Teifi Great Grey Shrike

The Shrike was still on the Teifi marsh late afternoon from the Kingfisher hide.
2 pairs of Goosander on the river.

Ring-billed Gull - Gann

Late afternoon an adult Ring-billed Gull initially on the beach and then on the sea with Common Gulls (around 40 in total). Quite a small/subtle bird, but the bill is really obvious and quite 'blob-tipped' because of the striking bill band. Also there 26 Brents including KLWR, around 30 Black-headed Gulls (mostly immature birds), 2 Teal, 2 Goldeneye & 3 Redshank. 3 Willow Warblers (at least) in the scrub near the car park and a brief glimpse of what sounded like a Swallow (Ellie saw it, I was too busy staring into my 'scope at the Ringer!).

Late news

Osprey, near Newport.
Present 23 & 24 March on a pool containing fish.
The bird late this year, this being the 3rd Spring the Osprey has stopped on passage, usually a few days earlier.
(Bill Hampton)

Willow Warblers -- Caldey

A small "fall" of 18 Willow Warblers this afternoon on the island mainly around the tea garden, nice to see them back. Also c.20 Gannets off north-east side, you don't see many of them back home in the Rhonnda!
(Adrian Meredith)

Jack Snipe -- Pemb. U.M.Pond

A Jack Snipe feeding on The Upper Mill Pond, yesterday.
c143 Black-tailed Godwits roosting on the pond this morning.
(John H.)

Later on the Teifi marsh...

No hirundines just before dusk but 4 Goosander on the river and at least 100 Pied Wagtails coming in to roost.

House Martins

20+ Sand Martins, 2 early House Martins and a Swallow feeding over the river at the Teifi Marshes late afternoon.
Yesterday at the Gann 32 Brent Geese.

Saturday Cetti's

A belated report - distinctive Cetti's Warbler singing near Penally - on the road side of the wet field near the big caravan site. Only one heard to date this spring - last year four or five between Penally station and Kiln Park.

Great Grey Shrike -- Teifi

The Shrike watched until 19:30-ish by the river from the Viewpoint.
Also 1 rh Goosander on the river, & a few Sand Martins, & Swallows hawking around.
Patch;-
5 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin.

North coast headlands

Strumble Head;-
Wheatear & Chough today.
Whilst erecting nest boxes around area, c100 Chiffchaffs noted in the Tregwynt area, also Chiffchaff in garden.
(Adrian)

Cemaes Head;-
3 Wheatears, a party of 4 Chough, --these non-breeders? Also usual residents including plenty of Skylarks singing.
The highlight being a record count for me at the site, of hauled out Grey Seals -- 280 today (c12% young)
20/3/09 --240.
5/4/08 --226.

Merlin -- Martin's Haven

Not one of Paddy's raptors(see post below!)

...a female on a hedge at Martin's Haven today.

(Drew)

Crossbill

A single Crossbill at Gelli today eventually left the larch trees it was feeding in and headed north. Also several small parties of sand martins drifting north. Stock doves were vocal in a few places, all at sites they seem to use every year. A good day for raptors with up to 15 buzzards in a thermal (at one point 27 in the air at once). Other raptor species seen in this area were sparrowhawk, goshawk, peregrine, kite, merlin and a passage kestrel flying high and very direct to the north west. Noticably loads more chiffchaffs today singing away.

Purple Heron --- Llan-mill

The Purple Heron arrived to roost around 7pm tonight.

Not seen in the afternoon, but Dipper on stream, & 3 Tufted on main pond.
(Tufted duck did breed 1 year, Paddy)

Llan mill to the Deer park

I must be out of synch with everything! 0730 - 0900 looking for the Purple Heron. Dipped!
Later at the Gann around high tide - nothing! Brent vanished, Goldeneye gone, no Meds, Zilch.
Looked for the Whitefronts - evaporated! My only consolation? 2 Swallows at Trehill farm & a huge amount of Auks as per Richard at Skomer.

Hoopoe --- Penally

Directions as below...
The fine bird was being watched at 14:00, (Merv J & Rich D).
May have been seen after ??
Not seen c18:00, but 5 Sandwich Terns feeding offshore.
(Paul Warren)

Tenby and Amroth

It was a relief to track down the Hoopoe this morning after walking around likely spots for a couple of miles. It was feeding happily on worms on the grassy edges of the path near the bridge over the railway from Kiln Park to the beach.
2 Swallows were also flying around the golf course.
From Amroth there were 13 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Great crested Grebe, 3 Red-throated divers and a few thousand Scoter well over towards Pendine.

Great Grey Shrike .... &.. Teifi

The Great Grey Shrike seen at 18:55 this evening, before going to roost in the scrub behind Kingfisher hide.
No Bitterns -- last seen Mon 22 March..........unless anyone has more news?
Also this evening a vocal flock of c40 Sand Martins, & 1 Swallow at 18:15; grew to c100 Sand Martins by 18:45. When a small group c6 Chiffs appeared along the footpath. A couple of White Wagtails too.

Skomer

A Little Grebe on Skomer today,
(Jerry)

Marloes Area

At the Deer  Park this morning 6 Wheatears but otherwise quiet. Thousands of Auks milling around in the air and rafting on the sea between Middle Holm and Skomer with a few Puffins quite close in Jack Sound.
The 16 White Fronts as already noted near Trehill Farm and at the Mere hide 2 Chiffchaffs with 3 Wheatears in a nearby field.
At The Gann early afternoon, 30 Brents, 35 Curlew, 6 Redshank, 48 Oystercatcher, 3 Goldeneye, 1 Little Egret.

Spring, maybe!

The chiff-chaffs were singing in force in Cym Cych this morning. Also seen; dipper, mallard pair & herons.
re.little owl (possible) near Walton East, but I have to visit to confirm.

Hoopoe -- Penally / Tenby

At SS124997.

Wendy has just re-located the Tenby Hoopoe.
Sounds best to park at Penally Station, & walk towards Tenby along the alternative coast path, between the railway line & Tenby Golf Course.

Greenland White-fronts

Marloes Mere;-
16 Greenland White-fronted Geese still, also 3 Wigeon, fem. Pochard & Chiffchaff.
Later, 1 Snow Goose & 5 Golden Plover.
(Paul G.)

Black Guillemots - Fishguard

2 Black Guillemots in the harbour this am, (08:55), view from Middle B/water.
Swallow & Chiffchaff, on Pen Anglas also Skylarks, Meadow Pipit's & Linnets.
(Karen)

Caldey Island - Brent

From Adrian Meredith on Caldey - Single Brent Goose almost on beach around 6.30am this morning, also 3

R.T.Divers off North of island.Pembrokeshire is great for birding, maybe the Hoopoe would like to call over!

Also negative news from Rich D who looked for but did not find the Tenby Hoopoe this morning..............

(perhaps it's gone to Caldey!)

Hoopoe --Tenby

Hoopoe seen this evening,(17:00) nr. The Old Fountain Cafe, (being demolished), South Beach.
Then flying towards the dunes.
Actual location was where the wide path leads directly onto the beach from the car park at the end of Battery Road.

I also saw one last spring near the Penally railway crossing by the army rifle range
(Allan Morris)

Purple Heron - Lan-Mill

From Abigail Hart - Just to let you know the bird has been back on our pond by the house tonight - he flew off just a few minutes ago.

Just in case you think more people will come tomorrow - I have had a word with Myrna who owns Venturin Farm in the village - she is happy for people to park on her yard which would be much better than leaving cars on the lanes. It's the first pull in on the RHS as you get to the village from the Crematorium side - just before the red bungalow and the bridge. Thanks, Abi

Many thanks to Abigail and all in Lan-Mill.

Cemaes head

12 Wheatear were the highlight of a walk around the head. Unusually, no Stonechats and only a few Skylark and Meadow Pipits.
A male Peregrine was being mobbed by gulls.

