St Brides Bay Scoter

St Brides Bay was looking very quiet initially with only a few Shag at Goultrop and a single Red-throated Diver just north of Broad Haven along with a single male Common Scoter and an unidentified auk further out. There were about four Gannets around with only two flying and none fishing. There were probably only around 10 Herring Gulls and one Great Black-backed Gulls all day. 

All the action was at low tide further north with 74 Oystercatchers in a beach roost at Druidstone and at least 300 Common Scoter off the beach in one large and two small groups. About 95% were female/ immatures, with no obvious exotic cousins. The main group did some impressively synchronised diving making it hard to get a count, but I got to at least 220 at the time and one picture showed I think 274, with two smaller groups being of around 40 or 50 each.

Further along the coast was some Peregrine action with a lot of squawking and scolding from somewhere out of sight until two appeared having a squabble and a chase around the cliffs before both heading down the coast southwards. A few seconds later a third appeared and followed them south. 

Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS)

 

In December 2026 and January 2027, the BTO are running a Non-Estuarine Waterbird Survey (NEWS). 

The survey (which runs approximately every 10-years) aims to monitor the population size and distribution of waders and other waterbirds along the non-estuarine coastal habitats of the UK and Ireland.

 "NEWS provides crucial data on species that use open coast rather than estuaries, helping to inform conservation strategies for wintering populations"

Observers are asked to make a single count of waterbirds (i.e. waders, wildfowl, divers, grebes, cormorants, shags, herons and egrets) along sectors of non-estuarine coasts on any date between 1st December 2026 and 31st January 2027. 

Other species (e.g. peregrine and chough) are also listed, and it would be good to have information on where these are present along the Pembrokeshire coast during the winter period.

There are still quite a few sites available around the Pembrokeshire coastline and it would be great to have more coverage. 

Here is a link to the Vacant sites map. You will need to zoom in to see the available sites on the Pembrokeshire coast. 

Please also read the instructions before setting out.

We've had excellent coverage for the previous NEWS, so would like to keep up the good work.

Milford

 From Dave Butler  - Common sandpiper by the lock at Milford marina late afternoon. 

Firecrests...north and south.

Three Firecrests ringed near the river viewpoint on the Teifi Marshes this morning. One Firecrest also ringed in a Ceredigion part of the Marshes on Saturday.

Three Firecrests ringed by S Pembs RG over the weekend in the Kilpaison / St Twynnells area.

Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps present in most sessions for both ringing groups.

The Teifi Marshes Bearded Tit was still present yesterday - over the past week when occasionally seen, always in Ceredigion.

 

Tundra Bean Geese @ Nevern Estuary

Delighted to find the 3 Tundra Bean Geese still on the Nevern Estuary late afternoon, dropping in on my way back from guiding in Norfolk.  They were resting just downstream of the Iron Bridge at 1510, and then flew east over the bridge and appeared to land in the stubble field north of the river at 1555.  Also present the family party of 4 Whooper Swans which did two fly-bys before settling on the estuary downstream of the bridge again, and the Egyptian Goose was present upstream of the bridge.

A mid-day bat

Yesterday lunchtime I saw a bat, almost certainly a pipistrelle, flying over the car park of "Somethings Cooking" in Letterston.

Sprinkle Pill, Hook - European Greater White-fronted and Tundra Bean Geese

Very large flocks of Canada (c850 birds) and Greylag (275 birds) geese at the mouth of Sprinkle Pill this evening. In amongst them 5 European Greater White-fronted Geese (2 adults, 3 juveniles) and 5 Tundra Bean Geese. 

                                                                        Quite a spectacle!

                                                                    The Whitefront family

                                                                2 of the Bean Geese

Manorbier/Skrinkle - Richard's Pipit and more

A Richard's Pipit the highlight this morning. Initially in the sheep field above Presipe before flying NE over towards Skrinkle. Appeared to landed but unfortunately wasn't relocated. Also a female-type Black Redstart on the Manorbier ADR fence line. 

Small numbers of finches and thrushes over this morning too. 

Skokholm

Richard's Pipit, Lapland Bunting, Siberian Chiffchaff, Firecrest and Little Gull today. 

Rose Coloured Starling - Solva

From Dafydd ap Siôn  -  Juvenile Rosy Starling spotted near Solva football pitch this morning, in the company of an adult. (Non Rosy)

Newport Iron Bridge.

 4 Whooper Swan, 3 Tundra Bean Geese, 7 Wigeon, 3 Red Shank, 1 Green Shank, Egyptian Goose, 15+ Stock doves flew over, 2 Little Egret, 2 Curlew, and 4 Snipe, one out in the open for ten minutes or so.

 

Bean Goose

I found just one Bean Goose in amongst Canada Geese in a stubble field, below Newport bridge and up to the right. Also a Knot, Bar-tailed Godwit and Greenshank on the estuary mud. Above the bridge an Egyptian Goose.

Tundra Bean Geese - Newport

Three tundra Bean Geese found by Clive Hurford this afternoon c 200m below the iron bridge at Newport. Surreal watching the Bean Geese with the family party of Whooper Swans in the background  - in north Pembs !! 

White-fronted Geese - Teifi

A party of 21 (European) White-fronted Geese was seen and photographed by Jason Medcraft, this afternoon.  After a short spell on the river, they circled in flight over the Teifi Marshes and headed up river.. a few of us connected as they flew.

Time to look for the geese in the valley tomorrow. The Bearded Tit (see below) has not been seen or heard today.

Ring-tailed Harrier

 A bit of a surprise this afternoon looking back from Pwllgwaelod beach, watching two larger raptors circling. One was clearly a Buzzard but the other was a Harrier sp. It broke away and flew out over the sea towards Fishguard. The light was very poor but I was able to discern a white rump as it flew away.

Bearded Tit - Teifi Marshes

 Out of county by c 100m..

A Bearded Tit photo'd from Mallard Hide on the Teifi Marshes Tuesday.