Raptor delight & Penberry count

Our quest to compile a January species list is almost over. In deep mid-winter we find that kicking off the year "listing" a fun activity and a useful re-acquaintance with local birds, their calls and the sites where they can be found. Dave A, please note... the Willow Tits at the northern end of Llys -y-Fran survived the freeze.

Our target area today was west of St Davids and upon alighting from our car at St Justinian we were greeted with the sight of a Merlin chase. Minutes later a Peregrine flew by, and near Point St John we found 2 Kestels close to their old nesting site. A little later, at Trefeiddan Marsh, we witnessed a ringtail Hen Harrier upsetting the local Snipe population just as 2 Buzzards and a Sparrow Hawk flew overhead: not a bad start to the day and it was only 10.15. Early PM we sighted a second r/t Hen Harrier close to St David's Rugby Club.

A Penberry wildfowl count yielded:- 1 Pochard, 14 Teal, 13 Mallard, 11 Tufties, 17 Shoveler, +135 Wigeon, 10 Coot, 4 Moorhen, 3 Little Grebe and 2 Canada Geese.

A noticeable absentee from today's walkabout in an area with a wealth of gorse scrub and heathland, was Stonechat. We have visited this region in all months during recent years, and today, not one.

Conversely, we were delighted when we came upon a field on Treleddyn Farm that held all four species of thrush, particularly because the Fieldfare outnumbered the other species.