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Recent sightings

• 28 March 2012

  All singing, all dancing

  So, I’m not quite sure if it’s spring that’s arrived or if we’ve gone straight to summer!  

  With such beautiful weather at this time of year it’s no surprise Perry Lane and the woodland up on the reserve are both filled with the sounds of chiffchaff. This member of the warbler family is easy to identify from its song as it simply sings its name – ‘chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff’. If only all birds did this it would make identification so much easier!

  Although some chiffchaffs are residents and therefore stay in the UK all year round, the majority are migrants that arrive from Africa in late March/early April and stay here until September. As with many warblers, they are only the size of a blue tit making them relatively difficult to see, especially as their dull green, brown and dull yellowish colours mean they blend in well with their surroundings, so you’ll have to follow that distinctive song to spot them.

  Great crested grebes and mute swans have been performing with their courtship displays, there have been several more sightings of wheatears passing through on their migration, plenty of stonechats, some bearded tit and whinchat sightings.

  Marsh harrier and Cetti’s warbler continue to be regular sightings as well, and on March 14th we had out first swallow and sand martin sightings of the year. While sand martins can often be seen in March, most swallows arrive in April so this bird was very early and will probably have to wait a little while before it’s joined by other swallows migrating up from Africa.

  On Friday 23rd March we had this year’s first recorded sighting of reed warbler – a plain looking warbler, slightly bigger than a chiffchaff and a very distinctive noisy chattering song, with churring and changes of pitch frequently thrown in for good measure. Later in the year you may well be able to hear this gem while sipping your coffee on the Visitor Centre veranda.

  The same day a grasshopper warbler was spotted and yesterday kestrels were seen mating over the environs. The bittern hasn’t been seen since last Thursday but of course that doesn’t mean it’s not still here. However, it’s yet to be heard booming despite reserve managers and wardens venturing out onto the reserve in the very early hours, but there’s still time left so keep your fingers crossed.

  Unfortunately, this will be my last blog for the RSPB and Newport Wetlands as today is my last day working here. I hope you’ve found my ramblings over the last year-and-a-half of some help and I hope to see some of you again as I’m sure I will be back at Newport Wetlands as a visitor ambling around the reedbeds, rather than racing through them during my lunch break!

  Take care all and keep on enjoying all the wonderful wildlife this fantastic reserve has to offer!

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 7 March 2012

  Fly-by bittern

  Bittern, marsh harrier, and bearded tit have been the star species of the last few weeks.

  And with the daffodils out in time for St David’s Day, the mallards getting even feistier than usual and great crested grebes performing their mating dance on the lagoons, it seems spring really has sprung.

  We usually get a few sightings of the elusive bittern in the deepest, darkest days of winter, often in January for just a few days. But it looks like all the effort put in by the reserve staff and volunteers may have paid off as the most recent sightings have continued for the last two-and-a-half-weeks. All the sightings of this secretive and very well camouflaged heron have been in flight along the foreshore to the east of the lighthouse and it was last spotted on Monday so we’re keeping everything crossed that it will stay here for a little while yet. And would it be too much to hope that a mate might join it…?

  Marsh harrier and bearded tits have been seen most days, with the majority of the bearded tit sightings in reedbed five. If you’re not sure of the reedbed numbers, just ask at reception for a map with the numbers on.

  We also had our first wheatear sighting of the season on Friday. This beautifully sleek insect eater can usually be seen at Newport Wetlands on passage between March and May as it comes up from Africa and flies on north to its breeding grounds and again in August and September as it heads back down south.

  If you want to find out what else Newport Wetlands has to offer at this time of year, why not come along to our Spring Welcome guided walk on Sunday 25th March? The walk will focus on the variety of plants and flowers now starting to emerge and explore the folklore surrounding this time of year. If you want to come along, don’t forget to book either in person at the Visitor Centre or over the phone by calling 01633 636363.

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 9 February 2012

  Ice-land

  The daffodils might be poking their heads up and March is just around the corner but the past couple of weeks finally saw the arrival of winter, with snow falling at Newport Wetlands on Saturday and the scrape, lagoons and reens frozen solid.

