Bits and pieces - Carew/Cresswell Rivers, Cosheston Pill and Pembroke Millpond

There were good numbers of Teal on the Carew River this afternoon - in excess of 900 - in well vegetated flood zones with plenty of marginal plants providing good seed sources. The drake in the photo wasn't photographed here but quite a few were feeding in a similar fashion today. The last time I can recall seeing this number of Teal here was about 30 years ago in the mid 1980s - how time flies!

In addition there were at least 12 Pintail and several Shovelers but the number of Wigeon present in this area was quite low - only about 150 at most!

At Cosheston Pill the usual small numbers of waterfowl were present, including the resident Greenshanks. It was nice to see a Common Sandpiper on the shore and one also still present on the Carew River near Lawrenny Ferry where I managed a photo last month of one feeding on the road, possibly the same bird?

At Pembroke Millpond on Friday it was nice to watch several over-wintering Little Grebes actively fishing. Judging by their success rates, there must be quite a good population of sticklebacks present.

It's always worth checking the Millpond Black-headed Gull legs for rings. One adult (metal ring only) was photographed. When the images were checked later the ring number was determined to be ST 268.19. The address on the ring is the Zoological Museum Helsinki, Finland. Hopefully we'll be able to report where and when it was ringed some time soon.