Baird's sandpiper still on Dale airfield

Arriving at 4pm there was no sign of any waders at the leaky trough pools. I returned around 4:45pm just as the Baird's flew in accompanied by two dunlin. It pottered around for 10-15 minutes but didn't seem settled with lots of nervous calling and after a couple of fly arounds it disappeared along with the dunlin over the field behind the trough not to reappear until around 6pm with its dunlin chums. This time they were much more settled and fed around, still there as we left at 6:45pm. 13 snipe the only other waders. 

Baird's Sandpiper on Dale Airfield

 Tuesday evening

The Baird's sandpiper was still near the broken trough, in the company of 2 dunlin.  Completely unconcerned by the (very welcome) rain or the cows crossing slightly further along the runway.  Some lovely views of it directly head on showing the oval shape of its body.

Yellow legged Gull

 Yellow legged Gull roosting below the cliffs at Dinas Head, Monday 23rd .

Dale Airfield - yesterday

It's been ages since we looked at the Blog  or added any records - we've been quite busy with various projects. 

Annie and I were with the Pembrokeshire Recording Group yesterday over at Dale Airfield doing some general biodiversity recording. We were fortunate to see the Baird's Sandpiper feeding with two Dunlin and a Ringed Plover at around 1600hrs. A Green Sandpiper was also present flying around occasionally. Earlier in the day, the whole group had quite good views of a Short-eared Owl which made a couple of brief flights over the grassland. 

It was also nice to see the Blue-eyed (Southern Migrant) Hawkers at the virtually dried up pond. 

NB we have been very busy checking various invertebrate records etc and only confirmed this morning that we had indeed recorded the Baird's Sandpiper when checking photos of it.  

Curlew Sandpipers - Teifi Marshes

2 Curlew Sandpipers and 2 Ruff..  

From the Curlew hide  - Teifi Marshes

Possible Cartlett Lady Survey Trip ; Wed 28th August 26

Really short notice, I have identified a possible short weather window for Wednesday and would be looking at meeting at Neyland Marina Cafe 12.30 for 13.00 hr sailing. returning 20.00hrs. Please let me know if interested, not sure if it will happen, but no other suitable weather this month! Repy: seatrustwales@gmail.com

Baird's Sandpiper - Dale Airfield

Lisa and I decided on a pre-dinner bit of birding, and opted for Dale Airfield before the Gann, somewhere we haven't been for a few months.

Imagine our surprise when, less than 10 minutes into our walk, we discovered the Baird's Sandpiper seen by one lucky observer on 17th August but not since (see this post).  It was on the only wet part of the airfield with a single Ringed Plover.  We got some great views until the large herd of cows that are on the airfield decided to come through the very same spot.  The bird called several times in flight and soon returned to the wet area.  On our second look on the way back to the car it was still there, and we left Toby Phelps with it and he watched it until at least 20:00.

A quick look at the Gann on the way home: there were plenty of birds which were sadly systematically flushed by a couple and their two spaniels.  Highlight was a Ruff.

Showing the long primary projection

The classic oval shape to a Baird's when viewed head on

Osprey - St David's

An Osprey seen from the cliffs near St David's Head yesterday around midday..   (Carol Wakeford)

Manorbier and Skrinkle Haven

 A nice morning with a few migrants around including my first Whinchat of the autumn at the top end of Manorbier valley and a Spotted Flycatcher at Skrinkle Haven. 

Things got a bit more exciting just before 8:40am when an Ortolan Bunting flew through low, calling frequently. It followed the line, as most birds do, over the RAF range and eastward over Skrinkle, unfortunately showing no sign of stopping.

Marloes peninsula

Early start in the hope of a few waders on what's left of the mere (hopefully it'll have a bit of a top up soon). A snipe the only one. 6 yellow wagtail including some very bright birds. 10 teal, 2 shoveler. An arrival of willow warblers with around a dozen in the withies and hedgerows, 2 chiffchaff. The thistles were full of young goldfinch. Tree pipit flew over nearing Martin's Haven. Three sightings of marsh harrier (looked like 2 birds) a dark juv and a slightly lighter female-type, which flew over Jack Sound out to Skomer. Young peregrine spooking the jackdaws. 3 chough and 4 young wheatear on Wooltack Point. Golden plover flew east over the Deer Park and whilst scanning the rough ground for migrants I noticed a resting Short-eared owl. Couple of clouded yellow among the many small white and a female Southern migrant hawker.

West Williamston

Very quiet on the river, about 6 little egrets, a few swans, the black swan. A few curlews and oystercatchers. A couple of days ago there were 4 whimbrel. A family of spotted flycatchers by the car park. 

Rosebush Resr

1 ringed plover, 3 green and 6 common sandpipers, 7 teal and a male tufted duck on Rosebush res. Yesterday evening, even 'dabbling' dabchicks - the excellent, huge muddy margins are that shallow! 3 snipe this morning. The NE end shallows are now mostly visible from the path at that end (Den Vaughan)

Wheatears on the move

 At St. Govan’s this morning a minimum of 21 Wheatears between the car park and New Quay beach via Trevallen Downs. Also singles of Whimbrel and White Wagtail. To the west of the car park a further 11 Wheatears.

A huge surge of White Butterflies was evident with thousands all along the coast and on the vegetation just inland. Likely a mass synchronised emergence. Mainly Small Whites but many Large too.

Wilson's petrel, Strumble Head

Not the most dynamic seawatch at Strumble earlier but a bit of quality when Luke Gravett and Mark Hipkin called out a Wilson's petrel around 8:20. Most of the assembled managed excellent views (apart from yours truly, until Mark generously gave me a peek through his scope, thanks mate). 3-4 storm petrel (none that I connected with), 2 adult Sabine's gulls, Balaeric shearwater, Little gull, 6 Arctic skua and a Bonxie. Plus a steady trickle of Common, Arctic and Sandwich terns and a mix of waders including dunlin, whimbrel, redshank and turnstone. 2-3 sunfish and a handful of common dolphin.

Gulls

From Mike B: Large number of Gulls with some Oystercatchers by the flag poles at Goodwick 16 44 this evening.

 

Manorbier

Yellow Wagtails and Tree Pipits are a near daily occurrence at the moment, most flying east in the mornings but a few Yellow Wagtails have stuck around to feed in the cut fields (at least one still present yesterday). 

Waders passage has been particularly noticeable over the last week or so with Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, Redshank, Snipe and Ring Plover all seen flying over Skrinkle Haven in the mornings.

Small flurries of warblers are also passing through including 15 Willow Warblers in the valley by the castle yesterday morning, a couple of Spotted Flycatchers, and Sedge Warbler and Reed Warbler elsewhere along the coast. 

Sparrowhawk

From Mike B: Just had a Sparrowhawk try twice to fly through my closed kitchen window in Puncheston. He then flew off seemingly unhurt.

Baird's Sandpiper

At Dale Airfield yesterday. Report and picture by Damon Hart.