Martin's Haven and Deer Park

A couple of hours checking the fields from Marloes Mere down to the Deer Park along the road. Only the usual candidates with loose flocks of linnet (up to a max flock size of 75), skylark and meadow pipits that I could see and hear, plus a few smaller groups of goldfinch. Martin's Haven was quiet. Deer Park was a bit more interesting with a few birds flushing from the bracken included a flock of 10 redwing that headed towards Skomer. 2 Dartford warblers brightened the visit. Some big flocks of chough, one on the Deer Park reached 68 and another feeding by West Hook of 36. Peregrine sweeping across the fields the only raptor apart from a couple of buzzards. At least 5 cattle egret in the usual field by the St Brides turning. 20 greylag geese flying over Tesco, Hwest first thing this morning.

 

 

Snow Buntings

From Matt Scott: Hi I was running in the Preseli Hills this morning and as I reached the summit of Foel Feddau I came across 2 Snow Bunting. I only had my phone with me for photos. Wish I had more time to pop back with my camera. 

 

Redwings

From John Whitehurst: A group of 50 plus Redwing feeding up on Hawthorns in Manorbier Newton 8am this morning. They moved on south within 10 minutes or so. 

Stackpole

 A Goshawk seen at Stackpole today (Matt Nicholas)

Cattle Egrets

From Alan Seago: 5 Cattle Egrets at Mullock this afternoon in amongst the cattle in the field at the Saint Bride's junction. Eventually flew off towards The Gann. 

Strumble Head

 Sabines gull 1 ad

Artic skua  2 

Red throated diver 1

Gannet 100s

Auk 100s

Curlew 10

Turnstone 9

Oystercatcher I

Chough 3

The Gann

Did my best to keep out of the blustery wind at the Gann earlier. RH goosander briefly with a dozen wigeon on the pools. 7 little grebe. 52 redshank, 7 greenshank, 5 turnstone and 2 barwits. Single lapwing flying up the marsh. 2 sightings of kingfisher. 5 snipe. 10 chaffinch and a single goldfinch. Flock of 6 bullfinch looked like they were eating blackthorn buds. Chiffchaff singing. The cattle egrets were above Mullock farm at the St Brides junction but had gone as I passed later.

Newport estuary

Only things if note this morning were a flock of 50 curlew in a high tide roost, one of which was colour ringed:  Left - green above yellow 83; right - orange (all above tarsus).

And two med gulls: juvenile, and an adult with a white darvic on left - ?LX9; wind, mud, other  birds, and the bird insisting on sitting down  as soon as it stood still, ment I couldn't get the first digit for sure - most likely 0, O, 3 or B.

Sooty Shearwater - Skrinkle Haven

A Sooty Shearwater west past Skrinkle Haven was the highlight of a couple hours seawatching in the rain this morning! Otherwise a single Manx Shearwater, 185 Kittiwakes west.

Posting guidelines for photos

We have just updated the Posting Guidelines with regard to posting photographs. See here. In order to retain the principle purpose of the blog, which is to report rare or unusual sightings, we feel it is necessary to ask you to not to include pictures of common birds, unless they are behaving in an unusual way or are in an unusual location, or have rings. So a general advisory maximum of 5 pictures per blog post has been introduced but of course many posts will need far fewer or indeed, none.

Wagtail roost

Chris Grayell:  In recent evenings at last light, I've noticed dozens of Wagtails on and around the roofs of the former Thomas Picton school and sports complex.  It doesn't seem to be every evening though, but if there are fewer birds at the hospital roost then this may be where they've gone.

Stackpole

I sadly did not catch up with the rarity. The highlight was having a kingfisher dive down in front of me, heard the plop and only got a blurry image as it left into the distance. I also had my first Goosander and Tufted duck of the autumn. Otherwise just the usual candidates! 

Angle Bay

From the Kilpaison side, 7 pale-bellied Brent Geese, 10 Pintail, 16 Bar-tailed Godwits and a Shoveler   (Paul W and Paddy J) 

Ring-necked Duck - Bosherston Ponds

Nice to catch up with the Ring-necked Duck at Bosherston Ponds this afternoon, in the eastern arm below Stackpole court. 

At Manorbier this morning, some movement over the sea included, 4 Great Northern Divers, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 7 Common Scoter and 174 Kittiwake. At lunchtime a minimum of 123 Skylark in the fields above Manorbier but couldn't find the lapland bunting today.

Goodwick

From  Mike B: Attached couple of photos taken at Goodwick Beach today. One on the Beach and the other the Egret by the flag poles at approx 16:50 today 21st Oct 2026.

Newport Estuary

 A count of 22 Curlew when I first arrived but most had moved on an hour later. 2 Grey Plover, 2 Bar Tailed Godwit, 3 Little Egret, Dunlin, 150+ Canada Geese, 1 Lapwing (fleeting view) and a King Fisher at iron bridge. 

 

 

Redshank L8

Thank you for the record Caroline, Redshank L8 was first ringed at the Gann 25th November 2025.

Stackpole Ring-necked Duck Yesterday

A visit to a very quiet Stackpole yesterday did not offer much hope of interesting wildlife. The eastern arm of the lakes was very low with the Hidden Bridge now having a misleading name and almost no wildfowl apart from the Moorhens, Mallards and pairs of Little Grebe and  Teal. Fortunately a coffee stop at the boathouse and a leisurely scan turned up a lonely Ring-necked Duck directly out and lurking behind the vegetation.

Below the Eight Arch Bridge there was a single Goosander and a Kingfisher nearby. No other ducks were seen. A Firecrest was in the evergreen oaks near the folly cave. Notably, the National Trust are clearing the willows from the swamp in this area. 

A Chiffchaff was singing in the trees behind the Mencap cafe at the walled garden and three confiding Chough by the Eight Arch bridge took flight and landed on the nearby trees, something I do not think I have seen before.