Castlemartin Range West, Frainslake and Furzenips

A visit to Range West and Frainslake area this afternoon was quite productive for a few coastal migrants. I estimated at least 100 wheatears (usually in small flocks of 3-6 birds) between Stack Rocks and Frainslake. There were also at least 7 whinchats perched on coastal scrub in various places between Mount Sion and Bluckspool. This is the highest count of this species I've had on the Range. There were not less than 11 kestrels along the coast and over the dunes - several in the air at once and others perched on fences. Linnet numbers were quite impressive with a total of at least 500 in a few small flocks feeding on thistle and various other composite flower seeds along the coast.

It's been quite a good week for clouded yellow butterflies - several were flying strongly along the coast this afternoon.

Roosting on Frainslake beach at high tide there were c. 650 lesser black-backed gulls and 135 great black-backed gulls. Counts of waders roosting at Bluckspool and Frainslake beaches combined produced 133 curlews, 165 oystercatchers, c. 50 dunlin, several sanderlings and not less than 52 ringed plovers - quite a good count here. There was at least one colour-marked individual (a poor photo below) - metal ring on the left leg with a red ring above the tarsus joint; yellow flag above the tarsus on the right leg. Hopefully the origin of this one will be determined.

The highlight was watching choughs gather at sunset before they went to roost near the Furzenips. There were not less than 37 in the flock. Many had been feeding in the dunes earlier in the day. The image below (again quite a poor one taken with a small compact camera) shows some of them starting to fly in to the roost. It was too dark to photograph them properly scattered along the cliff.