Bosherston -- Hobby

Hi all, saw the Hobby today at Bosh, pic taken from the higher path viewpoint above the grassy bridge - it circled quite high before heading north.......massive noisy crop but chuffed we saw it, might go back to get better ones.

All the best drew

Round Up

Sightings emailed in:
From Richard Ellis - The Angle Peninsula again - this time no fewer than 5 lesser whitethroats along the section of coast path between West Angle and East Angle Bay, including two singing against each other between Point House and the Old Lifeboat Station. This stretch seems to be a bit of a hot spot for them. Lots of whitethroats, linnets etc. as usual, though fewer stonechats? One grasshopper warbler still singing near Fresh West. Hobby hawking for dragonflies over the Grassy Bridge at Bosherston at 12 noon.


From Andrew S from Devon (ex Pembs) - Managed to see a single Red Kite over the main road near the former RAF base at Brawdy at about 1235. Unfortunately driving so no able to get much more detail. Two cuckoos were also at the Dowrog as well as a number of Grasshopper Warblers singing!

 Have been looking for dragonflies and damselflies this week. Hairy Dragonflies, Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers noted with small numbers of Large Red, Common Blue, Blue-tail and Azure Damselflies all principally in the Marloes area with a few on the Dowrog. Anyone seeing any in their travels?

From Andy Chapman, Gloustershire -  3 reeling Grasshopper Warbler around the harbour at Porthclais this morning. A Red Kite and 2 Chough also came over the campsite this morning.

An Interesting Chiffchaff

At Marloes Mere this evening an interesting Chiffchaff singing in the willows that run alongside the field beyond the Britton Hide. When you reach the gate into the cow field, the bird was singing about 50m further on, on the right hand side. I saw it only briefly as it flew, but it was singing from cover. After consultation with Paul G via mobile who played some Iberian Chiffchaff songs to me, I concluded it clearly wasn't one, but a lesson nonetheless in knowing what's possible (there have been 4 in the UK this spring, including a first for Wales in Gwent) and what you are listening for! For information, the Marloes bird went consistently "chiff-chaff-chaff" with a frequent "do-do-do-do" to finish (or something like that!). Iberian Chiffchaff sounds like this:

http://www.xeno-canto.org/europe/browse.php?query=Iberian+chiffchaff

Happy listening. Iberian Chiffchaff has to be a good candidate for the Pembrokeshire list.

North Pembs .......& April 9th

The N. Pembs, White Storks as posted about recently !!!!

Newport this early am;-4 Dunlin.

Last night, 3 Sanderling, c21 Ringed Plover, c16 Dunlin, & a flock of c70 birds flying around the beach.

Cuckoos yesterday, 1 on Brynberian Moor, & 2 below Bedd Morris.

Strumble Head (30 May 10)

Grasshopper Warbler showing very well this morning. Also large numbers of Sedge Warblers (seem to be out-numbering Whitethroats around here!)

Red Kites

3 birds above our house at St Ishmaels at 14:15 this afternoon - slowly moving West.

Hobby at Bosheston pools

Hobby showing well and feeding well above grassy bridge and pond leading to beach. Watched for c.10 minutes.
Dave G

Newport Sat pm

By the Boat Club the waders had increased to c50 Dunlin, 30 Ringed Plover & 15 Sanderling, the latter in all plumages from Winter to breeding.

Pembrokeshire Bird Report 2009

The 2009 Pembrokeshire Bird Report is now out.

Copies are available from:

Jon Green, Crud yr Awel, Bowls Road, Blaenporth, Cardigan. SA43 2AR.

£7 a copy, including postage.

Please make cheques payable to Pembrokeshire Bird Group.

Waders, & North Pembs

Newport;-
This am, 6 Sanderling, c16 Dunlin, c16 Ringed Plover, & 1 Bar-tailed Godwit all from the Boat Club just after HT.
Sand Martins;-
Maybe up to c80 active holes in Pantgwyn Quarry this year. A couple of Yellowhammer on wires nearby.
Teifi;-
Very quiet mid-morning.

Turtle Dove - last week

I was staying at Trehilyn Farm, Trefasser last week (between St Nicholas and Strumble) and saw a Turtle Dove. Thought you would be interested in the record. It was seen on the 27th May along the minor road between Trefasser and Tregwynt - about half a mile south of the junction at Trefasser. The bird was wandering aimlessly down the road in front of the car before flying over the hedge (didn't seem bothered by the presence of my car!). Also saw a little grebe on the sea at Aber bach on the same day. At Trehilyn during the week I saw a regular kestrel, yellowhammer, 2 Sedge warblers, willow warbler, chiffchaff, many whitethroats and a Lesser whitethroat. On the lines near harmony chapel was a flock of 40+ linnet.
Regards
Steve Jones
Rhayader, Powys

City News

I met J.B. in the street yesterday and he brought up the subject of Lesser Whitethroats. It focused my mind on how scarce these birds were in the county when I was a budding young birder. I later picked up Lockley's 'Birds of Pembrokeshire' and in it he mentions just a few sightings and the only breeding record was at Llangwm in 1932. He also states that one was heard near St.Davids in 1926, yet in 2010 I have picked up at least five singing males within a mile or two of town. This has to be a success story in the making.
Our Turtle Dove has finally left for leafier lanes having spent ten days in and around our garden. We shall miss him but I dont think the Collared Doves will. He did tend to push his weight around a bit.

Midland Island - Shags

Seabird ringing;-
The first expediton of the year to ring this year's seabird pulli, an evening visit to Midland.
Wendy & I (as visitors from away!) joined Pembs ringers & see some keen girls from Skomer.
77 Shag pulli ringed, Steve will do the productivity stuff!

Well done Chris,(Skomer warden);
Many thanks for picking us up, the landing and returning us safely to the mainland.

Bosherston & Stackpole

Thanks to Bob for the news on the wagtail and hobby(ies). Paul G & I walked from below Stackpole Court, to Broad Haven, across the Warren to Stackpole Quay, and back across to the 8 arch bridge late afternoon/early evening: no luck with either, best birds were 3 singing Reed Warblers, hirundines aplenty, and 2 Chough. Smashing walk though, and only got rained on during the last 100 yards though! Happy birthday to Rich C - can we assume it is a "significant" birthday??!!
- No definitely not! Not eligible for the Bus Pass yet!!! (Rich C)

Gt-sp-woody

The female great-spotted has been to the garden feeder today. It's the first time I am aware she has been present for quite a while (M here daily). Judging by how messy her plumage is she has been in a nest cavity, however the BTO do not seem to have a breeding classification of "dirty plumage"!

Osprey -- skomer

1 has just flown over Rich C,--- whilst on Skomer celebrating his birthday, flying towards the Deer Park.

More Stackpole migrants - yellow wagtail (thunbergi) and Hobby(s)

Today mid morning on the coast (Saddle Point area) a fine male yellow wagtail of the thunbergi race was feeding briefly on the coast path but flew off inland towards Home Farm. Shortly before at least one (probably two) hobby (non-breeding immature) noted to be hawking damsel-flies over the woodland of the lower eastern arm of Bosherston Lake - seen well from lake-side path. There could be two because one was flying/hunting and a few seconds later one came out of a pine tree but I never saw two in the sky together.

