Thursday, 13 February 2025

Pembroke River

A few nuggets from work this morning at the mouth of Pembroke river:

A pair of Scaup, and a Black-throated Diver.

 ...... ad Iceland(?) Gull on size re the Herrings it was with (looked a bit aggressive though)..With hindsight I'm inclined to go for a small Glaucous Gull. The primary projection wasn't distinctively long either. 

Den Vaughan

Wednesday, 12 February 2025

Milford Haven and Dowrog Common 11th Feb

From Dylan Daunt: 

Local morning walk around Milford Haven produced a few good birds.

Castlepill held a few birds including 3 Common Sandpiper, 5 Mute Swan, Shelduck, 2 Little Egret, Kingfisher and 9 Turnstone.

The Rath viewpoint had some nice birds including a flock of 8 Brent Geese going east, a pair of Red-breasted Merganser, 2 Great Crested Grebe and a Great Northern Diver. 
Lots of activity at Dowrog this evening.

3 Hen Harriers (two males and one female) and a Short-eared Owl were seen before 5. It was nice to see one of the Hen Harriers interacting with the Short-eared Owl.

The Pallid Harrier flew into roost at 17:06 and showed nicely for just under a minute. 

Other species of note included Water Rail, Kestrel and Fieldfare. 

Goosanders at Higgins Well

Regarding the Goosanders at Higgins Well. I carry out the WeBS survey from Higgins Well to Little Milford and during the last two winters I have recorded upto 4 Goosanders around Higgins Well or a little further downstream on several occasions during the last two winters. The most recent were 2M, 2F together in January.  Presumably this has now become a regular wintering location for them.

Tuesday, 11 February 2025

The Gann

From Dylan Daunt:The Cattle Egret was re located to a field just north of Mullock Bridge.

The Gann held many gulls including a 1st winter Caspian Gull and a Med Gull.

Other birds at the Gann include a couple of Greenshank, Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing and a male Eider and Great Northern Diver offshore.

Higgons' Well (8th Feb)

A single Goosander was present under the upper bridge in Haverfordwest on Saturday. Two Chiffchaff and a flock of 250 Lapwing downstream were also present.

Goosanders in Haverfordwest

From Sam Debens: 

Just letting you know we’ve seen goosanders on the river in Haverfordwest in the last few days. Dave Astin advised this was a little unusual. They were close to the weir and further down near the Bristol Trader. 

Castlemartin Corse

From Dylan Daunt: Many birds at Castlemartin course this afternoon.

The Whooper Swan was still  present from the hide with the pair of Mutes.

3 Jack Snipe and 5 Snipe were around the hide as well as Lapwing and Golden Plover.

Large numbers of Shoveler, Teal, Wigeon and Mallard were seen as well as five or so Pintail.

At least two (possibly three) Marsh Harrier were seen from the hide and surrounding areas.

Other species of note include Cetti’s Warbler, Water Rail, Little Egret and Coot.


 

Sunday, 9 February 2025

Dowrog common


 Pallid harrier 1 2year male flew in by 330 and again around 5

Hen harriers 2 males

Sparrowhawk female 

Red kite 2 

Buzzard 2

Kestrel female 

Raven 2

Saturday, 8 February 2025

Colour-ringed Rock Pipits

Likely the Rock Pipit mentioned in the post below will have been colour-ringed on Skokholm.
I think Rich and Giselle are still away but will be very interested in the re sighting.


A different Rock Pipit on Skokholm but showing the white ring with letter and examples of the coloured rings.

Castlemartin Corse

The "Starmans Two" chough were in their field as usual. Two red kites - a pair - were circling together. I couldn't see the dead swan that has been reported, but the young whooper with its adoptive family were present and correct. Otherwise quietish, water levels dropping again (though outfall blocked), plenty of ducks but mostly hidden. No sign of marsh harriers while I was there. 

The main W-E track almost impassable in two places even with wellies and walking poles, the predictable result of 90+ cattle having been driven along the fenced corridor in both directions. 



West Williamston colour ringed Rock Pipit 6/2/25

Pleasant couple of hours birding Thursday morning, partly in the good company of Richard Ellis. 

Came across a Rock pipit feeding on the seaweed strewn high-tide line, and surprised to see it was colour-ringed. 

Right leg: green ring: Left leg: white ring with a capital letter A. 

Unfortunately it flew off before I could get a pic or any more details.

Haven't been able to track down the exact ringing project yet but initial investigations by Richard indicated it could be from Norway or Northern England....be very  interesting to know!

A nice variety of duck and waders present including, c400 Dunlin, Greenshank, 20 Redshank, snipe, 8 Black wits, c30 Curlew, 235 Lapwing, 70 Teal, 30+ shelduck etc, and notably, 16 Grey Plover (9 in pic).



Also of note were 6 Reed Buntings, and for me a Greenfinch! (only my second one in 6 months living in Pembs!)

Friday, 7 February 2025

Cattle Egret....

 No doubt the same one  as Dave saw, was in the sycamores at the Gann around 0830 this morning


Cattle Egret

A Cattle Egret with 3 Little Egrets in the small field with cows in at Philbeach between Dale and Marloes, just north-west of the Gann (https://maps.app.goo.gl/QDBwamFy72sjSaEM9).


Fairly quiet at the Gann, the Eider again in the bay with a Great-crested Grebe, and a selection of gulls on the river but just one Mediterranean Gull (a 2CY) and a Skokholm-ringed Herring Gull (red W:890). A Red Kite quartered the fields to the west.

Green Sandpiper

From Harry Grubb: Green sandpiper on the marsh behind Aberbach today

Thursday, 6 February 2025

Hoopoe

A Hoopoe has been reported from Kiln Park, Tenby on 2nd February. It was searching for bugs around the caravans. The record was sent via the editor of the Welsh Bird Report and has been reported to Jon Green. 


Yellowhammers

From David Meanwell: The White Hart crossroads (Dale Road) Yellowhammers now numbering 6 that visit the garden regularly throughout the day.