Skomer

Two species of phalarope in a season can't be bad - Grey on the 16th and Red-necked on the 28th. A few other good birds latterly incl.: Osprey (27th), two Firecrests (27th and 28th) and some good movements of Swallows (17,400 on the 18th) and House Martins (500+ on the 25th). Also leucistic Swallows and Linnets!

New Arrivals on the Teifi

Over 200 Wigeon this past week.

New Arrivals at the Gann

8 Wigeon this afternoon, 7 Teal on the lagoon.

Newport pm

Late afternoon, tennis courts to salt marsh - Sam's Curlew Sandpiper was still hanging out with the group of Redshanks and a single Dunlin had also joined the group. With a Greenshank and a Little Egret on the opposite river bank.
Towards the salt marsh there was a resting group of small waders consisting of 12 Ringed Plover, 1 Little Stint and 2 Dunlin, plus 13 Wigeon waddling down to the river.

Newport am: Tennis Courts to Bridge

I associate Curlew Sandpipers with Dunlin flocks by the Boat Club, so it was a surprise to see a pristine juv with 6 Redshank feeding amongst the gulls. Mostly Black Headeds, but c 10 Meds scattered around, none ringed.

Marloes and St Brides

Pretty quiet this morning. Highlights at Marloes Mere were a female Pintail flying over and Great Spotted woodpecker seen twice. 6 Wigeon. Nice chat with Sash at Martin's Haven, only Goldcrest in the valley today. Had a good look around St Brides 2 Chiffchaff was all I could find.

Skok

First Lapland Bunting of the autumn today along with a small arrival of other migrants in blustery conditions.

Yellow-browed Warbler

One at Llandilo this morning, first detected by its distinctive call high up in the oak canopy. It took a while to get a glimpse of it, because it was initially very flighty and was constantly on the move being harassed by a coal tit which seemed annoyed at its presence, or its call. After a minute or so they decided to ignore each other and were feeding a few feet away quite happily, though in silence. The yellow-browed stayed in loose association with a mixed group of tits and goldcrests for at least the next half-hour.

St Davids

A Pied Flycatcher at Whitesands, St Davids was the highlight of this morning's walk. Otherwise Goldcrests, Wheatears and good flocks of Linnets at many sites.

Cleddau

I had a look at a few locations around the Cleddau this morning approaching high tide for Ospreys but drew a blank. Maybe they have now moved on or they prefer to fish on an ebbing tide when the water is lower.

At Garron Pill there were 2 Little Egrets, 6 Wigeon, 25 Teal, c.40 Curlew, 15 Redshank, 300+ Black-headed Gulls.

At Landshipping Quay 7 Greenshank with 36 Redshank.

Hoopoe - Marloes Mere

A lady stopped me on my way up to Dale airfield this morning to say she seen a Hoopoe fly across the back road from Marloes to the mere around 8am. It was just past the farm heading towards the coast.

I checked the airfield and coastal fields to Marloes Sands but no sign. 4 Ruff, 8 Ringed plover and 5 Dunlin on the airfield. Single Chiffchaff on track.

Skokholm

The rares keep coming, this time a Melodious Warbler at East Bog. Also Little Stint, Redstart, Firecrest and a good fall of Goldcrests.

Skok

Little Stint today in sub-optimal conditions.

Marloes Mere

A brief visit  post dusk, quite a lot of Ducks flying around mostly Mallard I would`ve thought, but about 30 Teal (going by their diminutive size) were also present. Several Snipe calling.

St Davids airfield

From Steve Jones - This afternoon at St Davids Airfield just before the heavy rain set in a Green Sandpiper got up from the boggy bit at the western end of the main runway. Later 3 more waders flew over in a similar area - a Snipe and 2 more which looked like Golden Plover but i didnt catch them well enough.

Newport Estuary

Curlew sandpiper  3
Little Stint 1
Ringed Plover 60
Dunlin 25
Common Sandpiper 1
Red Kite 2
Little Egret  2

Ruff at the Gann

From Paula Lazar: Very busy on the Gann this afternoon. Watched a cormorant battle with a huge eel (or small conger) bigger than itself, on the pool for ages. Finally managed to swallow it sadly but was I unable to put its head down for a good while.
A peregrine spent an hour stalking unsuccessfully & I also saw what looked like a solitary female ruff. 

Landshipping area late this morning

Two ospreys were circling/hunting up the Eastern Cleddau channel late this morning, in an area we've seen them previously. Perhaps they are different to the two seen on Saturday by Richard, further down the Cleddau system at Garron Pill.

Other raptors this morning included a couple of buzzards (making good use of the warm air thermals) and a goshawk that flew over the channel into some woodland on the Picton side.

At Landshipping Quay there was a nice flock of c. 50-60 redshank feeding and resting in the shallows, with a couple of dunlin. With them were 8 greenshank - including a bird with what at first seemed to be only one leg, the other leg seemed to be immobilised/injured? Despite this, it seemed to be coping ok. Still not many ducks present although teal numbers had increased a little in the area since last week and several wigeon were present.

