Record-breaking numbers of sea ducks flock to Carmarthen Bay

May 2010: Common Scoter sea ducks came in their droves to Carmarthen Bay this winter - smashing previously recorded numbers. There are usually around 20,000 birds in the Bay - but this winter it was an astonishing 43,000.

The numbers were revealed by the Countryside Council for Wales, and were recorded as part of its programme of work to monitor wildlife in marine areas of European importance for wildlife.

RECORD-BREAKING: More than double the usual number of Common Scoter came to Carmarthen Bay  this winter

Dr Bill Sanderson, CCW Marine Monitoring Ecologist said: ‘It has been a remarkable year for Common Scoter in Carmarthen Bay. The cold winter probably contributed greatly to the size of this year's flock, with birds from Scandinavia being displaced and settling in our relatively warmer waters.

‘Images of Common Scoter, covered in oil, were some of the most poignant in the wake of the Sea Empress oil disaster in the winter of 1996. We have established that the population has recovered well since then but, in the past couple of years, there have been some unusually low counts too. So, this year's high numbers give us confidence that there is enough food for the birds in the bay and that the sensitive management of the site is working.

‘Overall, this winter's results show the importance of our sustained monitoring work in understanding the condition and sensitive management of Carmarthen Bay.'

WWT Consulting's surveyors, on behalf of CCW, counted the birds from cliff tops and other good vantage points around the bay. James Darke, of WWT Consulting, noted that most of the ducks were recorded in a 8km long dense, continuous band extending from close to Pendine sands near the Three Rivers estuary around to west of Dolwen Point.