We
are anticipating a sizeable crowd tomorrow, certainly more than today, so we
need all visiting birders to please appreciate this is a tricky location for a
big twitch and follow these instructions.
This is to ensure that we cause the bird and the residents no distress,
and maximise everyone’s chance of seeing the bird.
The
only parking available is the special field car park arranged for birders – do not
park anywhere other than where isntructed.
There will be no access to the car park until 7.30am, so do not arrive
at Mullock (where the parking is) before then.
It takes 15 minutes to get to the car park from Haverfordwest, so if you
are in Haverfordwest before 7.15am pull up there and wait until 7.15 before
heading on towards Dale.
The
grid reference for parking is approximately SM814084. Follow the B4327 Dale Road from
Haverfordwest, following signs for Dale (ignore any signs to St. Brides). You
will need to make one left turn at a cross-roads 8 miles from Haverfordwest
which is clearly signposted left to Dale & Marloes – take it, don’t go
straight on to St. Brides! When you
reach the next T- junction (about 2 miles further on), where the B4327 meets
the Milford – Dale/Marloes Road, the parking field is almost straight ahead of
you – actually you need to turn left and then immediately right into the field.
If
numbers are as anticipated, then there will be a rotation system in place to
access the garden. Please be patient and
follow the instructions of the volunteers – and remember they are
volunteers. Full instructions for viewing
the bird in the private garden will be given at the parking site – please do
not leave the car park until instructed. It will be necessary to limit numbers
viewing the garden from the private lane to the house to a maximum of 40 at any
one time to improve opportunities for viewing and to minimise disturbance to
the bird. The bird is best viewed form this area since this allows it to come
into the garden in its favourite way and feed on apples. Once a group has seen the bird well, you will
need to return to the back of the queue if you want more views. Should the bird perform in a more accessible
place we will of course react to this and change the arrangements.
There
will be a collection for the Skokholm Island Restoration Fund at the site,
please give generously to help re-establish Britain’s first Bird Observatory to
its former glory.
We
would like to thank everyone who came today for their exemplary behaviour, as
well as for their generosity. Please
keep it up tomorrow as we have worked hard to make this a success, and don’t
want to sour any relations locally – no doubt Pembrokeshire will have another
mega soon and we want to share it!
Dave
Astins & Mike Young-Powell