Sightings

Main sighting: Tree Pipit

At least one male singing/displaying another probably different bird seen on the ground, also 4 singing Garden Warblers, 2 singing Whitethroats, Linnet song heard, 1 male Stonechat, at least 1 singing Firecrest nearby. Merlin said there was a Skylark but there definitely wasn’t.

Main sighting: Wood Warbler

2 birds calling close together where there were 3 singing males last year. Brief trilling song heard – so at least one a male.

Main sighting: Garden Warbler

A Garden Warbler heard and seen trees by the river. Sand Martin 20, not seen entering the newly installed nest boxes on the retaining wall.

Main sighting: Woodcock

Woodcock Roding; Nightjar churring (1); Snipe drumming (1); Tawny Owls calling (two males, one female).

Main sighting: Late Swift sighting

Late sighting record for May 1st around 16.45 hrs, single Swift over Ystrad Mynach. Also, May 4th around 10.45 hrs, Tawny Owl calling three times form a garden in Machen.

Main sighting: Tree Pipit

Singing and displaying near lane, also Grey Wagtail on house roof, Linnet song and House Martins and Swallows finally present in numbers around breeding sites.

Main sighting: Cuckoo

A quick evening walk. 2 mail cuckoos first I’ve seen this year. Good numbers of linnets and meadow pipits and stonechats 1 kestrel and buzzard.

Main sighting: Pied Flycatcher

6 (5 male) Pied Flycatcher in the oak woods (pair prospecting nest hole) and similar number Redstart this afternoon (no Wood Warbler though perhaps too late in the day), Treecreeper nest building. On the open hill / ffridd, 2 male Whinchat and good numbers (well into double figures) of Tree Pipit, Skylark, Wiillow Warbler, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit. A few Linnet, 1 Yellowhammer, 1 Reed Bunting, 1 Whitethroat, 2 Cuckoo. Woodland edge: 3 Garden Warblers, 1 Redpoll.

Main sighting: Wood Warbler

Several territories of Wood Warbler, Tawny Owl, numerous Tree Creepers, Song Thrush and Mistle, many Gt Spotted Woodpeckers. Far too many Squirrels, and surprisingly 2 Roe Deer. On the Rholben ridge, Cuckoo, Willow Warbler, Common Redstart, Skylark, Tree Pipit. I used to see Yellowhammer here.

Main sighting: Grasshopper Warbler

Pair of Cuckoos and a pair of Grasshopper Warblers seen in the area above Garn Lakes over a 2 hr period early this morning.
Other sightings included: Willow Warbler, Wheatear, Chiffchaff, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Jackdaw, Woodpigeon, Crow, Magpie, Raven, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Canada Goose, Swallow, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Herring Gull, Robin, Stonechat, Starling, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Grey Heron.

Main sighting: Swift

3 birds – first in the village this year. A few Swallows but haven’t seen a House Martin yet. Lesser Whitethroat singing about 2 miles SW of village a couple of days ago.

Main sighting: Spotted Flycatcher

Spotted Flycatcher in the garden this morning – my first of the year. Such a joy to have them back.