A rare visit to Marloes Mere today and not long after i arrived, everything on the mere went into panic mode. Ducks, Lapwings, Gulls, almost every bird on the mere seemed hit the air in terror! I was hoping for a Marsh or Hen Harrier but the reaction of all the birds on the Mere seemed a bit extreme even for a harrier .
Scanning with my bin's I could not make out a raptor of any kind, that could be responsibkle for the mass mayhem, but then, there it was flying fast and low, i saw it, a Bonxie! (Great Skua) probaly hoping to surprise a victim.
A gang of gulls that had lifted off the mere was its next target. But numbers made them brave, they soon had enough and began mobbing the strange interloper, driving it away to the south over the old Youth Hostel/Runwayskiln Cafe, I hung around for another hour, to see if it returned, and at one point a Buzzard flew over the mere with hardly any reaction at all! I preume it headed off back to sea but what was a Bonxie doing here anyhow?
Having just read Richard Ellis's post y partner Fran walks our Dog at Aberbach most mornings and has seen and heard Chiffchaffs singing since the 15th of Feb. The thing is, are they overwintering birds or migrants given the strong SW/SE winds we have had ?