Friday 11 September 2015

Aberystwyth and Tanybwlch

I am green with envy at Russell's sooty, made worse by the fact that I was seawatching at Castle Point at the time.
Still, lots of birds passing, particularly auks: ca 100 in total.  The few that were close enough to i.d. were all Razorbills, as were six on the sea. Also, plenty of manxies, ca 90 Gannets, 13 Kittiwakes and seven Common Scoter.
Easy to count waders on the beach, as it was high tide. 46 Ringed Plover, eight Turnstones and four Dunlin.
Then to Tanybwlch.  A lot of small birds along the coast, i.e. ca 30 Linnets with a few Meadow Pipits, good numbers of Rock Pipits and Pied Wagtails , and a Wheatear. Most obvious sign of migration was the very large numbers of House Martins swarming around Allt Wen, coming down to the fields and then back up the hill again. I estimated up to 300 at any one time, with only the odd Swallow moving through.
Two noisy and active Choughs and a Goosander and Grey Wagtail on the river completed the picture.

Harry Pepper