The great-spotted woodpecker population has really increased tremendously at Stackpole. Over the passed few days I have looked at various wooded parts of the NNR/SSSI and have found no less than 8 nesting pairs (in places nests are 200 metres apart in the rather linear woodland zones). There are probably more to find as I have only looked at 50% of the wooded compartments here. Previously I had assumed we had 3-4 breeding pairs at most. Sadly no sign of green woodpeckers though!

Finally, I concur with Cliff - congratulations Richard and thanks for adding the colour-ringed chough to a recent sighting message. I could not find the copy you sent me - keep up the good work!

Happy Birthday Rich!

I think everyone will agree that we owe Rich Crossen a great deal for pioneering bird blogs here (and Whale's in Whales!) As a modest chap he will probably be tempted to delete this but I hope he will allow us a little tribute on his birthday!

Whales in Wales is getting over 1,000 visits a month and Pembrokeshire Birds loads more than that. Over a quarter of a million visits since it began! If you see him out there today, buy him a pint!

A cuckoo heard here above Goodwick this morning, but still not seeing or hearing swifts!

April record -- white storks

Following Dave's posting, re rarer birds;-
A quick summary of some follow-up work Janet & I managed this week.
We visited a birding farmer, who had been contacted by a nearby farm, asking if he could come see what they thought were storks feeding in a field being ploughed.
Ken found himself looking at 2 White Storks! (April 9th)
The 2 birds went to roost in a nearby sand quarry, the birds were not around the following day, almost certainly they were the two that were then on Anglesey! (April 10th) & had been seen moving through Somerset & Gwent earlier on the 9th?

Whilst visiting, useful photos seen of Ken's breeding Little Owls, nesting in buildings in 2008 & 2009, but likely nesting in a stone wall this year.
The farm also has a small population of Hares.

Something rarer?

Readers of Birdguides will have noticed a few significant rare bird events today - a stunning White-tailed Plover/Lapwing at Seaforth in Merseyside, a flock of 11+ Bee-eaters in Scilly, and 4 (yep, four) Red-footed Falcons together at Tacumshin in County Wexford, with several others in England - the Wexford birds must have more or less flown over Pembrokeshire! Question is, is there one near you now???

Teifi -- waders ....& local juveniles

Teifi this evening high tide;-
On Patch, then the Webley. 22 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover. Also 1 Bar-tailed Godwit flying with 2 Curlew. 1 Whimbrel roosting 4 Curlew.
On Poppit Sands, 16 Sanderling, & 6 Ringed Plover.

Teifi CES ringing, produced the first juvenile Robins, Chaffinches, Dunnock & Long tailed Tits of the season. New warblers still being trapped, the highlight being a Grasshopper Warbler, a species rarely caught on the Teifi.
(Teifi RG)

Lucky Dipper

Not a Pembrokeshire sighting I'm afraid but some interesting behaviour.

Whilst walking along the stream below Carreg Cennen (near Llandeilo) we were alerted to what appeared to be two Dippers, one behind the other, flying at speed down the stream towards us, calling loudly. As the leading bird reached a deep pool under the footbridge it dived headlong into the water and disappeared. It was then revealed that the following bird, only a few feet behind, was a Sparrowhawk. This latter bird, having suddently been deprived of its meal, flew on along the stream and the Dipper then re-appeared and climbed out of the water. A lucky escape, and an escape strategy only available to a small number of birds. It was interesting too that the Dipper knew he could only safely dive into deep water.

In almost the same location we watched two male Pied Wagtails having a set-to. They would sit on the fence about 3 feet apart and bob their heads at one another, and every so often they would both flutter up in the air, facing each other, with a very vertical body stance and their tails dipped right down and spread to show off the undertail. The overall effect was like two butterflies dancing. Eventually one bird gave way and flew off. I've never seen anything like it before.

Well I know it's not Golden Orioles and Red Backed Shrikes ..........

Rosemary

Red Kite

A Red Kite over County Hall, Haverfordwest today.
(Peter Howe)

Angle Area

At Kilpaison shortly after high tide this morning there were c.60 Dunlin on the beach with 2 Sanderling, looking wonderful in summer plumage, in with them. After spending 15 minutes or so in their company they all crouched down then flew off quickly as a Peregrine swooped down from behind me but failed to make a kill.
Round at Freshwater West there were 15 Sanderling and 8 Dunlin. Photos from Freshwater West.

Paul Sartori Foundation Birdathon

The first Pembrokeshire Birdathon, supporting the Paul Sartori Foundation will take place at the end of June.

For further details see the information sheet here or visit the Paul Sartori Foundation website at http://www.paulsartori.org.uk/

Ty Rhyg

A Reed Warbler singing first thing was quite a surprise at this site, though it is probably a migrant. Both male and female cuckoos very vocal this morning - lovely to here the bubbling female call. Stonechats have young, and all the usual Ty Rhyg species seen/heard including at least 4 groppers. In the tall conifers there were 2 singing male Redstarts and at least 3 pairs of Spotted Flycatchers. The resident Tawny Owls have left their squat in a kestrel box and moved into a proper owl box. Just one chick again this year and it's about ready to fledge.

Information Request

Sally Snow from Aden Productions requests sightings of urban birds to film for a BBC Wales production they are currently making:-

 " The two items I am hoping you could help me with are as follows: 

a)      I was hoping somebody might have a bird nesting in their garden.  Not in a nest box, but in a tree or bush etc.  Please could you also let me know at what stage the birds are at (if you know) e.g. sitting on eggs, feeding young...

b)      I was hoping somebody might know of bird/s nesting in a manmade object/structure (that aren’t swallows, swifts, house martins or gulls as we have already featured them).  A good example of this was a Great Tit that we were told was nesting in a postbox.  Ideally we would like to find another example like this, as unfortunately we think the Great Tit may have thrown the towel in. 

If anybody had any suggestions I would love to hear from you.  My email address is sally.snow@adenproductions.com

Thank you kindly for all your help,

Best wishes, Sally"

Late May southerly migrants continue with a Golden Oriole at Bosherston

At 1100-1115 this morning, a fine adult male golden oriole in full song near the Bosherston causeway, below car park - up in mature ash and sycamore trees. Quite stunning views from the causeway and constantly in full loud song!

Ramsey

No sign of yesterday's Common Rosefinch so far this morning.
(Greg)

RedKite

Yesterday afternoon a single bird slowly heading north near Hayscastle

Teifi -- waders

High tide this evening;-
In front of the Webley, a stunning summer plumage "islandica " Black-tailed Godwit with 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, also 30 Dunlin, 23 Oystercatcher & 1 Whimbrel.
Opposite the Quay, 13 Curlew, 4 Whimbrel.
As the tide dropped, from Patch, & Poppit;-
Small wader totals a minimum of 26 Sanderling, c140 Dunlin, c35 Ringed Plover.
(Rich D & Wendy J)

Newport;-
This evening, c25 Dunlin & Ringed Plover, constant disturbance.
(Karen)

Marsh Harriers -- Marloes Mere

Two marsh harriers over Marloes Mere this morning, I was leading a bird guided walk starting from the car park (initially both birds could be seen easily over the hedge from the car park hut). Both females, a well-marked bird with a lot of white on head, shoulders and upper wing coverts, and a dark bird with pale coloration on head only, possibly a first summer bird? Excellent views had by all.
Also shoveler, three black-tailed godwits, etc.
(Richard Ellis, National Trust)

Cuckoos !! -- nr Mynchaclog-ddu

Went to look for Janet's "Whinchat's" and had no luck.
BUT for 10 minutes I was watching a male Cuckoo singing while perched on wires going over the fields; 3 times it dropped to the ground then returned to the wires carrying what looked like lizards (or Janet say's could have been large caterpillars or slow worms), it then proceeded to shake it violently before swallowing.
When I returned to the car the Cuckoo had flown a short distance away, but was still calling. I heard a rumpus going on in the trees close by, next thing the female Cuckoo is being chased out of these trees by two small birds. I didn't see what they were as I was watching this second Cuckoo and listening to her then bubbling call as she went for cover in the gorse bushes. Fantastic.

