Paul's Blog - All comments and views are my own,

With high tide at a more respectable time of around 07:30hrs I was in position early to check out the duck on the marsh at Pembrey LNR. As the light improved I managed to find: Teal +100, Mallard c15, Wigeon c15, Redshank 47, Curlew + 5, Green Sandpipers 2. B H Gull +100, Common Gull 1, Peregrine 1, Sparrowhawk 1♀, Goldcrest 1, Skylark 7 (including a partial albino), Buzzard 1 If the site was visited by more birders I am sure that the number of species recorded would grow. What this morning showed was the limit of a 9m tide, useful for determining net sets in the right weather. A stock photo mixed waders and egret

Another break in what is an unsettled week saw the Gower Ringing Group or members of, at Oxwich NNR. With only one set of nets up a quiet start soon built into a steady stream of birds with Blue Tits making up the bulk, a smattering of other species added variety with Greenfinches providing the best of the glamour. Greenfinches occur in the  area in decent numbers and are a nice bird to handle, sex and age. I have a theory that where they are being fed via bird feeders the male birds appear later in the morning than the females, Greenfinches are "late risers" anyway but the early birds just seem to be females or immatures. Yellowhammers, especially the males,a species I've not handled since moving back to Wales, also seem to "appear" later in the morning- this may be because the males go off on territorial duties before feeding.... well that's my theory! More wind and rain on the way for the weekend.

After the start of the first cold snap of the winter, all of two days, this morning was cold, frosty and I had to scrape ice off the car at 6am. There was no breeze so perfect for a ringing session  at Pembrey LNR. The temperature was -3'c when I got out to set the first nets, it was a quiet session but still great to be out. Blackbird (3), Song Thrush (3), Robin (3), Reed Bunting (2), Dunnock (2), Chaffinch (1)Goldfinch (1), Wren (1), Great Tit (1), Blue Tit (1) There were also about 15 Magpies in the scrub, at least 15 Skylarks, 4 Ravens. a Buzzard and a male Stonechat. no photos today........