Little Owls -- (Atlas)

On the mainland in the county, Little Owls are very difficult to find:-
Have a look at the Bird of the Day on the BTO site....
We are not alone in this difficulty in the west of Britain.

Black-tailed Godwits;-
163 roosting on Pembroke U. M. Pond late afternoon.
(John H.)

Pen Anglas

I saw a Merlin chasing a Goldfinch which it disappeared round the headland still chasing at 13:30.

Sea Trust Pelagics

Sea Trust is running a number of Boat trips from Neyland in April, July, August and September this year. Although these trips are primarily aimed at seeing and surveying  Dolphins and other cetaceans they are also a great opportunity to see a variety of seabirds and the Pembrokeshire Coast and Islands. The first trip is on Sunday 25th April and full details of all the trips can be seen by clicking here.
Click here for photos from the Sea Trust trip in April last year.

Confusing seasons!

Yesterday evening at Cilgerran 30 Sand Martins came over in a rush at 1630. No hawking around, they flew in a very direct way straight overhead, but a lovely sight nonetheless.

Then on the way back South, 4+ summer plumage Golden Plover in a field near Crymych, where I had seen a flock of 60+ three weeks ago. They are such beautiful birds at this time of year, it's really worth searching for them before they go.

The Greenland Whitefronts at Trehill seem astonishingly settled. They can be really easy to see from the road early-ish in the morning: the last two days they have been within 30 yards of the road, and have not minded when I have got out of the car to watch them.

3-4 Yellowhammers (o/w 2 males) flew up from the road verge about a mile from Hasguard Cross on the road to Haverfordwest at around 0900.

The real highlight of this morning was a fall of Wheatears on the Trehill Farm field directly South-East of the Deer Park. I initially noticed 6 birds at around 0800, all pretty nervous, and frequently flocking together on a gorse bush. Then, looking around, I realised that the longer grass was full of birds, mainly Wheatears (at least 20, probably closer to 30), as well as some astonishingly tame Skylarks and Mipits. What a treat.

Purple Heron -- Llan-mill

The adult Purple Heron seen today on flight at 11:00, & again at c14:00.
Also Red Kite over at c11:00
The owner of the field with the horse jumps in is happy for people to watch from there and the footpath past our house gives a good view of the smaller pond - but perhaps you could remind people not to come in the lake fields, thanks.
Abi.

Migrants

Willow Warbler at Ivor's Pond, & Red Kite.
White Wagtail at Pencarnan.
Fem. Merlin at Trefeiddan.
Penberry, 4 Wigeon, 4 Teal, 2 Tufted Ducks.
(Merv J. & Paul G.)

Caldey Divers & Terns

From Adrian Meredith - At least 10 red throated divers off Caldey North side this morning also 4 Sandwich Terns fishing and one Gannet. Staying on the island and after 40 days a total of 54 bird species on or around the island

Manorbier

A quick walk around the lanes at Manorbier this morning produced one singing Chiffchaff and in a field a group of 21 Golden Plover, several of them well into summer plumage with black bellies, throats and faces.

Red Kite

One over Ratford Bridge yesterday afternoon.

Greenland White-front's

The 16 Greenland White-fronted Geese still in fields near Marloes Mere today, 6 Golden Plover too. Nearby on The Deer Park, 3 Wheatear.
(Paul M. & Paul G.)

Swallows

3 Swallows at Lampeter Velfrey this afternoon were the first of year for me - I can now pretend it's summer.

Purple Heron -- Llan-mill

An update from Abigail Hart at 6 p.m. - I thought you may also be interested to know that after not seeing him all day, the heron has just flown back to the smaller pond by the house -the  2nd time he's come here in twilight.

Abigail also advises - The owner of the field with the horse jumps in is happy for people to watch from there and the footpath past our house gives a good view of the smaller pond - but perhaps  you could remind people not to come in the lake fields, thanks.

St David's hoopoe

A picture of the St David's hoopoe taken on Monday by Alastair Wilson.

Martin's Haven and about the county

Abigail Hart was an extremely kind host, but I dipped on the Purple Heron early afternoon. Serves me right.

It still feels like winter in Martin's Haven: a few Daffs are out, but no Wheatears or Chiffchaffs this morning. However, there was a very steady trickle of Mipits and Reed Buntings coming from the West, flying over the Deer Park, and sometimes stopping off in the valley for a quick break. Easily a couple every minute between 0830 and 1000, so the totals soon build up.
I flushed a Snipe in the valley: not quite one of Paddy's Woodcock, but still an interesting indicator of how late Spring is. And the Greenland White-fronts flew over from Skomer to land in the Trehill Farm fields.
On the Deer Park itself there were at least 2 pairs of Stonechats displaying, and up to a dozen Linnets singing, but not appearing to hold territory yet.

The Gann: 4 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 3 female Goldeneye

Sandy Haven: a male Sparrowhawk, Little Egret, Greenshank

Goultrop: 1 Red-throated Diver coming into summer plumage, c.30 Common Scoter

Wheatear

My first of the year, at the Murco oil refinery.

Newport Tues am

2 Med Gulls - a 2cy & an adult with a green ring.

Teifi Ruff

In the rain, seen from the railings, there was a Ruff on the central sandbank looking towards the Webley hotel. It was with 3 Ringed Plover.
There were still about 50 Wigeon but otherwise quiet.

Purple Heron Update

Phone call to Richard Dobbins at 16:24 this afternoon from Abigail Hart, the original finder of the bird, who advises that the Heron is back on the pond where it was first seen.

Purple Heron - Llan-mill

Arrived Llan-mill circa. 11.00 hrs; no sign of Purple Heron. Walked past the mill as far as the road then left under the railway. Purple Heron flushed from small rushy field on left and flew back towards the mill-pond. Thereafter, seen several times in flight in the vicinity of the two ponds; unfortunately it was flushed by a photographer near the larger pond and not found again. Last seen 12 noon.

Mediterranean Gull - Red 6P1

News of the life history of Med Gull with Red ring 6P1 seen by Dave Astins on 21 February at The Gann

- Ringed as a 3rd Calendar Year bird at RUDA ZMIGRODZKA (RUDY POND), WROCLAW, POLAND when paired with a Black Headed Gull but incubated without success.

- Seen at Dale on 21 January 2007 by.............................Dave Astins

- 6 May 2007 SAINT-QUENTIN-EN, TOURMONT, SOMME, FRANCE

- March to July 2008 Belgium

- 21 February 2010 The Gann, Pembrokeshire.

Great to see the results of ringing and how birds move around. If you do see any colour ringed birds in Pembrokeshire please use the email link on the right to send the information into us.

Llan-mill

Saw the purple heron at 8-30am this morning with three twitchers from Cardiff. It was in the first pond from the track and was flushed by one of the swans. We had a good view as it flew around the pond before it landed behind some rushes. As I left it flew off to the second pond by the mill.

Purple Heron -- Llan-mill

Adult still showing well, but on pond further up by mill now, along same footpath at 17:00
(Frustratingly, but not surprisingly for a Heron, partially obscured by vegetation! - Rich C)

Purple Heron -- Llan-mill

Still present in area at 17:00 this evening, seen in flight around rushy field nr. small pond by mill.
(Paddy)

Pen Anglas

I saw a winter plumage Black-throated Diver on the water off the point at 15:30 and there was a Merlin perched on a fence post before flying off at 18:00.

Teifi Marshes

This afternoon 40+ Sand Martins and at least 3 Swallows.
(Steve B.)
Jack Snipe, 1 on the marshes tonight.
(Wendy J & Rich D.)

A red-letter day

The day started sedately with a super breakfast in the St. David's Hotel, Cardiff, following a Sunday night concert. Bird-wise I thought it had started and ended with the adult Bonaparte's Gull in Cardiff Bay (viewable from the hotel room balcony had I taken my 'scope up there!) and my first Sand Martin of the year. A text message just past Carmarthen on the way home soon had me taking a detour at Whitland for the Purple Heron at Llanmill - what a bird (and a lovely pic Rich C).

