Tuesday 17 July 2018

quantity and quality

Substantial numbers of Mediterranean Gulls south of Llansantffraed this morning. 120 on the shore at the car park, a further 120 in the stubble behind and a brief stroll yielded 50 more a little further on = 290. They were very static so I drove to Llanrhystud in the hope of adding to this tally but scarcely a bird of any description. As I drove back towards the main road a small raptor was hunting along the hedge in a fast low flight, then sat on one of the new fence posts. I assumed it was a Sparrowhawk but it allowed me to pull right alongside-Kestrel. Amazingly close. We eyeballed each other for a while until I began to feel I was in the way and left him.