Yesterday was a day out searching for a cooling breeze but had some unexpected wildlife highlights.
A quiet walk in the shade along the eastern arm was disturbed by an otter family taking a cooling dip in the middle of the day. They entered from the east side and swam towards us and played hide and seek for a while in the reeds before returning back the way they had come.
Lunch on the grassy hillside overlooking Broad Haven South beach was disturbed by an altercation between a Red Kite and three or four crows, with the kite apparently being the aggressor and chasing one crow in particular. About ten minutes later the Red Kite flew back towards us. It seemed to be carrying a white plastic bag, but when it landed on top of the rocky limestone ridge above us, it had clearly caught a Herring Gull and proceeded to pluck it and feed on the breast meat. It was disturbed by an idiot trying to get too close to take pictures on their phone. The kite flew off westwards with the meal. The video of the plucking is too big to post, but the still shows the debris.
A visit to Stackpole Head showed some Guillemots still on the rocks and a couple of chicks yet to jump. The cool shade under the arch of the head looks like a good choice for raising chicks this year compared to the exposed and overcrowded Elegug Stacks. The forecast there tomorrow is in the low 20s.
