Bits and pieces over the last several days

Glorious weather tempted us to go over to Freshwater West for a change.  Annie visited the Castlemartin Corse and Gupton area, whilst I had a look at Broomhill and Kilpaison Burrows. Three Marsh Harriers were seen plus two red kites. Several stock doves were also noted over the farmland. Two choughs were feeding (as usual) in the damp fields near Starmans Hall. A small flock of 6 lapwings flew over the Angle road  and around 50 fieldfares were feeding with a similar number of redwings in Kilpaison Burrows but it seemed fairly quiet for waders otherwise (compared to some previous winter visits).

Yesterday afternoon, we briefly visited Pembroke Millpond to see if there were any more ringed Black-headed Gulls there. We noted two metal ringed adults (one ringed on the left leg; one ringed on the right leg) but they were never close enough to determine any details. The likely over-wintering blue colour-ringed TJJ7 (now a 2CY) from Poland was still present. We also noted red-ringed 2C19, an adult which had been ringed in north Norfolk in 2022. We recorded it previously at the Millpond back in December 2023. There were around 20 little grebes on the middle pond and a kingfisher flew down Pembroke River from the Castle Pond, but there was not much else of note.

2C19 turned up at the Millpond in December 2023 too

During the last few days we also noted similar species and numbers of birds to Toby at Angle Bay, Angle Harbour and at Bosherston, where there were six goosanders (4 males and 2 females) in the lower eastern arm on 29^th Dec. A male blackcap was near the birdfeeders alongside the upper east arm path. The otters were again very much in evidence.

Numbers of goosander (and other ducks) have been poor so far this winter at Bosherston

At Cosheston Pill yesterday, there were around 70 Black-tailed Godwits feeding along the tidal edge, a few days earlier there had been 103 present there.

At Landshipping on 29^th there were around 1,000 Dunlin feeding on the Eastern Cleddau shore, plus several hundred golden plovers and 500 or so lapwings. Higher up the estuary there were at least 500-600 teal and 200+ Canada Geese and 20 greylags.

Perhaps the short cold-snap will bring in some more lapwings and golden plovers etc.

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year!