Author: [email protected] (Bob & Annie)

We did a little whistle stop tour of the north yesterday, starting at Penberi Reservoir, where the Lesser Scaup were still present, although always at the far end while we were there, along with a few Mallards. The strange looking hybrid drake (assumed to be the one mentioned there by Clare Ryland on Feb. 11th) is also at the end. It seems to be a similar size to a Mallard but possibly with an element of Teal thrown in for good measure (or whatever?).A Mallard of dubious parentage!We went up the Nevern estuary where we couldn’t find Green-winged Teal although…

A few days ago, we visited Westfield Pill. Bird-wise it’s generally pretty quiet, but this is the time of year when the heronry there is in full swing. Several pairs are in their nest, some may have already incubated eggs, others are still displaying and/or building a nest. A bird flew in with a long stick that looked like a bad thing to pass to its mate in the nest. After several minutes, in what almost seemed like a tug-of-war session, the stick was eventually taken by the bird in the nest. Both storks then kind of cuddled up together…

This morning’s WeBS counts around the Carew/Cresswell and Daugleddau/Landshipping areas produced fairly moderate numbers of waterfowl. Most of those wigeon there seems to be only one left 53 mentioned in Carew/Cresswell and 22 that Landshipping. Teal the numbers are higher, with c. 175 (most of them in New Shipping) and 182 that Landshipping. 75 shelduck in Carew/Cresswell the total is relatively low. A single great crested grebe feeds the Daugleddau channel opposite Sam’s Wood. Some of the 182 teal at Landshipping Quay, feeding fervently in the shallows (possibly fattening up before migrating?)Numbers of curly is relatively low (56) as in…

Yesterday morning we headed to Bosherston Lakes to see if the scaups were still around. The three greater scaups (2 girls and the boy in feather migration) are with the two tufted duck (male and female) on the common side of the upper east arm. The boy less scaup (slightly more advanced in its feather migration) rests on a single different male tufted duck closer to the reedbed. It’s fun to compare their feathers and structural differences.The boy bigger scaupThe boy was not much of a scaupLesser ScaupEleven little grebes is resting near the coast in the lower eastern part…

This afternoon and evening we checked out the Llanreath/Llanstadwell gull roost again. At this moment I stayed at Llanreath and Annie went to Pennar Gut, to see what, if any, movements there were of the gulls in the Pembroke River. For a few hours observing the surroundings 1,000 Herring Gulls (in small flocks) and some LBB and Common Gulls gradually made their way from Pembroke Dock to Milford Haven, while some headed further west over Pennar Gut, possibly on to the islands? About 500 BH Gulls also migrated to the Haven but, unlike last week, none to Pembroke River, although…

With limited opportunities to get out and about this week (meetings and car services) we decided to head to the Teifi Marshes this morning to check out waxwings. The four were quickly found, in the trees beyond the Curlew Hide, eating rose hips and hawthorn berries. As is typical of this species, birdwatchers, passing walkers, cyclists and joggers etc. are ignored. Although they are in Ceredigion, we reckon that sometime (with a telescope!) they are likely to be seen from Pembrokeshire!Other birds there included 50+ aerial snipe, water rails and a few reed buntings taking advantage of the seeds along…

This morning we made a pilgrimage to Fishguard to see the Humpback. It was also nice to bump into Ciff Benson, John Green (second time in less than 7 days) Steve Berry and Lyndon Lomax while we were there. It took a while to get to the whale and it wasn’t too close to our view of the breakwater. Whale watchers at the fort will have a better/closer view. However, we are rewarded with some impressive (if somewhat distant) views of it that break through in fairly reasonable light. Some record photos – the views from the Fort are closerThe…