Saturday 19th March 2016

Oxwich NNR ringing

A grey overcast morning with a light but keen breeze, the "Snipe" nets were set and yielded one Common Snipe, a good start.

The rest of the morning seemed busy but was in fact a slow one but with a good mix of birds, including Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Siskin, Goldcrest Robin, Dunnock and Chiffchaff.

One of the Robins looked interesting as it had a grey wash to its back and wings, we initially though that it may be a continental bird, you would expect a slighter longer wing than the 72mm we measured as birds which tend to migrate also tend to have slightly longer wings, so who knows?

A definite grey wash to the wings and mantle

The Chiffchaff was a nice find, it had been buzzing around the bushes behind the net for a while before being caught.

Initially I thought it may be the first returning migrant but it had a fat score of 3 so possible an over winterer and not a traveller from the south, usually birds arriving from the Mediterranean have "pollen horns" on their foreheads where they have been delving into flowers, not so on this chap.

Chiffchaff, the first of many this season....

We packed up around 10:30am.

Friday 18th March 2016

Migration of a sort........

Another sunny and crisp morning, although a little more haze about, should have yielded a Northern Wheatear....but alas not this morning, it will probably be tomorrow when I'm away ringing at Oxwich NNR.

However a Woodcock flushed from the edge of the reed bed/rough grass on the side of the road was a pleasant surprise, it was in almost the same spot as one seen on 2nd February.

I met up with Adam Dare and his wife and after a long chat putting the birding world to right I left to return home, after a few yards a faint but clear call got my attention and Adam was waving at me after wondering over expecting to see a Wheatear he pointed out that his wife had just flushed a SHORT EARED OWL, I managed a distant but positive view!!!

My guess is that the Owl is a migrant moving north, and the Woodcock well that could be a local breeder.

no photos sorry..................

Thursday 17th March 2016

Where are the Wheater's......

Still no sign of any real migration getting under way, its that "false Spring" feeling with the sun shining but the wind in the wrong direction to really push birds up from the south.

The best I could muster today in strong sunshine and a bitter Easterly was a small group of Teal, two Mallard, two Oystercatchers, one Redshank and one Greenshank.

Greenshank (L) and Redshank (R)

The Rock Pipits at  old Pembrey Harbour are getting in the mood with territorial display and lots of chasing and calling.

The weather looks set for a few days yet, hopefully the wind will die down and a bit more cloud cover.

My plans to spend an extended period on the island of Lesbos have been changed due to family commitments, however I have been granted leave of two weeks to visit in April/May which is a bonus. If you have never visited this the third largest of the Greek Islands then do so either now in Spring or in September you will  not be disappointed. Ignore all the media scaremongering regarding the refugee crisis, yes there are lots of refugees but you would have to go out of your way to find them.

Sunday 13th March 2016

Harbingers of real Spring?.....

A really lovely morning to be out, and although the day started overcast it just felt it could only get better, and it did.

On the bird front Skylarks were in full song, a quick survey of just one grazing field showed a minimum of 11 singing males.

The Stonechats are on territory with at least five territories identified, this female just was quite confiding.

Female Stonechat

What was noticeable was the arrival of what seemed like dozens of Meadow Pipits, there were quite a few in the fore dunes, along with surprisingly, Common Snipe.

Meadow Pipit

Some of the Meadow Pipits will be local birds and there was a fair bit of flight song happening.

A local birder texted? me with the news that two SAND MARTINS had flown in a NE direction over the dunes.

Other wildlife news is of a Hare, the second sighting in two days ssshhhh!!!