Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - December 1983
Ian Morgan

“It is the most common of the falcon tribe about the sandy flats of the coast of Carmarthenshire”.

So wrote George Montague (of Montagues Harrier fame) in 1802. There must have been much suitable habitat for the Mash Harrier – undrained marshland and reedswamp in the Bynea – Llwynhendy – Machynys area, the Pembrey area with the large “Swan Pool” and Lower Gwendraeth marshes still a vast wilderness. What else was here? – we can only guess, but no doubt many more nesting duck, probably Bitterns, Merlins, nesting on nearby Tywyn Burrows, Corncrakes galore, Red-backed shrikes in the thickets and Red Kites overhead. One of the last nesting sites for the Kite in South Carmarthenshire was near Iscoed Farm (near Ferryside) where they persisted until the early 1800’s. (Also note “Llwyn-y-barcud”: Kite copse, near Cydwelli).