I'll return another time for the Whinchats.
On my way home I stopped off at Pengelli. No luck with the Lesser Spot; Just the male Pied Flycatcher singing.
(Karen)

Kestrel

1 male, cruising along the clifftop at Marloes sands, this evening.

Marloes Mere

Had good views of a female marsh harrier late this afternoon. Entry in book at hide stated a pair of Harriers had been seen today, but no name

Common Rosefinch -- Ramsey

Common Rosefinch in garden just now.
1st summer male I assume as singing!
Greg -- Ramsey

Boats run at 9:28, 10:00, 12:00 but with this nw wind, crossing maybe unlikely, check with 1000 Islands.

12:00 crossing cancelled

Teifi, Newport-- waders

Early am, from Patch;-
At 0530 all birds on Poppit or Webley roost.
3 Whimbrel, 13 Curlew, 3 Black-headed Gulls, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 15 sanderling, 70 Ringed Plover, 30 Ringed Plover.

More later........


Newport;-
c08:00 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, but all small waders seem to have moved on the high tide. Also 6 Swifts & a Tawny owl.
(Karen)

Turtle Dove -- to waders

No sign of the Red-backed Shrike at yesterday's location, or in the surrounding coastal fields.....it was pretty breezy!
On the way back we did see the St. David's Turtle Dove.
Newport;-
10 Sanderling, c21 Dunlin, c19 Ringed Plover, & 1 Bar-tailed Godwit.
(Wendy J & Rich D)

Teifi;-
All upstream from the railings, 11 Sanderling, 4 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Ringed Plover, 26 Dunlin.

The Smalls

A trip out to The Smalls with Thousand Islands yesterday revealed 2 willow warblers, a wheatear and a rock pipit hopping around on the rocks! Also three pods of common dolphins numbering around 60-70 in total (quite a few young too).

Ramsey - saturday - 15 red kites together over Carn Ysgubor (belatedly reported by a visitor)
Sunday - ring tail hen harrier

Newport -- waders

Early this morning;-
1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 Redshank, 1 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover, & 1 Cuckoo again calling from the lower slopes of Carn Ingli.
(Karen)

Gann / Marloes Mere

A drake Garganey at Marloes Mere this evening, from the north hide. Also 2 Spotted Flycatchers in the willows to the west of the Britton Hide. A Marsh Harrier noted in the log book, but no further details/name.

At the Gann: Grey Plover (s/p - nice), 6 Sanderling, 7 Ringed Plover, 6 Whimbrel, 20 Dunlin, Little Egret, 1 Black-headed Gull & 2 Common Gull. (Dave A & Paul G)

Red Kite movements

"Despite squadrons of Red Kites heading out of South west England (and even getting as close to the island as Wyke Regis) Portland remained a milvus free zone today."

This piece above from Portland Bird Observatory last night, presumably our west coast movements are part of this wider movement?

Teifi -- waders

Numbers arrived this evening after high tide, 25th-28 May can be the Teifi's peak passage in terms of numbers, variety, & scarcities!

Off The Railings;-
3 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Sanderling, c45 Dunlin, c30 Ringed Plover, 1 Whimbrel, c10 Curlew.
Also c20 Shelduck, I haven't found any young yet!, & 11 Mute Swans.

05:30 today the 2 Greylag Geese flew down river over the Marsh.

St Davids Hd am

A Swan sp on the sea (something I can't recall seeing before) between Pencarnen and Whitesands eventually flew off over Pencarnen Camp site and Trefeiddan. It appeared to be a 'wild' swam and therefore would presumably be a Whooper but it was just too far off to be specific (sic). 3 Spotted Flycatchers present, as they were yesterday when there was also Cuckoo and Red Kite.

Red Backed Shrike

Although i was unable to blog the news till this evening i knew the news had been passed on by Richard and Paul.Whilst walking the coastal path between the lifeboat station and Porthlysgi beach St Davids i picked up a fema.le Red Backed Shrike on a fence by the coastal path catching St Mtarks flys near the kiss gate above Carn Ar Wiga this morning i believe the bird wash still showing early evening.Birds picked up the on the walk included Cuckoo, Spotted Flycatcher and sadly only one female Stonechat.

Red Backed Shrike (St David's)

Red Backed Shrike showing well late afernoon, early evening.

Red Backed Shrike - Carn ar Wig (St. David's)

The female Red Backed Shrike showing well at c15:30 along the fence / gorse , one field in from the coast path.
Found by Jonathon Bennett this morning, I assume more postings about the bird with photos later, it looked quite at home feeding, & likely to pose on the fence.

In the area, 1 Yellow Wagtail this morning, a few Spotted Flycatchers, ever increasing numbers of Lesser Whitethroat in this area too.

Yesterday, an interesting flock at Treginnis in the morning, 29 Collared Doves & with them 1 Stock Dove.
(John & Marion)

Yesterday's Honey Buzzard

It flew east (from the direction of Skomer) over the northern edge of Marloes Mere at around 1pm yesterday being mobbed by a couple of crows.
(Andy Davies)

Merrion

Two Red Kites, presumably migrants, flying purposefully east over Merrion camp this morning.

tetrad-bashing in SN04/14

Annie and I spent the best part of a glorious day doing TTVs and trying to add spp to tetrads lacking records. Highlights included a red kite hunting not far from where we saw one in the winter TTV; 3 fledged raven families; peregrines breeding in a traditional location. The male was bringing in plenty of food - two good meals in 1.5 hrs included at least one razorbill from one of the thriving seabird colonies in SN04 and SN14. These comprise good numbers of auks (razorbills and guillemots), several pairs of shag, 20-30 pairs of fulmar and all three gulls noted in 4-5 tetrads.

House martins are nesting in the cliffs at various places. Choughs seemed relatively scarce; a pair was feeding near one nest site but none noted at 2-3 other usual nest locations. Stonechats on the coast seemed to be doing reasonably well - at least 10 pairs had fledged young in 3 tetrads. Whitethroats, meadow pipits and linnets were very numerous - all feeding young.

Several pairs of skylarks were present but sadly many are about to loose their nests to the silage mowers moving with considerable and depressing speed through some of their nesting fields!

Noted lesser whitethroats in two tetrads. I agree with Steve, I think there are more around this year - noted in almost every tetrad with suitable habitat (thick hedges/dense scrub patches) visited. They are almost certainly nesting near our house at Martletwy, noted regularly here for a few weeks or more this year.

Yesterday, butterflies were also note-worthy. Green hairstreaks were quite numerous in gorse areas along the coast; there were quite good numbers of wall brown, common blue and hundreds of whites - mainly green-veined and large whites - many coming in off the sea (immigrants?). An unexpected butterfly was a fine male Brimstone in the Cebwr area. This species breeds in N Pembs (around Tefi marshes for example) but needs buckthorn or alder buckthorn, none obvious on the coast, so was this a wanderer from elsewhere in N Pembs or an immigrant?

