Newport to Fishguard coast - Common Cranes

We made a trip up to the North coast today looking for choughs etc, covering the coast between Newport and Fishguard. Pleasingly, choughs were breeding where expected.

There was a nice steady passage of swallows (about 200 in 20 minutes or so) off the coast near Cat Rock (where 3 pairs of Canada Geese are nesting this year). A male kestrel was hunting near there and a female nearer to Fishguard. 

A very smart adult male

About 20 swifts (small parties) were seen heading along the coast between Fishguard and Pwllgwaelod this afternoon. 

Four relatively late migrant Sandwich Terns were feeding in Newport Bay this morning. A few waders seen there included 4 ringed plovers, a few dunlin and whimbrels. 

However, by far the most interesting birds were two common cranes that flew in high over the sea late morning. They circled around for a while over Newport Bay, before disappearing inland, probably in the direction of Nevern, when they were lost from view. 

Some quick record photos taken when they were closest to me (Bob) seemed to suggest that they were not ringed/colour-ringed. However, because rings on this species will be above the tarsus joint, they could possibly have been hidden by the dark body/thigh feathers. Hopefully someone will get good views of them on the ground when it should be possible to confirm if they are ringed, possibly from a breeding programme/release scheme, or not.

Cattle Egret.

 One at Westfield Pill this morning.

White Stork

From Gethin Jenkins: 

Today at around 12:45 a white stork flew right over us at maiden hall carpark, newgale, it came from out to sea fairly low, labouring against the strong easterlies, then rose up much higher,  circling above southwood farm before gliding off northwards.

An incredible sight, my first in this country.

The Slash Pond

From David Meanwell: 

As we seek to raise the profile of the Broad Haven Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve you may be interested to know that it has recently been recognised as part of the National Forest of Wales and the first community Nature Reserve to achieve Naturfa status.

From informal records we have noted 21% of the Welsh Government Section 7 list of bird species of principal importance.

Your support in making use of the Reserve as birders is much appreciated.

 

Black Kite-Haverfordwest on 26th.

Have just reviewed some images which I had assumed were of a distant Red Kite. About midday on the 26th,from my back garden,I saw what I thought was a Red Kite circling above the Uzmaston Road. I went in and brought out my camera since sometimes, Red Kite fly directly overhead.However, the Kite moved north behind a large fir tree and emerged much further off and higher up. I just fired off some shots to test the autofocus. When I eventually checked the very small images, I was surprised to see the bird was in fact a Black Kite. This fits in well with the 

warm anti-cyclonic weather. Moral: shoot first, use bins later!

Sorry about the image display, maybe because I am using Win 7.
 

Goodwick-Strumble Head yesterday; Caldey Island today

Yesterday morning (Sunday 26th) we walked the coast path between Goodwick and Strumble Head. A cuckoo was calling at Ciliau Moor where they have been seen/heard in previous years. A few sedge warblers were singing in coastal wetland areas and a lesser whitethroat was singing in dense blackthorn scrub patch where there is usually a likely breeding territory. One was also singing in dense scrub on Trewent Point on 25th April, during a walk from Freshwater East to Stackpole Quay. Small numbers of whimbrel (flocks of 5-6) were passing west along the coast on that morning.

Today we visited Caldey. There had been no boats last week due to easterly wind, and it could be the same for the next few days, so were were pleased to get over there today. During the crossing we could see a huge gull and auk feeding frenzy, involving hundreds of herring gulls, many kittiwakes, razorbills and guillemots, in Caldey Sound. The moving but dense feeding flock stretched eastwards and closer to Saundersfoot. 

On the island we were impressed with the number of likely water rail territories present. Based on presence of calling males, we recorded and mapped not less than five likely territories. All involved  patches of gorse or bramble scrub, four were near the coast, one was nearer the village, but none involved wetland habitat. We have noted water rails in similar places on Caldey in previous years. Here they appear to have adapted to a completely different type of habitat - perhaps they should be re-named Caldey scrub rails! 

A grasshopper warbler was also singing in one of the scrub patches on the east side of the island. A pair of greylags are likely to be breeding near Sandtop Bay. Herring and LBB gull breeding activity was well underway, with many seemingly incubating.

It was a disappointing day for choughs though; only one territory seemed to be occupied. None were seen or heard at two other sites where we usually expect to confirm them to be present and breeding.  

On the return trip to Tenby, a puffin was heading in the direction of St Margaret's Island, where there is usually a small population. As we passed the lifeboat station, we noted 3 turnstones and a purple sandpiper resting under the old lifeboat station slipway support structure. 

Grasshopper Warblers

We also had a Grasshopper Warbler in scrub behid St Brides Church when doing our BBS on Saturday. I assume that most of them are on passage - it reminds of a BBS we did years ago on April 22nd 2004 when we had FIVE Grasshopper Warblers, singing from all sorts of places!

Rosemary Royle

Mynydd Dinas

 2 cuckoos and a grasshopper warbler reeling in full sight the highlights of my BBS this morning between Mynydd Dinas and Bedd Morris before the mist rolled in. 

