Breeding common sandpiper?

 Kayaking along the bottom of the woods at Goultrop Roads, little haven, I saw a pair of common sandpiper. The time is right for breeding as is the habitat (if a bit atypical)! The pair were behaving just like I've seen them when around nests in the lake district. Unconfirmed but interesting.

Preselis by horse

 On a ride up into the hills from Llandilo on a perfect day we recorded nesting House Martins at Ty Mawr (so close to home but they are only occasional flyovers at home). 2 adult Great Spotted Woodpeckers, singing Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Grasshopper Warbler, Stonechat and Skylark, juvenile Mistle and Song Thrushes and Pied Wagtails and song flighting Meadow Pipits all along the edge of Coed Glyn Aeron. Also here was a singing Greenfinch which was a treat. Then across to Pantmaenog where several flyover Lesser Redpolls and Siskins were heard and juv Coal Tits in the trees. No Redstarts along the quarry track (used to be a cert in bird race days), Moorhen heard on the pond in Rosebush caravan park, 4 Swifts in Maenclochog village then back to our stable where our Great Tits have just fledged. 

Hobby - Dowrog

 At lunchtime today a Hobby was, briefly, hawking insects around the pools on the Dowrog. Also, a Cuckoo was being chased off the Dowrog by a Meadow Pipit.

Great Egret - Eastern Cleddau

 On Saturday, a Great Egret in its summer finery by the Eastern Cleddau at Slebech. This area also seems to be acting as a creche for Canada Geese in particular and also other waterfowl.

Manxies Fishguard Bay

There was cacophonous calling from Manx shearwaters, below and to both sides of my tent at Crincoed Point last night, from 00:30-02:15.  There must have been a substantial raft of birds down there.  Some very close fly-bys too.  They arrived in the dark and had left by dawn.  Magic!

Quail

Quail calling in fields near Talbenny on 20th at 5pm.

Chris and Karen Hatch 

Blackbird

From Steve: So glad that this juvenile Blackbird in Thomas Chapel had the white ring around the back of its neck otherwise I would have been thinking juvenile Ring Ouzel. I forgot to send it on the 9th sorry for the delay.

A great day in Pembrokeshire

From Samuel Levy: A great day in Pembrokeshire today. We had a few random things and some more expected. 

• Lots of Swifts on the move heading North along the coast from the Marloes peninsula potentially in the region or 100 to 200 N during the middle of the day so likely many more passed. 
• We had a Lesser Redpoll briefly at Martin's Haven sat on the walk of the gangway to get on the skomer boats. 
• 2 Yellow Wagtail were in the field next to Marloes Mere car park.
• Finally the Gann had lots of life today with 75+ Curlew, 40+ Oystercatcher, 3 Redshank, 4 Sanderling and a minimum of 1 Common Ringed Plover but likely more.

Hobby, Martin’s Haven

A Hobby came over the Deer Park from the direction of Skomer this afternoon at about 1630. It was jinking around, but not obviously chasing any of the Swifts and Swallows also present, so maybe after insects?

Last night, in the mist and fog (!), hundreds of Manx Shearwaters over the valley. Most were remarkably quiet, but we could hear their wingbeats as the swooped low around the cottage.

Pembrokeshire Bird Group Event- Storm Petrel Ringing

 

Strumble - Storm Petrels

Last night we were at Strumble Head ringing and monitoring Storm Petrel movements.   The Pembs Bird Group and intern students from Sea Trust joined us for a couple of hours as we processed and released the birds.

A successful night involved a  Storm Petrel ringed on Bardsey last July and  birds we had ringed at Strumble in 2024 and 2025 amongst the 23 birds handled.

Many thanks to Mike Hayes for arranging the guests.

Click here for ...   A summary of our  movement studies in 2025..

Teifi Ringing Group

Spotted Flycatcher

I am delighted to say that we have a Spotted Flycatcher nesting in our garden here at Orlandon Kilns. This has happened once before, in 2006, when they used a nestbox. After that, there were rather few sightings until 2021 when we started seeing them again regularly in late summer, often juveniles or family parties, giving the impression that they had nested nearby. The current pair are in a climbing rose. Here are some pictures taken through the study window. 

Rosemary Royle 

Starlings

From David Butler:

In Johnston the first starling fledgling was noted on the 19th May, appear to have new arrivals most days since,  approx 30 birds in my small garden today.

At Hakin Point a GBB gull W339 was on the beach, ringed on Skokholm on the 17th June 2020, this was the 3rd sighting since. Thanks to the warden for the info.  

Teifi Marshes

 An Osprey over the Marshes this afternoon, seen earlier in the day by others too.