Late afternoon Marloes Mere produced the 16 White-fronts at Trehill and the wing-tagged female Hen Harrier, my first Wheatear of the spring at Martin's Haven and several flocks of migrant Meadow Pipits, and the day finished at the Gann where the Brents were up to 34 (including KLWR) and 3 Med Gulls (all first-years) included a green-ringed bird that, yet again, I could not read!! Migrants included a Sandwich Tern & a Sand Martin, with another 3 at Winterton Farm. Magic.

Farewell to Woodcock

since early November several areas of pasture have been visited regularly at night to count (and sometimes ring) woodcock, mainly in the Narberth area. By late November numbers had reached a level which remained remarkably consistant throughout the winter but recently the counts have almost halved as the birds have presumably set off towards their breeding grounds to the north and east. The density of birds has been approx 25 per km square or 100 per tetrad in improved dairy pasture, but slightly less in sheep pasture. It's early days to produce a county wintering population but it will be almost certainly in excess of 10,000, and perhaps the county's most numerous wader in winter, though cold weather movements of Golden Plover and Lapwing may well take that title.



During the cold snap in January no ringing took place but in the week after, approx 30 birds were caught and weighed - showing an average increase of 6% compared to a sample of 30 weighed in December, so they are clearly very capable of coping with reasonably long spells of hard weather. So far only four birds have been recovered (all shot locally) but with over 200 ringed during the last two winters we can expect news of one or two from their hitherto unknown breeding grounds before too long.



With the surge of summer migrants about to turn up its easy to forget about the last dates for winter migrants but if anyone sees a woodcock over the next few weeks it would be great to hear about it.
Cheers, Paddy

Hoopoe

This afternoon the hoopoe was seen between the two minor roads north of St David's at approx SM748262. Visible from either minor road depending on where it could find shelter in the strong breeze & on the sunny side of the banks
Also in the same area, 2+ swallows seen hawking over a small pool.
2 swallows seen in Felindre Farchog.
3 wheatear seen at Strumble Head

Migrants

Sandwich Tern -- Newgale.
2 Sand Martins -- Trefeiddan,
3 Swallows, 10 Sand Martins, & a fem. Merlin -- Ivor's Pond.
(Paul G.)

Purple Heron -- Llan-mill Narberth

An adult Purple Heron was found this am on a pond viewable from the footpath that runs along a track opp. the telephone box in Llan-mill. Park sensibly in this tiny village & walk c200m to view the pond. SN139145
The bird was seen in flight around the pond, & on the ground up to 13:30 at least.

Grey Partridge -- Trefasser

2 Grey Partridge seen on Friday on farmland nr. Trefasser, Pen Caer peninsular, by Rob Johns.
He was as surprised to see them as I to here about them!
Any ideas where from?
Also Blackcap in Fishguard.

Wheatears to Jack Snipe... &....

Wheatears;-
2 Inland nr. Rosebush today.
(Rich C.)

Teifi Marshes;-
Jack Snipe & Woodcock still tonight.

Skomer;-
30 Puffins ashore this evening.
1st Linnet of season today, also increasing nos. of manxies.
(Chris - Skomer)

Pembroke U.M.Pond;-
60 Black-tailed Godwits still, 35 Sand Martins, 2 Swallows yesterday.
(John H.)

Plumstone -- roost

2 Ring-tail & 1 male Hen Harrier going to roost this evening.
(Paul G.)

Strumble / Goodwick Moor 21st March

Strumble very quiet this morning , a Great Northern Diver passed being the only thing of note.

Goodwick Moor later on a sgl Swallow & 2 Singing Cetti's ( Hooray ! ).

Pippit flocks on the move.

Yesterday near Croes Goch a flock of c' 100 meadow pippits crossed the road as I drove towards Fishguard and on Wednesday evening, a similar sized flock flew over our house near Goodwick.

Hoopoe - Thursday

Further news of the Hoopoe at St Davids reported earlier in the week for Wednesday. This time from Lou Luddington for Thursday - I just wanted to report a sighting of a Hoopoe in St Davids’ at 17:30 on Thursday 18^th March by Pen Rhiw on the back route to Whitesands beach from St Davids’. I was really amazed to see it sitting on the ground and it stopped me in my tracks. I wound down the window of the van and watched it for a bit, where upon it flew up into a tree and watched me!

Strumble (21 Mar 10)

A walk from Harbour Village to Tresinwen along the coast path produced 6 Sand Martins and a Merlin.

last dates............

Winter visitors leaving now;_
Please make a note of any last dates.
We all love to see & record Spring migrants as they arrive,......but when birds leave.....?

Has any one seen the Teifi GG Shrike since Monday?

yesterday -- records

Swallows;-
3 flying around the streets of Tenby, viewed whilst watching the rugby.
(Neil Lewis)
Black Guillemot;-
1 ad. in Fishguard Harbour, view from, Inner b/w, or Fort, or Harbour village!

Llys-y-fran Resr;-
c6 Sand Martins, 5 Goldeneye, 1 rh Goosander, & 1 Shelduck!
Up to 5/6 prs? of Gt Crested Grebes present.

Garganey - Nine Wells

A female Garganey at Nine Wells around 6pm - on the lower(main?)pond.

Strumble (20 Mar 10)

A walk out this afternoon when the weather cleared paid dividends.

We walked from Tresinwen down to Porthsychan then round to the lookout - very windy and no sign of any Wheatears! We then walked past the lighthouse and on the slope just beyond the lower car-park............20 Wheatears - lovely and warm and no wind. (They are not daft). Suspect that they came in last night / early morning in the light rain.

Marloes/Gann

16 Whitefronts still present.
1 Ringtail - no tags.
At the Gann, 31 Brent - inc KLWR, 2 Meds, 1ad, 1 first winter. 1 Sandmartin in off the sea.

Purple Sands - Tenby

2 Purple Sandpipers and 15 Turnstones on the girders under the old Lifeboat Station, Tenby this morning.

Marloes and Cilgerran

Some recent sightings from Robert Smallwood on a short visit to Pembrokeshire - 17 March, 0930: A Chiffchaff singing in the scrub on West Hook Cliffs, Marloes (odd place, but no doubting that song).

 17 March, 1230-1300, Cilgerran/Teifi Marshes: No sign of the promised Great Grey Shrike from the Kingfisher Hide, but a dozen or so Sand Martins came in and hawked over the bushes beyond the pool (which seemed rather a nice example of one season replacing another!).

 18 March, 1130 (and again 19 March, 1330): The 16 Greenland Whitefronts (last reported on Skokholm, I think) were back on the field just to the west of Trehill Farm, Marloes (with 60 or so Canadas), the neck-ringed bird among them.

 18 March, 1200-1300: A Little Gull over the Gann lagoon (from Crabhall gateway); lovely bird, adult coming out of winter plumage, superb dark underwings and wafting flight; by the time we got to the foreshore heavy rain had started and impossible accurately to count a very scattered flock of Brents, but at least 22.

Stock Dove Picton Ferry

Heard a couple of Stock Doves in woods alongside the Eastern Cleddau, near Picton Ferry this morning

At last !

Early yesterday morning (friday) 3xSand Martins at porth clais.

Black-headed Gull ---- Teifi ..!

Thought that I'd better have a night-time look for waders on the Teifi tonight, as my fellow ringers venturing to the Ceredigion coast in the last 2 evenings have been ringing Whooper Swans, & Teal whilst looking for Woodcock & Golden Plovers!

No waders on either Patch or Poppit this HT, but I did see this lone gull on Poppit Sands.
Under torchlight it was easy to see that it was ringed...a large ring though!

I knew it wasn't a BTO ring (too big). Having caught the bird (with a net), I took it to the Lifeboat Station lighting to read carefully...

ST154.759
MUSEUM ZOOLOG.
HELSINKI - FINLAND.

