Sunday 07 August – Goldcliff. Leader: Jane Cumming

Goldcliff is a separate and more informal part of the Newport Wetlands on the Bristol Channel coast, consisting of three shallow lagoons / scrapes and a series of small hides. Wet areas are fenced and the reserve is noted for Lapwing and Avocet breeding – though sadly some breached fencing meant little success this year owing to the predations of Fox and Otter. 17 people met on a hot day, to find that unsurprisingly the Monks and Becks lagoons were dry though the southerly Priors lagoon was still reasonably full. There we found Canada Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Teal (in deep eclipse), Moorhen, Little Grebe, Lapwing, a surprising count of 153 Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Grey Heron, a stately Great White Egret, and nine Little Egrets; while abundant Sand Martins with Swallows and House Martins hunted overhead. On the more dried-out areas were Stonechat families, two early Whinchats and a Wheatear, Pied Wagtail, Linnet and Reed Bunting. (Ringed Plover had been seen a few days before.) Hedgerows and trees held an abundance of small birds, including Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher. Climbing the sea embankment above the foreshore, we could see flocks of moulting Shelduck, Oystercatchers, Curlews and gulls including a Great Black-backed; and overhead flew Sparrowhawk, Buzzards, a brightly yellow-headed female Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Raven, and small groups of Cormorants. Altogether we had a surprisingly productive morning with a total of 45 species – many thanks to Jane for leading. Lois Pryce