Sightings

Main sighting: Great White Egret

First hide visited only. En-route to hide – chiffchaffs, pheasant, collard dove, gt spotted woodpecker, 9 swallows, raven, reed warbler singing and lesser whitethroat. Hide – skylarks, Canada goose (goslings seen), mallards, 16 avocet, 3 oystercatchers, ls black-backed gulls harassing the avocets, coot, 8 male and 1 female teal, 6 gadwall, herring gulls, 8 redshanks, 2 lapwing, 1 shelduck, 231 black-tailed godwits, 2 lt egrets, greylags, linnets, magpie, blackbird, blackcap, fem marsh harrier, 5 mute swans, meadow pipits, pair stonechats, woodpigeons, moorhen, jackdaw, 5 sand martins and a buzzard.

Main sighting: Whimbrel

11-Whimbrels and 3-Turnstones in BP.Otherwise pretty quiet.14h30-15h15

Main sighting: Swift

Two birds seen overhead whist driving along dual carriageway towards Risca .

Main sighting: Late Swift sighting entry

Late entry sighting for May 1st – single Swift over Ystrad Mynach around 1645 hrs. Also, Machen on May 4th, Tawny Owl calling around 1045hrs.

Main sighting: Whimbrel

Whimbrel 8; Little Egret; Shelduck 40; Greylag Geese 2; Cetti’s Warbler; Reed Warbler; Sedge Warbler; Lesser Whitethroat; Common Whitethroat; Swallow 5; Sand Martin 2; Wheatear 2; Song Thrush; Blackcap; Linnets; Goldfinches; Chaffinch; Chiffchaffs; Skylarks; Wrens; Dunnock; Robins; Blackbirds; Long Tailed Tit; Pheasant; Woodpigeons, Carrion Crows; LBB Gull; Magpie; Mallard.

Main sighting: Cetti's Warbler

Heard and seen at midday on 1 May, a singing Cetti’s Warbler in vegetation on the bank of the Wye near Monmouth boathouse. First discovered by Hugo Perks who lives close by.

Main sighting: Wood warbler

Wood Warbler calling + Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler.

Main sighting: Firecrest

Singing bird heard (then seen) from mixed belt of trees along roadside, at edge of reserve. Third firecrest found this spring in different parts of Gwent, a species appearing to be spreading rapidly.

Main sighting: Lesser Redpoll

Single bird heard calling (in flight) several times during walk around the heath. Also the usual singing male tree pipits (3) willow warblers (6) with several linnets and siskins present.

Main sighting: Juvenile robins

2 juvenile robins in a Machen garden.

Main sighting: Wader mix and cuckoo

First two hides visited only due to heavy showers. En-route to hides – pheasants, blackbirds, blackcaps, woodpigeons, wren, chiffchaffs, magpie, lt egret, 2 cettis, linnets, whitethroat, goldfinches, song thrush, starlings, blue tits and moorhens. Hide one (very productive) – 83 dunlin most showing the black bellies, 17 redshanks, 8 avocet, 33 shelduck, 10 gadwall, 301 black-tailed godwits and the single bar-tailed with them, 6 lapwing, Canada geese, greylags, ls black-backed gulls, 5 oystercatchers, 1 lt ringed plover, skylarks, 2 mite swans, 2 more lt egrets, 12 shoveler, 1 heron, mallards, stonechat pair, 1 cormorant, 5 males and 1 female tufted, pair of teal and a single male, 2 swallows, 6 ringed plovers, crows, 1 greenshank, 1 ruff and jackdaws. Hide two – sedge warbler in the brambles, drake pintail, fem marsh harrier and great white egret. En-route back to hide one – 2 stock doves, cuckoo calling from along the hedge line leading back up to hide 2.

Main sighting: Song thrushes

2 fledged song thrush chicks hopping about.