North Pembs

 1st 'hirundine day' at Llys y Fran - c.30 Sand Martin refuelling low over the water this afternoon, on the sheltered sides. Three Goldeneye still present. (Den Vaughan)

All three common hirundines feeding over the Teifi Marshes this evening, 2+Swallows, 2+ House Martins with c 35 Sand Martins. Chiffchaffs now in double figures and a few Willow Warblers too. 

Interesting - the female Gadwall, not a regular species on the Teifi is still present. Been present since early  January she seems to associate with the Teal, still c 30 present and has avoided the drake Mallards !

Skokholm

A Hoopoe, three Black Redstart, three Willow Warbler and a few other early migrants today.

Tenby - common migrants and Hoopoe still

A few common migrants around this morning in the strong northerlies. Trefloyne Pools held a nice flock of hirundines consisting of 2 House Martin, 5 Swallow and 11 Sand Martin, and a silent Willow Warbler zipped through. 

At least one Cetti's Warbler singing in the reedbed, 5 Teal and 2 Mute Swan on the pools.

A further 2 Sand Martin flew north off Tenby South Beach, Red-throated Diver offshore and 11 Oystercatcher on the beach.

The Hoopoe was still at Kiln Park this morning too. 

Castlemartin peninsula coast this morning

 

We visited the Castlemartin peninsula this morning. Choughs were present at most expected sites with nest-building noted at three locations. Ravens were present at three breeding locations, and young were probably being fed in the nest at one site. Small numbers of razorbills were noted at usual cliff-crevice nest sites but no guillemots were ashore today. 

Raptors included a female sparrowhawk, a red kite, two merlins in separate locations and an adult female kestrel in a likely breeding territory, but there were no obvious buzzards hunting near the coast today. 

This female merlin, one of two seen today, is likely to have overwintered. Both were seen in exactly the same locations during the winter. 

We saw no evidence of sand martins at their usual colony, but wheatears were back at a few regular cliff-top breeding locations. 

At least 2 pairs of ringed plovers were present at a usual spot, 36 oystercatchers, 5 curlews and 8 grey plovers were roosting in another area. 

This pair of ringed plovers, facing into the wind during a blizzard of fine sand particles, includes a ringed bird (right leg). It is probably one that has been resident here for at least 2-3 summers.

Small flocks of chaffinches were moving along the coast, and several probably recently returned linnets were visiting patches of gorse.  Meadow pipits were also probably moving through the area this morning, including a flock of about 50 feeding in cliff-top grassland. 

  

Haverfordwest

This afternoon, two House Martin and a Sand Martin along the river below the Bristol Trader. Also two pairs of Teal, and a Grey Wagtail. 

At Higgons Well, two pairs of Shelduck, 54 Teal, a Curlew, a nice flock of 36 Redshank with a single Dunlin, a Greenshank and two Redwing. 

House Martin record shot!

House Martins

 Two at the Deer park, around  5pm, circling in the lee of the cliffs below Renny slip.

First swallow, Tiers Cross

Still no Sand martin for me but a first swallow earlier on the drive through Tiers Cross.

Skokholm

 Two Willow Warblers amongst a small arrival today

Lydstep to Manorbier

Lydstep was quiet blown out in the strong easterly early morning. Little of note there except a steady trickle of Meadow Pipits moving east into wind (79 in about 45 mins) and 8 Chiffchaffs. 

Manorbier beach had 16 Turnstone and 11 Oystercatcher on the reef. Another 4 Chiffchaffs around the car park.

Finished up around Skrinkle. The highlight a male Black Redstart just west of the RAF range above Presipe beach. 

Oh and an immature Goshawk flew north over the road between Manorbier and Lydstep first thing.

Black Redstart 

Marloes Mere, Martin's Haven & The Gann

Following in Toby's footsteps somewhat, I had a lovely walk from Marloes Mere to Martin's Haven along the road and back via the coast path, and then a quick shufty at the Gann.

Migrant wise it was fairly quiet, I totalled 5 Blackcaps and 2 Chiffchaffs and failed to find any Wheatears, also no hirundines.  I did really enjoy the several pairs of Stonechats that were showing well in suitable habitat.  Marloes Mere held a good selection of ducks including a pair of Pintail, 6 Wigeon, and 5 Tufted Duck (on the irrigation reservoir).

The Gann was relatively devoid of birds, but I did follow a female Reed Bunting along the ridge, there was a Knot on the lagoon with a few Curlew, and the Wigeon upstream of the bridge numbered 80 or so.  The 5 Shelduck on the lagoon were engaging in some fun territorial behaviour: what a joy it is to have them back after their winter holidays.

South to South-west Travels

We like to go out for my birthday and this year, I thought it might be a good idea to visit a few sites and see as much as possible in one morning. So, starting at Castlemartin Course first thing, ~150 Teal, a pair of Pintail, a flock of 34 Golden Plover over, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Snipe, an adult male and two dark Marsh Harrier, a Red Kite, a Kestrel, three Chiffchaff and three singing Cetti's Warbler. 