Eight greenshank and three redshank. The bird landing with a damaged leg seemed to be feeding ok 

Small flocks of swallows were noted to be on the move down channel - somewhere in the region of 100+ noted in a few minutes plus a couple of sand martins. 

The Gann

Met John  Morgan who found this Wader, it was almost dark hence the blue hue as my camera went into "hand held night shot" mode.
On it`s own, bigger than a Dunlin, too small & not grey enough for Knot is the best we could come up with, not the best of pictures - any thoughts anyone?
Only other bird of note was Green Sandpiper

Greenish warbler

A couple of my best efforts...

Like Dave, based on the good birds that had turned-up on Skokholm earlier I decided a mooch around Martins Haven and the Deer Park might be worthwhile. Beautiful evening with hardly a breath of wind. An aside to this evenings find was news from Dave (who mans the Coast Watch lookout) of a Corncrake on the Deer Park a few weeks back.

GREENISH WARBLER @ Martin's Haven - thank you fate

A Greenish Warbler this evening (1820-1845 when everything seemed to go to roost) in the valley at Martin's Haven, frequenting the east facing steep bank behind the toilet block (on the Deer Park side), mainly in gorse, loosely associating with a Willow Warbler.  Called a couple of times - very like a Pied Wagtail.  Best shots I could manage below, but shows key features separating it from the similar Arctic Warbler (including supercilium meeting above the eye and flaring behind it, short wing bar, darker legs).  Seems as if this is the first record for mainland Wales, the others all having been on Skoholm, Skomer, & Bardsey...

One of the photos below shows me looking down from a cattle trodden path and Brian Southern looking up, just to highlight where it was frequenting.

A brief story of the find - I'd been busy since 5am this morning organising the Pembrokeshire Half Marathon & 10k in Dale.  Finally getting home mid afternoon, shattered, I realised I'd left something in Dale.  So instead of the much needed nap, I headed back down to Dale (after some food and a cuppa).  After retrieving said item, and knowing what was happening on Skokholm, I opted for Martin's Haven for half an hour to see what might be in the valley, or up on the Deer Park.

Whilst looking into Sash's Willows (not a euphamism!) Brian appeared, and we pished, watched & waited with nothing better than a Goldcrest.  Brian mentioned he'd had a pipit at West Hook Farm that looked quite black & white, which instantly had me thinking of Red-throated, so we agreed that Brian would walk back in that direction and I would join him after a quick walk up to the lookout to catch the sun over Skomer.  After going through the Deer Park wall, I decided to have a quick check in the lower valley behind the toilet block and the first bird I saw was....happy days!

Teifi -- Spoonbills

Teifi Estuary 9am Sunday

5 Spoonbills flew into the estuary around 9 am and spent an hour feeding off St. Dogmael's Quay, before heading off upstream. Two of these were colour-ringed (bird 1- left - green above white, right - red above white, bird 2 - left -white above green above white, right - white above red above white). Apparently, 5 arrived at Upton Warren around 2.30 pm this afternoon.

Also present a female Pintail, 4 Black-tailed & 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, one Knot, and there was a juv. Little Stint amongst the Dunlins & Ringed Plover by the Webley.

Skok

Western Bonelli's and Barred Warbler among a good little fall. Prob Blyth's Reed Warbler elusive.

Blackbridge Med Gulls

Twenty one this morning, going about their ablutions on the water. I felt a few of them must be colour ringed so I  threw half a loaf of Hovis (in small pieces!) onto the little jetty with the plan of getting them on dry land a few metres away from the comfort of my dry warm car where could easily read all the letters/numbers on their plastic jewellery. I sat camera at the ready while every Herring Gull on site pigged the lot, not one Med Gull didn`t even fly the 100m or so to investigate. Not used to being fed then!
40 plus Redshank 2 Greenshank on the slip.

Newport Tennis Courts to Bridge this afternoon

6 Wigeon, 3 Teal, 2 Greenshanks, 2 Little Egrets, 1 each Bar T & Black T Godwit & Yellow Legged Gull.
No Meds & no Canadas!.

Garron Pill Ospreys

Around 1 p.m. this afternoon there were 2 Ospreys at Garron Pill (just north of Lawrenny). One appeared only briefly over the trees. The other spent an hour or more hunting over the mouth of the Pill but despite a couple of dives which it pulled out of at the last second it's efforts went unrewarded.

Frustratingly it never came close enough for a decent photo but some record shots above. Eventually it flew off along Castle Reach towards Lawrenny.

It may well be that these birds were the two that Bob and Annie have seen recently near Landshipping but it would be interesting to know just how many Ospreys are around the Cleddau.

Dale area

Had a good look in the fields at Kete and St Anns this morning, but apart from lots of large gulls hunkered down nothing to see. Things got bit more exciting at Dale airfield when a small 'buff coloured' wader got up along the 'grassy' runway (SM 79396 06404). Only briefest of views but looked like a poss B-B sandpiper. It seemed to drop back out of sight. Spent next 2 hours combing the airfield till 11 but no further sign. About 20 Ringed plover, a Snipe and a Curlew. 3-4 Chiffchaff on track down. At a blustery Gann: 93 Curlew, 11 Bar-tailed godwit, 5 Dunlin, 4 Ringed plover, 2 Knot, a Redshank and a Turnstone. 4 Little grebe, 4 Med gulls and a Wigeon.