Aged a (6) adult, with a wing of c315mm (ruler only goes to 300ml)

The white colour-ringed BH Gulls we see are (all?) ringed in the nest at the Cotswold Water Park...but this one .....we will see...?

Castlemartin Corse

Seemed very quiet this early afternoon, but I did see 1 of the Greylag Geese in fields from Castlemartin Church.

The mystery bird and some more migrants

Thanks to those who have made contact concerning the image of scapular feathers etc (found last weekend close to a footpath at Boherston Lakes). I think the general consensus is a diver sp. A good candidate is great-northern the base colour of the feathers is quite dark and the spots are very pronounced compared with another potential candidate RTD. What ever, it is almost certainly the work of a fox who may have dragged it some distance from where it was originally - who knows? Somewhere there will be the other remains!

As for Derek's feather - I'm not sure about that one, hopefully someone does.

Chiffchaffs singing at Stackpole again today and despite the rainfall, small numbers of sand martins and a couple of swallows passed through as the weather deteriorated.

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff singing in my garden (Camrose) this morning.

Tystie Fishguard Harbour

A single Tystie in the Harbour At approx. 3.30 p.m. visible from inner breakwater looking towards Yellow crane.

Fem Scaup still at Rosebush earlier on.

Whitefronts

16, Still present at the field West of Trehill farm this afternoon.
Scapulars as I suspected, thankyou.

More coverts

I found these recently & have a good idea of what they`re from. Any thoughts?
Looking at Bob & Annies photo, I`d have a stab & go for something like a R/T/Diver.

Advice from Norman McCanch - These feathers are a set of scapulars from a Golden Plover (Added by Rich C)

HOOPOE

Just received a phone call 21-35 from Gale Lloyd of The Mill St Davids that she watched a Hoopoe for an hour on a hedgerow nr Croeswdig farm not far from the St Davids golf course yesterday afternoon.

Teifi Marsh

A wet afternoon, misted up glasses, leaking smashed up hides; but my spirits were raised by 4 sand martins & a single swallow seen over the reedbed at about 15.45.
One swallow may not make a summer, but to me that is a definate sign of spring!

Angle

At Kilpaison this morning the usual suspects - 11 Brents, 35 Barwits (a few starting to come into summer plumage), 60 Dunlin, 10 Ringed Plover, 4 Knot, 25 Oystercatchers, 100 Wigeon.

Otters Grub

The Fish is a Grey Mullet.

Dale (14 March 2010)

Sorry for the late post but been busy with work. Thought you might like to see some pics of an Otter at Dale from Sunday. Watched it on the river for over an hour at point blank range- didn't bother about me at all. Can anyone name that fish?

A mystery bird? and the mild misty weather brings in some migrants at Stackpole

The image posted here (wing coverts etc) was found near the path on the eastern arm of Bosherston Lakes - clearly predated by something. Essentially the feathers are dark (blackish-grey)with two distinct white spots on each feather. I have a hunch but what do others think it may be? Click on the image for a closer view of the feathers and the scale

Small flocks of sand martins passed through Bosherston lakes more or less all day to day from mid morning onwards - probably well in excess of 2-300 seen. A couple of chiffchaffs were singing and a firecrest too (though doubtful that it will stay!). Several wheatears about on the coast. A single blackcap was singing near the lakes - (like the firecrest and the chiffs, it could be an over-wintering resident though). Small flocks of redwings also passing through this morning.

Six goosanders are still here on the lakes. A male water rail was also calling and being answered by a female (quite a different call, quite unlike the squeal of the males if you don't know it). The resident green woodpecker also yaffling a lot today. On Monday 15th (sunny) several Commas, small tortoiseshells and peacocks were on the wing too.

More Chiffchaffs

No Chiff singing yet but again one at Mullock this morning and at least two calling in bushes around Tenby Golf Course. Possibly also heard a very short Cetti call near Penally station.

Wildlife Trust Events

The Wildlife Trust have a new events calendar on their website.
http://www.welshwildlife.org/Events_en.link
Or alternatively go to the Trust website and find the link under 'News and Events' then 'Latest Events'. Just click on the events to find out more
It’s a google calendar so the view is always today forward
Lyndon

Black Redstart, & migrants -- Skomer

New birds on the island today;-
Black Redstart, Goldcrest, 5 Chiffchaffs, Sand Martin. All appeared arrive on the island about 17:30.
(Chris -- Skomer)

Crossbills and dunlin

2 Crossbills flew over at llandilo, Maenclochog this afternoon. Yesterday evening at jackdaw roost time a flock of c50 dunlin were heading east in a tight flock over Narberth, so perhaps some of the Cleddau birds leaving the county.

Sand Martins -- Teifi Marshes

2 Birds flying around the marsh seen from 18:00..... presumably roosted.

Books

If anyone is interested in the following, collectors or travellers alike, please give me a call on 07766 911069:

A Birder's Guide to Colorado (Holt & Lane, 2nd Edition, 1988) (only one on Amazon for $114!)

A Bird-finding Guide to Ontario (Goodwin, revised Edition, 1995)

Dave

Pen Anglas

I saw a Merlin fly east over the sea at 13:30.

Black Redstart

A male Black Redstart in my garden in St Florence this afternoon.

manxies -- Skomer

First shearwater on land last night. 140 Puffins in North Haven last night, none came to land, where I was looking anyway.
Lots of Meadow Pipits & Skylarks over in the last couple of days.
(Chris -- Skomer)

Teifi -- Great Grey Shrike

Enjoying the late evening sun at 18:15 this evening, in it's usual trees, best viewed from the Visitor Centre grounds.

Strumble area Raven flock etc

Male and female Peregrine Falcon, Red kite, flock of 26 Raven, Mixed flock of 150 Razorbill & Guillemot and 3 buzzard

Black Guillemots

From Fishguard fort, 3 Black Guillemots in the harbour close to the outer breakwater and 2 distant Red-throated divers.

A pair of Dartford Warblers were seen at a coastal site in the north of the county.
(Paul G and Wendy J)

Greenland WF's -- Skokholm

It appears the 16 white-fronts have been hiding on Skokholm, flushed off at 12:30 & headed North.
(Chris -- Skomer)

Westfield Pill

A close -up of a Water Rail at W. Pill today,....as close as you get?

(Mark Woodward)

Bittern.... & ....news

Teifi;-
A Bittern flew around the reed-bed(Kingfisher Hide) at 18:43, didn't land & went for a flight above the main reed-bed until lost from view.
Rosebush Resr;-
The fem. Scaup, & 4 Goldeneye still.
Pembroke U. M. Pond;-
160 Black-tailed Godwits, inc the usual col-ringed bird.
(John H.)

Mullock Bridge and the islands

Yesterday around the islands a few hundred puffins offshore and loads of Guilli's, Kitts and Fulmars ashore. Some Razors also ashore but mainly offshore in small numbers.

At Mullock today probably two Chiffchaff calling - new arrivals or wintering birds???

Dartford Warbler

One seen in the North of the county today.

Kilpaison

Info and photo from John McIntyre - Plenty of Waders at Kilpaison this morning.  Some 200+Dunlin, 40+Godwits, a few Ringed Plover and the usual Oyster Catchers.

Great Grey Shrike -- Teifi

Present nr. kingfisher hide 07:50 this am.

Stock Doves

Yesterday there were three Stock doves between Croes Goch and Llandelloy

Teifi -- Bittern

18;43 a Bittern flew in from behind, over the path, but did not land in the reeds in front of Kingfisher hide. Instead it rose back up & went back across the path. Presumably, the same Bittern then flew in from behind, (18:49) but this time settled into the reeds almost in front of the hide.
Also 1 Woodcock over. No sign of GG Shrike.
(7 prs of bins.! for this evening's show)

Mid Pembrokeshire section of the Wildlife Trust

The next two meetings of the Mid Pembrokeshire section of TWTSWW are
Tuesday March 16th - Indoor – `` A Naturalist Looks at Sark`` A talk by Peter Brown.
The meeting will be at 7.30pm at The Patch, Furzy Park, Haverfordwest.. There is no charge for admission, members and non members are welcomed. For further details please phone either 01834 860175 or 01437 721859
Saturday March 27th - outdoor
A walk along The Cresswell River to Lawrenny and back – Meet 10.30am at Cresswell Quay. Wear waterproof footwear and bring packed lunch - Leader Robin Taylor. For further details of both events please phone 01348 840617

North Pembs

Not much to report on either of Rosebush or Llys y fran this morning - pairs of Great Crested Grebes on both and a couple of Goldeneye.

