Sightings

Main sighting: Grasshopper Warbler

On machine pond there were 5 Canada geese and 3 tufted ducks. In a willow tree just past the pond were 6 long tailed tits. In the meadow/wetland area to the west of the pond were house sparrows, reed buntings ( male & female ), whitethroats, 2 willow warblers, a female sparrowhawk soaring high up, red kite and to the right of the track in a young oak tree on a branch a grasshopper warbler briefly appeared before disappearing due to its elusiveness back into the undergrowth/vegetation – thanks to Nicholas Beswick, well found.
From the bridge on horsetail pond flew a male & female bullfinch across the water, 2 moorhens and a little grebe. Also 1 swift.

Main sighting: Spoonbills

En-route to hides – blackcaps, magpie, woodpigeons, crows, ls black-backed gulls, swallows, black headed gulls, pheasant, Canada geese, wren, goldfinches chiffchaffs, gt tit, starlings and blue tit. Hide 1 very quiet, mallards, herring gulls, pair of gadwall and 2 black-tailed godwits. En-route to hide 3 – reed bunting, reed warbler, 15 house martins, linnets and 2 pied wagtails. Hide 3 – sedge warbler singing, 1 lt egret, 8 dunlin, 64 more black -tailed godwits, juvenile yellow wagtail, stonechat family group, 2 lt ringed plovers, 5 shelduck, 43 sand martins aerial feeding, 2 oystercatchers, 8 teal, 3 more gadwall, 1 lapwing and 1 cormorant. Seawall – 4 ringed plovers only and no curlew. Marsh platform – 15 mute swans, 41 coot, 2 pairs lt grebes, 8 greylags and meadow pipits. En-route to next platform – cettis calling and moorhens. Snipe platform – 2 herons and tufted family group. Hide 2 – pair of spoonbills dropped onto lagoon 3, pair of kestrels by hide 3, 1 curlew overhead and skylark contact call. Other: Weasel by bridge at the entrance, numerous gatekeepers, 1 ruddy darter and 3 green-veined whites.

Main sighting: Kestrels

Probably up to 6 kestrels along 6km of Seawall from Peterstone Gout to Lamby Way, including one group of 3 presume parent with chick(s); also greenfinch, goldfinch linnets (mixed flock); little egret; several curlew, one whimbrel; lots of swallows, 6 swifts; skylarks, meadow pipits, pied wagtails; many BHGs; gatekeeper, meadow brown and large white butterlfies

Main sighting: Nightjar

Dusk session; two males churring and wing clapping – an improvement on last two years when I only found one. Also female Tawny Owl but no Woodcock as roding season has finished.

Main sighting: Little Egret

Probably not a remarkable sighting but first time I’ve seen one at this location..Early afternoon

Main sighting: Grasshopper Warbler

Reed Warbler sang briefly. Four Whitethroats singing. Grasshopper Warbler seen. Red Kite circled over.

Main sighting: Little Ringed Plover

7- LRPs,1-adult 6-juveniles on becks island,16-Black’wits on priors lagoon,1-Great White Egret and Whimbrel calling on tidal mud.Several Reed Warblers singing.11h00-13h25.

Main sighting: Disturbance at Goldcliff Lagoons

We will be checking the water levels and salinities at Goldcliff Lagoons on Monday morning, between around 10.30am and 12pm. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Main sighting: Bittern

En-route to hides – swallows, jackdaws, woodpigeons, crows, mallard, family group of chiffchaffs, moorhen and green woodpecker. Hide one – 10 teal, pied wagtails, linnets, Canada and greylag geese. En-route to hide 2 – cormorant, blue tits, magpies, common whitethroat, gt tits and skylark. Hide two – most activity from this hide with the brambles in front holding juvenile whinchat, 2 sedge and 1 reed warblers and reed buntings. Also seen 1 lt egret, 6 more teal, 7 dunlin, 6 redshanks, ls black-backed gulls, bittern at 0750 which was quite high over hide 3, following the edge of the reserve before dropping in somewhere near the farmers arms pub area, 1 heron, cettis, 6 house martins, 4 black-tailed godwits, ravens and 2 ringed plovers. Snipe platform – 23 mute swans, coot, lt grebes, family group of tufted ducks, black headed gulls and 8 more house martins. Seawall – 1 gt black-backed and herring gulls, 38 curlew, 8 oystercatchers, 96 shelduck and a flock of 100+ sand martins aerial feeding. Hide three – fem marsh harrier (1st year bird), meadow pipits, female sparrowhawk perched on post plucking prey, goldfinches, 0923 the bittern flew across the reserve landing in the reeds by hide 2, 1 snipe calling. Back at hide 1 – buzzard on the post, blackcap singing and starlings. Osprey seen over the car park area (see Red Barn sighting). Other: Meadow browns, gatekeepers, 1 small tortoiseshell, 1 red admiral, 5 green-veined whites, large whites, fem black-tailed skimmer and numerous common darters.

Main sighting: Osprey

10.00 hrs, osprey flew in quite high and over the right side of Goldcliff lagoons before moving over and dropping in what looked to be around the area of Red Barn. However, a search of the area a short while later revealed nothing, so I am wondering if it continued over the sea wall to the salt marsh area?

Main sighting: red kite

Surprised to disturb a red kite from its road kill while driving on A466 north towards Llandogo @1400 hrs.

Main sighting: Whimbrel

A single Whimbrel on the estuary Black-tailed Godwit 150 Little Ringed Plover 4 Lapwing 24 Redshank 35 Dunlin 12 Little Egret 5 Bittern 1 Coot 55 Little Grebe 11 Mute Swan 14 Marsh Harrier 2 Swallow 20 Sand Martin 12 Lesser Whitethroat 1 Blackcap 2 Chiffchaff 2 Reed Warbler 3 Blue Tit 2
Other: Meadow Brown 15 Large White 1 and the first Gatekeeper of the summer. No Dragons or Damsels!