Castlemartin Corse

Rob's female marsh harrier was hunting over the reedbed - well marked bird with extensive creamy-white on wings. Also female sparrowhawk, hunting linnets and being mobbed by crow - we're seeing sparrowhawk on every visit these days. Three widely separated Cetti's, water rails squealing, buzzard. 3 stock doves, plenty of young stonechats and reed buntings along the tracks.

Anyone visiting the hide should be aware there's a very busy wasps' nest in the roof.

Blackbridge, Milford Haven

At least 18 Med Gulls scattered across the water at high tide this morning, most of them adults with a few 1st & 2nd Winters.
The usual mob of 43(?) Redshank + 2 Greenshank.

Leucistic Shag on Grassholm

Anna Sutcliffe took this excellent picture of the Shag that we saw on Grassholm at the weekend. We had previously seen it (or a sibling?) in almost exactly the same spot around a month ago.

Grey Phalarope - Carn Ar Wig

Thanks to Daf Rees from Voyages of Discovery for news and photo of a grey phalarope off Carn Ar Wig (just south of St Justinians) yesterday (21st) afternoon

Osprey

From Frances Griffiths - We saw an Osprey catch a fish (probably a mullet) at Roose Ferry, opposite Cresswell River today at about four o'clock.

Castlemartin Corse

Rob Lewis reports a female marsh harrier today - first in a while.

West Williamston

Geese again! 50 greylags on the Carew River, 300 Canadas on the Lawrenny shore. Plus lots of curlew and redshank, a few dunlin, 30 wigeon, 2 little grebe, little egrets, grey heron....

Martin's Haven & Dale

As well as the wonderful migration of Swallows reported by other observers, there was an interesting movement of birds in the valley yesterday. Not that many warblers evident (but a rather nice Whitethroat), but 15-20 Blue Tits, at least half a dozen Wrens (both high numbers for here) and up to a dozen immature Stonechats. Flyovers included a Grey Wagtail and several Skylarks: really feels like autumn now.

A nice surprise was a juvenile Water Rail which, for some inexplicable reason, jumped out of the dense undergrowth, and then flopped down into the top of a sallow bush. It struggled there for several minutes before finally escaping back to the stream bed. But not before giving excellent views of the rather brown and dull bill, and poorly-marked flanks.

Some nice close sightings on the slipway at Dale in the last few days: two Kingfishers darting around, probably picking up food on the rising tide. Possibly the same two birds I saw at the Gann on Saturday. And a Common Sandpiper that flew in, and then around the jetty for several minutes, calling, and alighting on a number of nearby boats.

Osprey - Hook area (Tuesday evening)

From David Ord: On a sunset & high tide stroll down to the Cleddau at Hook this evening I saw one of the ospreys lift off Sprinkle Pill and fly north over the Hook peninsular towards the western arm of the Cleddau. I walked around the peninsular but did not see it again. At the mouth to Sprinkle Pill a tree on the south bank was adorned with 12 egrets at roost and a sizeable gull roost was forming on the water.

The Gann - after Derek

A lot of disturbance tonight and over the last few days. The 5 Brent were right up the river. 2 Greenshank flying out to sea and 35 small waders flying around mostly Dunlin, 6 Ringed plover and a Sanderling.

The Gann

Quiet tonight with a big high tide, however I met a visiting couple from Essex (Gary & Michelle) staying opposite Pickleridge they told me they were watching an Otter from the window on Saturday evening around dusk for quite some time, So for those with an interest it`s probably around more than realised.

Angle / Rhoscrowther

High tide visit this morning: 29 Dunlin, 17 Ringed plover, 12 Redshank, 7 Bar-tailed godwit, 2 Grey plover, 2 Whimbrel and a Snipe. 3 Great crested grebe. 4 adult Med gulls (one with white ring left leg). GBB gull eating a Manx shearwater. Female Wigeon. One of Mike and Paddys Curlews with either EO or 03. Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap (3 'brown'), 2 Chiffchaff and a few Goldcrest. Nice views of a female Goshawk at Orielton.

Red Kites

Red Kites are generally scarcer in the South of the county than in the North. At my house in St Florence, near Tenby I see maybe one or two birds a year. The grass in the field behind the house was cut a couple of days ago and this afternoon farmer was out baling it up. As if by magic 3 Red Kites appeared and quartered the field for over an hour in company with 6 Buzzards. A couple of the Kites were seen with prey - small rodents which had lost their cover in the long grass. A nice back yard avian treat.

Skok

Nearly 13000 Swallow counted today, but no doubt many more went through either side. Juvenile Sabine's Gull and at least 120 Common Dolphin off the Light, Med Gull numbers increasing, plenty of warblers. All in all another cracking day but still waiting for a biggy.