Fishguard

A Black Guillemot and a Red-throated diver were just off the outer breakwater viewed from the path out to Pen Anglas.
From the fort, another 4 Red-throated Divers, one in summer plumage.

Castlemartin

Very quiet on Castlemartin Corse this morning. All the Lapwings seem to have moved on and with little water left in the Corse wildfowl numbers were right down - Mallard 6, Wigeon 4, Pintail 2, Teal 10, Shoveller 19, Coot 5. Two Greylag Geese viewed from behind Castlemartin Church the only birds of note.
On the Castlemartin Ranges still a decent number of Golden Plover with one flock of 400 plus. At Stack Rocks hundreds of Guillemots on the lower ledges of the main Stack with much head bowing and courtship going on. Plenty of Guillemots on the sea too. A Raven was sitting tight on it's nest near to the Stacks.

Disappointment on the Teifi ?

Disappointment by the assembled at a beautiful view of only 1 flying Bittern, in from behind & overhead before dropping into the reeds at 18:45.
The Great Grey Shrike sat perched at the back of the reed-bed until 18:35 when went to roost.

40, 43, & 44 mins 30 sec.... Bitterns !!

The mins past 18:00, when Bitterns appeared at Kingfisher Hide, Teifi Marshes this evening.
5 birders witnessed Bitterns this evening, from the gap before you reach the hide, & I'm still in shock!

No. 1 -- flew along the reed-bed, below the badger trail scrub, & went down at the back of the reeds. This being the long established Bittern flight seen regularly since last Oct, & likely the Bittern that has been seen during the day in front of the hide.
No.2 -- Flew in over our heads from the direction (slightly West) of the mud hide, & went down in the reeds to the back & left.
No.3 -- Flew in over our heads but more directly from the direction of the mud hide. This bird was distinctly more bleached across the mantle than the others.

Perhaps Bitterns 2 & 3 are relative newcomers to the reserve, perhaps even passage birds?
Interestingly on 12 March last year, Wendy & I were returning to cars parked at Priory Bridge, ie the opposite end of the reserve, reed-bed, & c500+m away.... & at 18:45 had a Bittern in flight.
Is the Marshes a regular March site for passage Bitterns from their westerly wintering haunts?

(Rich D, Jill & Mike, Beth, & Steve B. who has eventually caught up with a Bittern here, cutting it fine arriving at 18:36.... & still has no idea where the mud/otter hide is!!)

Pen Anglas

2 Red Kites were circling overhead together for a bit at about 13:00.

Firecrest - Teifi marsh

Late afternoon there was a Firecrest in scrub between the main car park and the dipping pool. There were a lot more Goldcrests around too.
Cetti's warblers were singing in 3 locations around the reserve.
The Great Grey Shrike was in tree tops well to the left and nearer the river than its usual location (seen at distance from the Heron hide but not visible from Kingfisher hide).

Hen Harrier over Fishguard 11th March.

I watched a Male heading in a S/W direction from my kitchen window & back garden at about 16.40.

Gann - Wednesday 10th March

A lovely sunny afternoon at the Gann yesterday, and at last, for the first time in over 20 years of visits, I finally caught up with an Otter there! I was priviliged to watch one at ranges down to 20 feet or so, feeding on crabs in the river a short distance upstream of the wooden footbridge. It would take less than 30 seconds each time to catch and return to shore. In my opinion this was a smaller animal than the one I saw crossing the road at Mullock on 31st December. Photos digiscoped with a £100 Samsung camera with a dodgy shutter!

Also at the Gann at least 6 Med Gulls including a green-ringed bird that I could not read, 5 adults and a first-year, the latter and at least 2 of the adults being different to those seen on Monday, highlighting the turnover currently. Lots of Common Gulls around so worth keeping a sharp eye out for a Ring-billed moving north. Brents were up to 29, including KLWR, and other birds included a pair of Wigeon, 20 Teal, 10 Redshank, 1 Greenshank & 1 Little Egret.

Teifi Bittern

The Bittern flew to roost in the reeds in front of Kingfisher hide at 18.35. It again came from the direction of the Otter hide . (Viewed from the railway track)

bittern, Teifi Marsh

A bittern was seen flying across the Bass lagoon at 17.10 (not by me).
A bittern was heard booming somewhere towards the south end of the reserve at 17.25.
A bittern was then seen flying from the southern end of the reserve across the reed bed, crossing the railway track into the Bass lagoon (18.35).
It was viewed from the Badger walk, where there is a seat. Some pruning in this area would facilitate better viewing conditions across the reed bed!
Are there 2 bitterns present?

Dartford Warbler

Two brief glimpses of a Dartford Warbler at a site on the south coast of the county early this afternoon. Good to see that they have pulled through the severe winter here and in the north of the county too where one was reported on 12 February.

Photo from March last year.

Hen Harrier near Talbenny

At around 1500 this afternoon a large raptor flew at hedge-top height across the road between the Talbenny crossroads and Slatemill. I stopped the car (apologies to the driver behind me!) and got a glimpse of an unmarked adult female Hen Harrier that briefly landed in the field. The wing markings looked very clear, and there was no sign of any tags, so possibly the "other" ringtail that Rich saw at Marloes Mere.

Plumstone

Plumstone this evening-1 Ring-tail showing well below the rocks before roosting.
Also 1 Peregrine, 6 Buzzards and c75,000 Starlings.
(Paul G.)

Teifi... tonight

Bittern flew in at 18:42, circled & landed in front of hide....to left.
Great Grey Shrike appeared at 18:20 & disappeared at 18:25 --viewed from the gap, not the hide.
For the assembled birders, you only saw one or the other ....not both!
Woodcock in flight too.

Greenland White-fronts....

16 Greenland White-fronts (including the neck-ringed bird) in the large grass field to the West of Trehill Farm, Marloes at 1800. Visible from the road
Sash Tusa

Hen Harriers - Marloes

Despite the sunshine two & a half hours in the hide at Marloes today was pretty damn cold..........but worth the wait. The untagged Hen Harrier appeared first, flying in from the west only to drop quickly into cover. 45 mins or so later the tagged Harrier arrived putting up the first bird and the two hunted over the Mere briefly, sometimes close together, occasionally resting on the ground or a fence post. The tagged bird obliged with one brief pass fairly close to the hide. Otherwise pretty quiet, apart from the racket from the Canada Geese, and the pleasant trilling of Little Grebes in front of the hide.

Cold, calm and quiet in the Presellis

Info from Sash Tusa for yesterday - 

A repeat trip up to the Presellis highlighted the degree to which the sustained cold weather has driven the vast 

majority of smaller birds off the hill tops and into the wooded valleys. A couple of hours walking between Foel Drygarn

and Carn Menyn (tetrad SN13L) produced a single Meadow Pipit and one Snipe. A dozen Carrion Crows, two Red

Kites and a displaying couple of Ravens made up the total of birds on the high ground.
The large wood north of Glas-rhyd (SN1532) was utterly quiet despite the wonderfully calm and warm afternoon, but

walking along the road between Mynaclog-ddu and Crymych produced good numbers of Chaffinches and tits,

especially around the farms and houses that have been feeding birds throughout the winter.
Highlight was a small field right by the road that was full of a mixture of Fieldfares and Golden Plover

(a couple of dozen each).

