Martin's Haven & Marloes peninsular

We have continued to get the occasional Whitethroats in the valley in the last few days, with the scrub below Lockley Lodge and the other side of the Deer Park wall being favoured. Also a few Blackcaps, but no more Grasshopper Warblers heard in recent days. The sallow/willow scrub has at times felt like an avian monoculture, with little else but Willow Warblers. Late Saturday evening showed just how many of these were present, with perhaps 20+ birds easily visible, feeding actively at the top of and above the brambles and bushes (hawking after insects like Pied Flycatchers!). A walk up the valley highlighted, however, the far greater numbers that were either feeding deep inside the bushes or had dropped in to roost: on one bush that I had watched 2 actively feeding birds, well over 10 flew out as I walked straight past, and so on up the valley. I estimate that the valley could have held over 100 Willow Warblers that evening.

The Deer Park now has at least 5 Stonechats holding territory, and the Ravens look close to fledging their young. A Common Sandpiper on Renny Slip.

Marloes Mere: the adult Iceland Gull was seen on Thursday evening, first with other gulls in the ploughed fields, and then dropping onto the Mere itself to bathe. A first brood of Mallard, with 8 fairly well-grown ducklings.

At Mullock Bridge, a snipe, newly-arrived and singing Blackcaps, and a pair of Sparrowhawks displaying yesterday evening.