Llawhaden, Redwings (and others) on the move, and a squeaky chiffchaff

Following on from Den Vaughan's post about an influx of Redwing into the Preselis, there were also good numbers moving East passed our house yesterday early morning, and more this morning between 8-9am when about 250-300 went through in flurries of 30s and 50s. A few Fieldfares accompanied them. 

Also on Sunday, three Swallows flew East and a couple of Skylarks went over, a very scarce bird here!

Starling numbers just starting to pick up in the village with 15 the max so far, usually peaking around 400 in the winter. After having had a Rosy Starling amongst them in autumn 2024 I now expecting another one!! 

A Chiffchaff giving an unusual mono-syllabic high, quite thin call from our hedge, sounded very similar to the Siberian, tristis race, but brief views gave the impression of a Common Chiff, so I suspect it was a young bird which hadn't mastered the typical 'hweet' call (or was it a good one that got away?!).

Pen Anglas - merlin

I watched a merlin fly from a cairn just west of Pen Anglas, to a fence-post alongside the coast path and then disappear into a gully between the cliffs.  I thought that would be the last I saw of it, but a few minutes later out it flew seawards with a peregrine falcon in hot pursuit!

Strumble Hd 17/10/2026

 Quite a surprise to see this stunning Harris Hawk being flown at Strumble. A kept bird I know but I thought others might like to see an image or two. Several Chough seen after it left and the first Stone Chat of the Autumn for me. 

 

West Williamston

10 golden plover! They flew S, upstream, along the Carew River, with about 20 dunlin, duly entered on BirdTrack. The only other things I counted were the flock of 15 grey plover, a feature of recent years, in their usual spot by the junction of Carew and Cresswell Rivers. With the tide at half tide counting was not an option. Black swan still present with mutes. 

5 of the 15 grey plovers, with wigeon

Newport estuary & Thrushes

 A nice list of waders this morning: 2 grey plover, 5 dunlin, 1 curlew sandpiper , 4 bar-tailed godwit, 4 redshank, 1 greenshank, 5 curlew. 

 Also: 7 goosander, 7 little egret, 35 wigeon, 1 water rail seen well from the south path by the little abandoned boat.

 Also a good morning influx of redwing to the Preselis from the WSW with the odd fieldfare thrown in.

Golden Plover

 Some 200 birds in & around the the usual St Ishmaels/ Bicton area, last Wednesday (14th) onwards.

Cattle Egrets - Teifi

Four Cattle Egrets dropped in to the main estuary at St Dogmael's Quay at 6pm this evening. Also an adult Yellow-legged Gull.

Marloes / Gann

Was in the direction of Marloes Peninsula and Gann today, as I had a short shift back marking a walk for work this morning.

Started at Marloes Mere. The main birds of interest were two lapwing on the soil area on far side of pond. Buzzard was on a post on far side of the mere. Three Red Kite passed over at one point.

One of the two Lapwing

Then on to work but you can’t help noticing what else was about! Around Martins Haven / Deer Park area did well on the birds of prey, with a buzzard, sparrowhawk, red kite and kestrel all making an appearance. Three Raven passed over too. Saw 9 common scooter on wing through jack sound. The oddity was a Grey Heron that was flying north to south!

After work went and sat at Gann for a short while. I clocked a colour ringed Redshank and then lost about an hour sat on a tiny rock scouting into the distance trying to see if I could spot any further colour ringed birds!! A number of little egret on the edge of the water on the outgoing tide with a few up the river totalled 10 birds. A ringed plover and a turnstone were nice to notice too.

Redshank ring numbers observed were 42, 75, 84 and 97.

Oystercatcher ring numbers observed 70, 93, 1C, 1M and 3L 

In process of confirming ringing scheme (think they are from Paddy's ringing projects). 

97 

84

75 + 42

3L

1M

70

1C

93

Mullock marsh

5 of the cattle egrets were on the west side of the marsh in a sheep field this morning. Nice flock of a dozen reed bunting, bullfinches, cettis warblers singing in two places. 3 GS woodpecker flying over, never seen that many together before. Two jays. Couple chiffchaff and goldcrest with a mixed flock of long tail tits and blue tits in the scrub. 25 lapwing flying up the marsh. 7 greenshank and a ruff on the pools. A female sparrowhawk patrolling the hedgerows.

White-tailed eagle, Treffynnon

Steve has reported a White-tailed eagle in a field near Treffynnon, east of Croesgoch before it flew northwards around 4:30pm.

 Squacco Heron East Haverfordwest

This exotic bird flew over my neighbours bungalow heading west (in the general direction of the Cleddau and Fortunes Frolic), at 1.30. Approximately crow size,with hunched profile,slightly jerky flight,short pale bill and totaly translucent wings against the sun. No trailing legs, underbody dark. All strongly sugestive of Squacco Heron.