Med

Looks like I didn't get the green ringed bird's details quite right, so keep a close eye out and see if you can do better than I did!

Willow Tit -- Llangloffan Fen

A singing bird near the pond not far from the start of the boardwalk this am.
(Adrian)

Black-tailed Godwits -- Pembroke U.M.Pond

148 on the pond today, the colour-ringed bird back over the week-end too.
165 birds the record in 2007 (John thinks) could be broken soon!

Intriguing Bittern(s) --- Teifi Marshes

Intriguing......
I decided to watch from the path before you reach Kingfisher Hide this evening, where an opening allows the best view of the reed -bed in front of the hide.
Good job I did! At 18:34 a Bittern flew low across the path in the opposite direction from it's usual travel !
Due to this novel experience I decided to stay & view from the path, to see what happened next.
18:43, a Bittern flies in from high on the expected trajectory to land in reeds in front & to the left of the hide.
Difficult to believe both sightings were the same bird........?
(Rich D, & Howard)

Marloes Peninsula and The Gann

Quiet on the Deer park this morning - not even a Stonechat. A couple of Red Throated Divers went close enough to Skomer to count on their log but otherwise even the sea was quiet.

At Marloes Mere and around the Treehill fields later - 150 canada's on the Mere with good numbers of Teal and Shoveler but Wigeon numbers have dropped off. I think 10 Tufties but hard to count, Little Grebe trilling in two locations. Sadly no Harriers.

On the Treehill fields - the 16 Whitefronts still present, a nice male Sparrowhawk and on the rough grass near Gateholm a flock of c. 40 Skylark and 30 Mipits but no wheatear or stonechats!!

At the Gann - same as Dave but a Kingfisher on the pond.

Miscellaneous

Since just after the start of the New Year we have noticed that starlings were still using the Slebech reedbed roost (at the time peak numbers were being reported at Plumstone). Sunday 7th March was no exception.

Whilst returning from an early evening bat survey trip to Slebech, at least two huge waves of starlings converged in the area at about 1800 hrs from the south and the east. There were probably in well in excess of 50,000-100,000 birds. One very large flock was several hundred metres long and a couple of hundred metres deep. They made a fantastic site against a clear blue sky and a setting sun. Starlings have also been roosting at Penally (in conifers) over the recent weeks. Are these birds part of the flock that never went to the main Plumstone roost? Or does this reflect larger overall numbers in Pembs in recent weeks since the cold weather set in?

Did not see the RN duck today at Bosherston but, the local mallards were partaking in some interesting diving exhibitions, witnessed by the NT staff John Medwell and Ian Bennett and later also by RJH.

BWP indicates that mallards will dive occasionally but this morning at least 2 mallard pairs in different parts of the lake were regularly diving for up an estimated 10-20 seconds at a time. They continued to do this for some time - for probably well over an hour, behaving just like normal diving-ducks but making a bit more of a splash on entry. We assumed they were bottom-feeding on something but no obvious food was brought to the surface.

The regular goosanders were still on the lake later in the day.

Still small numbers of fieldfares and redwings about in south Pembs in numerous fields. This evening on the way home I estimated at least a dozen (probably more) woodcock feeding in several places on the rural roadside verges between Cresswell Quay and Martletwy - many more than I have seen here during regular journeys all winter. Are they seeking new feeding areas during the current spell of cold nights? Or has there been an influx of migratory woodcock heading back?

Colour-ringed Med Gulls

8 Mediterranean Gulls at the Gann this evening, 5 adults and 3 1st-years. The adults were in various stages of moult, some nearly in full breeding plumage - there is no better looking gull in my opinion, and March is the best month in Pembrokeshire to catch them looking "sexy"! 3 of the adults bore colour rings - white that could not be read, red 4P7 (Slovakian I think) and green AEIE (German) - details have been submitted (http://medgull.free.fr/). Also there the colour ringed Brent KLWR with 26 fellow light-bellied Brent Geese, 1 Dunlin, 1 Little Egret, 3 Little Grebes, 4 Goldeneye & 4 Ringed Plover.

Teifi Great Grey Shrike

The shrike was showing well in the tree tops from both Kingfisher hide and the river viewpoint on the Teifi Marshes reserve during the afternoon.
Also 6 Goosander on the river.

Green Sandpiper -- Millin Pill

Nice views of a Green Sandpiper, the highlight of a visit to Millin Pill.
Also 6 Snipe & 1 Redshank.
(Paul G.)

Hen Harrier at Marloes Mere today

Not the wing-tagged individual. This an adult female.
Also the Greenland White-fronted Geese present this pm.
(Drew Buckley)

Bittern in Treffgarne Gorge !

Saw a bittern on a shingle shoal (nowhere near any reedbeds!) beside the Western Cleddau in the gorge. Also kingfisher and a few dipper. 6th March.

Teifi Ringing ....news... & opportunity?

3 more recoveries arrived this am:-...all Teifi ringed birds
Sedge Warbler, ringed 6 Sept 09;
controlled 14 Sept 09 Icklesham, Sussex, (good example of SE movement to Sussex before the short channel hop -- typical for sedges)
Sedge Warbler, ringed 13 Aug 09;
controlled 22 Aug 09 Oxwich, Glamorgan
Reed Warbler, 23 May 09;
controlled 25 July, breeding we think? Kenfig, Glamorgan,(seems unusual to arrive in Pembs before going east to breed?)

The new CES season will be getting underway at the end of April.
With catching 4 foreign ringed birds, the number of recoveries still rising, & all the CES data captured, last year was an incredible start to this re-born CES site.
If any-one experienced or not, wish to join us, to learn to ring..or to help, we would be delighted to hear from you, & welome you.
Please contact, either Wendy James, Arfon Williams or Richard Dobbins directly or via contacts on PembsBirds

Bittern -- Teifi Marshes

18:31 this evening;-
The Bittern flew over. at c30' height, gliding slowly across the reed-bed in front of Kingfisher Hide, landing to the left, a different destination from other evening sightings.
The Bittern came in from the direction of Otter Hide(the mud one), where it is presumably feeding amongst sedges & grasses.... there are no reeds there.
We watched from the railway line, behind Kingfisher hide, so we had excellent views of where it came from. The last evening sighting was from this direction..... so maybe why no recent day time sightings from Kingfisher Hide?
(Rich D. & Karen)

Greenland White-fronts -- Skomer

16 White-fronts doing an aerial lap around the basin, c15:00, today.
(Chris, Skomer)

Scaup -- Rosebush & other sightings today

Rosebush Resr;-
1 fem Scaup, (no Tufted), 4 Goldeneye, the usual breeding sp. inc. displaying Great Crested Grebes.
Llys-y-fran Resr;-
1 rh Goosander, c6+ Gt Cd Grebes, not looking like breeding yet(& some not in breeding plumage)
Nr. Llangloffan Fen;-
The Stock Dove flock numbered 30 birds today at Jordanston Hall. & near-ish a surprise to find 12 Reed Buntings feeding at a cattle feed trough....Plenty of Reed Bunts all singing on territory this am on the Teifi Marshes.
Nr. Glynaeron;-
1 Redwing in with c20 Fieldfare the only winter thrushes seen today.
St. Brides Bay;-
Just 5 Red-thd Divers found, most off Broad Haven, several small flocks of Common Scoter, no more than c40 birds seen. c100 auks, mainly Razorbills in small groups close in.
c30 Golden Plover in fields at Druidston.
(Rich D. & Karen)

Out & About Near Fishguard 7th March.

A look around Strumble & other areas on the Pen Caer peninsula failed to find any thing this morning so late afternoon found me at Heathfield with much better results :
Approx 17 Tufted duck , a few Teal , a Female Scaup , Drake Goldeneye & a resplendant Drake Pochard were all present plus 2 Mute Swan & 5 Canada Geese ( extremely noisy spooking everything else , apart from the Swans ), also a Common Sandpiper flew across while i was there.Still a good flock of Stock Dove in the field opposite Jordanston Farm. Barwit still Fishguard Harbour , this evening at the Ferry Port end on the mud by the Dive Centre.Blackcap still in the garden this morning , he's been present off & on since Xmas Day.

