As a dedicated follower of weather forecasts, I took the opportunity to visit various sites on the peninsula on the first, and perhaps only, sunny day for a while, but only managed Dale airport, the Gann and Marloes Mere.
Winter migrants are notable for their absence with only a single pair of Teal and Tufted Duck and female singles Wigeon and men Gadwall. No sign of Goldeneye or Garganey. A couple of those Mute the Swans they swim together and are obviously not a nest, but two Canada goose are at both ends of the mere and may have nestmates and multiple males Shovels seen, but I think I saw only one woman. Two pairs of Coots both have two chicks. A Curlew called from the swamp, but not seen. A Fox approached from the west towards the mountains, perhaps frustrated by the high water level – I have seen foxes there before and they patrol the edge of the mere, but they don’t want to get their feet wet.
There has been a late influx of dozens of those swallow and Sand Martins, but no House Martins. A Hen Harrier was reported to NT staff in the morning, but not in the afternoon. There are a handful of Growl at the airport, another eight of the Ganns and a visitor report the couple to Martin’s Haven, but none of them.
Just around Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings sings and shows well, Skylarks is singing everywhere, but Chiffchaffs was less bright and I don’t think I heard a Willow Warbler all day. A very vocal one Whitethroat is close to Hookses at the airport and shows well during the day:
Gann was very quiet with only the Whimbrel on the beach and about 40 Oystercatchers on the islands in the lagoon. The gentle fall of water didn’t seem to attract anything to feed on and the gull roost of about 100 birds was excellent. It contains a single Common Gull with Herring and Lesser Black-backed. The seeming resident Cetti’s Warbler call from the scrub as I return to the car.
The highlight of the day was a Little Ringed Plover which conveniently allows comparison with a close one Common Ringed Plover, which shows many of the distinct differences given in the books, and flew by too slowly for me to take a decent picture for a change:
