After a fruitless search for the Yellowlegs yesterday afternoon, we met a local resident birder, who told us he was pretty sure he’d just seen it, but only had binoculars. He was walking home to the village. We met him quite a bit later, as he’d driven round to give us the belated news. When he’d returned to his house he’d got a phone call from his friend telling him to come to Edward’s Pill, Black Tar Llangwm, where the bird was showing. (Purple arrow on map.) When he got there he was able to get good views of it on the pill, (viewing point green cross on map) before some people let their dogs run across the marsh and flush it, back somewhere on Llangwm Pill. Meanwhile we’d walked along the shore on the other side and I’d managed to scope it very briefly twice around the mouth of Edward’s Pill (at distance). ( From red cross location on map.) Both times it ran out of view quickly behind the high mud banks. The third time I scoped it, was when the dogs flushed it and it flew west up Llangwm Pill and dropped, obscured by a mud bank. Returning to the car 20 minutes later we met the very happy local birder, who’d driven round to tell us the news.
This was all at low tide. Lots of exposed mud but lots of channels and high mud banks which can easily hide the Yellowlegs. So it’s not easy to work the area when looking for it. And we were about to give up.
Plenty of Redshank and 4 Greenshank to check through. But the Yellowlegs is more delicate, with a long rear end, fossicks about very busily and seems to prefer its own company. Oh! And those long yellow legs! Perseverance today may lead to reward. Don’t be afraid to put in the work and bring a scope. The coastal path along the shore extends from the village to the
estuary. Edward’s Pill is accessed through Llangwm itself on the north side. At Black Tar there is a small carpark for about 5 cars. You’ll see the bench on the way down. In Guildford on the south side, it’s probably best not to park in the village, but continue East until you reach a small layby with a couple of parking spaces, then walk to the estuary, turn left and walk back up the pill towards the village. You have now all the information we can supply… (Check the map for reference.) Very best of luck!
Pam B & Phil B