We did a May 1st “Big Day” yesterday starting off
at first light in the back garden straining to hear the Cetti’s Warbler in the
marsh above the din of the nearby Wrens and Blackcaps. We then moved on to the
Canaston Woods/Blackpool Mill area where the highlights were Wood Warblers and
Tree Pipits. Both Wagtails were on the roof at Blackpool Mill but there was no
Redstart and we dipped on the Dipper. Then on to Ty Rhug via Maenclochog where
we spied a Starling on a telephone line. The highlights at Ty Rhug were a pair of
Willow Tits and a Cuckoo, also Lesser Whitethroat, Siskin and Redpoll but again
no Redstart. Then back down to the
Marloes Peninsula for a visit to the Deer Park. Interesting to see about 5 large female
Wheatears in the fallow field next to the car park. Much peering through
the telescope across Jack Sound revealed everything we expected except a
Cormorant, but the highlight here was a Spotted Flycatcher perched in an opening in
a Gorse Bush and snacking on the St Mark’s flies, of which there were
many. Then lunch at Runwayskiln (we are
obviously not serious birders) and off to the Gann where a good selection of
waders included Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Whimbrel, one Common Sandpiper, one
Turnstone and, rather oddly, a single winter plumage Sanderling. We saw our
only House Martin here. After a short break at home where we had decent views
of GSW and Jay (both of which we had previously seen poorly) we set off for an
evening at Marloes Mere where the Sedge Warblers were zzzzing madly and the sky
was full of hirundines – mostly Swallows but a few Sand Martins and Yes! a
couple of Swifts. We had brief flight views of the Pochards then the last bird on the list was a smart male Reed Bunting. Not enough energy left to search for owls!
Birds we
might have expected to see but didn't, apart from those mentioned above were Treecreeper,
Mistle Thrush, Marsh Tit and any other bird of prey other than a Buzzard!
