We did some long walks between Whitesands and Abereiddi yesterday morning and between Porth Clais and Newgale today. A ring-tail hen harrier was hunting over the St Davids Head area yesterday and ravens were displaying near nest-sites, but it was generally quiet for birds, including far fewer thrushes compared with December when we did similar walks.
Today there were 2 smart adult yellow-legged gulls in Solva Harbour, along with 3 Mediterranean gulls (2 adults and a 2CY bird), 20+ common gulls, 100+ black-headed gulls, 30+ herring gulls, plus small numbers of lesser black-backed and great black backed gulls. Fulmars were on the cliffs near St Nons. Small numbers of chough seen were mostly pairs feeding close to their breeding sites.
Raptors today included kestrels near Solva, and Cwm-bach, 2 red kites hunting along the coast and 3 peregrines (2 males and a female) displaying over the A487. Three greylags flew up from the south and headed inland near Penycwm. A small flock of 10 common scoters was feeding close to the shore near Cwm-bach. On the beach here there were at least 40 common gulls (mixed ages) resting with other gulls.
[Some of us will be out checking potential gulls roosts for the national Winter Gull roost survey (WinGS) over the weekend].
Last Sunday, not less than 3 merlins were hunting in separate parts of the Castlemartin peninsula and razorbills were back at breeding crevices in a few places.
Sadly, the recent cold snap most probably contributed to the demise of a 20-year old female chough (ringed as nestling by Bob). She was raised at Stackpole, but had spent most of her adult breeding life at Linney Head. Her predated remains (and a couple of her colour-rings) were found by Castlemartin Ranger Lynne Houlston last Saturday.
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| The old female chough (upper ringed bird) with her partner, during better times. She had reared many young during her 20-year life-span. |