Pembrokeshire Bird Group AGM

Ahead of the (fully booked) Bird Conference on Saturday. The Agenda and Minutes from the last Bird Group AGM are available online via the Bird Group link on the right hand side. Looking forward to catching up with lots of people and hearing some nice talks on Saturday. Chris Taylor Chair Pembrokeshire Bird Group

Castlemartin Corse

Decided it was time to touch base with the Corse today.

Firstly, for anyone visiting its back to wellies time. Track is back to a few wading puddles in the usual spots.

The main puddle that needs wellies

The water level was good after all the rain, yet it felt relatively quiet! A good number of teal came in later in the day but shoveller were single figures and mallard were not as many as perhaps to be expected. Two moorhen and a little grebe were also seen, with a water rail heard calling from the reedbed as I left. Number of snipe intermittently lifted from the reedbed, mostly in region of 10-20 birds at a time. One grey heron flew in after being disturbed by a passing buzzard. Heard a few Cettis warbler from hide. 

Teal 

Little Grebe

On the far fields there were Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Starling, lapwing (c300) along with a good sized flock of golden plover (c300).

A flock of 30 black tailed godwit flew over high in middle of day looking like they were heading to Kilpaison. 

A small number of Fieldfare along with a couple of Song Thrush were feeding on the hawthorn berries off the gully on my way back. 

Poor quality image of a fieldfare, light was fading by this point 

 

The birds of prey intermittently put in appearances. A kestrel was seen hunting over the upper farm fields not far from Gupton on my walk in. There are currently at least 3 Marsh harriers on the corse. A buzzard was seen a few time and a lone red kite was drifting about high in the sky. Saw a sparrowhawk twice during my time there. 

Sparrowhawk

Sub adult Marsh Harrier (Probably CY1)

One of the older birds

Adult Female 

Is this same adult female as above or a different bird?.... more observation time needed!

Highlights though were the female kingfisher who briefly sat on a post for a moment or two after a sparrowhawk failed to get her, and a goshawk who tried to go after some teal on edge of reeds. Both very brief encounters but worth the wait. 

Female Kingfisher 

Goshawk 

Old Mill Grounds Haverfordwest

 On the 18th November heard short bursts of a call, which didn’t sound right, as they were half type bursts but also slight mimic calls thrown in, Paul was able to go to site the next day but nothing out of the ordinary calling.

At last! tonight a full song up at the footbridge, and it was a cetti’s, which was a bit of a surprise as not had one there in the past. Also there little egret, 2 water rail calling, kingfisher and dipper.

Llys-y-fran

Paul, George and myself had another look at the roost. Pick was the Ring-bill/LBB hybrid, we haven't seen it for a couple of years, so it was nice to see it again. Min 6 Yellow-legged gulls (5 adult, 1 first winter), c5 adult Mediterranean gulls, c50 Common gull tonight. 4 GC grebe, single little grebe, roosting Little egret, male Goldeneye first this winter and a Tawny owl hooting on and off from 4pm, and a chiffchaff.

Waders

 A large (500+) flock of small waders, mainly Dunlin and Ringed Plover, a good number of Lapwing and the large canada flock all nr the entrance to Milin pill today, the waders put on a good show flying around for a short while before landing again and very busily feeding.

Certainly one of the largest flocks of small waders I have seen in Pembs. Viewed from Nr the end of Lower Quay Rd, Hook.

Whooper Swans

 The family of six now relocated to the next field along towards Milford, just beyond spread eagle pill.

Black redstart, Spittal in the snow

Immature/Female Black Redstart fossicking about St Mary's Church Spittal 

Also 2 Lapwing and 20 Golden Plover near Froghall.

Trevor Theobald

16/10/25 A dull but dry day with a surprise midday sighting! Also Steve and Mike...

 A bit of a North Pembs birding mooch starting at  Porthclais National Trust car park. A ptetty innefective padlock and a "No Entry" sign on the gate which barred the way to what has in the past a birding hotspot. It would have been easy enough to sneak through but despite being strongly tempted I resisted my strong inclination to do so.  

Trefiddion was next but apart from some Widgeon nothing much to see there, although it was not easy to see much of the marsh from the road.. Down the adjacent  road to the old Lifeboat Station carpark, for a quick look at Ramsey sound which was equally uninspiring with only a distant Diver (sp) of any note. Similarly 

Penberi Pond next and its lovely little Dabchicks, but little else than gulls. Then on to the Dowrog with little expectation, as it was just gone midday several hours before roosting time. We stopped at the western cattle Grid scanning the coarse grassy scrub, corvids crowed and gulls screamed and then wonder of wonders over to the southern edge, a male harrier heading towards the airfield.

It became sillhuetted despite the poor light and with nothing more than a brief rear view, all i could reliably ascertain was that it was a male Harrier and not a Marsh Harrier . Could it have been the elusive Pallid? who knows! We motored over to the track thet offers some parking with a view over the main moor, Fran walked the dog a nd i half heartedly scanned around and then well beyond the willow carr another grey Harrier too distant for further identification. It seemed unlikely they were both the same birds but although they were brief inconcusive views they brightened up a dull day!

