Sightings

Main sighting: WORLD CURLEW DAY!

Curlews are pretty much on the brink of extinction as a breeding species in the UK. To do anything at all to save them we need to know where they are. Please send your records of inland Curlews in Gwent to Curlew@gwentbirds.org.uk – see the Home page for the details we need. Thanks to all who have already submitted records.

Main sighting: Willow Tit

One calling in the birch scrub. A good time of year for a possible breeding territory, so worth a re-visit.

Main sighting: Wheatears

Large numbers if Wheatear on the old mining road 21 in one location 13 of which are adult males

Main sighting: Sand martin

6 sand martin [my first this year], common sandpiper, cormorant, 2 little egret, 8 mallard one with 10 small ducklings, 8 jackdaws, gs wood pecker, 2 heard drumming, 3 chaffinch.

Main sighting: Willow warbler

Mini influx of warblers along the western edge of Loysey woods, @ 10 individuals.

Main sighting: Bar-Tailed Godwits and Spotted Redshank

Visited just after dawn today.
Highlights – a fly over of 5 Bar-Tailed Godwits – Two of which in mega summer plumage.
Spotted Redshank on Monks -quite mobile today and was visible for a long period at hide 2 and the Lapwing platform.
No sign of the big wader flock.
Lapwings and Avocets mobbing lots of crows and gulls.
Mon Monks 2 x Lapwing chicks observed.
Lots of small birds today – reed Buntings, Linnets, Starlings, Wheatears and Pied Wagtails. Sedge Warblers calling rear of Snipe Platform.
Also – Snipe seen on Priors.
Small numbers of Swallows seen passing through.
Female Sparrowhawk seen at the rear of first hide on exit.

Main sighting: Bar Tailed Godwits and Whimbrel

Evening visit /sunset/dusk. – Monks Lagoon- A small mixed flock of Curlew, Whimbrel x 2 and Bar Tailed Godwits 3 and Dunlin x6 landed on Monks Lagoons. The whole reserve was very “busy” with the coming and goings of birds. a Male Marsh Harrier came through the reserve.
As usual the Bean and White Fronted Goose were hanging about on Priors.
The foreshore was packed with waders as the tide came in. Watched two Whimbrel feeding near the sea wall observation point. Later a flock of six birds flew over calling throughout. Two large flocks of Black Tailed Godwits on waters edge. Easily 400+.
Lots of movement of Curlews 40+ moving along foreshore and then flying into the reserve. Avocets and Oystercatchers feeding also on the mud.
At sunset one part of the wader flock separated from the foreshore and landed on Becs Lagoon.

Main sighting: Curlews

Please keep submitting your inland Curlew records (see the Home page for details). Now’s the time to look and listen – it’s World Curlew Day on the 21st!

Main sighting: Pied Flycatcher

First PF of the year a lovely male

Main sighting: Whinchat

Dawn – lunch time visit: Chiffchaffs 2, willow warblers 2, blackcaps 3, pheasants, goldcrest singing. Hide one – 3 cormorants over, lapwing, shelduck, avocet, 10 gadwall, 2 common sandpipers, common redshanks (several displaying), shoveler (pair copulating), 31 dunlin, 4 teal, spotted redshank showing well (almost in full breeding plumage), 4 oystercatchers ‘piping’ and pair little ringed plovers. Redshank platform – reed buntings, 2 ringed plovers, 1 white wagtail, 3 skylarks chasing each other, cettis calling. Snipe Platform – white fronted goose in the field behind (later came onto the lagoon) and the male peregrine flew through. Marsh Platform – bean goose present again. Hide three – 1 white wagtail, beautiful male whinchat along the fence line in front of the hide, 4 bar-tailed godwits, pair of black headed gulls overhead, 5 wigeon, 11 tufted ducks, 1 yellow wagtail calling and a pair of linnets. Seawall – pair of wheatear, 31 curlew, 19 oystercatchers and 5 distant godwits may have been bar-tailed but slight heat haze by now.

Main sighting: Male Wheatear

5 male Wheatear skimming across the top of a hedgerows.

Main sighting: Spotted redshank

Spotted redshank showing well in front of hide 1 on monks – did though go hiding for periods behind bank – seen best at 1pm

Other sightings included Turnstone
Reed Bunting, Linnet, Skylark, Grey Heron, Swallow, and also Bean goose and White fronted goose showing well