A few curlew were moving up the coast and the only wheatears seen (5) were probably all Greenland race, based on size and colour.

Skomer - Bluethroat

Sorry there was no sign of the Bluethroat today - it really was a stunner.

Photo by Ben Dean

A Tour of the North

A very pleasant, if a little too hot, 5 hours out with Paul G looking for some of our summer migrants. A Cuckoo at Ty Rhyg (and a brief glimpse of a probable Tree Pipit), no Whinchats at Brynberian Moor, a singing male Pied Flycatcher & a Redstart at Pengelli, 2 singing Redstarts at Tycanol, a total of 4 Red Kites in the area, a male Dartford Warbler at an established north coast site along with a Lesser Whitethroat, and a Garden Warbler to finish at Treffgarne. Great stuff.

Afternoon of football

Whilst enjoying a kick-about in the front garden this afternoon, I was extremely lucky to hear a Bee-eater (5.30pm). My son wan't impressed why I stopped playing and shouted BEE-EATER !
But he's met most of the north Pembs lot so he's used to madmen & women by now.
Bird called again and I managed to pick it up across the road, as it headed north.

Some garden tick.

I've checked the area over the last 2 hours, but no sign of the bird - probably kept going passing over Steve's place !!

Moral of the story - why bother tramping round the Teifi seeing nothing when you can be at home playing footie !

Tenby

Is it my imagination or are Lesser Whitethroats just loads more common this year?? At Tenby there are at least ten singing birds between Tenby and Penally to add to the occasional Cetti's (which have now gone a bit quiet) and the multitude of Whitethroats.

A Kestrel near Giltar Point too.

Skomer

Turtle Dove, Garden Warbler & Spotted Flycatchers this afternoon.
Yesterday's, Reed Warbler, & Spotted Flycatchers had left with the Bluethroat.
At least 6 Red Kites including a flock of 5.
(Dave B)

report of a Honey Buzzard over
(Bird Guides)

North coast waders

Before Jon G. starts;-
Teifi;-
Late this afternoon, 2 Ringed Plover & 2 Curlew in front of heron hide.
2 Greylag Geese flying around the marshes for c10 mins before flying off up river high. (early morning)
Patch, 1 Sanderling, c10 Ringed Plover, c10 Dunlin.

Newport;-
2 Sanderling, 16 Ringed Plover, 16 Dunlin.

Red Kites

4 At Llangloffan Fen
(John Marion)

Stack Rocks

A pleasant couple of hours this afternoon at Stack Rocks, soaking up the sun and enjoying the spectacle of the Guillemot colony on the main stack. Plenty going on with Jackdaws, Ravens and Gulls harassing the Guillemots and much coming and going in the colony.

Red Kites - Ramsey yesterday

Presumably the same 6 red kites mentioned over St Davids yesterday, drifted over and circled the farmhouse for half an hour. A record number for here I think. All 7 pairs of chough feeding young.

Skomer

Decided to go & look for aforementioned Bluethroat, just in case, but it wasn`t there. Met Mervin there, we did see however, 1 Red Kite being harrased by 2 Short eared Owls, followed by a further 4 Red Kites drifting West. Mervin also saw 1 Little Owl.
Bluebells beautiful, comical Puffins running through my legs! didn`t miss the Bluethroat at all.

Bluethroat.....

Text from the warden, via Richard, Bluethroat not present this morning

Species in Atlas 10 Km Squares still needing confirmed breeding status

The BTO have made it quite easy now to get a 10km square list of species and current breeding status to show where evidence of confirmed breeding is still lacking. It is quite easy to look at these lists and hopefully this summer we can reduce the percentage lacking breeding confirmation.

SM71 (includes a large chunk of Skomer for example) has the highest percentage of unconfirmed breeding at present (75%). The sad fact is that there are many records going into the Atlas via Bird Track (Skomer being the best example of this inputting method) with absolutely no breeding status added what so ever, and this for the best watched bird area in the County!

So have a look at the 10 km square lists and see if you can upgrade breeding status in tetrads near you this summer.

Red-spotted Bluethroat --- Skomer

10pm update;-
The bird vanished into the Bluebells at 16:30 and was not seen again.
Dave will look for the bird from c07:00, with news as soon as located.

Reed Warbler also present today.
(Dave Boyle)

Tetrad bashing in SS09 and earlier brief views of a hobby at Stackpole

This evening, whilst doing timed-tetrad counts around Manorbier area I came across a male colour-ringed chough (orange/BTO (R); orange/blue (L). He was ringed as a nestling at Mewsford Pt, Castlemartin in 2005 and was last reported (when photographed by Richard Crossen) at the Coombe in 2006.

This evening he was feeding in a very small inland pasture field, where there seemed to be masses of leather-jackets. Craneflies seem set to emerge in abundance, probably helped by all that moisture last summer! He is breeding at a nest site that seems to have gone unnoticed recently, with no records for a number of years. So despite a poor year for the population this one is doing ok.

I have visited quite a few tetrads this spring and feel that whitethroats are here in abundance this year. So far (in south Pembs at least) they seem to be feeding and nesting in almost all suitable patches of cover on the coast this year.

Didn't see any kestrels along the coastal stretch between Manorbier and Freshwater East this evening and there have been no signs of them at Stackpole this week either. Today there was a hobby though, briefly seen flying along the coast at Stackpole at around lunch-time, heading west towards St Govan's Hd.

Pen Anglas

3 Whimbrel flew west past the point at 18:00.

Red Kites Galore

Working down near Treginnis farm school St Davids between 11-30am and 2-30pm i picked up a minimum of 14 Red Kites drifting west with 4 being the largest group they all seemed to follow the same pattern drifting as far as Ramsey sound then turn around circle over a field full of sheep near the farm then drift off inland.On the lawn were 3 very busy Emperor moths and a Hairy dragonfly .

Red - spotted Bluethroat -- Skomer

A very nice singing male near the farmhouse this afternoon.
Found by Nick Gray, a day visitor.
More later, no more boats today.
The bird will be looked for early morning tomorrow, first boat 10:00 last boat 12:00.
(boats subject to change as always!)

Red Kites -- St. David's

6 circling over the peninsular, eventually gathering together above Pencarnen, before moving off.
No sign of Dartford Warblers or Stonechats in the Penberry area today.
(John & Marion)

Newport Fri am

At the Parrog, 1 Ringed Plover & 5 Dunlin. On the beach, 3 ea Dunlin & Sanderling.
At Dinas a Kestrel.

Hobby -- Skomer

1 Over North Haven this lunchtime.
(Dave B)

Woodpeckers...........some thoughts

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker is still present in Pengelli, Janet had a calling bird this time in the trees to the bottom of the wood from the reserve entrance, on Tuesday this week.

I post Bob's reply to a question about the sensitivity of discussing the breeding of these scarce / rare breeders in Pembs.