Black-tailed Godwit showing nicely.

The male Marsh Harrier. The two dark birds were in the sky at the same time. 

Nice to see so many Skylarks, with a few more obliging birds. 

At Angle Bay from Kilpaison, fairly quiet, with 24 Brent Goose and a flock of 54 Common Gull. I searched fairly thoroughly for the Slavonian Grebes but was unsuccessful. 

All bar one of the Brent Geese were light-bellied. 

We then came around to the Gann, which held five Sheduck, a fairly large flock of 58 Wigeon upstream, three Greenshank, a Mediterranian Gull, thirty Common Gull, a Great Crested Grebe offshore, two Shag on the pool roosting with Cormorants, a Grey Heron, a Red Kite, and three Buzzard together.

Next stop Marloes Mere, where a male Blackcap was in the willows down the path to the (closed) Oriole Hide. Also ten Shovler, five Gadwall, 14 Wigeon. male and female Tufted Duck, a calling Water Rail, three Little Grebe and four Chiffchaff. 

Tufted Ducks.

Finally, we stopped in Martin's Haven, where offshore toward Skomer there were hundreds of auks, including Puffins, Razorbills, and Guillemots. Also seven Fulmar, eight Gannet, and a pair of Chough. Best of all, it was lovely to spend some time with three Wheatear, two males and a female, below Wooltack Point. 

This singing male Wheatear showed very nicely.

The female Wheatear.

One of the male Wheatears had a notably orange-ish breast. 

Manorbier

A couple of White Wagtails in ploughed fields around Manorbier this morning and a Firecrest in the valley behind the beach. 

Hoopoe still at Kiln Park, Tenby this evening but elusive. 

Skokholm

 The first Ring Ouzel of the year, two Black Redstart, a trickle of other migrants and a record Puffin count - details on the Skokholm Blog. 

Various sightings including Tenby's wintering Hoopoe

A quick catch up of sightings around various places on the south coast from a week or so if settling back in Pembrokeshire. 

Starting on 12th March, with a flurry of Chiffchaffs singing at the back of Tenby Marsh. Including a probable Siberian Chiffchaff (although that one didn't call or sing!)

Pembroke River from Pennar on the 16th produced 11 Greenshank and a Great Northern Diver offshore. Later at Angle, 2 Slavonian Grebes out in the bay. 

Amroth on the morning of the 17th: 7 Red-breasted Mergansers and 37 Red-throated Divers amongst still decent numbers of Common Scoters.

On 18th and 19th I managed to catch up with the  Hoopoe at Kiln Park in Tenby. A worn individual which has spent the 2024/25 winter in the wider Tenby area!

Around Manorbier recently small groups of Golden Plover still lingering in coastal fields, max of 101 on the 13th. A Barn Owl recently too. Couldn't find a Wheatear out there this evening but still at least 70 Golden Plover about and a Great Northern Diver was close in off the beach.

Short video of the Hoopoe from the 19th March.

 

Deer Park

Went for a quiet potter after work at the Deer Park. 

Saw my first Wheatear (male) of the year just off Renney Slip. 

Could see large number of auks rafting and flying in to the thousands off Middleholm and North Haven Skomer.

Was nice to also see a brief glimpse of a black redstart.

There were also a number of Chiffchaff in the willows at Rath Cottage.  

Black Redstart

Wheatear at Needle Rock

 3 wheatear (2 male 1 female ) feeding by Needle Rock near Fishguard . Plenty of chiffchaffs singing. One peacock butterfly . 

Black redstart, Deer Park

 Black Redstart at Deer Park this morning. Alan Merrett

Little egret, Teifi

Images from Michael Bates

Llys-y-Fran

This evening at Llys-y-Fran, at least two Goldeneye, six Great Crested Grebe, three Chiffchaff, and a hooting Tawny Owl. The only gull was a single Lesser Black-backed, perhaps corresponding with increased Skokholm gull numbers recently.

Westfield Pill, Neyland, Friday 14/3: talking of Ravens...

Came across a Raven on a nest under the A477  bridge over Westfield Pill. According to a local they have been nesting there for at least 10 years! 

Presseli hills

 Wheatear 2 male 1 female nice to see them back on their breeding grounds 

Raven 3 pairs 

Red kite 2

Buzzard 2

The Gann - WEBs (Saturday)

First visit for a while. Pick of the WEBs were 17 Pale-bellied brent plus a single D-B brent. The female eider was out in the bay, singles of GC grebe and GN diver. A knot was tucked in among the roosting Oystercatchers. A distant swan flew in from the west, presumably a Mute but dropped down towards Philbeach before I could get a clearer view. Greenfinch wheezing away (hearing them regularly in a few spots around Haverfordwest at the moment).