Peregrine and Osprey - Llangwm

From Graham Stephens - Yesterday evening (7.30) I witnessed an amazing sight of a peregrine hunting and taking a redshank in a mud gully on the estuary a hundred yards or so from my house at Llangwm Ferry. I caught sight of the peregrine as it flew past the house and opened the patio door to a cacophony of alarm calls from other birds. The peregrine was making repeated attacks at a bird in the gully but each time it went in for a kill, the prey dived below the water (it is possible it had already disabled the bird on its first pass). This happened about three times. The peregrine persisted, first perching on a pole sticking out of the mud, then settling on the mud bank itself adjacent to the gulley. At its final attempt, it actually dived into the water, its wings outstretched to support itself. When it eventually managed to get out, it had the redshank in its talons.  It struggled to carry it up onto the mud-bank where it was harassed by a crow which landed alongside it. After a minute to recover, it flew off with the redshank and headed for a perch above the water in Benton Wood. Amazing stuff! Unfortunately, although binoculars are always at the ready, there was no time to grab my camera.

Staying on the raptor theme, at lunchtime, last Monday, an osprey was fishing just off our house. It was soon after high water so the bird was only a short distance away. In the time it took to grab my camera, it had disappeared. Bob and Annie’s photo of two birds at Slebech is very encouraging. Potential for a nesting platform on one of the islands between Slebech House and Blackpool Mill?

Goshawk - St Davids golf course, Sunday

From Steve Jarvis - A female Goshawk was an unusual sight on the Golf Course today, flying fast and low over the Gorse, pursued by 2 Crows.

Cleddau Osprey

Late this afternoon we went down to Landshipping again to have another look at the Eastern Cleddau and Daugleddau junction at high tide. There were still only a few waders about in this area including a small flock of dunlin heading off to roost. Right on cue though, the osprey (or one of the ospreys) came more or less right over us.

It gave us some really quite close views as it passed by (presumably off fishing) heading down channel from the Eastern Cleddau and turning south into the Daugleddau area.

Quite a nice end to the day!

Brents

Five on the sea at the Gann, didn`t stay more than 10 mins before moving on.

Yesterday over St Ishmaels, a lone Lapwing.

St Davids Hen Harrier

Yesterday afternoon the other half had a brief view of a probable ringtail Hen Harrier near Treleddyn. I missed it as I was watching the three Red-legged Partridges that the harrier had probably come to have a look at. Feeding on the track towards the golf course was an impressive flock of over 100 Linnets with a few Goldfinches, but nothing obviously exotic with them.

Grassholm; Sabine's Gull

We took Jake, Holly and Howard from Skokholm out towards Grassholm to have a look for cetaceans and birds.

Given the huge numbers seen off the Skokholm Lighthouse race recently, we were remarkably unlucky with dolphins: just a couple seen briefly under some Gannets; they didnt want to play with us.

Still plenty of Gannets on Grassholm: only if you have seen the astonishing density of nesting birds in midsummer would you realise that current numbers are probably less than half that.
The other surprises on Grassholm were the leucistic Shag on East Tump, and hundreds of roosting Kittiwakes.

Each way on what was at times a rather bumpy trip we investigated sometimes rather large groups of feeding seabirds. We came up trumps with a cracking juvenile Sabine's Gull, initially sitting on the water in a group of Kittiwakes, razorbills and larger gulls. It allowed us to drift within about 20 yards before lifting off to feed, and disappear. Good views, too, of an Arctic Tern and several Commons.

Eastern Cleddau Ospreys

We spent the morning on the Castlemartin peninsula with Paul Culyer of NRW, recording Goldilocks aster populations (a rare plant found in Pembs only on the Castlemartin Range) also noting a couple of pairs of local resident choughs and a few wheatears, small flocks of linnets but not much else.

Late this afternoon, we thought we'd have another look at the Landshipping area to see if the osprey was still around. It was, but also nice to see that there were two ospreys present. Both were a bit distant soaring around together over the Eastern Cleddau. They were probably closer to Slebech than they were to our view point at Landshipping. We managed a couple of "record shots", they were never close enough for a decent image.

Other than expected 30-40 redshanks and a couple of greenshanks near Landshipping Quay, there were still very few waterfowl on the estuary.

St Anns and The Gann

Whinchat in the field by St Anns lighthouse this evening. Dozen Pied wagtails and 6 Wheatear. The field on the corner near Kete looks very promising, only gulls, corvids and Wheatear today though. Bumped into Derek at the Gann. 100 Curlew, 22 Dunlin, 18 Ringed plover, 6 Bar-tail godwit, 3 Redshank, 2 Ruff, a Sanderling and a Greenshank. 4 adult Med gulls and a BH gull with a yellow ring. Peregrine through as the light was going.

Teifi Waders

High tide at the Webley this afternoon:

Oystercatcher 79, Curlew 7, Black-tailed Godwit 1, Bar-tailed Godwit 3, Knot 2, Sanderling 2, Little Stint 1, Ringed Plover 42, Dunlin 99.

Wigeon

Following Richard's post, two Wigeon on the sea at the Gann around 2pm.

