St Davids etc

A promising start was a Green Sandpiper calling somewhere over the house as I left this morning and then the juv/1st winter Scaup was back at Penberi after a week's absence. There were a lot of Thrushes at Whitesands, mainly Blackbirds but with quite a few Song Thrushes, a few Redwings and single Mistle Thrush and Fieldfare. Chaffinches were going over (150+) and there were 3+ Bramblings with them, also a handful of Skylarks. Two Crossbills noisily flew over heading inland, possibly males since I think I could make out some red but difficult to be certain; the bill is extremely distinct even from below. Out on the Head there was a Short-eared Owl and a couple of Snipe. To complete the raptors, there was also Merlin, Peregrine, 2 Sparrowhawks, 2 Kestrels and a couple of Buzzards. The most curious migrant though was a Moorhen in the Porthmelgan Withies. On the way home, near Heathfield, a tight flock of c70 Siskins were a bright and noisy finale as they buzzed around some Alders. A good, late autumn day.