Sightings

Main sighting: Great White Egret

Two Great White Egrets flew low over Gilwern heading south-east around 10:30 this morning.

Main sighting: Disturbance

Work to repair fencing and gateways damaged in the fire will take place this week. Work will not take place around high tide. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Barn owl

Spotted Barn owl hunting over the fields in Lower Machen today.

Main sighting: Fieldfare

Apologies for the late entry, but nice flock of 60+ in the fields above Mynydd Iswlyn on this date, no redwings mixed in.

Main sighting: small flock of cross bills 20+ on 27/10/25 and 10 on 28/10/25

fragmented flocks of Fieldfare flying through.

Main sighting: Peregrine

Peregrine on pylon (another also on a pylon at Llanfoist); Goosander (2); Sparrowhawk (2); Little Grebe (5); Kingfisher; Grey Wagtail; Grey Heron; Red Kite; Buzzard (4); large flock of Canada Geese

Main sighting: Brambling

A gorgeous male Brambling feeding with Chaffinches this afternoon – my first of the autumn

Main sighting: Brent goose

on the foreshore – also 23 Ring plover + 6 Dunlin + Marsh harrier

Main sighting: Peregrine

The Gang of Four on the GOS walk toured Gilwern Hill in cold, breezy conditions. Best sighting was a Peregrine cruising past at close range, causing confusion among the local Jackdaws. Other raptors were a Sparrowhawk, mobbed by a Carrion Crow, and distant Kestrel and Buzzards. A passing flock of a hundred Woodpigeons looked like the start of the big seasonal movements.
On the second leg, to the Pwll Du quarry, we eventually picked up about 25 Fieldfares. There are still loads of berries…. Three calling Crossbills flying over were a surprise.

Main sighting: Grey Plovers

Cold, overcast morning with low light and windy. Car park – hide 2: wren, pheasant, bullfinch, blue tits, herring gulls, magpies, blackbirds, mallards, crows and robin. Hide 2: Canada geese, 4 little egrets, 2 herons, greylag pair a male kestrel hunting. Small flocks of chaffinches overhead on way to sea wall and woodpigeon flocks now in the thousands and growing. Seawall: high tide so not much bird life, 31 curlew, starling flock and a passing great black-backed gull. Hide remains: 69 dunlin, black headed gull walking around in circles, 30 grey plover, 6 teal, 10 lapwing, pied wagtail, meadow pipits, 1 snipe overhead calling, buzzard and moorhen. Marsh Platform: cettis calling and 13 shelduck. By hide 2 a female goldcrest feeding in the bushes and 9 skylarks overhead. Hide 1: lesser black-backed gulls, raven and stonechat. Jackdaws and a chiffchaff back at the car park.

Main sighting: Dipper

single bird

Main sighting: Hen Harrier

Late afternoon visit. Around 130 Fieldfares flew in to thorn scrub between the railway track and cycle path. On the moor: brief view of male Hen Harrier, Kestrel over, Stonechat.