Lockdown Lifted and Spirit Lifted - Goldcliff Lagoons beckons


Well it had seemed like an eternity. My last waders were back in late March prior to the lockdown that saw travelling restrictions imposed, and for good reasons. I like many others had been waiting for news that travelling would allowed further than five miles, and with Monday 6th July being the set date I was off, arriving at Goldcliff at 04.30hrs. It was so nice to see and hear the waders again and smell the sea air.

The visit was eventful and a great reintroduction to being back on the Gwent Levels. The Glossy Ibis showed briefly at 0510 after I had watched the Sun rise at 05.03. I had walked straight around to the sea wall to watch the sunrise then made my way down to hide three. From the sea wall were 11 Avocets out on the mudflats. A pair of Whimbrel from the hide was a nice surprise



A Barnacle Goose dropped in briefly before flying off over the sea wall, 9 Swallows and 8 Swifts passed close by and Linnets were flitting back and forth.



From the marsh platform 2 Siskins flew overhead calling and 4 Little Egrets were later joined by 2 more. A juvenile Avocet of between 5 and 6 weeks showed well feeding close in. Across on lagoon 1 there seemed to be a lot of wader activity so I made my way over there.

114 Black-tailed Godwits awaited me from the redshank platform, and most of them were in breeding plumage.  7 Knot were mixed in and close by 11 Dunlin were feeding. Several Ringed Plovers were feeding and a pair of  Little Ringed Plovers also showed. 25 roosting Oystercatchers had a group of 9 Turnstone close by.  A pair of Marsh Harriers passed over several times causing a stir amongst the water birds.



7 Teal were tucked away by the edge of the bank, all in eclipse plumage, and a Common Sandpiper was a nice surprise. A Spotted Redshank showed briefly before disappearing over the far side of the lagoon. It was nice to see some Lepidoptera too, with a Gatekeeper being my first of the year.



Tufted Vetch was in flower forming dark blue groups of flowers and the Teasel was just starting to take on its purple colour.



Near to the entrance of Goldcliff was a nice group of Betony and Agrimony growing ending a good few hours visit.  Just what the wellbeing doctor ordered.
















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