I noted Mark Wilson’s Atlas entry of LSW at Pengelli. It would be useful if more people could look for this species (and green woodpeckers too, probably the rarer of the two now in Pembs. I hope to put something on the Blog soon about a woodpecker project running in Herefordshire (my old County) where there is quite a thriving community BAP project running on the three woodpecker species. There, they are getting more folk involved with finding/recording them this way, having discovered that there is precious little research on all three species available in the public domain. I am not sure that LSW would be threatened by publicising locations over here, but what we really need is folk who get to know them better, their giz and calls etc so that we can turn more up more sound records of this elusive species (and GWs too, probably still here somewhere at very low density)! So sharing information/knowledge is possibly the key to helping these declining species.

An evening on Plumstone Mountain

Plumstone Mountain, and the large area of heath towards Dudwell Mountain, felt pretty quiet this evening (approx 2000-2100), despite a warm afternoon and the mist having lifted. On the way to the car park we saw a solitary Red-legged Partridge. On the heath itself there were regular but not numerous Mipits and Linnets. We found 4 male Stonechats, at least 3 of which holding territory,and one of which, an exceptionally black individual, had 4 young. There were 3 Yellowhammers singing across the heath, a single reeling Grasshopper Warbler, at least one Whitethroat and, best of all, a calling Cuckoo. It still felt a bit empty, though; an early morning visit might be more productive.

Lesser Whitethroat

Once again the regular visitor to H'west Golf Course is back at his usual post (near the fifth tee) and singing, I imagine it's the same bird as previous years which would speak well of his survival techniques, if not though, then there is something very definitely attractive about this spot to this species!

Angle in the Mist

I ventured to Kilpaison this morning more in hope than
expectation that A. I would be able to see anything and B. there would be any waders there. I was lucky on both counts as the mist lifted enough to see 45 Dunlin, 40 Oystercatchers, 1 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel and 1 Knot. The misty conditions were rather atmospheric as birds appeared and disappeared into the murk. The Dunlin were busy feeding - fuelling up for the next leg north.

Martin's Haven in the mist

Visibility down to less than 50 yards at some stages yesterday and today, but starting to actually feel warmer! In the valley two competing male Whitethroats and two Spotted Flycatchers. A single singing Sedge Warbler below Lockley Lodge.

On the Deer Park, one or two pairs of Stonechats, 2 pairs of Choughs and a displaying male Reed Bunting!

Wooltack Point was surprisingly productive yesterday afternoon, with the mist pushing many birds much closer in: some of the best views of Puffins from the mainland that I have ever had, other auks and Gannets, and a single Grey Plover.

The Seabird Spectacular evening boat trip round Skomer last night was astonishing in the thick mist: thousands of auks, many VERY close to the boat, 20+ Manx Shearwaters and a pair of Peregrines that we could hear hunting and calling to each other (spooking all the Puffins in North Haven in the process), but could never actually see!

The Gann this morning near High Tide: 3 Little Egrets, 11+ Shelduck (one pair with 3 half-grown ducklings), 25+ Oystercatchers and 21 Dunlin. 3+ Sedge Warblers, a chiffchaff, and a Swift among good numbers of Swallows and House Martins.

St Bride's Haven: one Whimbrel

Migrant Dove

After the excitment of the Rose-coloured-Starling in our garden last week, today this Turtle Dove flew in with the resident Collar Doves. It posed for these pictures which were taken through our kitchen window.

Skomer -- Spotted Flycatchers

Only migrants around c10 Spotted Flycatcher's this morning.
(Dave B)

Spotted Flycatcher

Saw my first bird for this year in Canaston woods yesterday, got home this evening and saw
two in the trees behind our garden in Narberth which will hopefully nest

Here and There

Here today (over my house above Goodwick) two Red Kites which drifted over from the east heading west being seen off by a Buzzard. Also a newly fledged Magpie. Yesterday at Mynachlog-Ddu, my first and only cuckoo of the year...but where are the Swifts?

Ffynone

Grey wagtail by the dam. Also grey wagtail feeding recently fledged young by the waterfall. At least 1 piedfly singing in the wood.

On 14th 3 recently fledged greenfinches with 2 adults were present in our garden, Tegryn.

Some interesting ringing recoveries

The Pembrokeshire Ringing Group has just received a few recoveries including these three interesting ones:-

Woodcock EL96416 ringed 19.12.2008 at Picton Castle, shot at Tingdal, Plantage, Sonder Sejerslev, Tonder, Jylland Norway 01.11.2009.

Common Scoter ringed as 4 in 10.3.1996 after after being cleaned during the Sea Empress spill and shot 06.06.2009 Island Lyuymos, river Ob, Priuralskiy district, Yamal-Nenets, Tyumen, USSR

Cormorant ringed on St Margarets Island on 27th June 1992 - ring found on a Sibiril beach, Finstere, France on 15th February 2010 - sadly as a ring only record it could be just one of thejuvs which died as far back as 1992. Many Cormorant records used to come from this area of France but rather few in recent years.

The ringing group is active most weekends so if anyone is interested to learn more about ringing studies or train towards a license get in touch with John Hayes on 01646 687036 or Steve Sutcliffe on 01646 636754.

Westfied Pill -- Dipper

A Dipper at Westfield Pill this morning is the first since 5/4/89.
Prior to the damming of the Pill in 1993 occasional birds used to winter at the ford.
An unexpected sighting, on a very odd date.
(Alan H)

Newport - cuckoo

A Cuckoo calling from the lower slopes of Carn Ingli this am.
From the Parrog;-
4 Whimbrel, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Dunlin, and c20 linnets.
(Karen)


Teifi;-
Last night, v. quiet, c12 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover.

Tenby and Caldey

Three purple sandpipers on the rocks underneath the new lifeboat station this morning.

On Caldey failed to find a single stonechat although I was counting seabirds mainly. Many more razorbills present with new sites attended and old ones re-occupied. More Shags but less GBB's - other gulls will have to wait until I can add it all up. First HG chicks just starting to hatch.

At least one pair of Chough apparently with one fledged chick at Cathedral caves and another different adult near Redberry where the farmer says he see's them quite often so perhaps two pairs.

On St Margarets most cormorants apparantly sitting on eggs but at least three nests with big chicks - must have laid in March!.

Angle

With a clear sky overnight no great surprise that most of the Dunlin Dave saw at Kilpaison yesterday had departed. Just 5 there this morning with 2 Barwits and 1 Whimbrel. In the bushes behind the beach a pair of Long Tailed Tits were feeding young and there were several Whitethroats singing.

North Pembs birds

Fishguard;-
1 Black Gulliemot feeding and preening in the harbour, hopefully a male, and the female is hidden away?
1/2 Dartford Warblers active at a usual site, also a very obliging singing Lesser Whitethroat.
Pengelli;-
I am happy to record the confirmed breeding of Pied Flycatchers this year.
Nr. Mynachlog-ddu;-
1 pair of Whinchat, also Grasshopper Warbler and Reed Bunting.(Janet)

Waders, this evening;-
Newport, 8 Whimbrel, 16 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover.
Teifi, Patch, 28 Dunlin, and 9 Whimbrel flew to Cardigan Island to roost with the Oystercatchers this High Tide.
(Rich D. & Karen)

Down South

A lonely walk at St. Govan's this morning was very quiet, save for the expected on territory Stonechat, Whitethroat, Wheatear, Linnets etc.

High tide at Angle Harbour: 4 Ringed Plover & 6 Dunlin, at Kilpaison a nice group of c.122 Dunlin, a Sanderling & a Bar-tailed Godwit.

