Sightings

Main sighting: Nightjar

A successful late evening visit to Blaenavon community wood- highlights included 3 Nightjar churring and calling and a reeling Grasshopper Warbler on the heath near to the road.

Main sighting: Curlew chicks

Exciting news: two Curlew chicks hatched this morning after an unusually long incubation – hoping the other two eggs will hatch tomorrow. Still time to report your sightings to curlew@gwentbirds.org.uk – all reports will be followed up.

Main sighting: Garden warbler

1607 – on one of my roses – first one I have seen in a while.
Audio was also captured on the BirdWeather.com that I have permanently monitoring in the garden.

Main sighting: Great Black-backed Gull

Seen very clearly washing itself in the river. Definite ID with pinkish legs and larger white spots on folded wingtips. Also 2 Mandarin drakes plus female with 4 ducklings, Canada Goose pair with 6 goslings and 3 Grey Wagtails. Along riverside path – 4 singing Garden Warblers, 20+ Blackcaps, 1 Whitethroat, House Martins and Swifts flying.

Main sighting: Ruff

Highlights of the WeBS count: a Ruff displaying to a Reeve a good selection of waders including Black and Bar-tailed Godwit Knot Ringed Plover Avocet Lapwing Redshank also, Wigeon Teal Gadwall and Tufted Duck Reed Warbler Cetti’s Warbler Whitethroat Lesser Whitethroat Blackcap and Chiffchaff a few Swifts Sand Martins and a single House Martin

Main sighting: Cuckoo / Gt White Egret

En-route to hides – blackbirds, jackdaws, woodpigeons, crows, blackcaps, wrens, pheasant, whitethroat, goldfinches, swallows, buzzard, moorhen, collard dove, magpie, herring gulls and song thrush. Hide one – heron, skylark, cormorant, 11 gadwall, 2 shoveler, coot, 7 redshanks, reed warbler singing and greylags. Hide two – 4 oystercatchers (2 juvenile birds about half-grown), chiffchaff, cetttis, mallards (going into eclipse plumage), lesser black-backed gull, 32 lapwing, 4 lt egrets, gt tit, 4 swifts, starlings and 5 shelduck. Snipe platform – great white egret tucked away on the far right corner of the reeds, lt grebe pair with 2 young, 3 mute swans and 2 more herons. Seawall – stonechat pair, 8 ringed plovers, linnets and pied wagtail. Hide three – 2 pairs tufted’s and 2 separate males, meadow pipits, 44 black-tailed godwits with 4 knot mixed in, 9 more redshanks, 3 more gadwall, reed bunting, 5 avocet, 35 dunlin and the male wigeon is still present now also going into eclipse plumage. Cuckoo heard only from the marsh platform.

Main sighting: cuckoo

Cuckoo flying over house and calling at 0515 hrs this morning !
Disappointed that our house martins have not returned this year.

Main sighting: Shell Ducks

Walk along the Severn. 19 shell Ducks on the waters edge a few little egrets. Flocks of starlings.
4 blackbirds,BTO is wanting a blackbird count and they are in decline

Main sighting: Bar-tailed Godwits

A mixed flock c40 Godwits on the first lagoon (viewed from first and second hides) had at least 6 Bar-tailed Godwits in amongst the Black-tailed at 13:45. Also 18 Redshank were feeding together there. All those waders had departed or moved elsewhere on reserve by 15:00 and 22 Lapwing had taken their place

Main sighting: Swifts

Great to see swifts back over ynysyfro and old Cwmbran
Also red kite low over ynysyfro last few days even landing on waters edge to drink

Main sighting: Osprey

Whilst visiting the area above Garnlydan Reservoir, noticed a large bird of prey being harrassed by Gulls. When I checked through Binoculars it was an Osprey, it circled the Reservoir before moving off south. Also saw 2 Buzzards, 3 Jays, Whitethroat, Wheatear, Siskins during the morning. But first time seen an osprey with walking distance from my house.

Main sighting: Curlew chicks

Our first chicks were seen yesterday! Please continue to send all sightings to curlew@gwentbirds.org.uk – there are definitely more to be found!