Autumn has undeniably arrived. Rose hips and seed heads, leaves coloured red and orange and golden teasels catching the afternoon sunlight. Fresh mornings bringing the added layer of clothing to visitors and staff, yet exciting times ahead as the new season brings an increase bird activity again.
The lagoons may be a little low in water, but the wildfowl are here in strength with great numbers of mallard, teal, gadwall and occasionally shoveler, wigeon, pochard with the nice addition of two pintails this week in front of the hide.
Image credits: Jeremy White (shoveler top, Wigeon and Pintail middle and Gadwall bottom).
High tides are bringing waders up closer to the Wales coast path, as well as Goldcliff lagoons producing a little excitement. A grey phalarope has been about Goldcliff this week, showing well from the seawall hide. Other waders spotted are black-tailed and bar-tailed godwits, redshank, curlew sandpiper, ruff, little stint, and knot.
Image credit: Jeremy White (Redshank)
Bittern sightings have dropped to roughly once or twice a week and the bearded reedlings are out in full force on warm; little to no wind days, in and around the lighthouse.
Friday 30th brought a little excitement to the reserve as an osprey was spotted being mobbed by ravens, two groups of visitors were lucky to spot the flyby. Marsh harrier, buzzards and sparrowhawks are a frequent sighting, Peregrine falcons have also been noted regularly in the past few weeks.
Swallows and house martins are up to now flying around in considerable numbers, we are making the most of seeing them before they head off for the winter months to warmer climates. Treecreeper, hawfinch, firecrest and redpoll are nice additions to this months’ sightings. A group of chiffchaff, willow warblers and long-tailed tits have regularly had goldcrest and a firecrest amongst them on Perry Lane.
It wouldn’t be a Saturday morning without our weekly moth reveal, a first for Gwent and second for Wales was trapped recently, Dewick’s Plusia. Other highlights have been black rustic, green-brindled crescent and lunar underwing.
Image credit: Kevin Hewitt (top - Black rustic and bottom - Dewick's plusia)
The last week of September saw a surge in dragonfly activity. Migrant hawkers, southern hawkers and common darters were all over the reserve making the most of the warm weather. Staff were delighted to see a young grass snake also enjoying the warmth of Perry Lane. Nice to know our compost heap, also home to many grass snakes is proving successful.
Image credit: Kirsty Lindsay
Bar-tailed godwit, Bearded reedling, Bittern, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black-headed gull, Black-tailed godwit, Blue tit, Buzzard, Canada goose, Carrion crow, Cetti's warbler, Chiffchaff, Collared dove, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Curlew sandpiper, Dunlin, Dunnock, Firecrest, Gadwall, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Green woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey heron, Grey phalarope, Grey plover, Grey wagtail, Greylag goose, Hawfinch, Herring gull, Hobby, House martin, House sparrow, Jay, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Knot, Lapwing, Lesser black-backed gull, Linnet, Little egret, Little grebe, Little stint, Long-tailed tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh harrier, Meadow pipit, Moorhen, Mute swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Peregrine falcon, Pheasant, Pied wagtail, Pintail, Raven, Red kite, Redshank, Redpoll, Redwing, Reed bunting, Reed warbler, Robin, Rock pipit, Ruff, Shelduck, Shoveler, Siskin, Skylark, Snipe, Song thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stonechat, Swallow, Teal, Treecreeper, Tufted duck, Water rail, Wheatear, Whimbrel, Wigeon, Willow warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Brimstone butterfly, Clouded yellow butterfly, Large white butterfly, Red admiral butterfly, Small copper butterfly, Small white butterfly, Speckled wood butterfly, Common darter dragonfly, Emperor dragonfly, Migrant hawker dragonfly, Ruddy darter dragonfly, Southern hawker dragonfly, Southern migrant hawker dragonfly, Beaded chestnut moth, Black rustic moth, Green-brindled crescent moth, Large wainscot moth, Lunar underwing moth, Rosy rustic moth, Sallow moth, Grey squirrel, Rabbit, Weasel, Grass snake.