A day out

A great day out, started with the drake Green-winged Teal at Newgale Marsh, showing pretty well from the pub car park.  A male Stonechat also here, and on the campsite a Dunlin, 7 Rock Pipits and 12 Meadow Pipits.  35 Common Scoter offshore, and more were recorded at Nolton (37), Haroldston (11) and at Broad/Little Haven/Goultrop (c.40) giving a total of around 120.  No sign of any Velvets.  No Divers until we reached Broad Haven, where we recorded 15 Red-throats and 3 Great Northerns between BH and Goultrop.  Little in Milford Docks other than 150 odd gulls, but Gelliswick was better with an adult Med Gull and 2 Great Northern Divers very close in - took us about 15 minutes to see them both at the same time!  Sandy Haven held a Green Sandpiper and a Greenshank.  A quick look at Bicton Irrigation Reservoirs revealed 6 Tufted Ducks (3 pairs), 9 Coot and around 30 Teal, with a Redshank in a damp part of the field by the lower pond - first I've ever seen here!

Highlight of the day was trying to sort out the Chiffchaffs at St. Ishmaels Waste Water Treatment Works at Monk Haven.  At least 9 birds present, many using the filter beds and surrounding trees and vegetation.  Two birds had all the characters of Siberian Chiffchaff (tristis) even though they could look quite different depending on the light.  Have included a couple of cropped photos from Mike - you get the idea, pale and browny/grey with sullied cheeks and dark bare parts.  Did not call but repeat visits will hopefully put that right.  Some interesting stuff on these on Birding Frontiers using the links below - one of our birds did look like a Bonelli's Warbler (with a supercilium) at one point as Martin Garner describes.

http://birdingfrontiers.com/2013/12/20/siberian-chiffchaff-3/
http://birdingfrontiers.com/2013/12/10/siberian-chiffchaff-2/

Also a male Firecrest showing well here.  A final look at Dale failed in the hoped for gull roost (too calm) but the 6th Great Northern Diver of the day put in a good show from the sea front, close inshore.

(Dave A & Mike Y-P)