August is the month when gardens become still and birdsong is muted as many of our birds disappear into the countryside to feed up after running themselves into the ground raising their chicks.
But here at Newport Wetlands there have been plenty of great sightings over the past couple of weeks.
Hobbies continue to be seen racing over the reedbeds, with marsh harrier also often seen swooping across the reserve. But they have been joined by other raptors in recent days with a red kite spotted on Saturday 13th and the world’s fastest bird the peregrine was seen on Tuesday 9th, Wednesday 10th and Monday 15th. And to top of the falcon feast, a hen harrier was also seen on Monday 8th.
There are now increasing sightings of the ever-evasive water rail, usually seen much more frequently in winter when it defends a territory. The latest sighting was on Tuesday 16th.Other sightings include meadow pipit, kingfisher, black tailed godwits, curlew - the icon for RSPB Cymru’s centenary – and of course our bearded tits.
But the species of the week – possibly even the month – has to go to the cattle egret. A member of the heron family, this wader is visiting the UK in increasing numbers but is still incredibly rare with virtually no birds breeding here (though an influx in the winter of 2007/08 led to the first pair ever to breed successfully in the UK in Somerset) and only approximately 100 birds wintering in Britain. Several sightings were made at Newport Wetlands on Monday 15th but with none since it’s likely this bird has now moved on.