First WEBS Count for 15 years

I began counting birds on estuaries probably 40 years ago and when I moved to Wales I thought it was probably time to retire from standing in all weathers on some bleak point.  When Terry Wells our local BTO representative mentioned he needed somebody to count from Kidwelly Quay I relented and decided to give it a go.  After all the count point is just yards from the car park and the counting area well contained.  So at 8.45am I was in place.  the weather was cloudy and windy at first but the sun did poke through before I finished at 11.15am.



From Kidwelly Quay at low tide - taken this summer



Pintail & Wigeon

The tide was as high as I could remember but began to drop really quickly.  As soon as the first mud was exposed then feeding birds were feverishly active.  As the cycle progressed more waders appeared and particularly wildfowl numbers in creased.   Redshanks and Dunlin were the most numerous but I also found single Ruff and Curlew Sandpiper.  There were 9 Greenshanks, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 57 Curlew and 280 Oystercatchers.  Wildfowl were represented by 452 Teal, 131 Wigeon, 128 Pintail and a Red-breasted Merganser. 

Juvenile Cormorant feeding close to the Quay

Seven Cormorants, 5 Little Egrets and a Little Grebe also put in an appearance and 2 Ravens flew over croaking away.  Perhaps the only surprise were 3 juvenile Swallows battling south in the strong wind.