Sightings

Main sighting: Barn Owl and other birds

Visited before dawn. Barn Owl was quartering the bank near Hide 1 in the near darkness.
Later the Barn Owl was observed again quartering around Hide 2, Snipe and the Marsh Platform.
The reserve was relatively quiet. Complete absence of waders apart from some Lapwing flying over the reserve later.
The foreshore far out near the Saltings was a flock of 43 Avocets and similar numbers of Curlews.

Main sighting: Brambling

Female Brambling on the feeders outside my front window!

Main sighting: Barn Owl

Barn Owl from Marsh Platform at 16:10. Hunted along the bank in front of the hides and platforms

Main sighting: Avocet

Avocet 13 on the foreshore, Brent Goose 1 pale bellied thanks to Bryn B, Black-tailed Godwit 25 Lapwing 400 (distant view) Oystercatcher 20 Wigeon 150 Gadwall 12 Tufted Duck 3 Teal 30 Marsh Harrier 2 male and imm Kestrel 1 Buzzard 1 Raven 2 Cetti’s Warbler 1 Great Spotted WP 1 Reed Bunting 2 Stonechat 3.

Main sighting: Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis amongst a flock of 60 Lapwing on lagoon in front of the first hide. About 1pm.

Main sighting: Kestrel

Kestrel, heron, 2 buzzards, 2 ravens, 2gsw, 30 goldfinch, 4 mipits, a jay.

Main sighting: Finches

A flock of 157 Greenfinches tonight going to roost in the Bay trees along with a smattering of Goldfinches

Main sighting: Greenfinch

A flock of 157 Greenfinches going to roost tonight in the Bay trees plus a smattering of Goldfinches

Main sighting: Bittern

1 Bittern flying low over reedbeds half way to the lighthouse. Sparrowhawk, Jay

Main sighting: Crossbill

A calling male Crossbill at the top of a tall spruce tree. Had a brief spat with a Chaffinch before flying off. First-ever record here.

Main sighting: Peregrine falcon

Peregrine falcon, kingfisher, 4 buzzards, 5 ravens, 2 grey herons, 30 meadow pipits, 25 redwings, 25 fieldfares, female bullfinch, mistle thrush, wren, 3 cormorants, a jay, a goldfinch.

Main sighting: Chiffchaff

Five mile circular walk across Gwent levels and along sea wall from Redwick Parish Church.
Highlight of this late morning to midday walk just after High Tide was a Chiffchaff seen and heard in a hedge just south of the village. On the levels were a good selection of winter thrushes, including 130 Redwing, 11 Fieldfare and a flock of 8 paler continental Song Thrushes.- all spooked by a Sparrowhawk; also 2 Snipe, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Little Egret, 2 Buzzards, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Raven, 300 Starling, 9 Meadow Pipits. From the seawall 53 Mallard, 47 Oystercatcher, 8 Ringed Plover, 3 Curlew, 18 Dunlin, 15 Common Gull, 1 Rock Pipit. ( 44 species in total )