  The lagoons have been eerily quiet, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t wildlife to see. We were treated to a fly past of the Visitor Centre by a female hen harrier again yesterday and bearded tits have been seen throughout the reserve.

  Marsh harrier, little owl, kestrel, stonechat, bullfinch, water rail, Cetti’s warbler and water pipit are all recent sightings, as well as kingfisher and dozens of reed buntings and waders such as dunlin, knot, curlew and redshank have been putting in regular appearances.

  But the star of the Newport Wetlands show at the moment is a fox often see around the environs, who seems to be quite happy to have its picture taken and has put a smile on many a visitor’s face.

  Don’t forget to check out our events listed here, as there’s plenty going on for half term next week, including arts and crafts, a children’s guided walk and nest box building.

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 24 January 2012

  Hen harrier happiness!

  Just a quick note to say there were absolutely amazing views of a female hen harrier from the Visitor Centre this morning. 

  We were able to watch her swooping and gliding across the environs, a couple of times just metres from the Visitor Centre, near the bird feeders. She then seemed to be hunting over our compost heap towards the end of the path leading directly from the Visitor Centre looking for a mid-morning snack.

  It was fantastic to see this red-listed bird up close. Of all our birds of prey, it is the most heavily persecuted. It earned its name predating free-range fowl, but today its effect on the number of grouse available to shoot is the cause of conflict and threatens its survival in some parts of the UK - particularly on the driven grouse moors of England and Scotland.

  The pictures aren't great as she was moving quite fast, but hopefully they'll

  give you a taste of what we were able to experience this morning.

                                                                                                                                                

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 18 January 2012

  Wonderful waders

  

  The reedbeds and estuary at Uskmouth are teaming with wildlife at the moment, with waders in particular putting on a real show down on the mudflats.

  Huge numbers of curlew, golden plover, grey plover, snipe, black tailed godwit, dunlin and knot can be seen feeding out on the foreshore, especially at high tide.

  Meanwhile, on the lagoons, there’s wildfowl aplenty with pintail, wigeon, teal, gadwall and pochard as well as hundreds of tufted duck.

  The marsh harrier has been seen most days and a couple of little owls are putting a smile on everyone’s face, sitting out in their usual position almost every day. Merlin, peregrine and a barn owl were all spotted last Thursday – obviously a good day to be out on the reserve!

  Bearded tit, treecreeper, linnet, brambling and kingfisher have also all been sighted in the last week and it appears the water pipit is back! This large and stocky pipit was around at the beginning of last month and has now reappeared where the reeds have been cut back near the pylons at the eastern end of the reedbeds. It was spotted yesterday by RSPB staff members so hopefully will be around for a little while yet.

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 6 January 2012

  Happy New Year!

  Happy New Year everyone! We hope you had a fantastic holiday – we certainly did with lots of wildlife to see around the reserve.

  Plenty of our regular birds have been seen including long tailed tits, little owl, redwing, fieldfare, reed bunting, gadwall, teal and wigeon and Perry Lane was in glorious colour yesterday as around half a dozen male bullfinches vied for the attention of a solitary female. There are scores of waders on the foreshore each day, including curlew, knot and dunlin as well as our frequently-seen birds of prey, kestrel, sparrowhawk and the magnificent marsh harrier.

  The starlings may have largely finished their murmurations at Newport Wetlands for the season, but for anyone wanting to see large flocks swirling through the air, there’s one species that has stepped up. Flocks of hundreds upon hundreds of lapwing have been circling and twisting through the sky right across the reserve – and you don’t have to wait until dusk!

  Short eared owl was seen on Wednesday near the lighthouse, Cetti’s warbler have been singing away in the reeds, golden plover and grey plover have been sighted, as well as black tailed godwit and water rail.

  The UK’s smallest falcon was been seen across the reserve in recent days. Only about 1,300 pairs of merlin nest in the UK though their population is recovering following a crash in the late 20th century. They largely breed in upland moorland but at this time of year are often found near coasts.

