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

On a day which has been the most "spring like" so far it was interesting to record a trio of wintering birds in evidence at Pembrey Burrows LNR. A Male Merlin which sat on a post for c1hr on the edge of the marsh, bizarrely surrounded by Meadow Pipits, not mobbing it at all and seemingly oblivious to its presence. Merlin, distant and cropped Then A Short-eared Owl flushed from the foredunes at the eastern end of the reserve, the bird made it's way across the estuary towards the Gower accompanied by a couple of mobbing Herring Gulls, there was a Spring record in 2016. Short-eared Owl, record shot This afternoon with the fine weather continuing and high water at around 16:00hrs a short sea-watch produced a Long-tailed Duck and c2000 gulls, mostly Common Gulls loafing on the sea. The much hoped for early Hirundine did not appear neither did a Northern Wheatear, patience patience............. Also on the incoming tide was a bouy with a

A very early morning visit to Pembrey Burrows was uneventful, although I did catch a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock! the first birds I have ringed at Pembrey in 2017 due to a combination of Bird Flu restrictions and the weather . A Greenshank, in the Swan Drain, reported by Adam Dare, never appear too far into the marsh. An afternoon visit to Morfa Berwig was no more exciting however some Primroses (possibly of dubious origin judging by the size) and Hazel catkins did make it feel spring like. The scourge that is off road vehicles is making an appearance at Morfa Berwig, with tyre marks across the site I suspect that they were there at some point over the weekend. Hazel catkins