Goldcliff today

Looks as if there was plenty to see John, anything unusual.

Thanks guys!

I didn't spot anything unusual David, the only thing that I saw that I haven't seen for a while was a lone Oystercatcher - it came out OK on the video.

Dai it was the first hide, I sloshed through fairly boggy ground to get there and it was raining hard so I didn't trek down to the second or third hides! I'd love to see the Black Redstart but even my enthusiasm has its limits.

Bob funnily enough I was thinking of you and that you would really take advantage of the closeness of the Shoveler, Curlew and Lapwings with that excellent lens.

I was wondering what it must be like down there .. lets face it, it's boggy at the best of times.

Nice stills John ...

Ant

This has been posted on "Sightings" of Gwent Birds site.

N J Davies

Monday, 20 January 2014

Goldcliff

Main Sighting: No sighting

Just to forewarn visitors, today when I parked on the grass verge opposite the entrnace of the lagoons on the road, I was approached by a man who identified himself as a local (I won't put his name here but will be happy to explain more when out and about). He was complaining about visitors parking on the grass verge and crossing the white line (illegally as he put it), asking me whether or not I had a driving licence as well. I won't go into my sarcastic reply but just be aware of the chance of being approached. I spoke to a few other people on the reserve and they have been experiencing similar episodes as well.

I'm pretty sure that the grass verge isn't private property but council owned and maintained and I know that the field opposite is common land i.e. 'Goldcliff Common'. The white line is there to mark the edge of the road to help motorists at night. I just can't fathom why anybody could take exception to people simply pulling off the road and surely this is less disruptive to the 'local' and his neighbours than visitors simply parking on the road itself, which they are perfectly entitled to do.

The locals in the area are of the erroneous opinion that as they occasionally mow the verges, (which are part of the highway, and maintained by the council and or the highways dept), that they therefore own this land.

This is especially so of the area around the entrance to Boat lane.

I will have to say that the complainers are more from the "recent Arrivals", rather than those people who have lived in the area for generations, as long as you follow sensible parking rules and the countryside code the "oldtimers" I find are very interested in what birds are about as the countryside has always been part of their lives