At Aberystwyth this morning, at least seven Sandwich Terns, with up to five resting on the rocks and a couple of others feeding in South Bay, where there was also an Otter, at times very close inshore just in front of the yacht club.
Looking out to sea, I was hoping to find something different among the usual Gannets, Manx Shearwaters and Kittiwakes, but a female Merlin, flying rapidly north very low over the sea was completely unexpected.
The rocks at Castle Point at first appeared birdless, but eventually a group of small waders revealed themselves as four Dunlin and four Purple Sandpipers. Then a party of seven Whimbrel dropped in and stayed for about 20 minutes before continuing on their way north. Another one later flew past offshore.
On the castle, five Wheatears included one of the Greenland race.
A quick trip to Tanybwlch, where there were at least 12 Wheatears, a male Goosander and Common Sandpiper on the river, and another four Whimbrel. Swallows were moving through in good numbers, practically skimming the ground and the surface of the sea in a bid to avoid the stiff easterly wind.