Tuesday 11 April 2017

Some summer migrants at Stackpole

Following a fairly quiet morning for summer migrants along the south coast whilst out checking chough breeding sites, the afternoon at Stackpole was a bit better.

There was a small passage of whimbrels heading west along the coast - mainly singles but also a small flock of 7 near Mowingword. Eight sandwich terns were feeding in the sandy bay off Broadhaven (south) and a reasonably large mixed flock of hirundines was feeding on a recent hatch of gnats etc over Bosherston Lakes eastern arm. They included in excess of 100 sand martins, a few dozen swallows plus a few house martins - latter probably recent returnees to the Stackpole Centre breeding colony.

Wheatears were seemingly absent along the Penally and Lydstep coast earlier but at Stackpole at least 3 males and a couple of females were back on their usual territory areas - including one female inspecting a likely nest crevice near Sandy Pit.