Sightings

Main sighting: House Martin

flock of 30+ House Martin feeding over allotment and surrounding area 2.30pm

Main sighting: Marsh Harrier

A juvenile Marsh Harrier few over Becs early afternoon . It was quite on the wader front a Ruff being the highlight Glossy Ibis 1 Little Egret 9 . Also: Redstart 2 Whitethroat 1 Chiffchaff 1 Yellow wagtail 10 Whinchat 1 Wheatear 6. Migrant Hawker 2 Common Darter 6 Stoat and Water Vole.

Main sighting: Colour ringed Curlew

Curlews were colour-ringed by a BTO/WWT team on the Usk estuary in 2015/16. There haven’t been many re-sightings of these birds, although last Saturday, five (one of which is aged at least 22 years!) were seen at Goldcliff. WWT has now started a Severn Curlew project, raising chicks in captivity for release to the wild. 50 colour ringed curlew have been released at Slimbridge since early July, and may appear in Gwent. Please report any sightings to curlew@wwt.org.uk

Main sighting: Red Kite

9 red kites circling together with several landing here and there.

Main sighting: A goldcrest,I believe.Sadly dead on my son's drive.A photo can be provided

Caerllion

Main sighting: Whinchat

A morning pre-high tide visit. the only waders present were a small group of Redshank at the bottom of Prior’s and a solitary Greenshank on the far side of the island on Bec’s. A Snipe by the sluice on Monk’s and many Yellow Wagtails by the cattle on their too. The Glossy Ibis was showing well on the seawall side of Prior’s later flying over the reed bed to appear on the main section of the lagoon. Black Swan and a large group of Mute Swans also on here plus many Teal, Coots, Moorhens etc.. Wheatears seen on the sea-wall. On the return visit to the first hide several GOS members in there watching a pair of Wheatears, Stonechats and Whinchats on the fence posts and wires and on the dock plants and tussocks behind, also a female Sparrow Hawk by the sluice on the opposite side of Monk’s. Two Buzzards, one of the “Bosprey” colouration and a Kestrel complete the raptors seen.

Main sighting: Wheatears

Afternoon visit highlights: 2 chiffchaffs (contact calls), 5 wheatears today and 2 whinchats, 169 swallows passing south with 46 sand martins and 14 house martins, 9 curlew, female kestrel hunting, kingfisher flew right across the reserve, juv stock dove, 6 buzzards circling together (including the ‘bosprey’), 4 shoveler, juv male sparrowhawk, female ad seen alter, 2 herons, 4 lt egrets, 9 yellow wagtails amongst the cows and a female stonechat. Waders were very poor with only 1 dunlin seen along with 1 common snipe, 1 each of greenshank and redshank, only 2 black-tailed godwits and 18 lapwing. The black swan was present. Other: Impressive count of 18 southern hawkers (photos also), small copper, large whites, red admiral, speckled wood, common darters and keeled skimmers. At Red Farm Barn on the buddleas there were 9 painted lady’s, large whites, small tortoiseshells, red admirals and speckled woods.

Main sighting: House Martin

small flock 20+ House Martin and few Swallows further along top road Peregine Falcon tree height.NB drive is not open taken around with N.R.Wales as part of project

Main sighting: Comic tern

Seen today by Chris Stone at sudbrook, 13 commic tern heading west over houses. And 1 juvenile sanderling with flock of 22 redshank along shore between sudbrook and BlackRock.

Main sighting: Water Rail

Evening visit at low tide. 10+ Wheatears using the fence posts around the reserve. Whinchat observed near Hide 1. On priors 3 x Snipe foraging in open in the shallows. Water Rail showed for a good period skulking in shadows of the reedbed and was chased around by Moorhens. Greenshank , 2 x Black Tailed Godwits and a Knot seen on Becs Lagoon. Out on the mud 3 x Curlews late on, Oystercatchers , Black Headed Gulls and Redshanks. Female Kestrel was hunting over Priors.

Main sighting: Wheatears

4.45 – 2000 hrs visit. From hide 1 was an excellent count of 17 wheatears (adults and juvs) and 3 whinchats moving along the fence posts and feeding close by. Of note elsewhere was 1 buzzard, 29 sand martins, 98 swallows (all heading slowly south), female kestrel, 8 lt egrets, 11 house martins, 1 yellow wagtail only, 3 snipe, 1 water rail, 1 greenshank, 1 ruff, 1 black swan, 1 heron, 1 chiffchaff, 2 black-tailed godwits and the glossy ibis arrived on the 2nd lagoon at 1945hrs. A flock of 200+ knot flew up from the saltings and followed the seawall around towards the Point. Several male broad-bodied chasers on the wing also.

Main sighting: Hobby

Three hobby chasing each other high over farm buildings. Semi-palmated sandpiper still at Goldcliff Lagoons (Monks) at 12.45.