Bob and I joined forces for a trip south, starting with a seawatch at New Quay and working our way back via Llanon and Llanrhystud.
Birds off New Quay were mostly distant, but included unusually large numbers of Gannets for so late in the year. Several flocks averaging about 40 birds each moved slowly south during the session, accompanied by large numbers of gulls, mostly Kittiwakes. Good numbers of auks also passing, in both directions. Not a lot closer in, except for a total of nine Common Scoter. A Mediterranean Gull joined the other gulls loafing off the fish factory.
Walking south from the beach car park at Llanon, we eventually came across an estimated 100 Linnets in a ploughed field. Despite prolonged searching we couldn't find anything else with them, though there was a Wheatear ar the far end of the field.
As expected at this time of the year, Mediterranean Gull numbers are dwindling, though we still had a count of 73.
An unusual sight was that of a Red Kite chasing a Shelduck along the beach.
Finally here, a raft of Wigeon on the sea. Difficult to count as they bobbed in and out of view among the waves, but we reckoned about 30.
Last call was at Llanrhystud, where there weren't many birds but we had an exciting little episode to finish the day's birding.
A small flock of Starlings which were feeding on and around the muck heap ( very polite for me, that), suddenly took to the air in a panic. Almost immediately afterwards, a squeal of terror alerted me to the fact that one of the Starlings had decided that the best way to shake off the Peregrine which was in hot pursuit was by flying straight at my head. I don't know by how much the birds missed us, but I felt the draught.
It all happened very quickly. I can only assume that I closed my eyes in anticipation of being smacked in the face by a couple of pounds of falcon.