Llanreath and Pennar Gut WinGS etc

Late this afternoon and evening we checked out the Llanreath/Llanstadwell gull roost again. This time I stayed at Llanreath and Annie went to Pennar Gut to see what, if any, gull movements there were into Pembroke River.

During a couple of hours of observation around 1,000 Herring Gulls (in small flocks) and a few LBB and Common Gulls gradually made there way from Pembroke Dock towards Milford Haven, while some headed further west over Pennar Gut, possibly to roost  out on the islands? About 500 BH Gulls also moved down the Haven but, unlike last week, none turned into Pembroke River, although some mixed gulls flew down Pembroke River and out through the Gut into the Haven. This was quite a contrast with the situation a week ago. 

Around 2,250-2,500 Black-headed Gulls eventually started to settle on the Milford Haven Waterway between Llanreath and Llanstadwell. At first there were two distinct flocks, one of around 700 that settled first closer to the Llanstadwell shore and another of around 1,500 nearer to Llanreath. Eventually the birds on the Llanreath side gradually started to move over to the northern side of the channel just as it was getting too dark to see much activity.

A very small proportion of the BH Gull flock moving from the Port of Pembroke to settle on the Milford Haven Waterway 

Although almost all were BHG, 7 Common Gulls and 3 Mediterranean Gulls were picked out from the flock as it was gathering on the sea.

Annie, over at Pennar, had nice views of 3 Great Northern Divers resting on Pembroke River and watched 5 Cattle Egrets fly out through Pennar Gut at dusk. A small wader roost on the rocky shore at Llanreath  included c.90 Oystercatchers and 40+ Dunlin.  A flock of c.50 Pied Wagtails left the Port of Pembroke area just after 17:00 hrs, heading down channel towards Valero, presumably to a roost down there. 

It was nice to see 3 GN Divers close together and in good light