yaffling and female tufted duck with 6 chicks. . Seawall – gt black-backed gull, 37 oystercatchers, shelduck and 72 curlew. Hide three – 2 greenshanks, 87 dunlin (including 3 juveniles), single knot, great white egret flying past the Pill heading out towards Magor/Slimbridge direction. Hide one – on way back out 1 common sandpiper and 1 juv wood sandpiper feeding and joined by the little stint. OTHER: 7 green-veined whites, 1 large white, meadow browns, 1 red admiral, countless gatekeepers, 1 small copper, 1 common blue, 1 ruddy darter and 1 black-tailed skimmer (possible migrant hawker but could not get close enough look).

Main sighting: Kestrel

5-Kestrels together,almost certainly a family group,working their way east over the saltmarsh.12h00-13h00.

Main sighting: Little Stint

Little Stint – 2nd hide.

Main sighting: Little Stint

Adult Little Stint on Monks Wood Sandpiper 1 Common Sandpiper 1 Greenshank 2 Little Ringed Plover 2 Stock Dove 2 pale phased Buzzard 1

Main sighting: Little Stint

visit 17:35-20:15 low tide; Adult Little Stint on Monks Greenshank 2 Common Sand Piper 1 Wood Sandpiper 1 Stock Dove 2 pale phased Buzzard 1