It was a pretty decent Sept WeBS count along the Carew/Cresswell estuary this morning, despite the higher than usual amount of boating and kayaking etc traffic. Totals from various roosts included 37 Oystercatchers, 120 Redshanks, 25 Greenshanks (including flocks of 10 and 12), 150+ Curlews, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, 40 Dunlin, 15 Little Egrets, 75+ Teal, a single Pintail at New Shipping (scarce here at this time of year). The count ended with a Great White Egret flying up the Carew River but it didn’t seem to land anywhere.
Over at Landshipping there were about 100 Redshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers, c.20 Dunlin and 2 Curlew Sandpipers that appeared on the falling tide and started feeding with the Dunlin. At least 100 curlews flew down towards Sprinkle Pill from the Eastern Cleddau direction, perhaps disturbed by numerous watercraft in the area. A passing adult male Goshawk caused a bit of a panic, but the shore birds quickly returned to carry on feeding.
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| One of the two Curlew Sandpipers feeding with Dunlin |
The previous evening, we had recorded 50+ Ringed Plovers, 16 Sanderlings, several Grey Plovers, a few Bar-tailed Godwits and a couple of Whimbrel amongst good numbers of Curlew and Oystercatchers at Frainslake/Bluckspool area at Castlemartin and a single 1CY male Merlin was seen briefly at Bulliber Down.
It was pleasing to see the Dotterel and the two
Buff-breasted Sandpipers between Huntsman’s Leap and Stennis Ford, Castlemartin
– the latter being a new bird for Annie. The flock of 24 choughs was still present
late in the afternoon, feeding in the same area.
10 of the flock of 24
