Swifts Milford Haven

From Dave Ramsey: Two Swifts arrived over Milford Haven this morning (29th), first arrivals. later, both divebombing Sparrowhawk. This afternoon, five Swifts bombing 2 Red kites. 

Pied Flycatchers Llawhaden 29/4/25 and other bits

Unexpected bonus when out last evening taking part in the Rivers Trust 'Big river watch' on the Cleddau when I heard a distant Pied Fly singing in Tal-y-bont wood, then on the way back great views of another by the river-bridge at Llawhaden, flycatching and singing its heart out!

A local farmer heard a Cuckoo from the direction of Tal-y-bont wood a couple of weeks ago.

We now have 3 Swallows and 7 House Martins in residence in the village so fingers crossed for a successful breeding season. Saw Spotted Flycatcher near the Castle last August so hoping they may return and breed here....

Have failed to find any Tree Pipits during recent visits to Canaston Woods. On 26 April had 7 Willow Warblers, just 2 Blackcaps, one Garden Warbler and 2 separate singing Mistle Thrushes, quite a few Siskins too..maybe the pipits will arrive late......

My wife, Ali, had a brief view of a Barn Owl last Thursday (24 April) at dusk while walking the dog through the village :)

Newport-Cwm-yr-Eglwys this morning; Goodwick-Llanwnda this afternoon

Around 15-20 whimbrels were at Nevern Estuary – feeding along the edge of this morning’s high tide. A few curlews, dunlin and redshank were also present, plus a presumed resident pair of shelducks. 

A pair of kestrels was on the cliff between Newport and Cwm-yr-Eglwys at a likely crevice nest site, although the male was probably an immature bird. Two large raven young were close to fledging stage at a usual nest site for this species. Two pairs of Canada Geese were at a usual Cat Rock location.  

This afternoon, between Goodwick and Aber Felin, we noted one of the resident black guillemots in the harbour. Further west, in heathland habitat, grasshopper warbler and lesser whitethroat were singing. A  silent male cuckoo flew down into Porth Maen, then westwards towards Carnfathach, initially scattering the feral pigeons who presumably thought he was a raptor. 

Earlier, an immature female goshawk (a probable non-breeding bird) was observed hunting along the coast. She only seemed to upset the numerous linnets and mipits. It was nice to see a likely resident pair of choughs along this stretch. 

Skokholm

A male Eastern Subalpine Warbler today. Also a Hooded Crow missing its central tail feathers - has anyone seen the mainland bird well enough to confirm it as the same individual?

Hooded Crow / Recent Sightings

 It was good to catch up this evening with the Hooded crow that Brian reported on Saturday, still at the Dale end of Dale Airfield, in a field to the right of the entrance. There were also 2 Whimbrel, and a high number (for this location) of 17 Chough.

As I haven't posted on here for some time, and some of this information could be useful for visiting birders, or those unsure where to look, here is a round-up of some of the birds I have seen, or heard, fairly recently, most of them migrants:

12th April - Grasshopper Warbler  on the Deer Park.

17th April - male Redstart singing for about 10 minutes near the smallholding on the path below the quarries in Rosebush.

19th April - Reed warbler and Sedge Warblers at Westfield Pill.

21st April - Tree Pipit in the large clearing in Minwear Woods. Also Yellowhammer on Folkestone Road.

24th April - male Pied Flycatcher - about 200 yards from the entrance to Pengelli Forest.

26th April - 3 Swifts near East Blockhouse, Angle, along with a few House Martins and plenty of Swallows.

27th April - 8 Whimbrel at the Gann.

Cartlett Lady trip!

 

Perfect Weather forecast conditions on Wednesday, for a short notice boat trip around the Islands! 1 pm to 6 pm aboard the Cartlett lady taking our time sailing around The Pembrokeshire Islands Skokholm, Grassholm and Skomer. Sailing from Neyland Marina, see: Puffins Gannets Shearwaters etc Dolphins and who knows what else might turn up! £90 per person cash, if interested email me at seatrustwales@gmail. with name address and mobile number, yours and shore contact. Meet Neyland Marina 12.30 bring warm clothes food and drink cameras etc! allthingsgood,cliff

Thanks everybody boat now full!

