Tuesday 3rd November 2015

This morning was a lot breezier than the forecast suggested, but since the car was packed and I was awake I set off to Pembrey Burrows & Saltings LNR.

My first encounter was with a HARE which is the first I've seen in my visits, based on its size it looked like a few months old.

My aim was to sample my third "subsite" on the reserve, having seen crests and tits in the area on Sunday.

It proved to be a good move as on "round 3", of the morning a FIRECREST was in the most sheltered net.

Always a great find but one which I felt was sure to be around it just has so many Goldcrests on site in the Gorse and Buckthorn.

The biometrics for this individual are as follows:

Sex        ♂

Wing     52mm

Weight  5.3g

Age       BTO code 3 a first year

FIRECREST

This was the highlight of a very quiet morning, sightings included C1000 STARLINGS and two LITTLE EGRET

Sunday 1st November

A mild start to November with clear skies a little mist over the marsh and birds singing and butterflies flying, what is going on...

A perfect morning and despite a late start ( not on site until 8am) I came across a flock of well over 1000 Starlings preening and bathing along the track to the hut, luckily? I didn't have a net set there!!

The tides are lower now as the moon wanes but there were still a few waders on the marsh, with REDSHANK and a small flock of OYSTERCATCHERS in flying into the creeks.

A STONECHAT and small groups of Tits flew off towards Burry Port.

When the Starlings got agitated I could see the female/juvenile MERLIN in the flock but with no success it flew towards the beach a few seconds later a cloud of over 1000 KNOT took to the air coincidence?? I doubt it.

SKYLARKS seemed to be on the move this morning but hard to be certain that they weren't just local birds moving off to feed.

A COMMA butterfly showed well, as did a singing DUNNOCK

COMMA butterfly

DUNNOCK