Teifi high tide roost

On Patch, 57 Dunlin, 11 Ringed Plover and 4 Sanderling despite a Peregrine flying around them. Also 1 Wheatear.

Newport..........&.......

High Tide;-
Just after HT, from the Boat Club, 5 Whimbrel, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, before being flushed off by a Red Kite.

Teifi last night;-
66 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover on Patch.

Gwaun Valley today....

A Mid Pembs Section walk today had a successful time in the Gwaun Valley;-
Pied Flycatcher singing ...SN042345. (Photo from Ynys-hir)
Also 3 Redstarts and a couple of Wood Warblers. Earlier in the week when Robin was assessing the route, he had 5 Wood Warblers singing.
(Info. Robin T.)

Atlas tetrad stuff, choughs and bits and pieces

Today whilst out tetrad-bashing (TTVs) noted Goosander in SN02; possibly breeding judging by behaviour. The male was very agitated when a raven flew low overhead and he chased off a couple of nearby Canada Geese. From a distance I think the female joined him for a while to feed but she disappeared into woodland where I suspect she is in a tree crevice (probably incubating). Watch out for ducklings somewhere on the Afon Syfynwy over the next couple of weeks or so!

Breeding starlings are becoming harder to find each year in parts of S Pembs but as usual they are nesting near Manorbier/Skrinkle area and noted a small colony feeding young (not yet fledged) going to nests in Penally Camp - collecting food near Valleyfield Top.

Although the breeding chough population in south Pembs appears to have crashed this year, it is pleasing that one of the older birds is still breeding this year (feeding young in the nest now) at Trewent Point. The male here is colour-ringed (he was black/green (L); BTO ring (R) but the black ring fell off several years ago. He is now in at least his 18th year, having been ringed when fully grown in the winter of 1992/93 (at Angle). He has bred at Trewent annually since about 1995. Currently he is the oldest chough I know to be alive in the County. He was still looking pretty healthy yesterday, tucking into large numbers of leather jackets in sheep-grazed pasture near the nest site. So fingers crossed that he survives to make his twentieth year!

Small flocks of waders still passing through - around 80 dunlin (all in summer plumage) near Landshipping last Sunday (9th). Noted 2-3 purple sandpipers and half a dozen turnstones low down on barnacle-covered rocks near Broadhaven south mid week - all resplendent in summer breeding plumage. The turnstones were even uttering parts of their breeding calls, I would probably have missed them had they not been calling.

Teifi -- Sedge Warblers

Update from Steve S;-
V960516 was ringed as a 3J (juvenile) at Kilpaison on 20th july 2008

Teifi CES ringing today;-
The highlight today, another 83 new Sedge Warblers, and of the 3 (only 3!)retrapped/controlled Sedge Warblers.
6054735 Paris... was presumably ringed in France,
X456898, a BTO ring from elsewhere.
Also V960516, a BTO ringed Reed Warbler from elsewhere.
Many Sedge Warblers still carrying fat, suggesting the teifi is not the end of their journey.

Waders:-
Around the estuary at low tide it seemed very quiet, compared to the c3500+small waders at Ynyslas this am!!

(Teifi RG)

Ramsey - Black Redstart

1st summer male black redstart near the buildings today. Large swallow movement this morning - 1000+ north

Temminck's Stints

No sign of the 3 stints at Tregaron bog this afternoon.
(Arfon W)

Newport -- waders

Early this afternoon, from the Boat Club;
c60 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, 1 Turnstone, 9 Ringed Plover,
(Karen)

Temminck's Stints -- Tregaron

There is no public access to this part of the site.

The Warden had kindly agreed for a guided group to view the stints if still present.
This visit will take place at 5pm on Saturday. Meet at Pont Einon, 1 mile North of Tregaron on the Aberystwyth road, (A485).
SN671613

Arfon Williams

Temminck's Stints - 3 together, but not quite in Pembs!

An amazing record of 3 together at Cors Caron NR in Ceredigion today in an area with no public access - shame that no Pembs birders will be able to see them! Jon's bird at the Teifi Marshes back in the early 90s is a dim and distant memory....

North Pembs waders

Teifi, early morning;-
I summer plumage Great Crested Grebe on the sea off Patch, also on Patch, 3 Sanderling, c15 Ringed Plover, c80 Dunlin.
Whimbrels, 2 at Jewsons, & 1 off the Railings.

Newport;-
1 Whimbrel, 1 Sanderling, 16 Dunlin.
(Karen)

Rose coloured starling

Showing well at the usual site in St Davids at 11.30
Dave G and Byron Davies

North Pembs waders

Newport this am;-
1 Whimbrel, 1 Sanderling, 4 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover.
(Karen)

Teifi last night;-
Much as Wendy's count earlier in the day, 8 Sandering, c200 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover.
(No counts this morning due to poor weather)

Another missed Hoopoe

Aaaaargh - another one missed and this even closer to home!

Spoke to Kath Groves today who works in the retaurant at St Brides and she said they saw the Hoopoe outside the window just as they were clearing up Sunday lunch at about 2.45. They were confident in their ID as they had only just read my article in Peninsula Papers (local parish mag.) entitled "A big pink bird on the lawn" about Hoopoes and how to identify them!

Rosemary

St Brides

A somewhat belated look for the Hoopoe this evening, unsurprisingly failed to produce.
Good habitat for one though. 6 Wheatears & some Whimbrel calling were the only birds of note.

Rose Coloured Starling

RCS still present in St Davids this morning

Pied Flycatchers

At least 2 singing male Pied Flycatchers in Ffynone woods this afternoon. Also a Dipper by the waterfall.

Teifi again

A change in wader numbers from last night - on Patch at high tide, 1 Turnstone, 8 Sanderling, 180 Dunlin and 15 Ringed Plover. 2 Whimbrel by the boat club..

Teifi

Tonight's waders, from Patch / Railings;-
2 Whimbrel, 2 Common Sandpipers, c4 Sanderling, c25 Ringed Plover, & c100 Dunlin.
(Rich D & Wendy J)

Sandy Haven to Monkhaven

Not sure if it's a good year for Whitethroats or a fall of migrants but there was a singing bird every 50 yards at least this morning. Also nice to see a few Sand Martins nesting in the cliffs behind the beach. could only find one each of Whimbrel and Curlew, and other waders were 2 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper. 6 or 7 Sandwich Terns were flying up and down the haven and 3 Black-heads still lingering. Several broods of Long-tailed tits along the coast and a very smart Lesser Whitethroat singing at the watch house. In the sheltered spots there were quite a few butterflies - the first Holly Blue and Wall browns for me this year and an abundance of Orange-tips. The only thing that was missing was the target bird of Kestrel - anyone seen any in this area this spring?

Pen Caer yesterday/Fishyguard harbour today...

Chough seen leaving a nest site in the vicinity of Pen Caer carrying then dropping a faecal sac so looks like they have a brood. 1 male and 3 female Wheatears also. On the outer breakwater today 3 whimbrel 3 summer plumage Dunlin and a Common Sandpiper

Hoopoe - yesterday

More later;-
A Hoopoe filmed yesterday at St. Brides Castle........if anyone in the area??
News via, Dave A.

Newport

22 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling, 18 Ringed Plover early this morning.
(Karen)

Teifi

Waders this evening, present at, or arriving just after high tide;
From Patch & the Railings, 195 Dunlin, 35 Ringed Plover, 4 Sanderling, 2 Common Sandpipers & 1 Whimbrel.
2 Female Red-breasted Mergansers feeding together too.........presumably non-breeders ?

