After an overnight (poor) moth-trapping session in Martletwy, we made a visit to Goodwick Harbour this morning. It was nice to see c.30 Turnstones busy (and noisily) feeding along the shore where they are often frequent at this time of year. Other typical/expected waders seen being Oystercatchers (19) a few Curlews, Redshanks and a couple of Ringed Plovers. Near the flagpoles we noted a 1CY Mediterranean Gull and a 1CY Common Gull but not much else of note gull-wise.
In the harbour a female/immature Merganser was busy feeding - we see so few of them now down our way on the Daugleddau. It flew around a bit and had possibly disappeared later on when we noted that a Red-throated Diver and a Great Crested Grebe were also present in the harbour.
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| The light was good, but the Diver never came close enough for a really decent view |
Having had a chat with Clare Ryland, we headed up to the Nevern Estuary, Newport in late afternoon (missing what was seemingly a very nice rainbow over Goodwick harbour just after we had departed). There were three Common Sandpipers (one above the Iron Bridge and two the other side) and lots of gulls present but we couldn't make out anything particularly unusual or obviously ringed. A single Greenshank was resting on the shore and around 60 Wigeon were feeding alongside smaller numbers of Mallard. Small flocks of Pied Wagtails were gradually moving downstream towards the harbour. Is there a roost somewhere in that area?
Likely to be overwintering?