Dinas Mountain

Around the parking area there were 3 Wheatears, a large group of Meadow Pipits c60 and 10 Swallows flew over.

The Gann, Dale

More news from Ian Smith - The Gann on rising tide over 3 plus hours.
Med Gull minimum of 24, including one second year and three transitioning to first winter plumage.  Birds moving back and fourth between bay and unknown locality to NNW of lake.
Dunlin 19
Sanderling 2
Knot 1
Curlew Sandpiper 1 in flight with 7 Dunlin and a Sanderling, could not be located on the ground.
Ruff 1
Turnstone 1
Barwit 7 minimum
Little Grebe 6
Herring Gull c400 and one probable hybrid with LBbGull
GBbGull 67 (no colour rings noted)
LBbGull 9
Wheatear 1
Buzzard 5 soaring together
Wigeon 1 f landed on lake and promptly 'dissapeared'.

Dale Airfield
GBb Gull c100
Wheatear 2
A few Meadow Pipit
One puddle

Skok

Cracking day today with a decent fall of Goldcrests and Chiffchaffs. Juv Sabine's Gull off the Lighthouse, Red-breasted Merganser and Coot in South Haven and a Feral Pigeon (!) on the south coast. Also Hen Harrier and a few other bits and bobs.

Martinshaven & the Gann

A constant stream of Swallows coming in across the Deer Park all day, and flying firmly due East: it really felt like Ireland is emptying of the birds. In the bushes all along the road back to Marloes clusters of Chiffchaffs. And several large flocks of finches on the Trehill Farm fields and by the Youth Hostel.

At the Gann this afternoon we saw 2 Kingfishers, 4 Little Egrets and the same number of Dabchicks, plus a distant high tide roost of Redshank. One Wheatear on the sae wall.

Ramsey - Leach's bonanza!

A Ramsey record breaking 22 Leach's petrels were logged today between 08:00-14:00! Aside from this it was a rather quiet day for other species by recent standards

Leach's petrel - 22
Common scoter - 147
Bonxie - 2
Arctic skua - 3
Arctic tern - 1
Commic tern - 2

Newport, Gann, Strumble

From Ian Smith currently visiting Pembs and being frustrated from getting to Skokholm and Skomer for booked stays due to the weather - Newport ironbridge to Parrog Thursday late morning.
Med Gull 4 adult and 1 second winter, 1 Bar headed Goose, 4 Little Grebe, 3 Greenshank
Estimated 650-700 Canada Geese, 10 Mallard, 2 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan

Gann Estuary after 5pm Thursday held ringed GBbacks but all very twitchy.  The Tuesday Oystercatcher was still present (A2) plus another with same colour rings but 22 instead of A2. 

Also two colour ringed Curlew.  One was far easier to read.  Black ring and white lettering​, reading up right leg = 06.  Red ring on left leg.  In addition 18 Ringed plover, 17 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 10 Bar-tailed Godwit, 1 adult Gannet flying around the pools. Thursday late evening 400 Jackdaw heading NE over Broad Haven Youth Hostel to roost in nearby woodland.

Gann Estuary Friday evening had 13 adult Med Gulls.  With birds still in active primary moult, some second winter birds  cannot be ruled out.   Another two colour ringed Oystercatchers.  One being numbered 04 and another 01.   A third bird had worn (?) ring and was illegible. Number 22 still present as was number 06 Curlew from yesterday.  Same colour combinations as stated on Tuesday blog for the Oystercatchers. Still 16 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling and at least 9 Bar tailed Godwits.

On Wednesday Ian was at Strumble with Derek Davies who saw a Grey Phalarope close into the cliffs. More recent news from Strumble at http://strumbleheadseawatching.blogspot.co.uk/

Eastern Cleddau osprey

To get some fresh air and away from the computers for a while, we had a look at the upper reaches of the Daugleddau. It was generally very quiet for birds, with hardly any obvious wildfowl and very few waders in the area. However we did have excellent almost overhead views of the local osprey at Landshipping.

It came over from the west, carrying a fish. It circled around above, and eventually headed to a feeding perch high up in a tree above the Eastern Cleddau shore. It had quite an easy flight path to its perch too. There were 100 or so mixed gulls in the area; none of these, nor the local ravens, crows and a buzzard took any obvious interest in it.

Carew/Cresswell geese

I could hear the Canadas as I parked at West Williamston - around 400, mostly in a field of cut hay on the N side of the Cresswell river 1 km away, the sound carried on the wind. Many concealed at first by the trees, you could only hear them. They were taking off in groups into the wind, then circling to fly upstream and land on the mudflats half way up the Cresswell river. Most were on the shore by the time I left. Around 40 greylags as well.

Skok

Another Sabine's Gull today, this time a juvenile hanging around near a Sunfish off the Lighthouse.

Angle

At Angle Harbour this morning approaching high tide 38 Redshank, 10 Dunlin, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 20 Oystercatcher. 4 Little Egret in the usual roost tree. Unusually just 2 BH Gulls on the shingle spit - perhaps the gulls have found somewhere less windy to roost/rest.

