South Pembs day out (yesterday)

Spent the day out yesterday to start off the year. A nice day but freezing in the wind and occasional sleet shower!

Started off at Tenby - Great Northern Diver, 3 Red-throated Diver offshore and a few waders on the beach (6 Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone and 3 Oystercatcher).

Had a quick walk along Tenby marsh which produced a Firecrest and a minimum of 6 Chiffchaff. 

Spent the afternoon around Castlemartin and Angle. Many thanks to Richard for clarifying access to the upper sections of the Corse. When researching before going there last week I noticed that the old right of way (through the farm buildings) is also on recent OS maps, only to make matters more confusing. As Richard says, the new right of way starts just up the road from the church and is signposted - if you take the path to the first gate you get a good, although distant view of the wet fields. A spotting scope is needed to view the birds below.  

The start of the footpath just up the road from the church.

The view of the Corse from the first gate along the footpath.

The 2 White-fronted Geese were still present in the field on the north side of the Corse yesterday viewable from this location.

Where the footpath crosses the Corse is where the water pipit was the other day. I didn't see it yesterday but did have brief views of a calling Rock/Water Pipit flying west which I suspect was the water pipit but it didn't come back whilst I was there.

Other birds from here yesterday include lots of Golden Plover and Lapwing, 2 Redshank, 9 Dunlin and 17 Pied Wagtails - a Firecrest showed briefly by the churchyard as well. 

Wandered out to the hide later in the afternoon but with water levels continuing to fall there was not too much visible. 8 Whooper Swans still present and with c200 Teal, 2 Shoveler and 43 Mallard. The two Marsh Harriers also made a brief appearace in the wind. The highlight (probably of the whole day) was a superb male Merlin chasing the finches by Gupton farm. 

Whooper Swan 

Finished the evening at Angle harbour for the rising tide. Typical waders roosting on the spit including 25 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Greenshank, 38 Redshank, 1 Knot, 100+ Oystercatcher, 200 Dunlin, 18 Ringed Plover, 2 Grey Plover and a few Curlew. Plus 30 Shelduck and 4 Pale-bellied Brent Geese. Out in the bay a Great Northern Diver, 8 Great Crested Grebe and 2 Slavonian Grebe still present.

Final day total was 84 species.