Roger's Buzzard

Whilst there are always limitations to making an identification from a single image, I think this is a Common Buzzard (a dark one). The tail pattern does not fit European Honey Buzzard, which should show 3 clear bands, and the neck looks too thick. Tricky birds unless seen very well, and the distinctive 'jizz' is hard to convey in a single photo.

 Honey Buzzard- E.Haverfordwest

At about 2.30, while working on a small job in the garden, at 28 deg.C, I saw a Buzzard circling in the east. This is not unusual since I am only 200 yds. from open country. Once again I dashed indoors to get my camera. The buzzard was now circling quite high and went out of sight vertically.                     Checking the images, I noticed the longish tail not fanned, the long/protruding neck/head, the pinched in wing effect and the broad black band to the rear of the underwing and at the end of the tail, thus arriving at an I.D. of Honey Buzzard. If anyone with expertise has an opinion, I would be glad to hear.

Spoonbill

 At Marloes Mere this afternoon, same bird as seen yesterday at Dinas (?)

Willow Warbler

With reference to Bob's post below, a Willow Warbler was singing enthusiatically from a willow tree in our garden yesterday evening. This was notable as it is the first one we have heard or seen here at Orlandon Kilns this year. 

Nightjars 25/5

From Monica Fernandez and Adrian Stallwood: We had a lovely close up view of a pair of Nightjars in Ty Rhyg tonight, around 2215. They seemed to have found us more than us finding them, and performed several circular flights around us punctuated by perching on nearby dead conifer trees. Churring came repeatedly from the same area and started at around 2200, and was still ongoing when we left at 2245. 

Skokholm

A Quail crossing the track near the Red Hut was today's highlight 

Minwear & Toch woods early this morning

I made an early morning visit to Minwear and Toch woods this morning (before the dog-walkers etc arrived) for a second BBS session - a lovely cool, quiet time of day to be in the woods. 

It has seemingly been a good spring for at least some of the breeding resident species. There were lots of independent juvenile song thrushes, blackbirds and robins around this morning. This made recording a bit more difficult as only adults are to be recorded for the BBS. Mistle thrushes have also seemingly had a good spring here, with higher numbers than usual along the transect route. Stock Doves were at a usual spot where they breed plus masses of wood pigeons throughout the area. They also seem to be having a good spring. 

Other expected species included spotted flycatchers at a couple of likely breeding locations. Marsh tits were collecting invertebrate food from oak leaves for their young in a couple of places where they regularly breed. It was also nice to see wood warblers at a usual location, including one collecting food, presumably to feed its young in the nest. I hadn't noticed them along the transect route last year, nor during a previous visit on 23 April this year, but that date could have been a bit too early. Hopefully breeding will be successful. Willow warblers were noticeably absent though. Their population has been declining for some time and the future of small wood warbler population is uncertain. 

A dipper was resting near its breeding location on the Eastern Cleddau and a pair of grey wagtails were feeding nearby. A pair of resident greylags are probably breeding near the Eastern Cleddau, and a male shelduck was on territory below Slebech reedbed, where lots of reed warblers were in full song as usual there. 

Bob

Out and about

3-4 Tree pipit and a spotted flycatcher in the misty clearing at Minwear on an early visit Saturday morning. A hobby flashed through along the Western Cleddau whilst enjoying a cuppa at Vincent Davies at midday. A couple of hours around the mere tonight. A female Marsh harrier had a good look around, made a couple of drops but couldn't see if it managed to grab anything. It brought a response from the male lapwing which almost ended in catastrophe when the harrier briefly turned the tables. A mother mallard with 8-9 well grown youngsters were the only ones seen. 5 coot still on nests, usually chicks by now. Dunlin, ringed plover and whimbrel flushed as the harrier hunted around. 2 red-veined darters and a clouded yellow were first for the year.

Ty Rhyg / Glynaeron

 Three Nightjars were churring at Ty Rhyg just before 10 pm yesterday evening. A Tawny Owl could be heard hooting and a Cuckoo was calling from the top of the hill. 

