Sightings

Main sighting: Possible Bean Goose

This morning a dark grey goose feeding alone on the salt marsh towards the mouth of the Usk, viewed from the seawall. Tricky telescope view because of distance and buffeting wind. Had the build & shape of a Bean Goose, little contrast between the body plumage and the head/neck, distinct white edging to coverts/tertials (even at that distance). No breast banding or white on head. Mostly dark bill, so could not discern the lighter coloured patches. Flew briefly when disturbed by a gull, showing uniform underwing colouration. Discerning leg colour was the big problem – just looked dark greyish (?mud splashed) in the conditions, including the thick marsh grass hiding them most of the time. That feature apart, I felt able to rule out any other grey goose species with the exception of a possible hybrid. I’d be interested to know if anyone else picks it up.
Also 3 Barnacle Geese, Peregrine and female type Marsh Harrier

Main sighting: Avocet

A flock of at least 45 Avocets on the foreshore, Barnacle Goose 5 Canada Goose 225 lots of Teal, Shoveler and Wigeon Gadwall 5 Mallard 20 Curlew 30 Redshank 1 Peregrine 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Stonechat 4 Common Gull 2

Main sighting: Brent Goose

Juv Dark Bellied Brent Goose amongst Canada Geese near seawall

Main sighting: Winter thrushes

200 fieldfares approx, 50 redwings, 4 buzzards, 4 grey herons, a raven, a long tail tit.

Main sighting: Snipe

11-Snipe this morning.6 on south side of island and 5 on east side of peninsular.Also 1m-Kingfisher.I normally only post sightings from here on the Glamorgan web site as to my knowledge Hendre Lake is in Glamorgan.

Main sighting: Glossy Ibis

The 2 glossy ibis still feeding together down towards the far left corner.

Main sighting: Black Redstart

Dawn – midday. Fairly quiet, water level too high for waders. Of note however, 2 buzzards, pair of stonechats, fieldfares but no redwings. Hide 2 – barnacle geese still present. Snipe platform – 115 teal, 115 wigeon (233 more on the mudflats), 8 shelduck, 71 shoveler, 5 curlew (no rings), 1 mute swan, 37 dunlin came in over the lagoon but went straight back out over the seawall and 1 heron. Marsh platform – 5 redshanks (no sign of the spotted). Seawall – only 1 black redstart today (female). Grey wagtail also and a stoat at one point. Overhead were linnets and a single siskin. On the mudflats were forty avocets and 1 gt black-backed gull.

Main sighting: Snipe

4 Snipe; also Little grebe, kingfisher, nuthatch, GS Woodpecker, Little Egret, grey heron, several LTTs, 2 goldcrests; among 25 sp altogether.

Main sighting: Pintail

Hightide at the Gout no people no dogs: Lots of duck, Pintail 90 Teal 120 Wigeon 150 Shoveler 10 Shelduck50 Oystercatcher 50 Grey Plover 10 Black-tailed Godwit 12 Curlew 10 Redshank 150 Dunlin 80 Carrion Crow 35 Jackdaw 110 Field fare 50 Redwing 20 Goldcrest 2 Stonechat 1 Siskin 3 Reed Bunting 3. Two Snipe seen were thought to be Jack Snipe.

Main sighting: Merlin

Female Merlin perched on the telegraph pole near the old Brynmawr reservoir, swooped low over the drained reservoir, didn’t flush anything and alighted on a fence post. Red Kite over, otherwise birdless on the moor.

Main sighting: Hoopoe

One, in private garden in Portskewett at approx 3pm. Present for about 30 minutes before flying off towards Leachpool

Main sighting: hoopoe

hi, not posting as a sighting as I have not seen but thought someone might be interested as someone has posted several pictures on caldicot community site of hoopoe in their garden asking what it is. Believe seen today