First Wheatear today, a male on the grass above Renny’s Slip.
Yesterday evening a ringtail Harrier past Runwayskiln at 1800, heading West. Is there a roost on Skomer?
Yesterday evening Lucy flushed an all-dark medium-sized ?game bird from the thick grass by the Deer Park wall. It popped over, and disappeared.
Today I saw a bird that answered that description fly across Martin’s Haven valley towards West Hook Farm. It was larger than a partridge, and a slower wing flap, short tail, and heavy build.
Clearly possible its a melanistic pheasant (there is at least one pheasant calling on the Deer Park), but the colour and tail are very different to any I have ever seen.
I wonder is someone nearby is missing a bird from their collection?
Postscript: we caught up with the game bird this afternoon on the road near West Hook farm: a fairly small, very dark cock pheasant (no white neck ring, just all green), and NO tail whatsoever! It’s a very odd looking bird; I wish it luck in attracting a mate.