Round at Kilpaison just 9 Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 2 Bar-tailed Godwit and 4 Curlew on the beach. No Gulls. Over on the far, east side of the bay it looked like c.120 Curlew and 40+ Oystercatcher in the high tide roost.

Manxies coming ashore

Its fledging time for around 300,000 Manx Shearwater chicks from Skomer, Skokholm and Ramsey and they are heading out into a gale so many will be coming ashore in the next few days.  Apparently a lot on Newgale beach today.

If you find one please just keep it in a box and release it at dusk onto a sheltered bit of the coast.  Its not a problem for the birds to be kept for a couple of days as they will have a LOT of fat reserves and when the wind drops off a bit they will find it easier to navigate out to sea.  Don't try and release them in the daytime or if its flat calm.

If you would like the bird ringed before release contact Richard Dobbins, John Hayes or myself for advice.

Upper Cleddau system - Landshipping -Picton Point area this morning

We walked down to Landshipping Quay in quite sunny weather late this morning (well before Storm Aileen started to blow) in order to do our weekly butterfly transect.

On route, we noted c. 50-60 greylags flying over, perhaps looking for good feeding areas. It was high tide at the time and we noted at least 11 little egrets roosting in trees over on the Fowborough-side of the channel.

Interestingly we were at Cosheston Pill from about 12:30 to 12:45 (near the former water-sports area) on Monday. We were doing a WeBs count on the falling tide but seemingly missed the osprey there reported by Brian. Perhaps this is a good illustration of "being at the right place at just the right time (or in our case perhaps the wrong time)"!

Today though, we had an albeit distant view of an osprey as it roosted on a low branch in a sheltered sunny embayment near the Western and Eastern Cleddau junction. We presumed this to be the one that has been previously reported in this general area recently, and so pleasing to see one up here anyway.

Skok

Two adult Sabine's Gulls the highlight today.

The Gann

A day out birding with old friend Ian Smith from way back in my Cardiff birding days. At the Gann mid morning with the tide well up there were 19 Dunlin, 15 Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone, 10+ Rock Pipit and a lone Wheatear on the beach. On the pools 10 Little Egret, 2 Greenshank, 4 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Kingfisher, 3 Little Grebe.

Dale Airfield late morning was very dry with no puddles at all on the runways and very quiet with just a couple of Wheatears 2 Stonechats and a few Meadow Pipits.

The Deer Park was similarly quiet though 10 Chough were nice as were several Grey Seal Pups on the beaches. Off Wooltack Point 1 Guillemot, 25+ Gannets and a dozen or so Porpoise.

Another look at the Gann mid afternoon produced 4 colour ringed GBB Gulls 3 of which Ian managed to read with the scope vibrating in the strengthening wind, white lettering on red ring, right leg - 1st Year W 224, Adult W 009, 2nd/3rd Year W 143. Also a colour ringed Oystercatcher - left orange over metal ring, right pale orange, black lettering A2. On the dropping tide there were c.90 Curlew, 35 Oystercatcher, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits.

A4075 Red Kites

One red kite is scarcely newsworthy these days, but two together this am between Cresselly and Oakwood was nice.

Newport

Late this afternoon seen from the boat club - 11Dunlin, 7 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew Sands, 1Turnstone, 1 Common Sand, 1Greenshank, 1Redshank and 50 Linnets feeding on the edge of the salt marsh.

Strumble -- 110 skuas

Adrian will post species breakdown on Strumble Head Seawatching later tonight.
The totals include 110 Skuas, 12 Sabine's Gulls and 4 Leach's Petrel for today.

Ramsey - seawatch

Today's totals:

Sabine's gull - 2 (both adult)
Sooty shearwater - 2
Balearic shearwater - 2
Bonxie - 11
Artic skua - 12 (9 dark, 3 light)
Med gull - 5
Black tern - 1
Knot - 1
Sandwich tern - 2
Common scoter - 4

Teifi mouth seawatch

A short watch 7-9am produced 2 Bonxie, 2 Arctic Skuas and 3 Leach's Petrels
(Rich D and Wendy J)

Osprey - Cosheston Pill

Osprey hunting along Cosheston Pill, near The Cove (former Watersports Centre) lunchtime today. 20 Redshank, dozen Black-tailed godwit.

Newgale Manxies

There were two large RSPCA vans at Newgale this morning with the staff collecting birds from the shingle bank.

Canadas at Newport

1250 this afternoon, including 4 Greylags & a white hybrid. Presumably not the whole flock as the Bar Headed wasn't there.
Otherwise a Goosander, 2 Greenshanks, 4 Little Grebes & 45 Curlews on the roost were the Webs highlights.

Carew/Cresswell this morning

Despite some road travel restrictions (due to the "Iron Man" event) it was possible, by using the minor back-roads, to get around most of the Carew & Cresswell system to do WeBs counts at high tide this morning.

Numbers of waterfowl and waders were generally quite low. However, at the regularly used salt-marsh wader roosts, it was pleasing to see 14 greenshanks arrive to roost along-side c. 30 curlews (mostly hidden in the taller vegetation), eventually 45 redshanks and several dunlin. Little egrets (11) easily out-numbered herons in the area this morning.