Tenby Leisure Centre

Grasshopper warbler reeling in the little marsh opposite the Leisure Centre car park early this morning. Still going as I left after my swim. 

South Hook

 The wild area behind South Hook really comes alive in spring, especially first thing in the morning, with a wide variety of birds. Today, it was good to watch this Grasshopper Warbler reeling away for several minutes. 

Overall, I encountered about 30 species there and on my short walk up, with Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers, Greenfinches and Bullfinches among the other birds present. 

Carew Millpond

As I got out of the car at 0930 in the N side car park, a lesser whitethroat was rattling away in the bushes along the N side of the Millpond. He was working his way up and down, and most uncharacteristically helpfully perched in full view in a tree. He worked his way east up the road, but an hour later when I returned he was back along the edge of the car park. 

Carew Mill

From Paul Fraser: A number of Swallows arrived last week but House Martins did not make an appearance until after we visited on Tuesday of this week. Good numbers of House Martins today, about 20 birds but Swallow numbers still low. However, a number were feeding low over the stream upstream of the Carew road bridge.  

Lily Ponds

Some Reed Warblers were in full voice this afternoon in reed bed at the Broadhaven end of the ponds. One species that I usually hear rather than see so did enjoy a brief glimpse through the reeds of one individual! 

 

 

Castlemartin large-scale exercise

Steve the Manchester birder here. I have just received this closure notification regarding the Castlemartin range. Not sure if it will affect the monitoring of the Guillemot colony on Stack rocks.  It's also right in the middle of my next visit to your amazing county!

Swifts in Newport

 2 swifts over Newport Market street 

Great White Egret

From Sandra Young:

Tretio, near St David's airfield 

Cuckoos and lesser whitethroat

 Highlights from a walk around NT Castell this morning included 2 cuckoos and a lesser whitethroat calling from the scrub. Plenty of common whitethroat singing as well as chiffchaff and one willow warbler 

Skrinkle/Lydstep area this afternoon

A fine (breeding plumage adult) hobby flew along the coast between Skrinkle and Lydstep late this afternoon, heading swiftly towards Penally. 

Kestrels are back in residence and hopefully will be breeding in the area. The adult male was hunting over rough grassland near the Youth Hostel. 

At least 2 pairs of starlings are breeding at Manorbier Range. These appear to be part of a scattered breeding population between Manorbier Newton and Tenby area. 

St David’s Airfield

 Mid afternoon a Great White Egret on the north side of the airfield below Waun Llechell. Thick cover there so often hidden. Plenty of Whitethroats about, a few Chiffchaffs and just one Willow Warbler heard.

St David's area

From Roger Wilkonson:

A few bits and pieces from this week around St David's:

Marsh Harrier (Tefeiddan), 2 swift, garden warbler today 24th.

Spotted Flycatcher 23rd Porth Sele

Grasshopper Warbler x several from 21st

Big push of Wheatear 22nd

Peak Whimbrel last few days, can hear them off and on all the time at Treleddyn

Lots of Sand Martins prospecting cliffs at Whitesands 

Negative news...no Purple Sandpipers on Ram's Nose all winter for me. Also no Cuckoos yet (normally reliable here).

 

Bittern at Little Haven - delayed post

Found in Spam:

Interesting sighting at Little Haven by local resident on 16th April

Andy Fryer  

Minwear - Thursday

From Sandy Hill

Mid afternoon visit to Minwear today
From car park up to picnic site by the road produced plenty of Chiffies, Chaffinch, Blue & Coal tit but no Tree Pipit or Wood Warbler. Crossing the road I heard a cuckoo & there were plenty of Willow Warblers singing in sunshine. Nice views & brief song from Garden Warbler as I arrived at block of Sitka Spruce, with small flock of Siskin also present. Re-tracing my steps produced a brief Tree Pipit before I got back to picnic site. Visit capped off with beautiful male Brimstone.

Newgale

Sadly the Small sand martin colony above the beach seems to have collapsed. I saw no birds last year and none so far in 2026.

Small group of scoter flew over the Welsh road heading out to sea....where had they been?

Grasshopper warbler in scrub behind Welsh road, near start of coast path to nolton haven 

Manorbier area

Small numbers of Wheatears this morning and a light passage eastward of Swallows and House Martins, with singles of Sand Martin and Swift. Offshore 5 Whimbrel flew east and a Sandwich Tern was lingering off Manorbier beach.

A look around this evening produced a Garden Warbler singing at Skrinkle, plus a few more Wheatears. 

A passing Arctic Tern was the highlight of a quick look at the sea late in the evening. Seemed to be a fair bit moving so wish I could have given it longer! 

Marloes peninsula

The most wheatear so far with 30 on my walk, many looked big and bright. A first swift dwarfing the hirundines over the mere. 9 whimbrel, a ringed plover, a dunlin and 2 lapwing, one of the males chased off a herring gull. 2 other ringed plover opposite the entrance to West Hook on the little flood. 13 coot, a couple on nests, 9 moorhen was a surprise, Shoveler 4 pair and 3 male was on the low side, teal 7 pairs, 3 shelduck and 3 pair Tufted duck. Still a bit quiet, just a couple of sedge warbler and 3 whitethroat.