Peeee-wit!!
The familiar and brilliant sound of a lapwing! Never have I seen so many all together – the fields here at South Stack are full of them, like the starlings, curlews and thrushes too. They caught my eye instantly with their lazy almost butterfly–like flight. And if you’re lucky enough to get close you can admire their brilliant almost iridescent plumage of green and purple – how wonderful! Golden plover have been spotted here too in large numbers by our Site Manager Dave, they are not so easy to spot however as they are brilliantly camouflaged! Atleast, that is my excuse for not having seen them yet...
What else will great us at this time of year? Of course with all the snow and ice it is a difficult time for birds to find food. They will visit frost free spots rich in food from all around just to keep their energy levels up during the harsh winter months. Some of the friendly Robins, Blackbirds and Thrushes that you see busily searching for food have come all the way from Northern Europe to spend the winter in milder climates.
The Chough that are resident here at South Stack are reliant on soft soil to dig into the ground with their long beaks to find invertebrates; frozen ground makes this job all the more difficult. Thankfully, due to the mild coastal climate, even during cold spells the ground here will remain frost-free. Ian, our Catering Manager, is particularly fond of the Chough pair (mouse-trap) that regularly feed opposite the Cafe. Beside serving customers and cooking you may catch him, with binoculars to the window, quickly looking for any birds to be seen! Mark, our enthusiastic information officer, was also delighted to spot a female Black Redstart from the cafe earlier this week! Well – what are you waiting for? Who knows what you might encounter when you enjoy a brew at the South Stack cafe?
A quick thank you to Mo our local volunteer who has put up some amazing photo's of South Stack in the snow! If you havn't seen already just look at our South Stack page.
From all the team here at South Stack – goodbye for now and see you soon!