Sightings
Neville Davies
Goldcliff Lagoons
Fri 24th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Merlin and species roundup
8am start, 42 species. En-route to hides – colard dove, starlings, herring gulls, magpies, crows, blackbirds, redwings, fieldfares, woodpigeons, chaffinch, siskin and by hide 1 a male reed bunting and a chiffchaff feeding. Hide one – Greylags, 299 lapwing, 159 teal, 70 shoveler, 50 wigeon, pair of kestrels perched on fence line right of the hide and the adult and 1st year female marsh harriers hunting. Hide two – Moorhen, cettis, 2 cormorants, mallards, 3 gadwall, coot, raven and pied wagtail. Seawall – House sparrows, 11 curlew only, 16 oystercatchers, 11 shelduck only, black headed gulls, meadow pipits, 35 dunlin flying past and a high count of 351 Canada geese. Hide three – 19 more shoveler, 9 more gadwall, 23 more wigeon, 28 more teal, pair tufteds, pair stonechats, wren, buzzard, ls black-backed gulls and a female merlin flew across becs lagoon then perched for some time on the fence line left of the hide.
Nicholas Beswick
Mynydd Llangatwg
Fri 17th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Jack Snipe
Jack Snipe flushed from the edge of the bog below the old Brynmawr reservoir. Pair of Stonechats on perimeter fence posts.
Neville Davies
Goldcliff lagoons
Wed 15th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Goldcliff roundup
Morning visit, 48 species. En-route to hides – robins, numerous fieldfares, wrens, large flocks of woodpigeons, crows, blackbirds, pied wagtail, smaller numbers of redwings, blue tit, magpie, goldcrest, kingfisher flying along the reen and 4 stock doves overhead. Hide one – 12 greylags, mallards, 5 knot, 224 teal (numbers building up now), 59 wigeon, single dunlin, 2 shelduck, 6 shoveler, 6 gadwall, 2 female marsh harriers hunting on and off all morning together (adult and 1st-year), skylark and starlings. En-route to next hide – cettis, chaffinch, long tailed tits, black headed and herring gulls. Hide two – 2 curlew, 1 heron, 2 mute swans, meadow pipits, male stonechat, 2 snipe, 2 cormorants and a female sparrowhawk which at one point harassed the adult marsh harrier. Marsh platform – coot, lt grebes and 5 more gadwall. Seawall – 31 more curlew, ls black-backed and 1 gt black-backed gulls, 183 Canada geese and a single grey plover. Hide three – barnacle goose and female peregrine which put up the 201 lapwing which did the ‘pumping’ action (i.e. flying high as a tight group to prevent the falcon diving from above).
Nicholas Beswick
Hafod Farm, Brynmawr
Mon 13th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Brambling
Male Brambling around all morning with many Chaffinches
Allan Dowson
Sluice Farm/RGW
Sat 11th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Merlin
1f-Merlin perched on a log on the salt marsh before flying off.2-m+f-Peregrines perched on the wooden groyne within ten yards of each other.Also 32+Pied Wagtails on the field leading to the sea wall,party of 8-LTTs.10h40-12h30.
Nicholas Beswick
Waunavon Bog
Wed 8th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Fieldfare
Dusk visit. Flock of 150 Fieldfares over, to roost on the slope of Coity Mountain. A few more around Milfraen Pit. One Meadow Pipit. Earlier, a Woodcock flushed from the woodland near Hafod Road, Brynmawr.
Paul Lidgett
Black Mountains. between Bal Mawr and Chwarel y Fin
Tue 7th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Snow bunting
Single bird, very confiding – got very close (photo available)
Neville Davies
Raslas Pond and Butetown Pond
Tue 7th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Red-breasted Merganser
Raslas Pond – 84 herring gulls (adult and 1-3rd year birds), 1 common gull, 9 lesser black-backed gulls and 4 male tufteds. Butetown Pond – 179 Canada geese with a single white goose (assuming this is feral type as opposed to snow goose). Als female red-breasted merganser.
Allan Dowson
Wentwood
Tue 7th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Brambling
At least two Bramblings amongst a small mixed flock of Great,Blue and Coal Tits and several Chaffinches just beyond the green barrier near the car park.10h40-12h20
Neville Davies
Goldcliff Lagoons
Mon 6th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Sightings roundup
En-route to hides – robin, crows, woodpigeons, chaffinches, fieldfares, redwings, gt spotted woodpecker, coal tit and magpies. Hide one – 3 skylarks, mallards, good count of 278 lapwing, male stonechat, 18 black-tailed godwits, 5 redshanks, 103 teal, 5 snipe, 15 dunlin, jackdaws, 33 shoveler, 5 gadwall, black headed gulls, 22 wigeon and 300+ starlings. Snipe platform – greylag goose, 6 mute swans, 2 lt egrets, 14 more gadwall, coot and wren. Seawall – 51 curlew, herring gulls, raven, oystercatchers, 11 turnstone with 5 dunlin feeding together on mudflats as tide was coming in, 2 distant grey plovers. Hide three – pair of pintail, Canada geese, male kestrel, 11 more teal, 12 more wigeon, 2 shelduck and meadow pipits. Back at hide 2 – the grey phalarope spotted by Alan Dowson still present at 1145hrs, showing well in left corner from hide. Not present when I first stopped off here so assuming this bird came in mid-morning? Female sparrowhawk also through and distant cettis calling. Other: Common darter and blue/green hawker type dragonflies (3) and 2 red admirals.
Allan Dowson
Goldcliff
Mon 6th Nov 2023
Main sighting: Grey Phalarope
1-Grey Phalarope showing well from the second hide.10H45-12H35
Neil Farr
Nr. Great Triley Wood nature reserve
Tue 31st Oct 2023
Main sighting: Red Kite
A red kite flying low over the A465 road by Upper Triley farm just before Great Triley Wood nature reserve.