The Islands - Wheatears

First wheatears of the year on Skomer yesterday (6/3 - news from Chris) and Ramsey today (7/3). A few stonechats have finally arrived back on Ramsey after an absence since the cold spell. 5 lapwings back on territory in the last couple of days - later than recent years and not displaying much yet. 3 pairs of ravens incubating plus a 4th at unknown stage. Chough all paired up and they should start nest building within the week.

Westfield Pill

From Allan Hansen - A female Stonechat at Westfield Pill this morning is only the third record for the reserve. Previous, Autumn 1977 and 14/3/98.

Great Grey Shrike -- Teifi Marshes

The GGS perched up in front of Kingfisher Hide at 07:09 this am. Sat there being mobbed by Blue Tits.
At 07:20 when the sun rose above the trees, the bird is lost in the direct sunlight , when viewing from the hide.
Otherwise a totally frozen Marshes, but Reed Buntings singing all along the old railway track.

(the GGS at Ty-Rhyg last year was present until 12 April at least)

Jon G. saw the shrike at c10:30, in front of kingfisher hide.

The power and the glory

I stumbled bleary into the still cold of after dawn, chicken food in hand, eyes screwed by a low sun. A shreiking rasping crackle of air being shredded by feathered wings shocked my dithering senses, spinning, I saw a bird plummet almost at my feet before boomeranging up and skywards to be joined by another, smaller Peregrine. They circled around our roof tops kekking, awake now I remembered my camera "handy by" in the back seat of the car. Almost too late I just caught one drifting away, what a way to start a day!

As a child in the Vale of York I would spot the sickle wings of a falcon and race my bike to follow it fascinated as it hung and hovered. Totally beguiled of the little Kestrel, I read all I could on raptors and longed one day to see a Peregrine. It was a faint hope in the mid 1960's as seed corn laced with PCB's had exterminated them from the broad Yorkshire skies.

Dinas Island, May 1979 was my first, a bold straight flying Falcon weighty with a talloned pigeon, wonder of wonder, flying with prey straight to its eyrie above the sapphire blue of Fishguard Bay.

April 1995, I arrived in Pembrokeshire to stay and clambered the coast path finding our local peregrines and studying them year on year untill another obsession with finny things overtook me.

And now today that magic was re-awakened by a small dramatic reproof for ignoring my first love!

Ring-necked Duck -- Bosherston & Green Woodpecker

The fem. with 5 Tufted by the reed-bed nr. Broad Haven south at 17:00.
Also 8 Goosander.
Below Stackpole House a fem. Firecrest in the scrub by the reed-bed,
& stunning views of a female Green Woodpecker at the B. Haven end of the lakes.
(Paul G.)

Its cold out there!

another ferry survey completed (see Whales in Wales ) we were hoping for a tern or shearwater as a first glimpse of Spring but hundreds of Auks winging North and quite a few Gannets was as near as we got. One RTD off Strumble and one Diver sp. was the best we could do otherwise, apart from 13 Tysties in Rosslare Harbour.

Ringtail / Marloes Mere

The Yellow/Green wingtagged bird was hunting over the mere around 3pm today.
Didn`t see any Sand Martins. 3 Peregrines around Gateholm - looked like 2 males + 1 female.

Marloes Mere

Nine sand martins around 1pm today

Good News & not so Good.

The good news is a pair of Stonechats on territory in the scrub area at the end of Harbour Village Goodwick & a female carrying a large grub further round towards Pen Anglas by the dry stone wall fields , Skylarks quite vocal as well & plenty of Meadow Pipits about. On the down side a walk around Goodwick Moor & still no singing Cetti's.

Spring Migrants & early breeders!

Unless you know better, Ceredigion birders have beaten us to find Wheatears!
See Cerebirds.
We were watching a pair of Collared Doves mating this pm,.... that was just in Ceredigion too.

waders....

Pembroke Upper Mill Pond;-
An almost mind -blowing 130 Black-tailed Godwits this am.
Definitely impressive the 19 Greenshank with the 120 Black-tailed Godwits yesterday.
(John Hayes)

Teifi;-
No sign of the Bittern by 18:50, but 3 Woodcock out of roost & off to feed ...usually I only see 1 go off from my position. For 20 mins, the constant calling of Snipe as they were leaving the reed-beds & off to feed, may-be an increase on the coast due to cold again or Spring passage?

Newport Fri pm

The Pochards had moved on. A Greenshank at the Boat Club & a Herring Gull with a blue & red Gloucester landfill darvic ring which I couldn't read.

Bosherston Lakes early this evening - including a tree-roosting chough!

The female RN duck is still present with 6 tufted ducks on Central Lake, as are 8 goosanders (2 males) on the Eastern Arm.

Most surprising of all, to me at any rate, was an observation at 1700hrs of a single very vocal chough perching (and preparing to roost?)in the top of a mature pine tree in woodland along the eastern arm of the lake. At least one chough has been regularly feeding in an adjacent cattle-grazed field during the week but, although I am aware that they can be found perching on scrub/trees on coastal cliffs in Wales, this is the first time I have ever found one perching in trees in woodland close to the usual corvid (mixed jackdaw, rook and carrion crow roost) at least 1 to 1.5 km inland of the usual sea-cliff (normal) chough roosting zone!

I'm not quite sure what is going on here, perhaps this is a single unattached (dare I say lonesome!) chough just wanting to hang around with other corvids in a fairly secure location at the end of the day? What ever, it just goes to show that there is always more to learn about birds you think you know quite well in the locality!

Earlier on a beautiful (if a bit chilly) spring-like day, there were still at least 1,000+ golden plovers on the Range (near Stack Rocks road) and flocks of up to 50 meadow pipits on the move along the Castlemartin peninsula but no sign of any sand martins yet.

Whooper Swans -- Penberry

The adult & 4 imm. Whoopers still resting on the pond early this afternoon.

Pochard;
A pair above the iron bridge at Newport at midday today, at high tide.
A very good record for Newport.
(Janet)

Photography -- re.. Marloes Hen Harrier

Barry's comments on one of the uses of photo's today.... so keep at it!
(See Rich's photo below of the harrier today)

Good on her!
She really is a beauty. Top class photos like yours enable us to look at the plumage of a bird which we know the exact age of (she being fledged last summer), so thank you. Above all it shows me she is doing really well. Thanks a million Richard.

Barry,
(PS. not my bird at all, I only had the priviledge of knowing her, her parents and where she came from).

Barry O'Donoghue,
Hen Harrier Research, National Parks and Wildlife Service, (Eire)

Stonechats

A call from Rob Johns, Trefasser, Pen Caer Peninsular,
Out fencing this morning in coastal fields, c10+ Stonechats seen, about usual for the area.

Greenland White-fronted Geese, today.. & pink-feet record

Marloes Mere;-
17:34 we found the Greenland White-fronted Geese, all 16 led by the neck-collared bird in one of the lower fields below Trehill Farm..fields that dip away from the road, so you could only see the geese from the Britton Hide / footpath past the YHA looking across.
A drive / look all along the road to Martin's Haven produced no sightings of the geese.
Also on the Mere, the (presumed wing-tagged) fem. Hen Harrier, a perched male Sparrowhawk in front of the hide, 1 Snow Goose with the Canada's & sharing the commonest duck on the mere with Teal....Shoveler!

