Sightings

Main sighting: male bullfinch & redpoll

At Stanton on one of the Brynarw house’s was a pied wagtail on the roof. Further along the road travelling north were 2 buzzards ( in different locations ).
Just after Bugle Bridge on the right side of the road on top of the hedge resting on bracken was a male bullfinch. In Llanthony next to the Afon Honddu in the fields were 20 chaffinch.
Near the top of Cwm Bwchel was a blue tit and wren in the bracken and to the left of the path on silver birch trees was a coal tit and 2 treecreepers. In Llanthony wood ( North ) there was a coal tit and Britains smallest bird, a goldcrest flittering around in the conifer tree’s. In hazel tree’s next to Sunnybank was a female and another male bullfinch. 3 bullfinches seen today!.
Finally, coming off the hill below Troed-rhiw mon was a redpoll on short-sized alder tree’s just before the fields, a fairly rare bird for this area.

Main sighting: Goosander

The lake at Drybridge Community Nature Park has been busy with Goodander this week; I saw five birds fly off this morning at ca 1000 when a dog disturbed them, including 2 males, but a pair left earlier, and a single male had arrived, so it was hard to keep track of totals. There were two pairs fishing there on New Years Day at 1000. The barking dog didn’t disturb the Kingfisher!

Main sighting: Blackcap

male blackcap seen in garden in Usk

Main sighting: woodcock

Roding woodcock over Vedw road at 1645 hrs

Main sighting: Barn owls

2 hunting barn owls over salt marsh east of black rock at dusk

Main sighting: marsh harrier

After a quiet start the sun made a brief appearance which woke up a kestral, female peregrine on the seawall, female marsh harrier quartering the seawall from the Wetlands, good views of the pale phase buzzard at the red barn area, a couple of pairs of stonechat, cettis and 3 little egrets in nearby field.
Later at the Bryn Oxbow, red kite, 2 female goosander, 2 grey herons and single egret coming to roost.

Main sighting: Bittern

Bittern seen at 10-20 from path between RSPB centre and Lighthouse overflying reeds and dropping down out of sight
Other birds seen include 2 x Curlew
Cormorant Chaffinch and male Pheasant

Nice start to new year – happy new year to all

Main sighting: Crossbill

4 Crossbill flying over.

Main sighting: Brent Goose

Water levels still way too high with no areas for waders, only two wader species seen on the lagoons therefore was a single Redshank and Common Snipe. Hide 2 – female adult Peregrine perched on a fence post, 1 Little Egret, 46 Herring Gulls through, 26 Wigeon, 3 Cormorants (1 was a juv / 1st year bird). Snipe platform – 5 pairs of Gadwall. Seawall – 76 Curlew, 38 Oystercatchers, Shelduck, 1 Gt Black-backed Gull, distant Brent Goose, 69 Dunlin and 3 Grey Plovers. Hide 3 – pair of Stonechats, 5 Meadow Pipits, female Marsh Harrier being harassed by a female Kestrel, Common Buzzard calling, 136 Teal, 202 Wigeon. On way back to car park – Cettis calling, 150+ Starlings in the field.

Main sighting: Cettis Warbler

Wigeon 72, Teal 15, Shoveler 9, Curlew 5, Cormorant 1, Grey Heron 1, Mute Swan 4, Tufted Duck 2 male 1 fem and Cettis calling.

Main sighting: Siskins

At the edge of Mynydd Du Forest on the track nr. the entrance to Coed – dias there was a mistle thrush in a ash tree and 2 siskins, 1 male and 1 female feeding on alder tree’s by the side of the Grwyne Fawr river. 3 buzzards above the Gaer. A robin, blue, great tits and a great spotted woodpecker in the forest.

Main sighting: Goosanders

M and F Goosander on canal between the golf club and the Groes bidges