Sightings

Main sighting: Wood Sandpiper

En-route to hide 2 – magpies, woodpigeons, wren, crows, swallows, herring gulls, starlings, chiffchaff, blue tit, 1 stock dove, curlew overhead, mallards, moorhen and goldfinches. Hide 2 – 60 lapwing, 16 teal, 2 herons, 3 swans flying past, Canada geese (and a carcass) and a snipe calling. Snipe platform – 26 black-tailed godwits up high heading south/east at 0633 followed by 10 knot also up high and heading south/east at 0639, coot, lt grebes, male wigeon, 18 more teal, 8 more mute swans, pair gadwall, reed warbler singing and 6 shoveler. Seawall – female kestrel hunting, 1 gt black-backed gull, black headed gulls, 7 curlew, good count of 310 shelduck and 11 oystercatchers. Hide 3 – ls black-backed gulls, 6 lt egrets, male stonechat, female wheatear on the island, pied wagtails, juvenile wood sandpiper around the dry-mud area close to the bank, flew off and not relocated, linnets, 30 ringed plovers, 2nd snipe and juvenile female kestrel on the fence line. Back at hide 2 – marsh harrier, 62 dunlin (including 4 pale possibly juvenile birds)?, 1 turnstone, 1 knot, 2 buzzards, raven, greylags and 2 black-tailed godwits. Back at the car park – lesser whitethroat contact call (later seen), female sparrowhawk and 30+ house martins aerial feeding and congregating on the wires.

Main sighting: Whinchats

Juvenile and adult male on fence by entrance of solar plant.

Main sighting: Swifts

Whilst leading a guided ‘birdwatching for beginners’ walk, bit quiet on the bird front, but species seen included pheasant, gt spotted woodpecker, crows, woodpigeons, 53 house martins aerial feeding, herring gulls, jackdaws, group of 7 swifts and 3 more later on (nice surprise to see these), 5 chiffchaffs (contact calls), gt tit, buzzard, cettis, blue tits, mute swans, mallards, coot, lt grebes (2 pairs), 1 heron only (no lt egrets in the trees by the pond), moorhen, wren, swallows (4), rook, ls black-backed gulls and surprisingly a willow warbler in full song. Other: Emperor and southern hawker dragonflies, azure damselflies, meadow and hedge browns and large whites.

Main sighting: Marsh Harrier

Juvenile Marsh Harrier hunting over the moor to the east of the old Brynmawr reservoir. Red Kite, Kestrel, otherwise little about.

Main sighting: Bittern / Baird's update

En-route to reserve – woodpigeons, crows, jackdaws, robin, herring gulls, wren, blue tits, chiffchaffs, ls black-backed gulls and moorhen. Hide 2 – lt egret, 325 black-tailed godwits, 63 lapwing, magpie, 29 dunlin, Canada geese, 20 teal, pied wagtails, 27 ringed plovers, black-headed gulls, 1 heron, swallows and the juv bittern flying across towards hide 3 at 0645. Hide 3 – cattle egret, mallards, fem sparrowhawk, starlings, 10 more teal, 2 more lt egrets, adult male and juv stonechat. Seawall – gt white egrets amongst the geese, coot, lt grebes and swans on 2nd lagoon. Back at hide 2 – greenshank showing well, sand martins, 32 greylags, linnet and the Baird’s was in the far left corner from the hide, amongst the teal mostly, flew off towards the sea wall with the other waders around 10.45 Seems to be seen early-mid morning but does not linger for long. Other: Meadow browns and gatekeepers, southern hawker.

Main sighting: Red-legged Partridge

1 flying just above hedgerow near Newton Farm.

Main sighting: Yellow leg gull

Main sighting: Med.Gull

1-adult Med.Gull amongst a large flock of Black Headed Gulls,including at least six juveniles.Also 1-Turnstone in BP.1-Knot,3-Whimbrels,Good numbers of Redshanks and Dunlins.15h15-17h00

Main sighting: Med gull

Med gull juv – Com sandpiper – Shellduck 4

Main sighting: Hobby

An evening walk was rewarded with views of a Hobby looking for supper. Also, Woodpigeon 200 Stock Dove 12 Linnet lots.

Main sighting: Whimbrel/Bittern

En-route to reserve – collard doves, swallows, wren, reed warbler, woodpigeons, moorhens, crows, chiffchaff, blackbird and moorhens. Hide 1 – Canada and greylags, raven, sand martins, mallards, herring gulls, 1 heron and 8 black-tailed godwits that flew off high at 0642 heading south-east. En-route to hide 3 – linnets, goldfinches and pied wagtails. Hide 3 – ad male and juv stonechats, 32 lapwing, 2 lt egrets, 92 dunlin, 11 more black-tailed godwits, reed buntings, black headed gulls, 1 swift, meadow pipits, 2 cormorants, starlings, 1 spotted redshank, 1 greenshank (which flew off over the Pill), 1 gt white egret, 6 teal, female sparrowhawk which later flew past with prey (small bird), juv bittern flying twice last seen dropping in reeds by hide 2, 3 shoveler, 2 adult yellow wagtails and 5 redshanks. Seawall – 3 whimbrel, 30 oystercatchers, 38 curlew, ls black-backed gulls and 78 shelduck. Marsh platform – 4 gadwall, lt grebes and coot. Snipe platform – 2 more herons, 13 swans and a single female tufted in eclipse plumage. Hide 2 – 3 more black-tailed godwits, 5 more redshanks and a female marsh harrier. Other: Vapourer moth, southern hawkers (3), ruddy darter, meadow browns, 1 red admiral, 1 green-veined white, common blue damselflies and numerous gatekeepers.

Main sighting: Disturbance at Goldcliff Lagoons

The contractor working on the anti-predator fence will be working on Saturday morning. He will be starting near the 1st hide and working along clockwise until approximately midday. Hopefully the work will not affect birds on Bec’s Lagoon. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and for the short notice.