Teifi notes

Oystercatcher migration pushing on - over 250 resting opposite St. Dogmael's Quay just past high tide this morning. The Shelduck creches have merged - now c25 juveniles together.

( Update;-  A 17:00 count from Adrian in Fishgaurd - a high count of 70-80 Oystercatcher there)

Last night over the marsh the number over 1000 Swallows in the pre-roost gathering and Starlings have increased to 50+. A single juvenile Lapwing on the marsh last night, a few more with the Oystercatchers this morning.

Reed Warblers doing well, over 120 juveniles ringed before the migrants arrive. See CES 9, Reed Warblers headline again for more.

Dave Glanville funeral arrangements

Dave's funeral will take place at Parc Gwyn Crematorium near Narberth at 1215 tomorrow (Monday). It will be a joint service for Dave's father who sadly passed away shortly before Dave. Birders are asked to wear their binoculars and also their shirts outside their trousers in true Dave style!! Dave's wife Juliet is also keen on some sort of local birding legacy for Dave, so please give generously to the collection.

Skokholm

The flow of Willow Warblers continued with a further 62 logged today (taking the total for the past five days to 285) and 49 trapped (taking the total to 201). 

Manorbier

A walk around the headland at Manorbier this morning produced 7 Chough, two/three juvenile Kestrels and a welcome juvenile Cuckoo - my first Cuckoo in Pembs for a couple of years.

South Pembs

A dark immature Marsh Harrier was hunting over cereal fields to the east of Merrion Camp this morning, and seven Mediterranean Gulls were at Angle Harbour (6 ads and one juv).  Elsewhere, there was a Clouded Yellow at St Govan's Head.

Getting Ruff'er at Marloes

2 Ruff this evening at Marloes with the flock of 7 Lapwing, also pair juv Redshank, a Dunlin and 5 Snipe, all by the Barb-Wire gate.

Skokholm

The first day of autumn where Willow Warbler numbers got in to triple figures.

Newport am

24 Dunlin, 20 Curlews, 7 Oystercatchers, 3 ea Redshanks & Common Sands, 2 Little Egrets (4 yesterday), a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, a (new, different) Blackwit & a Green Sandpiper, which, as usual, I only saw as it flew away.

Teifi - recent reports

Yesterday, 9pm on Patch  two calling Whimbrel were flying out to sea. Earlier in the morning 1 Greenshank 4 Redshank and 4 Sanderling were watched flying in from the sea.
40 Common Scoter flying west and 1 Med. Gull were seen from the mouth of the estuary.
(Rich D)

Wednesday evening 8 Black-tailed Godwits and 8 Little Egrets opposite St Dogmaels Quay.
(Chris J)

Skokholm

At least 65 Willow Warbler and more waders including two Turnstone and a Snipe. A new breeding species of dragonfly, a good Storm Petrel catch including another French ringed bird and Puffin monitoring on the blog tonight.

Skokholm

Rather autumnal today with a minimum of 34 Willow Warbler and a nice selection of waders. It was also Puffin colour ringing day. More on skokholm.blogspot.co.uk

Newport

Sightings this morning fairly typical of recent days. 5 herons, 2 Little Egrets, 6 Redshanks, 3 Common Sandpipers, 1 ea Black Tailed Godwit & calling Whimbrel, 5 Dunlin, 14 Oystercatchers, 10 Curlews (&23 on the roost). On the main beach 4 Sanderlings.
Yesterday also 2 Greenshanks, & a Kingfisher has appeared, the first I have seen since January.
The Shelduck broods are still holding up at 4 & 6.

Teifi - recent sightings

The best looking bird on the reserve this Black-tailed Godwit on the river - from Curlew Hide,
(Photo Tommy Evans)

In the last couple of evenings, six Starlings flying to roost - joining the c100 mixed Swallows and a few Sand Martins.
Green Sandpiper calling this morning, but Common Sandpiper counts only  in single figures - so far.
A Tufted Duck on Mallard Pond  - a repeat from last July, and Teal and Snipe have returned.

From St. Dogmael's Quay this morning, 1 adult Med. Gull with the 100's of Black-headed Gulls.
Not sure how big the juvenile Shelduck creche is - some of my counts are c9...some c15...!!
10 Redshank too.

The first flocks of Oystercatcher are now being seen and heard flying over high, presumably across the Preseli Hills to  direct to Carmarthen Bay.

On the sea or roosting on rocks near Cardigan Island an immature leucistic Herring / Lesser Black-backed Gull. Hopefully a photo soon.

Gann and Strumble

Sightings from Francis Daunt - 20 July The Gann 1-3pm, Med gull 1 ad, 1 imm with black-headed gulls. Also shelduck, cormorant, common sand, ca. 60 oycs

 

Both med gulls were colour-ringed. Adult was Red with white letters PNE4 and the imm was white with black letters 3EEE (N.B. PNE4 was seen and photographed by Craig Lewis at Penally on 14 July, pic above. Rich C).

22 July Strumble Head 5-8am

grasshopper warbler singing (not seen); sedge warbler singing (not seen); 2 peregrine doing fantastic display flight in front of me; sparrowhawk (perched 20 yards away till it saw me!); buzzard; kestel; 15 choughs - again, fantastic views; 30 common scoter; raven; gannet; shag; guillemot; razorbill; three large gull species; huge numbers of manxies heading north (ca. 100/min at 5am dropping to ca. 20/min by 8am); linnet, meadow pipit, whitethroat, stonechat, dunnock and wren all common.

Ruff - Marloes Mere

A Ruff among a flock of 8 young Lapwings this evening.

Very sad to hear the news about Dave Glanville, Dave was one of those people it was always nice to bump into.

Dave Glanville

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Dave Glanville passed away yesterday after a heart attack.

I knew Dave pretty well when we both lived in the Cardiff area over 20 years ago and we were part of the vibrant birding scene there. I went on a number of birding trips to Norfolk, and a memorable one to Scotland, with the Cardiff birders and with Dave along a good time was guaranteed - he was always great company as well as a sharp eyed birder!

In Pembrokeshire Dave turned up some good birds over the years including, in 2008,  the long staying Red-necked Grebe at Carew Millpond, very much his local patch. He also joined in a number of foreign trips with Pembrokeshire birders - again being great company.

I am sure all in the Pembrokeshire birding community will join me in giving sincere condolences to Dave's family - a really nice man who will be greatly missed by all that knew him.