Sand Martins.

3,at Westfield Pill this morning.Easily our earliest ever date.Previous earliest date here was 10/3 in 1977,and94.Singing Chiffchaff yesterday,Red Kite,and 8 Wigeon.

NEW AFRICAN RAPTOR GUIDE AND WILDLIFE ART GALLERY – INVITATION TO LAUNCH IN SOLVA

From local bird artist Rob Davies  - I would like to invite all Pembrokeshire Birders to the launch of a new wildlife art gallery in Solva on Tuesday 12th March. This launch coincides with publication (finally! – longest gestation period of any book) of African Raptors: a fieldguide by Bill Clark and Rob Davies. Bill did the words, I did the pictures. There are 52 colour plates in all featuring all 106 species of diurnal African raptors including Eurasian migrants. Some1200 figures on these have taken me 20 years to complete. We also did the new range maps based on data in African Raptor Databank from mobile phones all over Africa. Original plates will be on display and copies of the book which is published by Bloomsbury in the Helm Identification Guide Series. Some 300 colour photos too of all those tricky African raptors.

Please come along if you are able to. The doors open at 5pm Tuesday 12 th March and there will be
refreshments and snacks. For directions to the gallery: From Haverfordwest, drive up through Solva
until you are about to leave the village for St Davids. You will see a small wood on your left with a
walled garden. Turn left in here where you see signs for Llanunwas and follow the signs for Rookwood. There is an overflow carpark in the farm yard if the gallery car park is full.

The gallery is designed to be a permanent outlet for artwork celebrating the natural history and
wonderful landscapes of Pembrokeshire as well as further afield. The three themes are Wild, Wings and Water. At the moment on show are boat and beach scenes by Lia Pellegrini, landscapes and bird
paintings by Paul MacDermot (nice Merlin and Barn Owl) and the dramatic underwater photographs
captured by marine biologist Dr Lou Luddington who has been helping develop the gallery with Rob.
There is also a website www.rookwoodstudios.co.uk featuring more work and a new printing service. It would be great to see you, please come along if you are able to.

Plumstone Mountain - Shrike still there !

The Great Grey Shrike was still at Plumstone Mountain this morning - near the bottom of the hill looking left from the main path coming down from the car park. It was also good to see a Yellowhammer, and to hear more singing, and to see three Siskin from the bridleway through Dudwell Forest.

Great grey shrike, Mynydd Graig-lwyd

Tonight Tuesday 17.50 hrs Great Grey Shrike at SM998324. (west of Puncheston).

Earlier 7 Whooper swans still in same field as reported previously S E of Croes Goch, been there daily for at least the last three weeks.

Terry Allen

Red kites, Hasguard Cross

2 red kites displaying and locking claws and tumbling seen today, 3pm, on the road between Hasguard Cross and Sandy Haven Chapel, SM852-098
Vicky Pearson

Diving in Whitesands Bay

A male Goldeneye was diving close inshore off Porthselau Beach around midday today - an addition to our Pencarnan list.

Also noteworthy from the same position: 19 Oystercatchers and 5 Turnstones on a hightide roost, with an Adder, Painted Lady and several Peacocks on the cliffs above. J and M

Oystercatchers - Gann

Thank you for the resightings Dave & Lisa. All were ringed on the Gann.
'16' & '19' back on 22/09/2016 others between 12/2017 - 10/2018, all have been resighted on the Gann a few times. '36' was ringed 22/12/2017 and resighted on Skokholm 28/03/2018. However '60' was ringed on 07/03/2018 and turned up at Malahide, Dublin 09/10/2018 and now back on the Gann.

Pemb's Ringing Group.

Kilpaison ( Monday)

At Kilpaison this morning, 200 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, 1 Redshank.

Mike Davey.

Great grey shrike, Plumstone (Monday evening)

An evening visit to Plumstone Mountain thinking calling Long Eared Owl - no luck. Great Grey Shrike still present plus 2 Yellowhammer, Merlin and 2 Hen Harrier (1 male 1 ringtail)

Terry Allen

Newport again

A ringed Dunlin, plain red on L tibia, coded yellow on the right, was from the Dyfi estuary Mid Wales ringers / Tony Cross. Sadly too far away to read.
Amongst the Herring Gulls was an ad Yellow Legged Gull.

Red PUA8, the ad Med Gull from yesterday was ringed in central Poland in May last year. This was the first resighting.

Ringed Oystercatchers at the Gann

As promised! The following 7 birds all had a metal BTO ring on the left leg, with a bright orange ring above, and on the right leg a dull orange ring with black lettering:

16
19
25
34
36
60
74

There were others which we were unable to read (black lettering not the easiest on a dull background).

Another bird had no BTO ring, but on the left leg a black ring over a white ring.

There were 2 further birds with just BTO rings.

Gann

24 pale-bellied Brent Geese at the Gann today, pushed up on to the saltmarsh by the high tide this morning, feeding on the rising tideline this evening.  Couldn't see any rings.

A total of 6 Mediterranean Gulls this morning on the lagoon (1 adult, 4 3CY, 1 2CY) but just 2 this evening (adult, 3CY).

Wigeon clearly on the move - at least 95 on the shoreline this evening, with a handful more on the lagoon, significantly more than have been wintering here.

The wintering Hooded Crow dropped in with a large number of mixed corvids, who all proceeded to interact on the tideline as the tide came in, very entertaining!

Finally we had a good go at reading Oystercatcher rings as the light faded, details to follow!

