Divers at Goodwick

From Chris Dighton:

Two great northern divers and a red throated diver in Goodwick harbour at lunchtime today.  

 

Fishguard Harbour

At least two GND's in Harbour saw a RTD fly out around 15.00 as well as one Snow bunting on the outer breakwater!"

Pembroke river.

 A walk along Pembs river north side, From the spit opposite Bentlass to the barrage at Pembroke, 

50 Oystercatchers, 20+ Curlew, 14 Redshank, 16 Shelduck, 7 Little Egrets, 1 Sparrowhawk, 2 Jays, Large number of Wigeon and Teal.

Gann

Nice to finally have some calm conditions, even if it is very temporary.  The Goosander remains on the lagoon, and a Great Northern Diver in the bay.  Very few gulls this afternoon, Wigeon totalled 40, a single Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Grey Plover.  3 Brent Geese on 27th.  It seems to be a Coal Tit autumn, at least 4 regularly in the garden, having not recorded any in 2019.

Firecrest and Black Redstart

 A Firecrest in the garden of Wayside in the cathedral close this afternoon with a female type

Black Redstart on the Tabernacle chapel opposite the house late afternoon.

Carew area

A black-tailed godwit, a few redshank, three little egrets, a grey heron and a kingfisher at Carew Mill, plus black headed, herring and lesser black-backed gulls.

Earlier, along Paddock Lane and the Carding Mill Trail, lots of activity - blackbirds, robins, song thrushes and redwings, a party of bullfinches, a large (14) flock of long-tailed tits, etc.... Goldcrests along the stream at the Milton end.... I'm keeping a lookout for you-know-what but none so far. A hunting male sparrowhawk shot through. 

Laugharne colour-ring (7HEF)

It was ringed as a cygnet (one of 5) on Llandrindod Wells  Lake on the 20th September 2010.

A small hirundine passage in the Martletwy area during the last couple of days

We've noted a small passage of hirundines during the last couple of days in the Martletwy/Landshipping area: mostly swallows, perhaps 20-30 birds at most flying near our house and garden. At least one house martin was passing through with them yesterday (Tuesday). 

Laugharne colour-ring (7HEF)

It would appear to be one of Tony Cross's (Mid Wales Ringing Group) colour rings, further information later.

Laugharne colour-ring

I'm sure ringers out there can probably help identify the family that Alan's colour-ring came from.  But all I can say is, it must be a large bird!  I have a Gannet colour-ring in my hand (as you do), and that is only 3.3cm long.  So an educated guess would be a goose, or even a swan?  If Alan can narrow down the family, he has a fighting chance of finding the scheme here: http://www.cr-birding.org/.

Great Northern Divers

Two Great Northern Divers, both sporting winter plumage, in Whitesands Bay this lunchtime,the first divers of the season.

Colour ring

From Alan Seago:

Any ideas anybody? Found in the mud at Laugharne. 

 

House Martin

From David Collins:

While in the garden at lunchtime today, a lone house martin was flying around overhead. (St Florence)

Spotted Redshanks

From David Ord:

The spotted redshank pair, first seen on 12th, were again present at the mouth of Sprinkle Pill as the tide receded this evening. Along with them the usual mix of waders and waterfowl and a large mixed flock of gulls, dominated by LBB. Larger numbers of Black-tailed Godwit (8), Shelduck (27) and Canada Goose (300+) than seen on my earlier visits this autumn.

The Gann (of course)

 A little bit of patch gold this afternoon, with a young male Goosander on the lagoon and then on the sea.  I thought it was a 'patch tick' but Derek has reminded me I also had one here in 2008.  Still, rare - I've only ever seen 2 here, same as Semi-palmated Sandpiper and Lesser Yellowlegs!

At least 10 Mediterranean Gulls on the beach pre-roost, one with a white ring (3VTR) was read, one with a red ring was not.

In Dale earlier during a run a Black Redstart on one of the rooftops - George Mee had several earlier in the day, as well as Firecrest along the road between the Gann and Dale.

Skokholm

Cetti's Warbler, Willow Warbler and Black Redstart all still here. 

