Sightings

Main sighting: Ruff

Highlight of an early afternoon visit were 6-Ruff together from 2nd hide,1-Tree Pipit,1-Whitethroat and 1-Willow Warbler.12h20-14h15

Main sighting: Med gull

Two adult Med gulls between jetty and Black rock – later one flew over and back of house – Barwits 3 St pierre pill

Main sighting: Ruff

Highlights of todays WeBS count: Ruff 7 Greenshank 2 Little Ringed Plover2 Ringed Plover 40 Snipe 3 Teal 74 Gadwall 34 Mallard 53 Shoveler 11 Sparrowhawk 1 Marsh Harrier 1 Juv Kestrel 2 Redstart 2 Lesser Whitethroat 2 Chiffchaff 6 Willow Warbler2 Wheatear 1 Yellow wagtail 3

Main sighting: Little ringed plover

between jetty and Blackrock this evening a juvenile LRP – also a Common sandpiper

Main sighting: Dipper

1 bird sitting on rock on east bank of river next to main lake.

Main sighting: Wheatear / Bittern

Driving in at 0600 a bittern was at the side of the road in the grass by Red Barn Pool but flew off as I slowed down. Goldcliff – 0610 – 11.30 Hide One – Pheasant, 72 curlew (1 ringed bird but could not get the sequence/colours), 8 teal, 3 whimbrel, 41 ringed plovers, 3 little egrets, 2 yellow wagtails (juveniles), buzzard and female marsh harrier. Hide Two – 65 lapwing, 7 black-tailed godwits, 3 ruff, greenshank, 3 more yellow wagtails, kestrel, 2 snipe, 12 swallows and small groups of sand martins passing (at least 48 counted), 2 herons, skylark and a sedge warbler feeding at the base of the reeds opposite. Seawall – wheatear feeding along the seawall and perched up on the fence, oystercatchers and shelduck. Hide Three – single knot and the spotted redshank flew off towards the Pill, 17 mute swans, 3 little grebes, female sparrowhawk, 20 gadwall and 7 shoveler. Back near hide 1 along the hedgerow leading to the entrance was a male redstart, 1 common whitethroat joined by 1 lesser whitethroat. Other: single meadow brown in between the very heavy showers.

Main sighting: Kittiwake

am – Kittiwake adult west – Comic terns 9 + 1 west – also flock of birds overhead think poss terns but lost from view – wrong option going for scope – Swallows 50

Main sighting: Kingfisher

Seen flying low over the river, always look out for them and not disappointed.

Main sighting: Curlew

From sea wall a small number of Curlew and Oyster catchers on mudflats on incoming tide

At sea wall hide
A whinchat on the fence
and 2 Ruff, a Greenshank , about 20
Dunlin, 10 Ringed Plover and 30 Lapwing on Becs much of which was dry
Between open hide and Hide 2 about 6 tree pipits seen on the tops of the bushes flitting around

Main sighting: Curlew on fencing

Curlew and oyster catchers on mudflats seen from sea wall
Hide 3 whinchat.

Main sighting: White Zebra Finch

I was walking back to my house late yesterday afternoon. As I got to the driveway a small white bird flew past me and landed on top of my wheelie bin. It stayed for s short while, then flew off over the top of my garage. It had a bright orange beak and was about the size of a Greenfinch. Having done some research on Google, I’m 99% sure it was a White Zebra Finch. Presumably escaped from an aviary.

Main sighting: Mistle thrush

13 mistle thrush in the tall wellingtonia, 7 mallard including a pale cream bird on the exposed stone shingle.