Sightings
Tadhg Burrell
Avon Lwyd / Cwmbran Boating Lake
Sun 18th Jun 2023
Main sighting: WBBS Late Visit
Late visit for WBBS. Less notable species than early (no dipper & goosander). Main boating lake was teeming with mallards in eclipse at least 50-60+ as well as some females with ducklings of various ages. 2 pairs of coot with chicks, 2 cormorant and lots of LBB Gulls. 6 grey wagtails – a pair with 4 young feeding on rocks in faster flowing stretches of the river.
Keith Roylance
Trellech Heaths
Sat 17th Jun 2023
Main sighting: Tree Pipit
Stephanie Tyler led a successful walk around Trellech Heaths for 10 GOS members. Sightings included: Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Martin, Tree Pipit, Wren, Robin, Redstart, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Firecrest, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Siskin and Linnet. Also seen were Fallow Deer, Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly also Emperor dragonfly. Common Spotted Orchid in significant numbers. Thanks to Steph for an interesting walk.
Verity Picken
Gwent
Sat 17th Jun 2023
Main sighting: Invisible Curlew chicks
Although the chicks were hidden in long grass two adult Curlews standing guard on the wall surrounding the nest field indicated that chicks were definitely present! Waiting to see how many. Keep your eyes peeled please, Gwent birders.
Neville Davies
Goldcliff Lagoons
Sat 17th Jun 2023
Main sighting: Green Sandpiper
Dawn – 9am visit. Hide one – Magpies, pheasant, wren, chiffchaff, blackcap, common whitethroat, crows, ewarbler singing, 4 herons, 3 swallows, skylark, 76 blak-headed gulls, linnets, 2 shelduck, coot, 3 oystercatchers, 26 little egrets, 2 great white egrets, Canada geese, 18 ringed plovers, 26 dunlin, 37 redshanks, 34 lapwing, 2 greenshanks, 3 cormorants, reed buntings, mallards, 2 curlew, lesser black-backed gulls, cettis calling. Hide two – 2 shoveler, 25 gadwall, 189 black-tailed godwits with bar-tailed mixed in, 3 avocet, greylags, marsh harrier, green sandpiper, starlings, blackbirds, 15 mute swans, family group blue tits, goldfinch and 11 sand martins.
Verity Picken
Gwent
Wed 14th Jun 2023
Main sighting: Curlew chick
The first Curlew chick of the year was found this morning! Hopefully more to follow. Please keep your eyes open for chicks or agitated adults and send all sightings to Curlew@gwentbirds.org.uk .
Nicholas Beswick
Mynydd Llangatwg
Sun 11th Jun 2023
Main sighting: Wheatear
Seven Wheatear territories, with some fledged young, on the Gwent part of the mountain. Count of thirty Linnets including a flock of twenty. Two male Cuckoos calling occasionally, one with some “cuck-cuck-oo” phrases.
Mark Whitaker
River Wye, Penallt
Fri 9th Jun 2023
Main sighting: Garden Warbler
On riverside path downstream from old railway bridge. At least 8 singing males, similar Blackcaps. 1 Dipper, 2 Kingfisher, 2 Bullfinch, number of House Martins collecting scarce mud at river’s edge. No Marsh Tits however. Several salmon (grilse) leaping. Also saw sizeable sewin (about 50 cm) under old Monnow Bridge in Monmouth.
Neville Davies
Goldcliff Lagoons
Fri 9th Jun 2023
Main sighting: Egrets
En-route to hides – magpies, pheasants, wren, chiffchaff, kingfisher in reen right of bridge, blackcap, 3 whitethroats, crow and blackbirds. Hide one – reed bunting, cettis, 2 gt white egrets (one ringed, lower left leg), 21 little egrets, 3 herons, 2 spoonbills, 38 redshanks, 5 cormorants, ls black-backed gulls, 194 black-tailed godwits, 6 gadwall, mallards, 1 swift, Canada geese, skylark, harriers, coot, 4 black-headed gulls, 2 oystercatchers, woodpigeons, 4 shoveler, 2 shelduck, greylags, 7 avocet, 7 ringed plovers, 2 dunlin, 1 curlew calling, reed warbler and starlings. Snipe platform – 2 pairs tufteds, 9 swans, 3 swallows. Marsh platform – unexpected male wigeon in amongst mallards and herring gulls. Hide three – 18 more avocet, male pintail, 11 more gadwall little grebe and 21 lapwing. Hide 2 on way back out – jackdaws, gt tit and a buzzard. A male cuckoo showed briefly.
jon holmes
coed morgan
Thu 8th Jun 2023
Main sighting: quail calling
10-30pm single bird calling. often heard at this location over the years
iain crawford
Monmouth
Fri 2nd Jun 2023
Main sighting: Ring-billed gull
Ringbilled gull feeding on dead pike (otter kill?) at Wye shingle beach. Kingfisher took 2 minnows below Priory St. 4 blackcap, 30 Canada geese, greenfinch, 12 house martin, 30 sand martin, 2 gsw, song thrush, grey heron, 2 juv ltt, grey wagtail, chiffchaff, 20 barbel, toad. Only June, already the Wye has a greenish tinge.
Neville Davies
Goldcliff Lagoons
Fri 2nd Jun 2023
Main sighting: White Wagtail
Morning visit. En-route to hides – 2 male pheasants, woodpigeons, wrens, crows, herring gulls, 2 chiffchaffs, magpies, robin, mallards, 2 herons, 2 whitethroats, reed warbler singing and jackdaws. Hide one – most of the activity was here with 190 black-tailed godwits, 5 avocet, 2 shelduck, blue tits, Canada geese, 11 redshanks, lesser black-backed gulls, 5 lapwing, 2 ringed plovers, 6 dunlin, 10 lt egrets, 2 shoveler, coot, a good count of 39 gadwall (my highest count here) with 5 more from hide 3, skylark singing, 3 oystercatchers and 4 cormorants (1 a juvenile). Hide two – buzzard, cettis calling, cattle egret in the usual spot on the island ,a single curlew came in and stayed for about 5 minutes, black headed gulls and a moorhen. Snipe platform – 2 male and 1 fem tufteds, 14 mute swans, greylags, little grebe and 1 swallow. Seawall – 6 more swallows, 85 starlings including juvs on the seawall, also 3 pied wagtails (1 juv), and a male white wagtail and 1 yellow wagtail mixed in, 2 sand martins with 18 house martins and 9 swifts. Hide three – sparrows, linnets, 14 more avocet, great white egret, another male tufted, juv male marsh harrier and on the way back another pair of whitethroats, one had nesting material.
Kevin Wood
Back Garden, Brynmawr
Thu 1st Jun 2023
Main sighting: Fledged Great tits and Starlings
At least 6 recently fledged Great tits being fed by parents and 8 fledged Starlings in a very busy back Garden. Also Blue tits feeding 8 young in nest box, Blackbirds with beaks full of worms and a very busy Robin. Jackdaws and Magpies on the hunt. Goldfinches and Greenfinches in front Garden and Chiffchaff heard.