A nice day out around the Dale peninsula with Paul Grennard, Toby Phelps & Gary Harper. Try as we might we could not find a Yellow-browed Warbler despite looking in every sycamore from Dale southwards more or less! Highlights included a Spotted Flycatcher at St. Bride's and 2 Whinchat on Dale Airfield. We also recorded Siskin, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, a small passage of Swallows late morning, 3 Med Gulls (at the Gann) and 3 Wheatear (2 on Dale Airfield, 1 at St. Ann's Head).
Potential bird of the day was a Pluvialis plover at Dale Airfield. Initially heard calling, twice, it had not been seen until we heard it calling for a third time and Gary picked it up in flight, quickly getting away from us. It was not a Golden Plover. It was not a Grey Plover. It wasn't a Dotterel! The combination of call (clew-ee or similar), slim shape and long-winged look all point to American Golden Plover but we could not get the definitive underwing, and it was never seen on the ground where it would have been much easier. We searched for another hour after the sighting but no sign at all, or nearby at the Gann. Frustrating. The only Pembrokeshire record therefore remains one on Skokholm on 26th September 1981, then a first for Wales. The wait goes on!!
