Llys-y-fran

Water levels still very low, probably the lowest I've seen it so 2 juvenile Common scoter was a bit unexpected. About 3,500 LBB roosted many out on the far bank. 100 BH gulls and 50 herring gulls. 7 GC grebe, 5 liitle grebe. 

Cattle Egrets

Highlight of a late afternoon walk at the Gann today was 6 Cattle Egrets, started with 1 on the saltmarsh, then another 4 on the lagoon, then eventually 6 roosting in the trees next to the road below Crabhall. Also a single Grey Plover. (Dave & Lisa)

Strumble, Flagpoles, and Iron Bidge.

Very quiet for cetaceans at Strumble today but a reasonably close pass by a Great Skua was a bonus. At the flagpoles in Goodwick a Curlew feeding on Shore Crab, then at Iron Bridge Newport, a Heron, Green shank and Little Grebe rounded off my morning.

 

Dale airfield

Half dozen individual jays passing across the road between Haverfordwest and Dale. Felt birdy on the sheltered track up, a firecrest popping in and out of the ivy was one of the first birds to appear, 3 chiffchaff and a blackcap tuk, tuk, tuking. Clouded yellows and red admirals as well. Juvenile Marsh harrier cruising around the airfield before drifting towards Marloes. Dozen golden plover, 10 snipe, 4 lapwing and single ringed plover. 2 young wheatear, among the skylarks, pipits and linnets around the runways. Quite a few birds in the bracken and scrub overlooking Marloes Sands, a few goldcrest, dunnocks, robins, great tits and best of all another Dartford warbler. 200 starling gyrating but couldn't see what was alarming them.

Scoter off Nolton Haven 6/10

From Richard Harris: Just a quick report of a raft of circa 40 common scoter seen off Nolton Haven this evening slowly paddling northwards towards Newgale. A record photo on my iPhone was unfortunately not worth the effort. The sunset however was:   

Past Week at Goodwick Flagpoles

As well as the usual suspects the mixed weather the past week brought in Sandwich and Common Terns, Curlew, a single Wigeon, Bar Tail Godwits (2) and today two Teal.

                             Meanwhile at Strumble a handsome Wheatear put in an appearance.

 

A bit of Strumble Sea Bird History!

I came across one of the Strumble diaries i thought i had lost, yesterday. There are two pages sea bird fans might find interesting.The first is from the fifth of September 1997

I dont remember much about this one, there had been others! The second is about a week later on the 12th of September

These entries were made in my field diary written on my knee in the bunker/lookout, just after the sightings, when my hands had almost stopped shaking! Beneath the sketch, i wrote Graham Rees's words, uttered when he found it: "Are you on this shearwater? You should be, its close" And reasonably close it was, fluttering/feeding over a weedy pot bouy. So close i could make out its little grey/blue feet protruding beyond its tail. In this fluttery mode it resembled a big storm petrel. Apart from Graham, there were three others there, Rod Hadfield, Stewart Devonald and myself. Sadly I am the only one left. Rod could not get on it, so somehow i extracated myself from my chair without moving the scope,a mirror lens at X90, and Rod got his view. Greater love hath no Strumbler than to hand over the view of a little shearwater to a friend! Unfortunately it flew off before i could get back on it and i did not see it in level flight which was really what i wanted to see. The scope is still used by Chris Grayell I stopped using it on a daily basis as i was developing double vision!

Tawny Owl

From Steve Smith: While I was returning to Stepaside this evening a Tawny Owl flew across the road near St Petrox church at 9.30pm  

Norwegian ringed Common Ringed Plover

On 19h & 20th September I recorded a 1st-year Common Ringed Plover at the Gann with colour-rings: a plain red ring on the left tibia, and a yellow flag marked 30J on the right tibia (with a metal ring on the left tarsus).  The bird was ringed at Makkevika (Norway, Møre og Romsdal, Giske) some 1371km away!  It had taken no more than 24 days to reach us from Norway.

Winter thrushes

Good morning, Steve the visiting Manchester birder back in your fabulous county again

Seen my first Redwings of the season this morning near Redberth . Two small flocks of 7 and 4 birds. Plus 1 single Swallow over. Which reminds me that sadly I cannot visit Caldy island as its now closed for the season so no last minute watching the normally 100,s of Swallows feeding and resting on the island before their long migration South.

Preseli golden plovers

 A small flock dashing about the mountain pass this morning, my first of the autumn. 

Pied flycatcher, St Brides

George had a Pied flycatcher at St Brides earlier.

Strumble Herons and Egrets, Geat White followed by three Cattle Egrets Tuesday/Wednesday

Anna Webberley and our Sea Trust Porpoise Photo ID team were at Strumble on Tuesday and were delighted to see; firstly two grey herons came in off the sea closely followed by a Great White Egret. Ken Barnett and one of our Sea Trust Wales volunteers, Harry, were also at Strumble on Wednesday. They noticed three large white birds circling high up above them, seemingly getting a lift on a thermal. After attaining the required height, they then drifted off to the east; one of which Ken managed to get a couple of shots of (see below). Having consulted with Adrian Rogers, the bird/birds were identified as Cattle Egrets!