Greenshanks (eventually 14 in all) arriving to roost alongside curlews and redshanks in the salt-marsh 

Below Carew French Mill the  "usual?" adult Mediterranean gull was roosting with 50+ black-headed gulls on the Carew River. A kingfisher also made a typical fly-by appearance over the Millpond as the drizzle began to set in at the end of the count.

The Gann, so far this W/E.

11 Little Egrets, 13 Redshank, 4 Blacktail Godwits, a small mixed Dunlin/RP party of about 20 birds & an unusual guest in the form of a Guillimot.

Sabine's, Leach's, Skuas....

Strumble produced some excellent views of  predictable species associated with the weather system, see Strumble Head Seawatching for totals.
The best species passing the Teifi was a Pomarine Skua. Not much change in the wader variety - we will see what the tide change brings.....

Teifi -- waders

The best count of the day was 0825 when 4 Sanderling were present with 12 Ringed Plover and 88 Dunlin. By this evening the only small waders I could find - c60 Dunlin.
Also this evening 10 Redshank and 1 Black-tailed Godwit. Two Wigeon added to the Autumn feel along with an impressive c1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the estuary.
(sev obs)

Grey Plover

Three at the Gann this afternoon,in with the Gull flock picked out by John, a visiting Bristolian birder.

Teifi - waders

Waders still providing enough variety to keep looking, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, and Whimbrel all calling over Patch. High tide last night included a Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank, 68 Dunlin and 18 Ringed Plover. Both Peregrine and Sparrowhawk are now hunting the small waders.
Water Rails calling in the reed bed, and tens of Meadow Pipits and Pied / White Wagtails passing through. A Great Skua passed by offshore yesterday morning.

Osprey - Picton

A very windy cycle down to the river ended with fantastic views of an Osprey being mobbed by a Crow. Also a fine Kingfisher at Millin Pill and a dozen or so hirundines feeding over the woodland.

Wryneck Yesterday

From Craig Lewis via Peter Royle - A Wryneck at Martins Haven near The Coastguard station at around midday.

Deer Park Choughs

A loose flock of approachable Choughs was hanging around the south side of the Deer Park and to the south of Rath cottage. I think I counted 34 in the air at one time. The Welsh Black cattle seem to be helping with their food supplies. Very little else was around here or at Marloes Mere, but The Gann was busier although nothing exceptional.

St Davids Hd am

Another Melodious Warbler around the withies in Porthmelgan Valley but it gave only very quick views to Kathy and I separately so we never nailed it despite a lot of hanging around. Also a Pied Flycatcher there and yesterday's still at the Hotel Sycamores, Whitesands.

Newport

12 Dunlin, 8 Ringed Plover, 4 Greenshank, 4 Redshank, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Goosander and 2 Little Egrets this morning.

Teifi - waders

Two Sanderling 40 Dunlin and 20 Ringed Plover around the estuary mouth at high tide this morning.
Last night during high tide at the Webley saltmarsh, 66 Dunlin, 43 Ringed Plover and 2 Northern Wheatear.

St Davids Hd pm

Had a quick walk around when the rain relented and the sun appeared. Apart from a nice Pied Flycatcher rather quiet, just a few Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests with a single Willow Warbler.

Coot

Yesterday there was an adult Coot at the bridge at Newport.This means that the number of my Coot sightings here in the last 20 years (3!) has nudged ahead of Avocet & Spoonbill.
Oddly it was with a juv Moorhen.
Also 575 Canadas with 2 Greylags & a Barheaded.

Skokholm

A fine adult Pomarine Skua off the light this afternoon, plus singles of the commoner two skua species and a few terns.

Haverfordwest

A walk in the drizzle along the river produced a Kingfisher, Little Egret and a Greenshank. On Saturday at Treginnis, St Davids there was a Greenshank and a Dunlin on the pond alongside the coast path.

Common Terns - -Teifi

Adult and juvenile Common Terns were pleasant reward for scanning in the wind and rain for storm blown birds. That was this afternoon from St. Dogmael's Quay, where and on the high tide visit this evening, 19 Little Egrets were roosting.
At the Webley 67 Dunlin and 24 Ringed Plover, and earlier on this morning's high tide Gary had a Green Sandpiper there.
On the river through the reserve 2 Goosander, 1 Tufted Duck, 5 Black-tailed Godwits and 2 Dunlin.
(sev obs)

Blackbridge

43 Redshank roosting on the slip along with 2 Greenshank & 2 Common Sands, 12 Med Gulls on the water about an hour before high water this afternoon.

Pembrokeshire Birds Postings

A reminder please that the Pembrokeshire Birds Blog is for bird sightings and is not a vehicle for expressing opinions or becoming involved in the "politics" of birding - there are plenty of other outlets on the internet for that such as Facebook or Twitter. The Pembrokeshire Birds team would be grateful if all contributors would bear this in mind.

