Wiston area - winter migrants

During a walk around the country lanes today near Wiston, there were some good sized flocks of winter thrushes around, mostly perched in trees or in flight with numerous starlings. There must have been in excess of 500 fieldfares in the general area. None were very approachable for a quick photo, even with a lightweight compact camera. Those perched for long enough high in the trees were also often in terrible light, or else hidden by branches. Just as well too, as a female sparrowhawk, a peregrine, a red kite and five buzzards were all hunting over the general area!

Small numbers of blackbirds, song and mistle thrushes were also present plus a few redwings, but these were all greatly outnumbered by fieldfares.

There were mixed flocks of finches in trees near the church, including 100+ chaffinches, at least 5 bramblings (there seem to be more around our general area this autumn) and at least 30 goldfinches.

A couple of small flocks of golden plovers flew over, they appeared to be heading north towards Mynydd Preseli.

A message received from Richard Darwin (Narberth) suggests that the Squacco Heron may still be around the Narberth area. He caught sight of it again on Saturday morning, taking off from beside his garden pond. So it must still be feeding and roosting somewhere in the Narberth area (and surviving the cold weather - so far?).