A Bit of Passage

A bit of passage movement this weekend with 16 Sanderlings 5 Bar Tailed Godwits on West Usk Beach and a around the same number at Goldcliff.Also at Goldcliff a couple of Little Stints 4 Artic Skuas and a comic Tern all mid Channel.

Take a look at what the fishermen left behind.

2ND For Newport

Ive Been informed this evening that the mocha i caught last weekend was a second record for Newport.Cool!!!

Also a couple of pics from last weekends birdwatching activities.

Mothing

Invested in a skinner moth trap last week and have run it 3 times so far.Numbers have varied over the last 3 nights but the best night for numbers was the night we had the heavy rain and thunderstorms.I did get a moth called a Mocha which is classed as scarce in Gwent.Not to forget a Garganey showed reasonably well from the second platform at Goldcliff.

Short Birds-Long Walk

A long walk to the haul road at Kenfig on Saturday afternoon for a Short-Toed Lark.Showed really well down to a few meters.Very flighty ,every bare chested tattooed man jogging put it up.It always flew back to the road.With this in mind i thought the best bet was to settle down an sit still in the grass.It wasn't long until the next jogger put it up about 50meters down the road.The next thing i knew it was feeding about 3meters away until the jogger got closer and put it up again.Did have a few looks off a couple of joggers just sat there in the grass.On the way back to the van a Short-Eared owl was seen hunting the dunes.

Ringed Plover News

Had news back of a ringed Plover that was seen at Goldcliff Pools wearing some colour rings.This is the email i received.

This is a male, ringed on a nest in Bolungarvík, western part of Iceland 2006. He had four chicks in 2006. In 2006 he was last seen in Bolungarvík 24.07 and then seen in Mauritaníu, Banc d‘arguin Africa on the 15th of august.
In spring 2007 he was first seen 1st of may. He was with the same female, lost the clutch two times (run over) and tried for the third time with another female and had 2 two chicks with her. He was last seen 20th of August (which is late) in Bolungarvík. He has not been seen this year.

Bolungarvik Iceland.

Banc d'arguin Africa

Goldcliff Pools 20/04/2008

Just a map to get a feel of the distance.

Proper Proper Proper Birds

What a night.Broad-Billed Sandpiper and then a Temmincks Stint drops in view of the first platform.Whatever next?

Nice Birds And A Real Proper Bird

A few of the birds that's been passing through Goldcliff Pools in the last week.And Gwent.Its Not That Bad.