Gann & assorted bits & pieces

I'll see Derek's 4 Whimbrel & raise it to 15 at around 6pm today - I don't think I've ever heard such a vocal flock! Also 1 Bar-tailed Godwit with them, and around 40 small waders which refused to settle, most appeared to be Dunlin with at least 1 Ringed Plover. 4 1st summer Common Gulls, and 2 1st summer Black-headed Gulls, 1 House Martin & several Swallows. At least 3 pairs of Shelduck. Nearby at Marloes Mere a pair of Tufted Duck, 5 Teal & several Mallard from Britton Hide, and good numbers of Swallows (estimate 70+) and a handful of Sand Martins. Around 11:30 this morning I saw the Rose-coloured Starling on the roof of one of the bungalows at Ffynnon Wen - no binoculars (I was out on the bike) but a pink and black Starling isn't difficult to spot on a rooftop!

Whimbrel

4 at the Gann this afternoon.

Rose - coloured Starling -- St.David's

Showing well today, directions as posting below.

Garganey -- Marloes Mere

The drake Garganey showed at 12:30 from the Britton Hide.
2 Yellow Wagtails in cattle field before hide.
(Paul G.)

Ramsey - Purple Sands

2 purple sandpipers still on the Ramsey winter roost site (thanks to boat skipper Ffion Rees for the info). 2 shelduck out here again yesterday.

Frenni fach

More than 3 cuckoos (m) calling around Frenni Fach this morning.

Red Kite

The (presumed same) Red Kite again over fields to the west of Haverfordwest Racecourse this morning, at the junction with the Dale Road & Park Corner Road. A walk at Minwear/Blackpool Mill early evening produced 2 singing Wood Warblers (but impossible to see!), and a brood of recently fledged Grey Wagtails at the mill.

Rose-coloured Starling

Good views of the adult Rose-coloured starling at St Davids this afternoon. It was on the roofs of bungalows near the childrens play area at Ffynnon Wen SM752251.
Also today, at The Gann, 8 Whimbrel and 40 Dunlin.

Garganey --- Marloes Mere

This cracking drake Garganey seems mobile around the mere.

Update 14:00;-
Showing very well in front of Britton Hide.
8 Dunlin & 1 Greylag Goose too.
(Rich D.)
Update 10:30,
The drake Garganey is asleep on the closest pool from the car park.
(Wendy)

Garganey

1 Male, at Marloes mere this morning - West of the Britton hide, where I watched it for a couple of minutes, it then flew off & landed somewhere in the stretch of water between the hide & Strawberry cottage.

Marsh Harrier -- nr. Tenby

A report this evening of a likely Marsh Harrier flying over "The Nabs"..... this is the marsh /reed-bed area opposite the entrance to Kiln Park.
(Alan Morris)

Osprey

Some fantastic views of an Osprey contemplating fishing along the Teifi at the Wildlife centre this evening,watched for ten minutes before gaining height and flying off.A summer plumage Dunlin also present.

Ramsey

2 hooded crows today

Peregrine egg thefts, help and vigilance required...

Hi all, something to watch out for. Peregrines are vulnerable from egg thieves as well as pigeon fanciers. Its worth pointing out that when watching peregrine sites, that are not generally well known, it is best to do so at some distance and not tell everyone what you are doing. I usually say I am seal watching here on the coast . Click here for information relating to a recent egg theft incident. It may be that the eggs were stolen from the Rhondda in the incident referred to area but it has happened here in Pembrokeshire in the past.
The contacts for Sgt Ian Guildford, the Wildlife and Environmental Crimes Officer are at the bottom of the article.

Garden Blackbirds

Despite 'flocks' of cats in the area it was nice to see a male Blackbird feeding a newly fledged youngster in the garden tonight.

Pen Anglas

I got a good view of a late female Merlin still about over the point at 16:45.

Yesterday at Tenby

Three, probably four Cetti's Warblers singing between Kiln Park and Penally Station and at least seven Lesser Whitethroats in the scrubby stuff along the railway line, Black rock and the South Beach.

Wrynecks.........

Richard,
I have just spoken with Janet Atkinson who said you might be interested in a sighting of a Wryneck in my garden in Newport last September (see photo). They are so rare this far west, I am sure all sightings are welcome. I notice one has just been spotted at Llys y Fran.

Tony Williams

negative news

Mr. Buckton phoned again at 6pm to let us know that he hasn't seen the Wryneck today.

Mid Pembs meeting 15 May

The next outdoor meeting of the Mid Pembrokeshire section of the WTSWW is on Saturday 15th May. Spring in the Gwaun Valley. A walk to see the plants and birds. Meet 10.30am at Sychpant car park. SN045350. Bring packed lunchand suitable clothing. Leader Robin Taylor For more information please phone 01348 840617
Lyndon

Hooded Crow -- Pencarnen ....&....

The Hooded Crow present again early this morning.
Yesterday, the bird was not seen again after early morning.
(Marion & John)

Newport;-
1 Whimbrel was the only wader found in an early look this morning.
(Karen)

Teifi;-
Patch, 9pm last night, 15 Dunlin, 1 Whimbrel.

Mid Pembs -- yesterday.

Nr. Rhos;-
2 Garden Warblers.
Canaston wood;-
2 Wood warblers, & Tree Pipit.
Minwear;-
3 Wood warbler, Garden Warbler.
A Greylag goose on the river near Slebech.
(Paul G)

Marsh Harrier at Marloes Mere

I bumped into Derek G at the Marloes car park this evening, and we walked towards the Britton hide in the increasingly cold wind. Almost the first bird we saw was a Marsh Harrier, probably a juvenile, with several inner primaries missing. Is this the same bird seen on Skomer earlier today?
Other highlights were at least three singing Reed Warblers, and a couple of Sedge Warblers competing against each other from gorse bushes no more than five yards apart.
There remain good numbers of Teal around: I counted at least 15, with the males' plumage in fantastic condition. Several of them were displaying, suggesting that some, at least, are likely to breed at the Mere this year.

Elsewhere: Dale Airfield felt very empty this afternoon: a lone Curlew, two Greenland Wheatears and a pair of Chough feeding on a runway. A pair of Canada Geese have a single gosling on the pond. There was also a flock of 40+ Linnets.

Western Cleddau at Nant-y-Coy last night: a Dipper and a two Peregrines. Again, no Kingfishers.

Wryneck -- nr. Llys-y-fran

A request from Greg on Ramsey to follow up a phone call, to have a look at an unidentified garden bird.
In a garden, I was looking at a Wryneck !!
The bird was first seen Monday morning, & has been seen at various times today.
I will post news of the bird when I receive any tomorrow.
Mr. Buckland has said the bird may be viewed tomorrow. The bird can only be viewed from the lounge window. If any-one is interested in trying to view the bird, then they can ring me and we can co-ordinate a small scale viewing opportunity.

Some recent observations in south Pembs - including yellow wag passage today

Noting the recent wonderful images of wood warblers prompted me to consider them following my recent BBS first (early) visit to a 1km square taking in part of Minwear Wood. My last weekends count of 8 singing males was the highest I have had there in 5 seasons in this particular location. Mind you it is all really a matter of timing. In my first BBS year (2006) the count was done on 17th April (too early for most Wood warblers to have returned by then). Pretty well all the other first visit counts have been within a few days either side of beginning of May so perhaps the population is going to be higher this year - time will tell!

