Atlas tetrad stuff, choughs and bits and pieces

Today whilst out tetrad-bashing (TTVs) noted Goosander in SN02; possibly breeding judging by behaviour. The male was very agitated when a raven flew low overhead and he chased off a couple of nearby Canada Geese. From a distance I think the female joined him for a while to feed but she disappeared into woodland where I suspect she is in a tree crevice (probably incubating). Watch out for ducklings somewhere on the Afon Syfynwy over the next couple of weeks or so!

Breeding starlings are becoming harder to find each year in parts of S Pembs but as usual they are nesting near Manorbier/Skrinkle area and noted a small colony feeding young (not yet fledged) going to nests in Penally Camp - collecting food near Valleyfield Top.

Although the breeding chough population in south Pembs appears to have crashed this year, it is pleasing that one of the older birds is still breeding this year (feeding young in the nest now) at Trewent Point. The male here is colour-ringed (he was black/green (L); BTO ring (R) but the black ring fell off several years ago. He is now in at least his 18th year, having been ringed when fully grown in the winter of 1992/93 (at Angle). He has bred at Trewent annually since about 1995. Currently he is the oldest chough I know to be alive in the County. He was still looking pretty healthy yesterday, tucking into large numbers of leather jackets in sheep-grazed pasture near the nest site. So fingers crossed that he survives to make his twentieth year!

Small flocks of waders still passing through - around 80 dunlin (all in summer plumage) near Landshipping last Sunday (9th). Noted 2-3 purple sandpipers and half a dozen turnstones low down on barnacle-covered rocks near Broadhaven south mid week - all resplendent in summer breeding plumage. The turnstones were even uttering parts of their breeding calls, I would probably have missed them had they not been calling.