I was saddened to hear of Steve's passing I was lucky enough first meet up with Steve and Anna when they were Skomer Wardens. I was also fortunate to spend time on Skokholm with Steve a couple of times and otherwise would bump into him and Anna here, and there, last time being at Dowrog about a year ago. Their dedication to the islands over the years was epic as has been decribed by Bob. My thoughts are with Anna and family for their loss.      

I first met Mike during my Cambrian Bird Holiday days with Graham Walker back in the late 1970's. On a very foggy day the  mercurial Skomer boat man, Terry Davies, skippering the "Arklow", decided conditions were OK, then misjudged our whereabouts until we accidentally ventured into South Haven. Possibly smarting a little due to his obvious and somewhat erratic navigation in the thick fog, Terry manouvered us next to a flatter piece of the rocky shoreline.and told us to jump off the boat. Being young and limber (45 years ago) i took him at his word and leapt from the Arklow onto  the rocks. Two elderly American ladies also leapt and i just managed to catch them.. And then from somewhere above, a loud voice boomed out of the fog, "Get off my F*%* island!" 

Terry was making the boat ready for a second landing, for the others to get off, ignoring Mike the warden.  I was in a quandry; who did i need to obey and what consequences would occur for either option? I quickly decided that the warden could ban us from ever landing on Skomer again, whereas Terry was obviously in the wrong. As Terry edged closr towards the rock we were standng on again, I told the ladies to jump back on the boat where the other members of our party caught them, I then hopped back on board.the Arklow much to Terrys annoyance. Terry was annoyed and probably not wanting to do the return journey back around the island or back through the notorious Jack Sound in the fog.. He dropped us off at the Remy Slip a small cove on the deer Park, Marloes, where he left us,him and the Arklow heading  off for the safety of Milford Haven. We had to wade ashore, piggy backing the elderly ladies and then scramble up the side of the cliff!.You dont forget days like that!

Later talking to Mike on a subsequent visit, explaining what had happened, we had a bit of a laugh about it. Terry never mentioned it again! It should also be mentioned that after the Sea Empress  oil spill, Mike and a team of volunteers, (probably including Steve?) cleaned up the Wick on Skomer, a herculean effort and  just in time for the safe return of the Puffins etc! 

The knowledge and experience of both these Pembrokeshire naturalists will be sorely missed, along with the likes of Ian Bullock, David Saunders, Graham Rees, Jack Donovan, Stewart Devonald and Peter Tythcot, all  legends in their way and people i was privelidged to have known. RIP all.

 

     

 

Black Redstart, Uzmaston

A smart, but windblown Black Redstart was busy flitting over the roof and around the gravestones at St Ishmaels in Uzmaston ths afternoon. It never settled for more than a few seconds in any one place, so my pictures of it on the various crosses were all out of focus. It was presumably busy feeding in the gaps between the showers. 

Caspian gull, Llys-y-fran

An adult Caspian gull among the early birds at the dam (first reported by George on Sunday). Minimum 3 adult Yellow-legged gulls plus a couple of argentatus-type herring gulls to add to the mix of greys. For once most of the gulls were down at the dam end. Also a silent chiffchaff snatching flies by the boat house.

St Govan's Hd / Manorbier / Penally

A steady movement of birds at St Govan's this morning. In about an hour or so, 97 Chaffinch, 38 Linnet and 41 Skylark flew east. Quiet in the bushes - a handful of Song Thrush and Blackbirds. 
Offshore 2 Common Scoter flew south, a Dark-bellied Brent Goose flew east towards Broad Haven South beach (may have landed there) and a Black-throated Diver flew west. 
A quick check of Bosherston village produced a female-type Black Redstart.

Later in the afternoon a Swallow flew over Penally marsh. (One flew east at Skrinkle yesterday morning too, or maybe it's the same one?). 

Also yesterday 2 Firecrest at Manorbier, one along the footpath by St. James's Church and another by the car park.

Barn Owl?

 

Lucy found these well-predated remains by our garden gate. Pretty sure it is what is left of a Barn Owl, which are pretty scarce at our far end of the Marloes Peninsular

Yellow-browed Warbler, Trehill Farm

Walking up from Martin’s Haven to Trehill today, we passed a field on the south side of the road, about 300m before the brow of the hill. The field still has a standing crop intended to improve the ground for potatoes - it has small black “fruits”, and remarkably spiny leaves/stems!

This crop has been planted at Trehill before, and it is incredibly attractive to birds - we remember Steve Sutcliffe ringing over one hundred Reed Buntings one morning!

Today the crop had Wrens, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and, showing incredibly well, a Yellow-browed Warbler! Not calling, but wonderful views in the sun.

Later, over Martin’s Haven, a Merlin being mobbed ineffectually by a crow. And 2-3 Siskins over from the west.

Hen Harrier

Highlight of a circular walk from Marloes Mere out to Martin's Haven and back was a juvenile Hen Harrier that we bumped into twice, once over West Hook fields and then at the mere.  Lots of ducks and Lapwing at the mere, the amount of visible water since the recent cut back of vegetation is significant and makes seeing the birds so much easier. (Dave & Lisa)

Whoopers

Early morning trip out, no sign of the swans in their favourite fields at Sandy Haven but stopping at the pull-in to check the estuary whoops low overhead heralded the six swans arrival as they flew in from the west at 7:30 and settled in the field above the chapel. Merlin same area.