Angle bay yesterday afternoon

We made a pre-lockdown visit to Angle Bay yesterday afternoon, the tide was ebbing, so we didn't get particularly close views of anything. 52 Pale-bellied Brents were starting to feed on the eel-grass (Zostera) as the tied dropped. Further out were large flocks of wigeon (more than 1,000) plus a few Pintails amongst them but they were not easy to pick out in the constantly moving duck flocks. At least four Great Crested Grebes were feeding in the bay.

1000+ Wigeon were in the air at one time. At least one Pintail was evident in this part of the flock

A usual mixture of waders feeding on the shore included: 50+ Dunlin, 3 Knot, 2-3 Sanderlings, several Turnstones, 20+ Redshanks, 100+ Curlews (most of these still at their usual roost area), c.100 Oystercatchers and at least 9 Bar-tailed Godwits.

Over at the harbour-end there was a similar range of waders plus two Greenshanks and 36 Mute Swans (no Whoopers over there yet). Colour-ringed Curlew (24) was feeding in its usual spot. A couple of Shelducks had also returned to the area.

It will have to be local walks to Landshipping and nearby for the next couple of weeks. Perhaps a cycle ride might be possible to Minwear, to see if the Starling roost in Slebech reedbed is starting to build up.      

Skokholm

What was no doubt the Whooper Swan seen by Lisa and Dave was still here at 08.30. Other birds logged included a Short-eared Owl, a Black Redstart, a late Willow Warbler, a not quite so late Wheatear and just the one Merlin which chased a Snipe into the clouds. 

Gann, St Bride's

Been checking the woodland at St Bride's regularly this last week, best bird a Firecrest yesterday between the Pump House and the Scout House.

This morning an adult Whooper Swan on the Gann pool around 11am but was a brief stop - by the time we got back home it had vanished, and thus continued to elude the house list!  An adult Yellow-legged Gull at the mouth of the river this evening was different to the one last week. (Dave & Lisa)

Llangoffen Cetti's & Goodwick Moor from Fran Eggby.

Cetti's heard at WTSWW Llangoffen Ffen nature reserve yesterday (23/10/20) and the day before on Goodwick Moor by Fran Eggby. 

At least one pair of Cetti's (probably) bred on both the Llangoffen nature reserves, perhaps more as males heard throughout the breeding season at different locations. 

Nice to see or at least hear them as many younger birders may not realise they are are relatively recent additions to our county avifauna, see: https//pembsavifauna.co.uk/2020/03/02/cettis-warbler

Skokholm

A Whooper Swan, Cetti's Warbler, Black Redstart and lingering Willow Warbler were the highlights today. 

Velvet Scoter and Red-breasted Merganser - Broad Haven

 Three Velvet Scoters were busy feeding near to about 200 non-feeding Common Scoter just out from Haroldston Bridge late afternoon. A bit of scanning to relocate them after a dive turned up a female Red-beasted Merganser lurking in the crowd.  Phone picture shows two of the three and, typically, I did not bring my camera as I had only popped out to test my new tripod in a stiff breeze.  They and most of the Commons obligingly flew off at about 5pm to reveal their white secondaries and allow me to get home before the firebreak deadline. 

Castlemartin Corse

Good views of a marsh harrier this morning, not Richard C's tagged bird but a fine adult female. A sparrowhawk dashed along the Corse, the two Cetti's nearest the hide sang constantly during my 40 minute visit, 200m apart, and water rail squealed.

For what it's worth, cattle in the Starman's Hall area can be avoided by parking at Gupton Farm, and walking the short distance inland along the top track to where it drops down to the Corse and Hide. But this may be academic for the next 2 weeks.

Golden Plover at Dinas Mountain

From Clare Ryland:

Flock of circa 300 golden plover on Dinas mountain yesterday.  At least 3 wheatear feeding in the gorse and a solitary chough .

Hobby and Red-breasted Flycatcher - Yesterday

From David Ord:

A visit to Porthclais in a bid to break my duck for the year with YBW gave up neither ducks or YBW. As a nice consolation though a Hobby made a leisurely circuit of the harbour before heading west.

Many thanks to John for sharing his sighting of the RB Flycatcher. Prior to visiting Porthclais, I joined a group near the copse for what would be for me a prospective lifer. It proved elusive there but eventually showed up in the bushes near the farm, occasionally giving us pretty good, close views.