A quick visit to The Gann, produced a Greenshank on the pools, 27 L.B.Brent Geese, & 4 Med. Gulls (Stuart D did the counting).
To finish a roadside Barn Owl with it's kill just lifting off nr. the St. Ishmael's turn.
(Rich D. & Karen)

A couple of calls with Chris on Skomer ...in case the geese were on the island. The WF Geese haven't been seen on Skomer yet.. but 4 Pink-footed Geese on Monday (1/3/10)

Willow Tit, Whoopers and more

A superb view of a singing Willow Tit at Llangloffan Fen was the highlight of a good days birding around the county. Also 4 Stock Dove there.
Newgale - 1 GreatNorthern Diver and 3 Red-throated divers.
Broadhaven - 12 Red-throated divers (one in almost full summer plumage) and c50 Common Scoter.
Heathfield - 1 Pochard, 21 Tufted Duck and 1 Goldeneye.
Penberry pool - 5 Whooper Swans
St Davids Airfeld - 6 Shoveler and nice to see some Stonechats that have been noted as missing elsewhere.
Trefeiddan common - another Stonechat and unbeatable views of a female Merlin on a telegraph pole just yards away.
Dowrog common at dusk - a male and 2 ringtail Hen Harriers.
(Paul G and Wendy J)

Hen Harrier

I saw a different ringtail drifting east at medium height over Pen Anglas at 14:00.

The Gann & Marloes

At the Gann this morning with the tide well up, 22 Brent Geese on the lagoon together with 5 Goldeneye, 15 Redshank and a Little Egret. Star of the show, however, the Otter, pictured, which swam close whilst fishing and then went onto the bank to eat a crab. Wonderful!!!

At Marloes pretty quiet apart from the birds of prey - a (tagged) Red Kite appeared over Middleholm and flew inland over the Deer Park. A pair of Peregrines soared over the Mere car park. The tagged Hen Harrier hunted over the Mere for a while, disappeared, and then zipped past the hide for a quick record shot. All in glorious sunshine - no sign of Wheatears or Sand Martins but surely Spring is around the corner.

Click pics for larger images.

Barn Owl

From Madeline Tasker - Barn Owl, flying across the road between Sardis and Troopers Inn, at dusk yesterday (3/3/10).

Spring movement

Wheatear & White Wagtail in Cornwall today too....see post below..

Skomer

An enthusiastic text from new warden Chris, Hen Harrier, & fair few Redwings today.

Spring movement...

Garganey, Sandwich Tern, Little Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, all reported in England today, & a few Common Cranes still, so our summer visitors have started to arrive it would seem?

Ghostly Owls etc

Last night on the way home from the Bird Group meeting I saw single Barn Owls at Penycwm and Solva in the car headlights. Today a Merlin 'whizzed' past Carnhedryn on a mission whilst 200+ Golden Plover flew around Croes Goch in a more leisurely fashion.

Tystie moment

About half an hour after the ferry had departed Fishguard Harbour, a Black Guillemot swam head down and low in the water towards land, in what looked like a stealthy manner. It passed from sight close in to the main jetty. Perhaps a sign of impending nesting?

Ring-necked Duck - Bosherston

I was interested to read Bob's comments about the aforesaid duck. When I first saw Lyndon's photograph I too, was struck by the round-headed appearance, not what I remember from my experiences in the past. This is what really prompted me to go and have a look. Looking at it in the flesh at certain angles it did appear to have a slightly peaked hind-crown, but nothing much !!

JB's Woodpecker

Not sure what surprises me most - a Green Woodpecker on the outskirts of H'west for the first time in recent years, or JB shopping!!!!! :-)

Bosherston today

Have not had Internet connections until recently but noted with interest the comments re: ring-necked duck which Stewart Devonald informed me about yesterday (during a chance meeting)after visiting the lake to see it. It was still there today on the Central Lake in a small group of tufted ducks - watched by RJH Jon Hudson and Richard Ellis. We all remarked that this one had a slightly more round-headed appearance compared with others RJE and I have seen in the past but it is a well marked female all the same. When I did a WeBs count around the lake on 23rd Feb, covering all lake arms methodically, she was not obviously present then. So presumably Lyndon's sighting on 24th more or less coincided with the day she arrived.

Eight goosanders there today and a rather scruffy looking sub-adult male shoveler on the Eastern Arm. Although it was a very spring-like day surprisingly no sand martins around yet. Green woodpeckers yaffling in usual places and goldcrests were in full song and in what I would consider to be usual/quite normal numbers. Stonechats are displaying on the Warren and along the range coast (near Stack Rocks) where choughs were nest-building at the weekend. Still around 1200-1500 golden plovers on the Army Range and a similar number of lapwings were feeding between Carew and Cosheston much of last week until the weekend.

Ring-necked Duck & Bosherston....

More views...

The Bosherston duck is not the same as the Llyn Pencarreg one (or if she is she is a fast flyer). I saw the Pencarreg bird at around noon on Saturday 26th February. The Bosherston bird came on the pager a few hours later but subsequently transpired it had been seen previously.
Bizarrely I had been at Bosherston that morning. Shame I hadn't seen the RND. 2 at separate locations in Wales in the same day would have been some record.
I did, however, see the 3 Otters at point blank range. Over the years I have seen some fantastic birds but NOTHING comes close to the sheer thrill of that magic 20 minutes. Very big thank you to the Pembrokeshire birders who put the sightings and photos on here and tempted me to cross the Taf on a journey "home" for the weekend.
(crossmik4)

Merlin

A female in a high speed, shallow angle dive across our garden at St Ishmaels this morning. Twice in about 10 minutes.

Ring-necked Duck -- Bosherston

Merv. connected with the bird today, seen around the middle bridge, also 6+ Goosander still.

To PembsBirds,
I'm interested to read that the female Ring-necked duck was first noted at Bosherston on 24th February, as that was the last reported date that Birdguides has for the one at Llyn Pencarreg, in the Teifi valley. That bird in turn was thought quite likely to be the same as the one on the Rheidol in north Ceredigion in Dec-January...
(Jon Turner, Ceredigion)

White Fronts

Paul Warren had a walk round the Marloes peninsula today and found the White Fronts again - 15 of them together a couple of fields west of the Mere.

Still no sign of Stonechats- there used to be a regular passage in the first ten days of March so it will be interesting to see if our breeding birds turn up then or have they suffered through the cold weather this year.

Needle Rock etc

Off Dinas Head. Amazing this am. Absolutely stuffed with Guillemots & Razorbills. The Guillemots at the foot of the stack must have been standing on each others feet. And all continuosly coming & going to a constant whirring sound. Big rafts on the sea. My (very inaccurate) estimate was of 300 Razorbills & 450 Guillemots.
A Tawny Owl calling at Cwm yr Eglwys.
Yesterday at Newport the 2 Barwits were the main interest. The PO22 swan pair seem to have given up defending the bridge for less stressed mooching by the Boat Club.
A kestrel hovering over Dinas.

The previous Ring-necked Duck..

Also at Bosherston, 30 November 2008... a fine bit of alert birding from Dean Maiden.

A nice male with a female Pochard.

Gann

Early evening 4 Med Gulls in the roost (3 ads, 2 full s/p, 1 1stW), a female R B Merganser, 24 Brent Geese, 1 Little Egret, 1 Greenshank, 28 Redshank & 15 Turnstone.

Bosherston

I eventually saw the Ring-necked Duck at about 16:00 when with four redhead Goldeneye it came back toward the second bridge from up the middle arm where it had been out of sight for quite a while, there were two male and three redhead Goosander from the eight arch bridge as well.

Angle Area

At Kilpaison this morning with the tide receding rapidly - c.500 Dunlin, 30 Ringed Plover, 50 Curlew, 3 Redshank, 1 Barwit

At The Lodge - 41 Barwit, 35 Knot, 15 Redshank, 20 Dunlin.

On Castlemartin Corse from the Freshwater West car park a good display from 800+ Golden Plover which swirled around for a few minutes and then gradually dispersed. Surprisingly no sign of any Lapwings.

Failed to connect with the Ring-necked Duck at Bosherston mid afternoon.

Rich C & Morris N.

Ring necked duck

Present at c.09.00 today.Park in Bosheston car park by church,cross first bridge on left and walk to second bridge where I saw the duck heading north west up the central arm grid ref 973946