Gann Gulls

It really is worthwhile looking for colour-ringed birds....

The yellow-ringed Mediterranean Gull at the Gann on 17th Jan (see HERE) has an interesting history, although this was its first visit to Pembrokeshire:

The Black-headed Gull, noted on the same day, hadn't travelled quite so far...

Black guillemot

Telescope view from the Parrog  in flat calm conditions as one flew across Harbour and landed between Range boat and ferry terminal

Firecrest update

As there's still a trickle of firecrest watchers, worth updating that one was feeding just now about 100 yards along Paddock Lane, the footpath from Carew Cheriton to Milton that starts beside the pink house - in the brambles where path and stream diverge. But very mobile in their feeding territory.

Stack Rocks

From Chris Taylor - Stack rocks as full as any day I have seen it in the breeding season. Guillemot social.

Avocet

A single Avocet seen  near landshipping alnog with 25 black tailed godwit.

Wiseman's Bridge

Very bright light made viewing difficult at times this morning but there was plenty of activity offshore. 4 Great Crested Grebe, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser (6 yesterday including 3 males displaying), 2 Shag and a Guillemot were fairly close in. Further out 7 Red-throated Diver. As always most scoter groups were distant, but 100+ Common Scoter were visible and many more in the haze well out in the bay. A group of Velvet Scoter was nice surprise in a just about 'scopable group of scoter. A bit too distant for an accurate count I got to 8 when two more flocks of Velvet Scoters (totalling 22) flew over the group I was watching and circled the bay several times, they eventually flew out further to the east and were lost in the haze. So at least 30 were out in the bay this morning and there could've easily been more in the group I was originally watching!
2 Turnstone and 12 Oystercatcher were on the beach.

Angle bay.

At Kilpaison lunch time, 170 Dunlin, 8 Turnstone, 6 Redshank, 1 Bar-Tailed Godwit, 24 Brent geese (pale).

North Pembs

Common Crossbills in Glynaeron today...

Seven Crossbills feeding and drinking, with maybe c12 flying around earlier.
A visit to Fishguard Harbour produced a Great Northern Diver and a Great-Crested Grebe.
(Tommy Evans)

A juvenile white-winged Gull flew around the mouth of the Teifi then settled on Cardigan Island out of sight - 3pm.

Broad Haven

Plenty of divers visible in the calm bright conditions this afternoon. From Broad Haven, there were 30 divers (22 Red-throated, 8 Great Northern). Only 130 Scoter with birds flying up the coast, only 10 on my return. 6 Guillemot. Haroldston Chins 35 divers (3GN, the others RT, no doubt some double counted from those viewed from Broad Haven). The 2 Long-tailed duck were here among a flock of 40 scoter very close in right beneath the cliff face.

Angle Harbour

After drawing a complete blank at the Corse I found a sparkling scene at Angle Harbour. Richard C's 40 knot present, but only 1 black-tailed godwit. 35 Brent close in, the 5 or so pintail further out. Dunlin, ringed plover, oystercatcher, shelduck, little egret....lovely.

Llys-y-fran

A bit of a slow-burner tonight. The roost was very slow to build and there was a feeling many gulls were yet to appear after the failing light had sent us on our way. Pick of those there were, 7 Med gulls, 3 Yellow-legged gulls (2 adults and a 3rd winter), 25+ Common gull, 3 GBB. 5 Goldeneye (4m). Tawny owl calling as we left. With Paul G and Paul M.

Gann (& that Great Black-backed Gull)

Late afternoon at a very nippy Gann, a good gathering of mainly small gulls on the beach before heading off to roost.  Picked out 2 colour-ringed gulls:

Mediterranean Gull - adult with yellow ring on right leg, black letters AT.HT - appears to be from Germany (or possibly Sweden).

Black-headed Gull - adult with black ring on left leg, white number & letters 2AVL - appears to be from the West Midlands.

At least 20 Mediterranean Gulls in the gathering, probably more.

More information on the North Wales Great Black-backed Gull B:147, it was seen in Castle Bay on Skomer on 5th September, 15 days before it was recorded nearby on Dale Airfield.  A second bird from the same colony, B:160, which was seen at the Gann on 9th October, was seen on Skomer (South Haven) 5 days later on 14th October.  Fascinating stuff!

Med Gull AT.HT in the middle.  How many gull species in the photo?

Slav grebe

A terrible very long distance (To heavily cropped) record photo of a Slave grebe at Goodwick from the flag poles yetserday (Wednesday)  (First spotted by Clive Hurford)   Sorry for the delay in reporting

A Bardsey Greater.....

Great Black-backed Gull  B:147 was seen by Mike Davey (photo above) in Pembroke Dock yesterday - the 15th.
See the notes below from a previous sighting in Pembs by Dave Astins

"Finally, a green-ringed juvenile on the (Dale) airfield on 20th September (B:147) was ringed on one of the two small islands in Aberdaron Bay (Ynysoedd Gwylanodd - Gull Islands) in June this year. Thanks to Steve Stansfield (Bardsey Island) for the information."

In reporting the sighting to Steve on Bardsey we find B:147 may also have been seen on Skomer.

Gann - 15 Jan 2020

Further to Mike's post from Angle Bay yesterday;

There were also 34 Brent Geese (pale-bellied) on the flooded salt-marsh towards Mullock yesterday morning at 10am. Water levels were so high that even the Little Egrets went to roost in their tree at Crabhall.

Slavonian Grebe

From Andy Wise, Paul Taylor, Aline Denton (Ceredigion) - Thought you'd be interested to know that we found a Slavonian grebe in Fishguard Goodwick Harbour this afternoon - record shot attached.

Angle Bay

At Kilpaison this morning, 130+ Dunlin, 35 Ringed Plover, 5 Turnstone, 4 Redshanks, 2 Sanderling, 28 Brent geese. Also Oystercatcher  5A ringed 25-6-2016 as a chick on Skokholm.

Castlemartin, Angle

Rather breezy at Castlemartin Corse this morning and the wind seemed to be keeping the Golden Plover and Lapwings on the move with some nice swirling flocks over the reedbed and fields - c750 Golden Plover and c.600 Lapwing. A Female type Marsh Harrier put in a brief appearance over the reedbed but otherwise pretty quiet - no wildfowl at all on the extensive water in front of the reeds.

At Angle Harbour around midday there was a good number of 240 Black Tailed Godwits together with 40 Knot, 28 Redshank, 60 Dunlin  and 20 Ringed Plover. Towards the Lodge there were 30+ Shelduck, 12 Wigeon, 5 Pintail and a Greenshank.

Carew Cheriton Firecrest (?s)...

At least one still in original area (along the road by the stream), very obliging earlier. Nowhere to be seen when Claire, Stuart and Audrey from Saundersfoot happened along, but hopefully they had more luck after I left them.

Black Redstart - Milford Haven

This lovely Black Redstart was flitting around between the executive flats and the shingle beach area near Foam at the end of Milford Marina this afternoon - in much the same place as one has sometimes been present in previous years.