It was a very quiet start to March for the first two weeks, however things took an upward curve on the 14th of the month with a beach walk along Filey front producing two very nice additions to the year list in the form of a Great Northern Diver just off shore and flying around Filey Bay were a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls. On the 14th of March me and the Mrs headed down to visit family in Pembrokeshire … first time visit for me to this part of Wales. On the way down numerous Common Buzzards were seen and about 6 Red Kite which are always nice to see!! Apparently, a number of early summer migrants had arrived by the weekend of the 18th/ 19th March with my first Chiff- Chaffs and Swallow seen on those consecutive dates. Actually the Swallows that I saw on the 19th March were the earliest I had seen in the UK … normally I see them at home in North Yorkshire during the first week of April …last year’s first date was the 6th April. Another Gull sighting was very welcome – on Monday 20th a huge Greater black backed Gull was seen feeding on the beach at Tenby.
Tuesday the 21st March was a very special day as it was only the second time I had recorded Chough in the UK – the first being on the West Coast of Scotland many years back. I had read beforehand that there was a possibility of Choughs in Pembrokeshire, but I thought it would be a long slog along the sea cliffs … not as simple as parking on a sea front car park in the middle of Tenby and taking a 5 minute walk along the front, then to have these enigmatic birds cartwheeling and wheezing just 50ft above my head…one bird even perched on the window sill of one of the hotels !!! Oh the joys of Birding – you never know what is going to happen next!! As you can imagine my camera was working in over drive on that occasion!!!
A few days later saw me back at the same site and yes the Choughs were there again – brilliant to watch and listen to them calling too!! However, just as I was watching one particular bird it suddenly veered up and started mobbing a Raven – what a great sight two cracking species of corvid having a scrap. The Raven was a real brute of a bird – nearly the size of a buzzard, eventually the Raven got fed up of all the attention and glided around the headland out of sight. Another good sighting during the day was a very confiding Rock Pipit which was great to see.
On the 26th March I went searching for some more Choughs, after a tip off from a local birder about some very approachable birds on a nearby headland – but unfortunately there were none to be seen. However, after searching for the Choughs, I was scanning the sea when I noticed a small flock of sea duck and then another and then further out there were some other small flocks…. Common Scoter !!!! Which was a great surprise. However, after doing some further reading apparently this area of Carmarthen Bay is a strong hold of these ducks and I was just lucky to see these birds before the flocks break up in Spring and move east for summer Well thank you Pembrokeshire for some great sightings … and if you do get the opportunity to go, go its a great place with lots to do … some amazing countryside to explore and with some great birds to see !!
