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Winter Bird Visitors
It is hard to believe that during the long, cold winter months when little is growing and the coast of Pembrokeshire is battered by winter storms, that some creatures actually choose to visit Pembrokeshire. Yet, Pembrokeshire is a popular winter get-away for many species of bird.
Why do these creatures choose to spend the winter with us? The simple answer is that Pembrokeshire is warmer than the places they have left behind. Our maritime climate offers milder weather, and enough food. Had the birds stayed in their summer haunts they may have frozen to death or starved.
Many of the birds that arrive in Pembrokeshire each autumn are species which prefer coastal habitats, or places with open water and damp heathland. They include waders such as the golden plover and lapwing, or wildfowl such as the goldeneye. Escaping from the harsh Russian winter are thrushes such as the fieldfare and redwing.