Golden Plovers

On Friday morning a flock of about 100 Golden Plovers, many in full breeding plumage, were disturbed from the top of the hill between Carn Ingli and Carn Edward by some walkers. They flew around for a while, calling, giving us excellent views (we were having a cup of coffee sat on Carn Edward) and then landed again in much the same place.

Melodious warbler - still at Whitesands

The Melodious warbler was still there at 8 this morning in the clump of long-leaved willows. SM736266 but no further sign after the initial sighting til I left at 9.45. The first thing that caught my attention was a fast rattling churing noise as a lady walking spaniels passed. The warbler appeared low in the willows and moved up and down for a few moments. There were quite a few Chiffchaff, a Willow warbler, a Sedge warbler and a couple of Goldcrest, plus Dunnock and Robins to keep us on our toes. Had a good chat to Jonathan Bennett.

Castlemartin Range East coast this evening plus bits and pieces from the "far east"

Had another look for possible chough flock in Range East this evening, disappointingly though only adult pairs. The Limestone coast seems to be devoid of juveniles - most have probably dispersed to the Angle peninsula and to Skokholm/Skomer I expect. Vacating the Castlemartin coast is not so unusual really, colour-ringing evidence from the 1990s/early 2000s suggests that they quite often disperse out to the islands in late summer/autumn but I'm note quite sure that we know why!

However it was a glorious evening on the Range coast and for the first time I watched a merlin (this one a brown female, different to the greyish male two nights ago) mobbing a passing hobby flying towards St Govan's Head - both species causing real pandemonium among a flock of c. 25 swallows. I can't recall ever seeing these two species in the same field of view before, and I was without my camera to try and capture the event. It also reminded me of when we were in Humberside a couple of weeks ago, walking a farmland footpath. A hobby came right over us there - in brilliant evening sunlight - and again no camera with us to record the event!

As I watched this evenings hobby, and thinking more about our recent Humberside experience, it reminded me of our recent delightful sightings of little gulls over in the east at Hornsea Mere. We see so few of them over here in the west but this astonishing freshwater lake regularly attracts hundreds, and sometime thousands from early summer onwards.

We only saw somewhere in the region of 50-60 when we were briefly there but we met one of the regular gull-watchers who informed us that this summers peak count had been c. 8,200 individuals (and this was by no means a record count either!) - to us this was quite amazing!

They seem to come to feed and rest at the lake. The theory (apparently) being that the freshwater is just the right water quality and temperature to support particular invertebrate prey they are attracted too, so we were told.

These gulls seemed to be generally unfazed by large numbers of people in boats, numerous dog-walkers etc. The birds regularly rested on boat jetties (in between various periods of boat hire launches etc).

For anyone wanting more experience of this delightful gull species, with some potentially really very close views of them in various plumage stages, to us it seemed an excellent place to visit!

The Gann

Lovely evening, plenty of birds though nothing out of the ordinary. 

110 BH Gulls, 6 Meds, 3 Knot, 2 Sanderling, 11 Blackwits, 9 Little Egrets, at least 50 Curlew inc "08" ring, 5 Redshank, 2 Greenshank, 3 Common Sands. Small numbers of RP's & Dunlin, 3 Kingfishers, about 300 noisy Corvids on the beach - mostly Jackdaws - a few Rooks, lots of Pied Wags around the reed beds

Cleddau

From Richard Joseph - A group of eight common sandpipers were seen below Benton Castle on Thursday 31 August.

The Gann

From Andy Bookless - Plenty of wader activity at the Gann at about 7.30 am this morning, including Whimbrel, Dunlin, Oystercatcher, a Curlew, Greenshank, Redshank, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, a Knot and at least two Ruff.

There were also 3 Kingfishers. A pair of them were very active and vocal, and at one point flew out of some bushes only about 10 feet from me.

Icelandic Lesser B B

Lesser Black Back Gull, Blue YK18, at Newport on Aug 20, was ringed as an adult in Iceland in Aug 2008. The only sightings in between were in the Canaries in Winter 2011 & 12.
My first ever Icelandic ringed bird.

St Davids Hd am

A Melodious Warbler was a nice surprise first thing at the site of the old Whitesands Bay Hotel at the south east side corner of the GC. It eventually settled into the backs of a row of small Long-leaved Willows lining the road but was very skulking and difficult to get to grips with. Still there at 3pm. Apologies for the photos - it was a swine. Also the same Lesser Whitethroat, a Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff in the same area. A Bullfinch on the move was unusual as were 11 Common Buzzards together over Porthmelgan Valley where Goldcrests had increased to a dozen or so. Pretty quiet otherwise.

The westerly weather system due to arrive on sunday (3rd) had a promising gestation on the Eastern seaboard of the USA and Canada and could drop something good into the County - here's hoping!

2017 Dartford Warbler Report

Mike Young-Powell has produced a summary report of this year's Dartford Warbler survey.

This is now published as a PDF report on the Pembrokeshire Bird Group site via the link here.

It can be found under "Reports" "Ad Hoc" Reports.

Thanks Mike for doing this and also to everyone who helped with fieldwork to supply the records.

Osprey.

One on the river near Hook this morning.