Sightings

Main sighting: House Martins

Several pairs breeding under the eaves of the taller houses.

Main sighting: Yellow Wagtail

Single male bird seen near field edge directly to the east of Ysgyryd Fach

Main sighting: red kite

red kite spotted high and heading west at midday

Main sighting: Wood Warbler

Update – three singing males plus two other silent birds (probably females) seen with one of the males so numbers at least as good as last year. Heard a Nightjar chur for 2 seconds on Beacon Hill – first time I’ve heard this in daytime. Also Redstart singing on edge of the heath there plus species previously reported.

Main sighting: Cuckoo's

En-route to hides: chiffchaffs, magpie, crows, chaffinch, pheasant, blackbirds, wrens, whitethroat, moorhen, cettis, goldfinches, lesser whitethroat, collard dove, buzzard with small bird in its talons and 6 cormorants in a skein. Hide one – skylarks, Canada geese and greylags (with young), 3 oystercatchers, coot, 6 redshanks, 13 gadwall, 12 avocet, gt tit, 2 shoveler, 4 lapwing, 3 lt egrets, mallards (pair with 7 young), jackdaws, meadow pipits, 2 ringed plovers, 3 swallows, 2 herons, 4 shelduck, ls black-backed gull, 18 black-tailed godwits, stonechat and 2 gt white egrets. Hide two – reed warbler and a female cuckoo chased by2 male cuckoos. Snipe platform – 14 swans, 4 pairs lt grebes, 2 more singing reed warblers, reed bunting, 2 black headed gulls, 5 males and 2 female tufted ducks. Hide three – pair ringed plovers on the island with 2 chicks, pair pintail, pair wigeon, pair of teal, 2 swifts and fem marsh harrier. Seawall – 7 dunlin only.

Main sighting: Yellow Wagtail

Yellow wagtail/gold crest/many skylarks/possible wood warblers/
Willow warbler/Tawney Owl.

Main sighting: Red kite

Red kite circling above my house at 10am. Celtic Horizon estate near Tredegar Park.

Main sighting: Great White Egret

Great White Egret, together with 4 Little Egrets, 4 Grey Herons and 3 Gadwall. Also present-nesting Coots, plus young Coot on water, 2 Little Grebes, 4 Moorhens, 8 Shelduck and 50+ Mallard.

Main sighting: Two red kites

Two red kites circling high above the Spar shop on Bassaleg Rd, Newport at 16.50 today. Only the second time I’ve seen a red kite in Newport. The first time was up at the Ridgeway during lockdown.

Main sighting: swifts

First 2 swifts over monnow bridge, a full week late this year, also a small passage of house martins yesterday before the storms over st arvans.

Main sighting: Garganey

En-route to hides – collard dove, linnets, pheasant, wren, blackcap, woodpigeons, blackbirds, whitethroat, crows, moorhen, cettis calling, chiffchaffs, heron, blue tits, jackdaws, mallards and dunnock. Hide one – pair of garganey were the highlight of the visit, greylags (with goslings), 5 shelduck, 16 avocet, meadow pipits, stonechat (male only), skylarks, 2 knot in breeding plumage, 1 bar-tailed and 64 black-tailed godwits, coot, 2 lt egrets, Canada geese, 10 redshanks, herring gull, 2 gadwall, 3 dunlin, gt tit, 4 lapwing, pied wagtail, gt black-backed gull, 3 sand martins, 2 shoveler, 5 swallows, cormorant, 2 ringed plovers and 1 lt ringed plover. Goldfinches, ls black-backed gulls and reed warbler singing en-route to platform. Snipe platform – 32 mute swans )my highest count here), 2 pairs lt grebes, 1 black-headed gull, 5 males and 2 female tufted ducks. Seawall – single whimbrel only. Hide three – 2 oystercatchers, 3 more singing reed warblers, 24 more avocet, 4 more shoveler, wigeon pair, pintail pair, reed bunting and a buzzard. Other: orange tip butterflies and hairy dragonfly.

Main sighting: Swifts

Swifts heard but not seen mid afternoon, previously seen by neighbor high over head on 7th May.