Sightings

Main sighting: Swallows

A steady stream of Swallows over the garden: a regular occurence every Autumn, when hirundines stop to feed round the huge Sycamore beyond my garden.

Main sighting: Swift

2 Swifts still over the garden this morning with 12-15 House Martins

Main sighting: Goldfinch

A large flock of Goldfinches,mostly juveniles,probably over 100 birds.Also a Peregrine flew over spooking all the shorebirds.10h30

Main sighting: Hobby

Hobby frantically chasing hirundines over Chippy Fields, Monmouth at lunchtime today. Much swooping and diving, not sure if successful.

Main sighting: Hen Harrier

Male Hen Harrier hunting near the old Brynmawr reservoir, flew off to the north. Whinchats and Wheatears present recently seem to have gone.

Main sighting: Swift

A single Swift and 3 Red Kites. Surprised an otter on the bank just 2m away.

Main sighting: Swift

Single Swift still going to nest

Main sighting: Redstart

10:05 -13:30 Redstart 2( 3) Whitethroat 3 several Chiffchaff in the hedgerows, not many waders on the lagoons but good numbers of Shoveler and Teal and a solitary Greenshank. and 40 Lapwing. On the foreshore a Black-tailed Godwits 407 Shelduck 153 Dunlin 30 Knot 6.

Main sighting: Kingfisher

Kingfisher, 2 little egrets, 2 herons, 14 common gulls, green woodpecker, 2 song thrush, juv or female blackcap, juvenile willow warbler

Main sighting: Dipper

Excellent views (& photos) of Dipper at Sirhowy Valley park; more distant views of grey wagtail and glimpse of kingfisher; also Jay calling (awful sound)

Main sighting: Kestrel

Female kestrel, 4 ravens, 4 buzzards, a jay, male and female stonechat. Near Forest coalpit, a grey wagtail, jay, female bullfinch, and 4 great spotted woodpeckers

Main sighting: Waders and Glossy Ibis

Attended at dawn at Goldcliff Point Initially during high tide. Hedgerows had Chiff Chaffs calling. The wall had Wheatear and lots of Black Headed Gulls. As the sun came up flock of Curlews flew up from Goldcliff Lagoons. A solitary Curlew was feeding near the point as the tide receded.

Goldcliff Lagoons –
Priors had the flock of Black Tailed Godwits 250+, 2 x Ruff , 4 x Knot and 1 x Greenshankl, 20+ Redshanks. Flossy the Glossy Ibis was roosting with the waders. Flocks of Teal, Shoveler and Mallard Ducks . 4 x Snipe

Out on the foreshore – 2 x Oystercatchers, Curlews and Black Headed Gulls.
The sea wall had at least 4 x Wheatear and also Yellow and Pied Wagtails.

Good passage of House and Sand Martins and Swallows all morning.