Despite some earlier remarks about a late breeding season for choughs, no sooner had this been mentioned when news came from Castlemartin Range Rangers Graham Clarke and Lynne Houlston that a few pairs had recently fledged young at the weekend. The sites that have fledged young are in fact only a few days later than the average for the area (based on first observed fledging dates recorded on the peninsula during the last 30 years). There are still quite a few broods to emerge of course and so the full picture for the season is still to be determined.
There have been recent reports of at least one kestrel regularly at Bullslaughter Bay area, noted by Lynne and others. Today a female-looking bird (conditions were a bit misty at the time and so it might possibly have been an immature male) left a crevice in the cliff, presumably going off to feed. This may just be an un-mated bird. It's interesting non-the-less that two territories at either end of the Range do appear to be occupied. Further observations will be made.
Eleven pairs of house martins are nesting on gazebos in Stackpole Walled Garden, a few nests with well-grown young, others in between and some just finishing off nest-building. At the nearby Stackpole Centre however, where 40+ pairs have bred in recent years, so far only a few pairs appear to be breeding. Hopefully some late arriving birds will increase the overall population here. At present the situation at the Centre contrasts markedly with the Walled Garden where the total number of breeding pairs and breeding status seems quite normal for the time of year.
