Please can we have one of these?

Before returning to Buckinghamshire, we spent the Sunday of our Welsh weekend at Newport Wetlands, a new-ish RSPB reserve situated between a power station and the Severn estuary.

 

Hmmm, a wetlands reserve, created from an old industrial site, on the edge of a large conurbation? Don't I know somewhere else like that?

Not with the kind of support that this place has. Just look at those logos. Local and national government funding, support from the national environmental body and run by a national conservation organisation. I could weep.

Rant over, it's not Newport's fault.

The investment and infrastructure have produced a large reedbed (10% of this type of habitat in Wales) and a fantastic visitor centre, with cafe, shop and function rooms. The place was teeming with visitors, and not just wildlife enthusiasts. Being close to the city of Newport, it seemed that plenty of folk just wanted somewhere pleasant to walk, and as there was also provision for cycling and dog walking around the perimeter path, it felt very inclusive.

There was certainly loads of wildlife, so no worries on that score.

Then and now

View from the hide at the eastern edge of the reserve

A very old lady. Female Common Hawker, Aeshna juncea

Up close and personal with a Mute Swan, Cygnus olor

They even had a... Rail way! (sorry)

This was a first for Our Lass, brief views of a Bearded Reedling

Taxonomic nightmare, though. Panurus biarmicus?

Little Grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis, seen from the path!

Female Stonechat, Saxicola torquata

Ditto

Cetti's Warblers were singing, the estuary mudflats contained waders and ducks aplenty, Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers were soaking up the Autumnal sun and we even spotted a Little Owl perched in a tree along one of the hedgerows of the Newport Levels.

Wonderful weather, wonderful wildlife.