  But this week’s treat comes courtesy of a group of redshank. Although not uncommon on the reserve, they are rarely seen in the Uskmouth reedbeds. But yesterday several could be seen in front of the hide, giving visitors a spectacular view.

  So if you want to work off a bit of Christmas pud as well as see some fantastic wildlife, you know where to come!

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 19 December 2011

  Barmy about barn owls

  If you catch a glimpse of a ghostly white shape moving slowly over the reens and grassland near the RSPB’s Newport Wetlands Visitor Centre late in the afternoon, the chances are you’ve been lucky enough to spot a barn owl.

  With its heart-shaped face, honey coloured back and wings, and pure white underparts, the barn owl is a distinctive and much-loved British bird. The barn owl family shown on BBC Autumnwatch, filmed at the RSPB’s Ynys-hir reserve earlier in the year, captured hearts across the country and the local barn owl families on the Gwent Levels have been capturing ours.

  Every day for more than a week, a barn owl has been seen flying low over the environs outside the Visitor Centre, wavering, hovering and pouncing on prey. On Friday, one bird even briefly perched on the wooden rail of the board walk down by our compost heap.

  They are usually nocturnal hunters but can be seen during the day and the birds at Newport Wetlands have been seen between about 3pm and 4pm. This is probably because they’re making the most of any dry or still weather - they struggle to hunt in the rain as they use sound to spot their prey and this is drowned out by any rain. Their prey of choice is small mammals, such as voles, shrews and mice.

  Barn owls are specially protected in the UK and despite once being widespread have suffered declines in the last 100 years due to the use of pesticides and agricultural intensification. So if you can, make sure you come down to Newport Wetlands Visitor Centre from about 3pm onwards for a chance to see this beautiful bird of prey.

  Other notable sightings in the last week include hen harrier, kingfisher and pintail.

  And if you need another excuse to come down, we have a great sale on in the Visitor Centre shop at the moment, with many gifts at half price.

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 12 December 2011

  Video of the starlings

  If my attempts at using technology are successful, hopefully below is a video of the starling murmuration on Saturday afternoon. It was filmed on a phone so the quality isn't great, but it should give you an idea of how spectacular these displays really are.

  Posted by Hana Callard

• 11 December 2011

  Winter wish list

  

  The trees and hedgerows of Perry Lane are crammed with redwings and fieldfare feeding, a water pipit appears to have taken up residence in the reedbeds and the starlings are still treating us to spectacular displays – winter is well and truly here.

  It’s impossible to visit Newport Wetlands at the moment without seeing our winter visiting thrushes feeding themselves up. Very few pairs of redwing and fieldfare breed in the UK, but around one million and 720,000 birds respectively winter here each year – and it seems as if most of them are down at the wetlands!

  A beautiful bird to see at this time of year is the short-eared owl. There have been several sightings over the last few weeks. The most recent sighting was only yesterday, so there’s a good chance of seeing one during a visit as they tend to hunt during the day, especially at dawn and dusk.

  The water pipit is a real rarity that has been up in the reedbeds for about three weeks. They breed at high altitudes in southern Europe and Asia Minor and only about 100 individuals come to Britain in the winter and one has managed to find its way to the part of the reserve where the reeds have been cut back, by the first set of screens. They love marshes and wet places above coastal saltmarsh so Newport Wetlands is perfect for them.

  The starlings put on one of their best displays yet last night, creating breathtaking patterns in the air for around 20 minutes with around 60,000 birds in flight. They seem to prefer the western end of the reedbeds towards the power station this year, so make sure you come down for around 4pm for a chance to see this natural spectacle as they won’t be displaying for much longer.

  Other recent notable sightings include peregrine, marsh harrier, bearded tit, merlin, sparrowhawk, reed bunting, goldcrest, teal, redpoll, pintail, bullfinch and kingfisher – proof that despite the cold and dark, winter really is a great time to see some of our most colourful birds at the time of year when they are most visible.

   

  Posted by Hana Callard