Castlemartin Corse - late morning until lunch-time

A nice but generally quiet late morning walk up the valley in glorious winter sunshine. We were surprised at the lack of waterfowl and snipe numbers also seemed a bit lower than expected.

Highlights were probably the 2 marsh harriers (seen by others recently); both females but one is probably better marked than the other. One of them spent a little time perched right out in the open at the top of a grassy field just below Newton Farm. They came together briefly but then went off hunting at opposite ends of the reed-bed.

Hovering briefly but failing to capture anything this time

Two choughs fed constantly in one of the Newton Farm fields. They must have found a pretty good source of soil invertebrates there as they hardly moved from this spot in over an hour.

About 90 curlews flew down the valley in small flocks to rest on the dune grassland below Starman's Hall. About 500 lapwings were flying around with c.60 or more golden plovers. They were moving around a lot over the valley and to and from the Kilpaison/Angle Bay area.

An immature male sparrowhawk put in a brief appearance - probably chasing after starlings and finches. About 100-150 linnets were feeding in the cattle-grazed area where we noted c. 50 chaffinches and a few reed buntings.

Some of the linnets resting on the wires in between feeding sessions

A singe male bullfinch was a bit unexpected in scrub near Starman's hall. Probably the same bird was up near the hide later.

Yesterday at least one firecrest and a chiffchaff  were still present in the Holyland wood/Upper Millpond area. A possible Dutch-ringed BH Gull is at the middle millpond. So far we haven't quite managed to read and record all the digits on the metal ring - one for another day!