Sightings

Main sighting: Newport Marathon

It is the Newport Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday 13th April which means the road to Goldcliff lagoons and Uskmouth will be closed for a long period. So it might be wise to give the area a miss.

Main sighting: Sand Martin

4 Sand Martins swirling around the Wye Bridge at 2.30 today – first I have seen this year.

Main sighting: Yellow wagtail

Yellow wagtail, grey wagtail, 5 pied wagtail, 3 goldfinch, 2 ravens, 10 Chaffinch, 5 chiffchaff, 2 blackcaps, a nuthatch, 2 song thrush, a great spotted woodpecker, a green woodpecker, 3 stock doves, a kingfisher, up to 200 sand martins. 26 Canada geese, 10 greylags, 3 m 2 F goosander, a pair of mandarin ducks, 5 cormorants, a grey heron, 3 oystercatchers, a buzzard and a goshawk

Main sighting: Northern Wheatear

Wheatear 7 males and 2 females, made up of 5 solo males and 2 pairs.

Main sighting: wood warbler

wood warbler heard late afternoon in both locations

Main sighting: Fieldfare

A surprise calling Fieldfare for my early BBS visit. My first Redstarts of the year plus one Swallow and singing Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers.

Main sighting: Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper at Machine Pond, briefly joined a Cormorant and pair of Canada Geese on the floating island – a very occasional passage visitor. One Swallow picking insects off the pond, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers singing.

Main sighting: Dipper

Three dippers “flirting” on the river.

Main sighting: Little Ringed Plover

2-LRPs on the shingle bank,before seeing them there must have been 50+ Sand Martins at the river bank prospecting nest holes.3-Goosanders(2f 1m),m+f Mandarin ducks,1m-White Wagtail,1-Common Sandpiper,further along the river more Sand Martins were seen but not in the numbers previously seen.Also one more LRP sighting which could have been a third bird or one of the two seen earlier.Also my first Orange Tip butterfly of the year and a flock of 17-Cormorants flying up river.11h15-13h50.

Main sighting: Wheatear

Three first on the tumble for the year. Pair of Wheatears several Stonechat and a male red start.

Main sighting: Osprey

Osprey reported by anglers this morning – heading north up river.

Main sighting: Curlew call

Heard curlew calling