Pen Anglas

 Cold and slightly damp up at Pen Anglas this morning but a big improvement weather wise compared to yesterday,the wind kept any small birds hidden but there were 5 Swifts all heading east and 4 Wheatears.

Flagpoles 16.00

Following Richards efforts at Strumble this morning i decided a quick walk of the dog was in order to find that storm blown major rarity at the flagpoles. A total of 4 Herring Gulls & 10 Oystercatchers & a complete soaking for my trouble , the harbour as i've not seen it before you could actually have used a surfboard effectively ! Bella loves her walks but there was no dragging her heels to get back to the car on this occasion. Hopefully when this clears it will have left something good to be found.

I'm very grateful to Richard for agreeing to post his stuff here , his dedicated Strumble seawatches during the autumn are one of  the mainstays of the recording efforts & solidly back the effort to uphold the tradition built up over the years by GHR & others.

Isn't that top pic of the Lighthouse just amazing!  

Strumble (29 Apr 12)

Wind building up yesterday evening - the storm approaches:

And then today the storm hit.  Winds are currently NE F10 (Storm force).  Only possible to park Jeep at head by facing into wind.  Got absolutely soaked trying to get this pic.  (I must be mad).

Strumble & Goodwick (28 April 2012)

c. 30 Whimbrel in front of Sea Life Centre Saturday morning at high tide.

100 Wheatear, many of which were Greenland race birds were in a short cropped field near the head early Saturday morning then seemed to disperse very quickly.

First Swift and Whitethroat of the year at the head.

Stonechats feeding young in nest and showing well.  Male Kestrel using the strong winds to hover with no efffort at all.

Wheatears & Wagtails

A detoured trip home from work just to see if there was anything interesting about was successful when i stumbled upon a field near somewhere between Hayscastle & Castlemorris which had 20 Wheatears & probably the same number of immaculate White wagtails.   

At Last !

After the last few evenings walk around Goodwick Moor giving only one or two Sedges & Groppers the walk earlier found them to be in much greater numbers this evening. The Cetti's are still bashing away & a nice suprise was the 14 Whimbrel that landed in the field at the back. Things are starting to pick up , At last! 

Flagpoles 17.00

A quick walk with the dog at the Flagpoles , 2 Common Sands & 11 Whimbrel , both year ticks. Conditions look good for a go with the Bat Detector later as well.