Sightings

Main sighting: Colour ringed Curlew

25 Collard Doves on the roof of Henton Farm Goldcliff. Seawall tea rooms area – 15 Curlew one colour ringed (yellow ring upper right leg, metal ring upper left leg with number 50 on it), Fieldfares and 78 Starlings.

Main sighting: Waders

Red Barn Pool – Gt Spotted Woodpecker drumming, 31 Teal, 3 Pintail (2 male, 1 female), 25 Shoveler, 6 Gadwall, 1 Snipe, Cettis calling, female Marsh Harrier and a female Peregrine that put up 162 Lapwing, she singled 1 out and made multiple twists and short dives but this was one lucky Lapwing.
Boat Lane – 7 Reed Buntings (mostly females), 108 Wigeon, 5 Curlew, 1 Buzzard (light bird), 1 Heron. Seawall – female Peregrine perched on a rock on the saltings, 44 Shoveler, 12 Oystercatchers, 3 Pintail, 5 Shelduck, 4 Dunlin, 26 Redshanks, Black Headed Gulls and a Cettis calling.

Main sighting: Merlin / Bean Goose / Spotted Redshank

Pheasant, Goldcrest, 35 Fieldfares with 8 Redwings mixed in, 131 Starlings, 2 pars Stonechats and 10 Reed Buntings (2 males the rest females). Redshank platform – 25 Teal, 5 Mute Swans, female Kestrel, Spotted Redshank and 3 Little Egrets. Snipe platform – Cettis calling, 3 Cormorants and 8 Meadow Pipits. A Bean Goose was mixed in with 25 Greylags feeding in the grass alongside the hedgerow leading to the seawall (lovely close views). Seawall – 4 Pintail, 4 Grey Plovers and 129 Wigeon. Hide three – 143 more Wigeon, 48 Lapwing, distant views of the female Marsh Harrier and a female Merlin that passed right in front of the hide. No sign of the Barn Owl when I left around 1500hrs.

Main sighting: Bean Goose

1-Spotted Redshank on first lagoon.A probable Bean Goose with 28-Greylags.Photos on Gwent Birds facebook.11h30-13h20.

Main sighting: Raven

One of a pair of Ravens over carrying a small stick, mobbed by our resident Carrion Crows. A female Brambling with our feeding flock of Chaffinches.

Main sighting: Goosanders

6 goosanders 2m 4f. Buzzard, cormorant, grey heron, 5 bullfinches, 3 song thrush, 100+ woodpigeon

Main sighting: Goldcrest

Single goldcrest moving through cypress tree

Main sighting: Spotted Redshank

The highlight of todays hightide count was a Spotted Redshank on Monk’s lagoon.

Main sighting: Dipper.

Sunny late afternoon walk from the bridge to the far end of the ox-bow lake. 33 species. Highlights: 54 Mallard, 1 Snipe, 1 Green Sandpiper, 7 Cormorant, 2 Grey Heron, 2Buzzard, 1 GS Woodpecker, 70 Jackdaw, 1 Raven, 3 LT Tit, 1Dipper, 6 MistleTheush, 115 Redwing, 3Siskin.

Main sighting: Crossbill

Group of six Crossbills feeding on larch seeds, two more flying over. A few Chaffinches and Siskins, otherwise pretty quiet. Stonechat on perimeter fence.

Main sighting: Winter thrushes

Sunny, cold morning for the Wetland walk circuit. Fairly quiet for birds. Total of 34 species . Main highlights were 5 Snipe roosting on the edge of one pool, 2 hunting Marsh Harrier ( immature male and a female), 2 Stonechat on the sea wall, male Bullfinch in the woodland and a sizeable mixed flock of winter thrushes feeding in the meadows to the north of the reedbed – counted at least 80 Fieldfare, 21 Blackbird, 9 Redwing and 8 Song Thrush ( the paler, more densely spotted continental birds).

Main sighting: Brambling

Two smart males and a female Brambling along with a welcome Bullfinch after several weeks’ absence. Raven doing back-flips and a Red Kite over the mountain.