Bee-eater in Marloes

Yesterday a friend in Marloes reported that another mutual friend had seen an unusual bird in their garden on Monday evening. It was reported as having a lemon yellow face and chestnut at the back of the head and being about Starling sized. I vaguely though it might have been a Yellowhammer but Marina, whose garden it was, had looked through the common birds in the bird book and couldn't find anything like it.

I then forgot about the whole thing until reading the blog this morning "Bee-eater on Ramsey" it trumpeted!! I rang Marina and asked her to look up Bee-eater in the bird book - was that the bird?? Yes, it was completely right she said - and I believe her as she knows her common birds well. Apparently it was in the garden at about 6:30 pm hanging around with the Sparrows, but the Jackdaws drove it off. It then came back again for a short while but not long enough to get a photo. So if this was the Ramsey bird why on earth is it heading North? Or maybe it's a different bird. Who knows. Exciting in any case.

Only snag is, I didn't get to see it!!

Rosemary

PS There have been several sightings of a Merlin around the Peninsula over the last fortnight or so.