Sightings
Mike and Jackie Pointon
Machen
Sun 25th Apr 2021
Main sighting: Swift
A single Swift over Machen this morning is our earliest inland record. Sand Martin 8 near breeding site. Several Blackcaps and a few Willow Warblers Linnet 4 and Bullfinch 4.
Nick Saunders
Tintern
Sat 24th Apr 2021
Main sighting: Greenfinch
At last a singing male Greenfinch in the the garden, sad this is now unusual.
Allan Dowson
Peterstone Gout
Sat 24th Apr 2021
Main sighting: Bar Tailed Godwit
87-Bar Tailed Godwits today at high tide many in full breeding plumage,also 2-Black Tailed Godwits,2-Whimbrels and several Knot two of which were in breeding plumage.16h00-17h30
David Roberts
Penyrheol
Sat 24th Apr 2021
Main sighting: Swallow
Single swallow over mountainside south of Pontypool, 2.25 this afternoon. Also a Wheatear.
Nicholas Beswick
Brynmawr area
Sat 24th Apr 2021
Main sighting: Swift
GOS outdoor meeting this morning to Dunlop Semtex Pond, Parc Nant-y-Waun and Beaufort gave a tally of 42 species (with a brisk easterly wind suppressing activity). The single Swift was a first for the year and there were just a couple of Sand and House Martins over the ponds. Three redhead Goosanders lingering at Beaufort Ponds with an overflying Lesser Redpoll there too.
Neville Davies
Goldcliff Lagoons
Sat 24th Apr 2021
Main sighting: Swift
Reed warbler singing, cettis calling, chiffchaff 3, blackcap 2, common buzzard, marsh harrier, pheasants, gt spotted woodpecker, skylarks singing. Redshank Platform – 3 greenshanks, shelduck (1 with a yellow leg ring A07 – a bird ringed on the Axe Estuary), 8 dunlin, avocet, common redshanks, 5 ringed plovers, 5 mute swans and a whimbrel overhead. Lapwing Platform – 2 cormorants, linnets, 7 gadwall (14 more from hide 3), 2 whitethroats singing and a pair of greylags with 5 goslings. Snipe Platform – the bean and white-fronted geese were mixed in with greylags sitting on the raised bank. 2 whimbrel in the field behind the platform. Seawall – productive with 1 white wagtail, 2 wheaters, 7 swallows, 2 whimbrel flying towards The Point, 2 great black-backed gulls, oystercatchers, curlew, 12 more dunlin, 1 little egret, grey heron and 4 teal. Hide 3 – pair of reed buntings nest building in the sedges opposite, 239 black-tailed godwits which started to fly off in 4 separate groups, gaining height and migrating (0800 – 0815), 3 bar-tailed godwits remained, 2 wigeon and 5 yellow wagtails – one of which fed within 15 feet of the hide. At this point I was stood with Dan Webb outside the hide watching the godwits moving off and he picked out a distant swift. Other: holly blue 1 and orange tip butterfly 1.
BernieJones
Peterstone and Newport
Sat 24th Apr 2021
Main sighting: Swallows and House Martins
Swallows seen over Goldcliff on 13th and 14th and over Peterstone on 21st
House Martins over Peterstone on 21st and over Allt-yr-yn Newport on 22 but neither in great numbers
First House Martins 18 days later than last yearw
David Hathaway
LLanishen
Sat 24th Apr 2021
Main sighting: No Swallows/House Martins
Has anyone seen any swallows or house martins yet? Seems very strange this year
Christopher and Julie West
Oxbow, river Usk.
Fri 23rd Apr 2021
Main sighting: Ducklings
Mallard with 8 two week old ducklings and another with 10 day old ducklings. Sad to report that our walking and bird watching companion digger, passed away on 20th April.
Neville Davies
Mynydd llangynidwr / Beaufort
Fri 23rd Apr 2021
Main sighting: Common Snipe
2 males and 1 female pied flycatchers in the wooded area with redstart close by. Willow warblers in good numbers, chiffchaffs, blackcaps, 2 red kites, 3 buzzards, 2 wheatears 3 swallows. Other: green-veined white butterflies.
Allan Dowson
Peterstone Gout
Fri 23rd Apr 2021
Main sighting: Bar Tailed Godwit
The highlights of a high tide visit this afternoon were 7-Bar Tailed Godwits,two of which were in full breeding plumage also 11-Whimbrels.15h30-16h45
tony & jan jenkins
Goldcliff lagoons
Wed 21st Apr 2021
Main sighting: Various
High tide visit started with 4 wheatears near reserve entrance, spotted redshank from first platform, 4 common sands, 3 LRPs, peregrine fly past disturbing avocets and blkwits, 2 white wags, 4 whimbrel on foreshore, small numbers of dunlin and ringed plovers on tideline, on return to first platform 2 lapwing chicks noted on island.
Wood warblers noted on evening visit near Vedw wood, same arrival date as last year.