Hello and Happy New Year to you all!
I’ll begin with an update on “JNA” a drake Teal with a lime green nasal saddle. The bird sighted on the Ynys Edwin pool back in December was ringed in 2012 on the Gironde estuary near Bordeaux, France. Over 160 Teal remain on the Ynys Edwin pool however there was no sign of JNA this week. Other species at Ynys Edwin included, 4x Mute Swan, 7x Shoveler, 1x Gadwall, 1x Little Egret, 1x Kestrel and 1x Stonechat.
Triggered by the increase in day length a handful of bird species have started to train there vocal chords for the upcoming breeding season with Robin, Mistle Thrush, Wren, Great Tit and even a drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker heard emitting a few notes during the week.
Another sign that spring is around the corner are the early blooms of hazel. Hazel is monoecious meaning that both the male and female flowers are found on the same tree. Here you can see the small red female flower and the yellow male catkins.
With large high tides throughout the week the Breakwater field proved productive with 4x Shelduck (Ynys Feurig Hide, regular), 159x Teal (Ynys Feurig Hide, 10th), 1350+ Lapwing (Ynys Feurig Hide, 11th), 83x Dunlin (Ynys Feurig Hide, 9th), 7+ Redshank (Ynys Feurig Hide, 9th), 1x Peregrine Falcon (Ynys Feurig Hide, 11th), 1x Kestrel (Ynys Feurig Hide, 11th) and 1x Sparrowhawk (Breakwater Hide, 11th) of note.
A male Bullfinch has been showing incredibly well in front of the Domen Las Hide (Many Thanks to Keith Roberts for the photo).
Other interesting sightings included, 1x Pink-footed Goose (saltmarsh, regular), 12+ Greylag Geese (saltmarsh, regular), 11x Goldeneye (4 male 7 female, Domen Las Hide, 10th), 2x Goosander (Domen Las Hide, 10th), 3x Red-Breasted Merganser (Breakwater Hide, 10th), 2x Little Grebe (Marian Mawr Hide, daily), 1x Red Kite (saltmarsh, daily), 1x Hen Harrier (female, Covert Du Hide, 9th), 1x Common Sandpiper (Domen Las Hide, daily), 1x Spotted Redshank (Breakwater Hide, 9th), 6x Black-tailed Godwit (Domen Las Hide, 11th), 4x Bar-tailed Godwit (saltmarsh, 11th), 10+ Long-tailed Tit (Domen Las Hide, 10th) and 1x Brambling (Visitor Centre feeders, 7th).
Up to six Black-tailed Godwit have been feeding on the estuary viewable from the Domen Las Hide (Many Thanks to John Davis for the photo).
Cheers,
Adam