I try and get out for a walk on the coast most mornings and occasionally at lunch if time allows.
It was on a quick 20 minute lunchtime seawatch that I jammed in on a Black Tern flying west past Old Castle Head on the 18th.
Also of note, although beyond Manorbier, was my first Great Northern Diver of the autumn off Tenby south beach on the 19th.
A nice arrival of common migrants on the 21st, produced a Whinchat, Reed Warbler and 22 Wheatears at Skrinkle, a Spotted Flycatcher in Manorbier and unfortunately a dead Pied Flycatcher on the coast path near Presipe beach. The first decent push of visible migration was also noted on the 21st: 500 Swallows, 50 House Martin and smaller numbers of Meadow Pipits and finches moving east.
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| Whinchat |
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| Spotted Flycatcher |
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| Meadow Pipit |
Visible migration continued each morning after the 21st, although in smaller numbers. Watching on the 25th produced a Yellow Wagtail, 109 Linnet and my first 2 Siskin of the autumn all flying east.
I changed my route slightly on the morning of the 26th which turned out to be a good move when a Glossy Ibis flew off the coast and east up the valley at Manorbier! A check of the harvested potato fields just up from Manorbier in the evening produced (presumably another) Yellow Wagtail with a flock of pied wagtails and meadow pipits.
St Govan's Head this morning (28th) produced a few interesting migrants. I spent a good while with an acrocephalus warbler at the bottom of the valley. It was elusive in the bracken, but eventually showed enough to confirm it as a Reed Warbler. Also of note, a Willow Warbler, 2 Wheatears, a scattering of Goldcrests and a Merlin whizzing about the headland.
Visible migration was again evident with a strong movement of swallows and meadow pipits noted. In a half an hour watch from the end of the headland a 105 Meadow Pipit and 265 Swallow flew south east. Smaller numbers of finches were also moving including 3 Siskin and a single Redpoll.
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| Reed Warbler at St Govan's today |