From Ian Smith:
Dale Peninsula - late morning
Kete National Trust car park overlooked a potato field being
harvested under watchful eyes of a handful of Pied Wagtails and some 200
Herring Gulls. None could be 'turned' into a Caspian or Yellow legged
Gull. One was probably a hybrid Herring/LB-b Gull. This latter
species was more usually represented by 6 British race graelsii birds
and 3, much darker grey, Northern European race intermedius birds, on
route to NW Africa. Elsewhere, on Peninsula, fields of bare soil or
those occupied by Cattle, revealed no other gull or wagtail.
The Gann - midday period
I
arrived to find a bank of bins, scopes and camera lenses watch the
Juvenile Osprey catch fish and test a wide range of dead tree perches to
find the perfect one to dine at. Then change it's mind again and
again and again !
George M. arrived; satisfied Osprey
watchers later departed and an effort to find passerines resulted in
just a single Blackcap despite an abundance of flying insects. The
waders climbed to 3 Greenshank, 5 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, 11 Redshank. 3
Turnstone stayed on the beach where earlier had been 6 Med Gulls.
Then Report of Little Stint 'up North' at Nefyn lifted spirits that goodies were at last on the menu, so we headed that way.
Newport - Parrog - late afternoon
My
first time to Newport this particular Pembrokeshire visit was long
overdue. First A quick look for reported Little Stint at Nefyn by the
Iron Bridge revealed 5 Greenshank, 2 Common Sandpipers and a Grey Seal.
Plus Mr Sam Baxter, (dedicated observer of all matters Larid;
particularly reading those important plastic leg ring codes).
Then
the mud flats by Parrog Boat Club. The first scan from the club house
'garden' showed a promising flock size of small waders the other side
of the valley; but highly mobile.
Armed with scopes it was Game On !
Two hours later the scores had climbed to:-
Ringed Plover 52
Dunlin 33
Sanderling 5
Little Stint 3
Curlew Sandpiper 1
Things on the migration side are looking up.