This morning’s WeBS count at
Carew/Creswell River was livened up a bit by a Yellow-browed Warbler
feeding with various tit species in the oak trees that are along-side the road
between Black Mixen and Lawrenny village. Its call gave it away
immediately but a photo was impossible in the very dull light conditions. Winter
thrushes have been around for a while now. This morning about 200 Redwings were
feeding on hawthorn berries near Lawrenny and later a similar number of
Fieldfares flew over our house near Martletwy.
Out on the estuary, wigeon numbers had increased to around 600,
quite a few of them were feeding on seed amongst quite a lot of flotsam. Eight
shelducks were back on the Cresswell and wader roosts included modest numbers
of curlew (c.80), 6 Greenshanks and about 50 Redshanks.
Last winter I noted a few Grey
Plovers roosting on flotsam on Cresswell River. This morning I noticed the same thing though this time they were out in mid-channel, drifting down river
towards the main Daugleddau channel, I had to head up to the Carew River to
finish my counts so didn't have time to see if they got as far as the main channel.
Too far away and too dark for a decent photo but they seemed very content drifting on the ebbing tide
A flock of at least 1,500 Black-headed Gulls were resting on Cresswell River and although light conditions were poor through the scope I could see at least 12 Med Gulls with them.
Earlier in the week we had been over at Angle Bay where there were at least 71 pale-bellied Brents resting on the sea at high tide. A regular colour-ringed Curlew orange left leg; black ring 24 right leg was feeding in its usual spot in the harbour.
Around 130 Redshanks and 10 Greenshanks have been roosting at Landshipping Quay recently plus seven Little Egrets. In excess of 1,000 Golden Plovers were as ever a delight to see in the evening sunlight over the upper Cleddau.