Castlemartin peninsula coast this morning

 

We visited the Castlemartin peninsula this morning. Choughs were present at most expected sites with nest-building noted at three locations. Ravens were present at three breeding locations, and young were probably being fed in the nest at one site. Small numbers of razorbills were noted at usual cliff-crevice nest sites but no guillemots were ashore today. 

Raptors included a female sparrowhawk, a red kite, two merlins in separate locations and an adult female kestrel in a likely breeding territory, but there were no obvious buzzards hunting near the coast today. 

This female merlin, one of two seen today, is likely to have overwintered. Both were seen in exactly the same locations during the winter. 

We saw no evidence of sand martins at their usual colony, but wheatears were back at a few regular cliff-top breeding locations. 

At least 2 pairs of ringed plovers were present at a usual spot, 36 oystercatchers, 5 curlews and 8 grey plovers were roosting in another area. 

This pair of ringed plovers, facing into the wind during a blizzard of fine sand particles, includes a ringed bird (right leg). It is probably one that has been resident here for at least 2-3 summers.

Small flocks of chaffinches were moving along the coast, and several probably recently returned linnets were visiting patches of gorse.  Meadow pipits were also probably moving through the area this morning, including a flock of about 50 feeding in cliff-top grassland.