Swift 27th

From Steve Thomas: 1 swift over Carew mill this morning.

Castlemartin peninsula this morning

Among some interesting heathland species recorded on the Castlemartin peninsula this morning were at least two grasshopper warblers in full song in one patch of low scrub. Sadly, I have to be quite close to them these days to hear them! 

I could just about hear this one 

Whitethroats were incredibly numerous. There must have been 30+ singing males at least. 

A lesser whitethroat was also singing in one especially dense patch of mature scrubby-heath. 

Linnets were very numerous too with small colonies in most of the gorse patches checked. 

A lot of nest-building was being undertaken by the linnets this morning

Stonechats seen today included several pairs busy feeding young on caterpillars. 

No cuckoos here today though. During the 1990s/early 2000s they used to breed at Castlemartin and could be watched feeding on large hairy garden tiger moth caterpillars in the heathy areas. This moth species is also probably not as common here as it used to be.

Cuckoo

From Craig Nicoll: My first photo of a Cuckoo just below  Carnedd Meibion Owen at Ty Canol this morning

Goodwick Moor

 Very impressive numbers of Cetti’s Warbers (well, minimum five), Reed Warblers (several) and Sedge Warblers (few).  Reed Bunting.  Amongst nearby trees, lots of Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbers, 1-2 Blackcaps, Chaffinch, and a Garden Warbler singing just a few metres from traffic on the A40 hill.

A Cuckoo on the lower slopes of Dinas Mountain yesterday.  And a cloud of ~100 Swallows over the Gwaun, upstream of the weir and foot-bridge.

Waldo Stone

 Cuckoo 2 males possibly 3 calling 

Willow warbler 3

Chiff Chaff 3

Whitethroat 2

Wheatear pair 

Swallow 5

stonechat 6

Red kite 1 

Buzzard 2 

Linnet 2 pairs 

Hooded crow, Dale airfield

Hooded crow Dale side of the airfield this afternoon just as the mist was burning off. 7 Ringed plover, 3 Whimbrel and a Dunlin. 

Skokholm

Singles of Yellow Wagtail, Cuckoo and Pied Flycatcher today, along with two Swift and a few common warblers

Caldey yesterday and Bosherston Lakes Eastern Arm this afternoon

 A visit to Caldey yesterday was generally a fairly quiet one bird-wise, although pleasingly three pairs of chough (the main reason for our visit) had seemingly settled in at their usual sites. A pair of greylags was probably resident and if so likely to be breeding. It was also interesting to hear male water rails calling from at least three separate coastal patches of scrub where, like last year, they too are likely to be breeding. Perhaps rat eradication is helping their population to expand? 

The coastal landscape (e.g. above/near Redberry Bay) is quite colourful at the moment

Over at Bosherston Lakes this afternoon, a few reed warblers were singing strongly in the Upper Eastern Arm reedbed. A drake teal (perhaps a pair) was swimming within the reedbed shallows, where it was keeping to cover and not very easy to see (probably a late migrant). Recently hatched mallard ducklings were zipping about all over the place in shallow open water, feeding on small surface insects etc. Their resting mother did not seem at all bothered when they disappeared from view for a while – hopefully a pike was not lurking nearby! Herons were breeding at their usual site. 

Earlier in the week, a flock of 12-15 non-breeding choughs moved around between various horse-grazed pasture fields near Cemaes Head.

Part of a flock of non-breeding choughs on the move between foraging fields near Cemaes Head 

     

Skokholm Annual Report 2023

The 2023 Annual Report is now available to download for free. It was an amazing year full of great birding and some very special Pembrokeshire birds. The link is to the WTSWW website

bit.ly/4iBWMxY

Whimbrel - Teifi

 70 Whimbrel arrived on the Teifi at 7am

Stumble Head

 Whimbrel 4

Oystercatcher 4

Chough 2

Guillemot 10

Manx Shearwater 25

Gannet 50

Kittiwake 200

Rock Pipit 2 

Stonechat 2

Yellowhammers

From Harry Grubb: 

4 Yellowhammers on farmland feeder at the bottom of the lane. Flew off toward Plumstone. First I have seen this year.