A decent selection of birds at the Gann late afternoon yesterday (27/8) including a Ruff, 20 Ringed Plover and 9 Dunlin. At least 17 Mediterranean Gulls amongst a decent flock of Black-headed, as well as my first Wigeon (3) and Teal (4) of the autumn here.
On to Dale Airfield where I bumped into Dave O, Huw & Anne Lewis, and could see a distant Roger & Helen. No sign of the Baird's Sandpiper, but as Dave mentioned 2 lovely Ruff (what a size difference!) and 6 Dunlin. I decided to check the gulls in the field in the north-west corner of the airfield and was pleased to find a Caspian Gull amongst a large flock (c.240) of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (the vast majority of 80 or so Great Black-backed Gulls decided to sod off, as the tend to, before I got anywhere near them!). A single Skomer-ringed Lesser (green LJ) was the only colour-ring I could find.
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| The spectre of hybrids clouds the identification of Caspian Gull, but this one looked good to me |
I passed Dave O again on my way to the car, he off to try and find the Casp, me off to get back to cook dinner (mission not accomplished, sorry Lisa). I stopped to admire a large flock of hirundines low over the eastern runway, a nice mix of Barn Swallow and Sand Martin, when amongst all the chattering I thought I heard the Baird's Sandpiper call. And again. And again. But I couldn't see it, so decided to walk back to the wet patch and check it for a third and final time. There was the Baird's! I put the news out on the Pembrokeshire Rare Birds WhatsApp group and was soon joined by Dave, and then Huw, and we enjoyed the bird together before dinner called.
