Sightings

Main sighting: 13 goosander.

60 plus canada geese/one great crested grebe/12 tufted duck and numerous mallard.

Main sighting: Hen Harrier

Male Hen Harrier hunting near the Lonely Shepherd (above the fog). Two Meadow Pipits on the moor. At dusk, two Woodcock up over Hafod Farm from Clydach Gorge.

Main sighting: Black Redstart

Dawn visit. Monks Lagoon had large flock of waders – Curlews, Black Tailed Godwits, Knots and smaller waders possibly waders. They flew off into the gloom. Two Marsh Harriers seen over the pill. A female Marshy quartered the lagoons on several occasions.
Possible Spotted Redshank observed.
On the sea wall the Black Redstart seen by Nev Davies on Saturday was showing again regularly feeding with Stonechats, Pied Wagtails and a Wren.
Barnacle Geese seen out on the Saltmarsh with Canadas.
A flock of Avocet were feeding on the foreshore.
More on my blog.

Main sighting: Goosander

5 Goosanders (4m, 1 F) at “Kingfisher ponds” Llantarnam today

Main sighting: Pair of Whooper Swans

Beautiful pair of swans near the road in a farm field.

Main sighting: Kestrel

Kestrel, buzzard, goldcrest, grey wagtail, 30 linnets.

Main sighting: Black Redstarts

Numerous Redwings and Fieldfares and a male Sparrowhawk hunting the hedge line. Kingfisher en-route to hide 1. Hide 1 – 157 Canada Geese with the juv White-fronted Goose mixed in as one group took off. The four Barnacle Geese are still present, 3 Snipe, 57 Curlew (no ringed birds), 2 Cormorants, 1 Grey Heron and Cettis Calling. Redshank Platform – 52 Lapwing, 88 teal, a Spotted Redshank feeding alone with 52 Common Redshanks close by, 7 Gadwall and Chiffchaff contact call. Seawall – this is where all the activity was a mix of 3 Song Thrushes, male Pied Wagtail and 31 Meadow Pipits feeding together in the short grass, with a pair of Black Redstarts feeding on the sea wall and down on the rocks with a pair of Stonechats and 3 Wrens. Male Peregrine came in and landed on the rocks just shy of the seawall with the Redstarts and Wrens feeding within 10ft of it. On the mudflats were 23 Avocet, 15 Grey Plovers, 178 Dunlin and a single Brent Goose following the edge of the water up towards the Pill. 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers seen on the way back to the car park.

Main sighting: Scaup

Juv Scaup with Tufted Duck, 15 Goosander

Main sighting: Woodcock

3 woodcock high over the coombe flying west toward Wentwood .probably disturbed by the guns and driven pheasant at Coombe Farm

Main sighting: Red breasted Merganser

Redhead off Watersport centre

Main sighting: Little Owl

Party of Goldcrests in the churchyard yews. Little Owl sunning itself in the gable end of the barn; GSW doing the same on top of a dead branch! 1 Little Egret, 2 Little Grebe, Dipper, Kingfisher etc etc plus one redhead Goosander

Main sighting: Kingfisher

2 Kingfishers. frequent visitors on this stretch of canal