Teifi Ringing Group (Me, Wendy & Dyfed)'s January field trip south of the Line saw us at Angle Bay for high tide first thing. With the wind whipping into the shore there was little to see on the east side but on the sheltered village side we found five Pintail (one drake), a Greenshank, and 14 Barwits, then from the pub we got a Great Northern Diver, 6 Great Crested Grebes, and star bird of the day a Red-necked Grebe which was fairly close in at times, its yellow bill glowing in the morning sun. The supporting cast included good numbers of Oystercatchers, Redshank, Dunlin, Turnstone, Curlew and Wigeon; 16 PB Brents, and a single Common Gull among the Black-headers.
On from there to Castlemartin Corse where the Marsh Harrier obliged us nicely. Also present were 5 drake Shoveller (difficult to be sure of females at that range), and a single drake Gadwall among the Wigeon, Teal and Mallard, and of course large flocks of Peewits and Golden Plover. 3 Chiffs were at the filter beds near the church.
Next stop was Pennar in Pembroke Dock where there were 42 Shelduck and 24 Blackwits, then on to Plumstone Mountain where there were definitely two male and one ring-tail Hen Harrier, but also a lingering suspicion that we might have undercounted as they flew out of sight round one side and then re-appeared elsewhere. There was a Kite there as well. The Starlings were uncooperative, all but a few hundred going in on the far side of the plantation and only appearing briefly above the trees as a distant smudge when they were disturbed by a Buzzard.
