Sightings

Main sighting: Lapwing & Starlings

Viewing from Goldcliff towards the reserve 1530 – 1630 hrs, 2 marsh harriers hunting at dusk but spectacular numbers of starlings over the reserve, 2 murmerations, probably in excess of 10,000 birds, also belated report from New Years day of 2,000 lapwing west of reserve.

Main sighting: Short eared owl

1400 – 1500 hrs, Viewing west from the Goldcliff seawall to the wetlands, I spotted a juvenile marsh harrier quartering near Saltmarsh lane, then Jan spotted a large bird resting on the field @ 200 metres south of the Red Barn hide, as soon as we scoped it, we were amazed to have a short eared owl, it took flight after 15 mins and disappeared towards the woodland.. Great start to the new year.

Main sighting: Spoonbill

Spoonbill still there towards Peterstone church (salt marshes), with 3 little egrets and GBBG. Large numbers of teal, shelduck, wigeon, mallard, shovelers, redshank, oystercatchers on the tide, also a few pintail, 2 snipe out at the edge of tide, few curlew, dunlin, and bullfinch in hedgerow. Good start to list 23!

Main sighting: Turnstone

56-Turnstones on the tideline between the point and seaweed covered rocks.Also,surprisingly two new born lambs amongst the sheep who have turned the paths into a quagmire.11h00-13h30.

Main sighting: Hawfinch

A single Hawfinch and 4 Greenfinch in the village this morning. The swan herd (19) can be seen fairly distantly from the Caerleon-Usk road near Llandowlais; no scope this morning – too far to see if the Whooper was with the Mutes.

Main sighting: Pintail

Pintail 6; Lapwing 300+; Redshank 200+; Starling 400+; Widgeon 80; Teal; Shoveler 4; Gadwall 2; Tufted Duck 6; Snipe; Heron; Coot; Black Headed Gull; Greylag Goose 50; Canada Goose 35; Wood Pigeon 50;

Main sighting: Perigrine, male sparrow hawk male and female builfinch nuthatch

Machen Mountain

Main sighting: Harriers

A walk from Saltmarsh lane at 1500 to 1630 hrs to the lighthouse, we had good views of a female marsh harrier hunting the area west of the lighthouse plus a male on the eastern edge of the reserve. On return to the the lane we sighted 4 harriers, of which one was a ringtail, plus two male marsh and a female.

Main sighting: Spoonbill

1 Spoonbill with 2 little egrets on the salt marsh; also few oystercatchers, redshanks, pair of stonechat

Main sighting: Red Kite

One hovering over fields on the Newport side around 11:15.

Main sighting: Pochard and highest count of lapwing

Crows, starlings, robins, blackbirds, woodpigeons, magpies, blue tit, song thrush, 1 heron in the reen and 1 little egret feeding in the adjacent field. Hide one – highest count of lapwing for me here with 815 on the island, 21 shelduck, female kestrel, 146 widgeon, 26 teal, lesser black-backed gulls, greylag and Canada geese, pied wagtail and 11 shoveler. Hide two – 2nd heron, meadow pipits, mallards, dunnocks, wrens, 1 snipe, fem marsh harrier and 1 cormorant. Snipe platform – 5 gadwall, 2 pairs of tufteds with a pochard mixed in, raven, common gull over and a single redwing over. Seawall – house sparrows, 1 stock dove, female stonechat, 2 redshanks, 21 curlew only, black headed gulls, buzzard, 46 grey plovers, 106 dunlin, gt black-backed gull, oystercatchers, goldfinches, chaffinch and a male kestrel plucking a small bird on the fence post.

Main sighting: Bittern and otters

Manage to spot 2 bitterns in flight on a 3 occasions , one really close encounter as it flew towards the hide perfectly lit in the sun , just gutted didn’t have my camera. Also sightings of adult otter in front of the hide fishing in the shallows .