Hoped that I might commence a butterfly transect at Stackpole this afternoon but temperatures were still way too cold for that. Bird-wise though, although fairly quiet, produced a couple of flocks of redwings (one of 15 the other of about 10 birds) in trees around Bosherston Lakes. There were still 5 goosanders present (3 drakes and 2 ducks) and two tufted ducks (a pair) near the reedbed. On a recently cultivated field between 8 Arch Bridge and Stackpole Quay there was a feeding flock of 20 golden plovers - several in full summer plumage (seemed most likely to be northern birds; I gather from Paul Culyer (Natural Resources Wales) that there have been larger numbers there recently. So still very much a winter feel.
However there were a few chiffchaffs singing in the woodland and I also noted a singing blackcap at Lodge Park. No obvious sand martins to be seen over the lakes however. So there was a slight hint of spring in the area but everywhere was incredibly dry and the sandy landscape looked generally quite desolate, with little sign of any new vegetation growth. Even if it had been warmer, I wonder what any butterflies would have found by way of good nectar sources at the moment.