Castlemartin Corse

I drew a blank with golden plover, a couple of snipe the only waders, no surprise given the state of the place. Grey heron, several water rails heard, several Cetti's including one going frantic next to the hide. Robin carrying food (!). Gupton has seemingly been given over largely to big bale silage production, but there was a party of 5 chough roaming about. A kestrel being harrassed by a crow the only raptor. But a treat to see lots of clouded yellows hanging on in the lucerne field next to Starman's, the one bright spot. I managed to snap a bit of a male's upperwing. 

Dinas Mountain 16/10/2026

 A trip up Dinas mountain to try and find the Golden Plover was well worth it. A flock of 130+ in the sheep field on the south side of the hill. Also various Corvids on the East side with several Chough feeding on the green patches between the gorse clumps. Iron Bridge Newport showing increasing numbers of Canada Geese, 2 Little Egrets and two Goosander.

 

Castlemartin Corse

I spent a couple of hours part way down the Corse today. Farmer was turning a field of cut grass which had brought the buzzards in for a look. A total of 4 birds in the area though most were seen off by one individual!

Buzzard 

A small flock of Golden Plover flew along Corse and off towards angle totalling 43 birds. Sadly out of the survey window of the 17^th and 18^th for the BTO Golden Plover Census count.

Three Snipe were flushed from the reed bed at one point. One Grey Heron lifted briefly from the reed bed. 

A brief sighting on a Marsh Harrier. Interestingly when it got a bit closer it was a young male. Excuse poor quality image, I had knocked setting on camera so my ISO was too high and so image is grainy. 

Marsh Harrier 

 A Kestrel showed a couple of times initially seen over the relict dune / slack section behind Freshwater West and then in region of Starmans.

Kestrel being given a hard time by the Jackdaw

While sitting quietly on a mound part way along a Sparrowhawk bombed past me close to the ground along the track. No images, just enjoyed watching it. 

Highlight of the visit though for me was a Ring tail Hen Harrier. Feels like it has been a while since I have seen one at the Corse! I know they are seen by others, but I always seem to miss them! 

Ring tail Hen Harrier 

The Gann - Glossy Ibis and Ruff

It is always worth taking a close look or counting the gulls. This time I was trying to get a picture of a ringed 1W Great Black-backed Gull (green BA25) in the lagoon roost that was obscured by an inconveniently positioned Herring Gull. After waiting a few minutes for them to move a bit, a subsequent scan of the rest of the group revealed a Glossy Ibis that had not been there earlier. It flew off north before I could move to a better position, heading north and away over Mullock farm.

Also around were a pair of Sandwich Terns that rested on a boulder or the beach with no attempts at fishing. A single Bar-tailed Godwit was on the river initially and later feeding on the beach with the Curlew and Redshanks. Greenshanks, Teal and Wigeon were up the river, but the only smallish wader seen was a single Turnstone. A/the Kingfisher was fishing off the favoured tree over the little bay on Crabhall side and on my way back to the car a male Ruff with a hint of the red ruff feathers showing.

Golden Plover

Taken from the Birdtrack Newsletter:

 

Bonaparte's gull, Goodwick

George has found an adult Bonaparte's gull at the Flagpoles this evening.

The Gann

 Short visit to the Gann late this morning as the tide was falling looking for the Spoonbill but sadly no signs. 7 little egret was a nice number to see among all the usual suspects.  Even shorter visit up to Dale Airfield due to the high winds, nothing much about.  Curlew and Meadow Pipit photos attached 

The Deer Park

I had a walk around a very windy Deer park late afternoon / early evening yesterday13th . 4 Chough, 1 Raven, 1 Kestrel. Male and female Stonechat and a few Gulls of various species were the only birds around. Not that I was surprised as it was that windy, I could hardly stand up at one point, it certainly blew the cobwebs off. 

Steve Smith

Fishguard & District 13/10/2026

 Goodwick flagpoles low tide. 1 Bar Tail, 1 Curlew, 6 Mallard, 12 Turnstones, 1 Pipit and various gulls. 

Newport Parrog. 1 Curlew, 1 Little Egret.  

Iron Bridge. 67 Mallard, 8 Moorhen, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Heron, 4 Canada Geese, 3 Little Grebe, 5 Goosander feeding in the pool below the bridge and 1 Green Shank.

 

Golden Plover

A large flock (150-200) sunning themselves S slope of Mynydd Dinas 1715 today.

Bethan Mary Evans 

Pembroke Castle Pond

From Paul Fraser: A small flock of approx 40 black tailed godwits near Monkton bridge on Sunday walk round the pond.  Regular visitors this time of the year, but normally less than 10 birds. All were gathered together probing the shallows.