I was surprised to see (hear) that wrens and goldcrests were not really that much down on other years. At this site there was no real indication of a winter-induced slump in numbers (based on the same area visited and counted the same way each year).

I always enjoy watching treecreepers and looking for their nest sites. One nest in the Leat wood, Blackpool Mill, will probably not appeal to many photographers though, being about 30 foot up, behind ivy! Soft, rotten bark excavated from an equally high rot-hole was being collected to form part of the nest-lining.

My first visits to chough territories in South Pembs have been somewhat disappointing. So far the breeding population (based on occupied nests by end of April) is down quite significantly on the Castlemartin peninsula - by about 40% - the lowest breeding population recorded here for some 20-30 years! Three wet summers may have influenced poor survival of juvs, so there has not been much recent recruitment. The 2008/09 short cold snap possibly had a negative affect and this winter (frozen ground) and possibly the cold dry March (inverts may have been hard to find) seems to have taken quite a toll. We now need a warm dry summer to hopefully help a good productive chough breeding season, followed by better post-fledging survival!

I wonder if tufted ducks may be attempting to breed at Bosherston Lakes this year? A pair were around in early April, the male is still here patrolling - hopefully we shall see something? On the other hand a pair of Canada Geese were resting on Central Lake today - behaving as if they owned the place - not a good sign!

First LT Tit brood noted fledged at Stackpole today (close to where I found early nest-building late this winter). Are they going to have another good year?

Migrants coming through Stackpole today included a small passage of yellow wagtails. They seem to pass through quite regularly at Stackpole in early May. Of at least 4 I saw well, feeding near the coast path this morning, all were males of the flavissima race.

Bob

Heronries

I have counts of nests from Upton, Bosherston, Velindre and Westfield Pill. Any other heronries occupied out there? Anyone playing golf at Priskilly who could take a look there? Anyone going along Millin Pill to Picton - there is a heronry there somewhere?

Thanks
Annie

Angle and Canaston

Fewer waders at Kilpaison this morning - c.30 Dunlin and 9 Whimbrel.
Spurred on by Drew's super Wood Warbler photo I went to Canaston Woods were there was plenty of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Wood Warblers with the latter singing and displaying.

marsh harrier -- Skomer

1 At Moorey Mere this morning.
(Dave B)

Monk Haven and surrounds

A long early walk produced Red leg partridge on Trewarren fields above the Gann, 2 Wood Warblers singing in Monk Haven valley near the church and loads of Whitethroats everywhere. Scarce were Dunnocks (probably skulking around now) and suprisingly few Chiffchaffs. Only one Treecreeper and no Goldcrests.

Hooded Crow -- Pencarnen, St. David's.

The Hooded Crow was seen by John & Marion this am, from their caravan.
The bird seems to associate with Rooks.

Canaston

From Drew Buckley - Canaston Woods some lovely Wood Warblers down there today.

Also lots of chaffies, blue/great and long tailed tits as well.

Blackpool Mill (03 May 10)

Lovely day by the river - pair of dippers showing well, pair of Grey Wagtails showing well, pair of Otters showed well but briefly and a single Common Sandpiper (where was his mate?).

Angle (Again)

At Kilpaison this morning at high tide - 11 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 15 Oystercatcher, 1 Barwit, 52 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Knot, 2 Turnstone.

Angle Peninsular

From Richard Ellis - I did the whole Angle Peninsula coast walk early this a.m., clockwise beginning at Fresh West. Grasshopper and sedge warblers on the outrun - gazillions of whitethroats throughout and three lesser whitethroats between West Angle Bay and the Point House. No sign of peregrines at Sheep Island but 2 chough.

Strumble & Canaston Woods (02 May 10)

Wood Warblers showing well in Canaston Woods today and Dipper at Blackpool Mill. 3 Swifts over Canaston.

Close encounter with a Fox at Strumble. It came so close I couldn't get the whole face in the viewfinder! Spotted Flycatcher in my garden this evening.

Swans

These 5 Mute Swans ( + 1 other ) were on quite a small pond near St.Davids this morning , Whitethroat , Sedge Warbler & Gropper all singing in the area as well.

Purple, black and red!

I took Jack Donovan, his sister Kath and brother in law Ian, out onto the outer breakwater yesterday afternoon. Ian and Kath live in that birding wilderness Norfolk (where breeding tysties are ubnheard of). On the blocks two Purple sand's were extremely confiding and a distant Black Guillimot was feeding in the area beneath the cliffs on the Eastern side of the harbour mouth. What struck me was the length of time it was spending underwater. We watched for perhaps half an hour untill Kath and Ian had managed to get it in the scope for a decent view, between its brief surfacings and prolonged dives. A partially moulted Red Throated Diver passed into the harbour settling down not far from the Stena ramp, maybe the bird I heard on Friday?...

Angle Bay to Pointhouse Coast Path

From Drew Buckley - some sightings from yesterday's dog walk. Plenty of Goldfinches, Linnets, Dunnocks and Whitethroats singing along the coast path this afternoon. Few Buzzards over farmland and Cormorants in the Haven as well.

Strumble Head (01 May 10)

Around the headland today:

4 Grasshopper Warblers

10+ Sedge Warblers

25+ Whitethroats

2 Yellowhammers

Lots of hirundines passing through.

Marloes Mere

2 stunning breeding plumaged Black-tailed Godwits this evening, on the wet grassy area below the pink cottage. Also there the first goslings of the year (at least 4), up to 100 Swallows, 50 Sand Martins, 1 House Martin, a few Sedge Warblers & Whitethroats, a single male Stonechat. Two dead Canada Geese, side by side in one of the Trehill fields was a bit of a mystery - if shot, why just left for the Ravens to feast on? On the wildfowl front a drake Teal, drake Tufted Duck, a pair of Shoveler and a handful of Mallard.

Ramsey - Probable Serin

Probable male serin this afternoon near the public toilets. Lisa made the cardinal sin of going out without her bins when she stumbled across the bird! In the 5 mins it took me to get up there it had vanished. Despite an extensive search this afternoon there was no further sign. From her description there seems little doubt what it was (apart from a canary!) We'll look for it again first thing tomorrow and keep the blog posted.

Also of interest today - mistle thrush and cuckoo

Multitudes of Manxies

The shearwaters started to stream into St Bride's Bay at about 1930 last night, and rafts of several hundred birds each could be seen with the naked eye from Lockley Lodge. Although there were plenty of stars, the moon was either late or clouded over, and from 2200-on we could hear the calls of the shearwaters all around the Deer Park and from birds flying down the valley.

Lost little soul.

White Rabbits are few and far between hereabouts , even on the first day of the month. None the less there was one surprise in store.
Although I missed out on blubbery things this morning at Fishguard Harbour, these tysties were a nice little consolation prize as were a pair of Sandwich Terns. Newly fledged Ravens were also loafing here and there.
Its not every day I add a tick to my Pembrokeshire List and I suppose its "plastic" but quite clearly confused by the multitudinous signage in two historic languages! Perhaps a lost little soul from St Davids?
I forgot to mention that yesterday although I failed to trace the source, I heard the evocative reedy call of a diver, RTD I thought, but having heard it only once not sure, nice though!