Lesser spot and crossbills

At Llandilo yesterday a Lesser spotted woodpecker was calling, the first here since August 2010. Also the crossbills which seem to commute around the various conifer plantations in the Preselis have have been displaying and singing as if starting their breeding season. Although they have been present all summer, numbers have recently swelled with a flock of 45 at Llandilo last weekend and flocks of up to 30 are regular at Coed Glynaeron and Ty Rhyg.

Many of our wintering woodcock have turned up during the last two weeks with a count of 12 at Lawrenny last night in a set of regularly monitored fields. Peak numbers can be as high as 25 here but 15 to 18 is a typical count in mid winter.