11th
April
A night sleeping in the hide at Marloes Mere [I know how to live it up], then
up at 5.30am to see what migrants were around. Eleven white wagtails,
two male wheatear, a few chiffs and willow warblers with
about 100 sand martins and a few swallows.
These were at Marloes Mere together with the 16 Greenland whitefronts that had been here for some time and a couple of chough [169].
Walked around the headland at Martin Haven and saw 3 more pairs of chough, c. 200 Puffins [170] on the sea towards Skomer and a pair of Ravens sky tumbling together.
The boat to Skomer was smooth on a flat sea. Strange how the Spring I asked for
arrived and now the weather is becalmed by this large anticyclone.
Met Jim, an ex-volunteer of Skomer who's stories and advice was interesting;
talk of 'shearwater' nights and Short-eared Owls, gull colony numbers
drastically reducing and Bluebells.
Went off alone for a while to circumnavigate the island anti-clockwise. Beautiful place but I have got to go back when I have booked accommodation for the night there. Amy, one of the summer wardens told how they had counted thousands of Puffins in the morning before the visitors arrived on the boat. Now there were just a few around on the sea, at the bottom of superb steep cliffs. What the island must look like in May is another reason for returning, for that is when the Bluebells are in flower.
Back to Marloes in the late afternoon but still no sign of the Green-winged Teal.
Instead the European Whitefronts, the White Wagtails, Chough, Wheatear and my
only Stonechat of the day were all seen.
Comfort this evening as I stayed at the Youth Hostel situated right next to the
mere.
[Just in case you are interested now on 175 bird species for the year. Almost
on target to break the non-motorised year list record by seeing all the regular
birds. Can I see/find any rarities that will get me closer to my dream
[Impossible Dream?] of 300, time will tell.]
Tickle My Feathers
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