About a week ago, on an early morning visit to Ty Rhyg, a Willow Tit was calling, I could hear three (possibly four) Redstarts singing and a Cuckoo was again calling near the top of the hill. Other birds included a Spotted Flycatcher and a Garden Warbler.

Yesterday morning at Glynaeron Wood, there were plenty of birds around, including another Cuckoo, two Redpoll and a lot of Siskin. 

Early Seal Pup

A very early seal pup was in one of the coves at the Deer Park today along with two adults.

A couple of Puffins were close in near Wooltack Point and numerous Razorbills and Guillemots were off Albion Bay. A flock of about 16 Chough was roaming near Rainy Rock.

A single Lapwing was still hanging around Marloes Mere just in front of the hide, but was clearly not defending any chicks. In fact there was no sign of any ducklings or young coots on the water of the mere. That may have been in in part due to a dog fox which was patrolling the fields just to the west.

On a more positive note, a pair of Dartford Warblers were clearly taking food, mostly caterpillars, to a nest at a non-traditional location on the west coast. The female was still enough for a picture, but it was impressive how quickly they can get into the nest.

                            

Hen Harrier

From Chris and Karen Hatch:  Ringtail Hen Harrier at Marloes Mere today.

Marloes Peninsula

Mere was a bit quiet when I passed other than the Sand Martins feeding over the water. A flock of ~50 Canada Geese were in Trehill fields. Four Shelduck around the mere being the highlight of the waders. Reed Bunting seen carrying food. 

Some fledged Stonechat and young fledged Ravens seen along the headland today.  

Reed Bunting with beak full of caterpillars

Sand Martin over mere 

Young Ravens 

Young Stonechat (one of four) 

Osprey

From Chris and Karen Hatch: Osprey at Gann estuary at 5.30pm today. 

Skokholm

Also a Woodchat today.

Skokholm

No further sign of yesterday's Taiga Merlin; further study has confirmed that it is of this (sub)species (see the Skokholm blog). A Nightjar today along with a small fall of Spotted Flycatchers. 

Skrinkle Haven seawatching

Just a quick update on some enjoyable seawatching shifts at Skrinkle Haven over the last few days. 

A quick look on Monday (18th) morning as the rough weather was picking up produced: 1 Storm Petrel, 2 Puffin and 1 Commic Tern flew west. 

Monday evening: 2 Storm Petrel, 1 Arctic Skua (dark phase adult), 1 Whimbrel and a stunning adult Long-tailed Skua.

Tuesday morning: 1 Storm Petrel, 2 Arctic skua (dark phase adults), 8 Great Northern Divers, 2 Red-throated Divers, 2 Puffin, 29 Dunlin, 13 Sanderling and 2 Ringed Plover.

Wednesday morning: 6 Storm Petrel, 1 Arctic Skua (pale phase adult), 5 Puffin, 9 Sandwich Tern and a Great Northern Diver. There was also a notable flurry of Swallows (38) and House Martins (21) arriving off the sea. 

Skokholm

A probable Taiga Merlin today, a potential second for Britain. 

From the National Trust

I just wanted to get in touch to let you know about a project that National Trust in west Wales are running this year.

Our Dilyn y 'Deryn gyda Branwen | Birding with Branwen events span across 2026. We have one event a month. It's a light touch series of events which we hope will appeal to all comers, especially young and budding birders. 

Branwen (@branwenbirding @branwen.online on Instagram) is a wonderful bird enthusiast living near Llandysul, in her day job she's an amazing sound engineer and DJ, but she has an absolute passion for birding in her free time. We're so excited to be working with her.

The idea is to engage people in west Wales with birding as a way to spend time in nature, promote well being and learn about the natural world on the doorstep. Branwen is hosting a space on her website where birds spotted in west Wales can be logged - it's not supposed to be super scientific, mostly just for fun - a way for people to keep in touch with the project over the year.

We have a free event this Saturday in Pembrokeshire at Ynys Dinas - poster attached - everyone is welcome.

Here is the link to the website and calendar: Birding with Branwen