(Dave & Lisa)

Pressli hills

Goshawk pair displaying near Crymych
Red kites 4
Buzzards 4
Crossbills 6+

Plumstone

Great Grey Shrike 1 showed distantly by the forest
Red Kites 4
Buzzard 4
Kestrel 1
Crossbills 3 calling

Fishguard Fort

Red Throated Diver 2
Great Crested Grebe 1
Guillimot 6
Razorbill 2
Raven 2

Paul M and Paul G

Hen harrier, still around Marloes Mere

The resident Ringtail Hen harrier hunting over the mere Saturday, and sat among the sedge watching and waiting this evening before hunting the stubble field behind the old YHA building. Otherwise Pintail and 6 Tufties (there were 7 Saturday).

Red-breasted Merganser - The Gann

One Red-breasted Merganser at The Gann this afternoon.
(Chris Taylor)

Newport Bridge this afternoon

Upstream a M Goosander, a Greenshank, 3 Herons & the Water Pipit.
Downstream the depleted gull flock (only 30 Commons) had 5 Med Gulls of all ages, including a Polish ringed bird & 2 Black T Godwits.

Cattle Egret, Vagrant Emperor - Teifi estuary

The highlight of a morning around the Teifi was a Dragonfly not a bird. A Vagrant Emperor was hawking insects in Poppit dunes to the left of the Lifeboat station.
The Cattle Egret was again with cows in a field opposite St Dogmael's slipway. , There was a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers downstream and there were 10 Mediterranean Gulls on the water midstream. Small waders were by the Webley including 51 Dunlin and 10 Ringed Plover.

Black redstart, Fishguard

Report from Vanessa Mellor of a male Black redstart, Penslade, Fishguard.

Cattle Egret - the Teifi

The Cattle Egret along with 5 Little Egrets was feeding with cattle opposite St Dogmael's Quay mid morning.
A bright looking Chiffchaff in Poppit Wood was probably newly arrived and 2 Great Tits on the cliff beyond the Cliff Hotel were at an unusual location.
The highlight of the day so far - a pair of Gadwall on Kingfisher pond. !!
(Rich D and Wendy J)

Marloes peninsular

Verge of spring, but more evidenced by seabirds than migrants, so far.

Auks are back, with big rafts of Razorbills off Midland, clearly visible from the Deer Park.
Good numbers of Kittiwakes, too, dip-feeding in the southward-flowing current from Jack Sound, along with Lesser Black-backed Gulls. And the bonus was two Red-throated Divers, coming into summer plumage.

On Wooltack Point a flock of 8 Turnstone was a lovely surprise, and a ringtail Hen Harrier over Martin’s Haven.

Marloes Mere was frustrating! A flock of medium-sized waders appeared to drop in at the Runwayskiln end, but I could not then relocate them. And a tantalising glimpse of what seemed to be a hirundine, but quickly lost in the murk. More Sand Martin than Swallow, but just too far away.

Black Redstart - St Brides

The Black Redstart on the church roof this morning.
(Alison Rees)

Great grey shrike, Plumstone

The shrike was very mobile and gave myself and James R a bit of a run around. It uses the whole site, though appears to favour the hawthorn and willow scrub (SM 91435 22702) across the path to the paddock. Spent a nice couple of hours in its company as it chased bees, nice one Kim. And good to meet Terry Allen who pointed me in the right direction. And a bonus Ringtail Hen harrier being chased by a crow near St Catherines Bridge.

Red-rumped Swallow

A Red-rumped Swallow was seen hawking over the western arm of Bosherston Lily Ponds....1045-1100 this morning
(Dave and Julie Evans)

Shrike .kmz file

After a request for a map location on twitter, you can download a .kmz file (use with google earth) to see the general area the shrike was in this morning.

File is on dropbox here:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/qe6t82n2e919a4j/Grey%20Shrike.kmz?dl=0

Grey Shrike on Plumstone

The bird was mobile but seemed happy enough with the general area, spending time on a variety of prominent perches below the Dudwell forest area and around the small paddocks below the forest.

Teifi Marshes - Barn Owl

Today a Barn Owl started hunting c415pm, Tommy took the photos c5pm...

Day 2 of the commercial cut of the reed bed near Mallard Pond, the new bare ground always a great draw for Spring passage White Wagtails - soon to arrive.

From December 1st we have recorded 134 Reed Buntings feeding at the Mallard site, 56 were recaptures or re-sightings of colour ringed birds, much to learn about our population

Oystercatcher Resightings

In response to Sam's post, we thought a brief map would inform of the Oystercatchers we colour ring on the Gann and the resightings that are reported to us from some of the distant locations. These all feed into the data set of the many resightings from local sites in Pembrokeshire (Skokholm, Skomer, Newgale, Sandy Haven, Angle Bay) along with some of the "almost local" (well as the Oystercatcher flies) Ginst Point Carmarthenshire, Whiteford Sands Gower.

We have received today confirmation that 'A1' has been resighted on the Isle of Tiree again. 'A1' was first ringed on the Gann 14/03/2016, resighted on Tiree 08 & 13/03/2017, and now again this week.

We appreciate every resighting no matter how many times a bird is seen, even on the same site.

Water Pipit & Oystercatchers

The Newport Water Pipit was showing well this morning on the grassy island on the N side upstream from the bridge.
I must have scoped hundreds of Oystercatchers at Newport over the years, whilst looking for ringed gulls (or perhaps it's just the same sedentary dozen !). Sometimes they have BTO metal rings, but I've never seen a Darvic ringed bird. The same is true of Curlews. So interested to read that one of the Gann Oystercatchers got as far as Lundy.

Oystercatcher 52

An update on Oystercatcher 52 sighted by Sash T on the 1st February 2019. It was first ringed 17/02/18 on the Gann and then resighted 02/04/2018 on the Gann before a jaunt over to Lundy Island when resighted there 06/06/2018. Then back to the Gann on 11/11/18. Subsequent sightings 10/12/18 and 09/01/2019 both on the Gann.

Thank you for the record.

Cattle Egret - - the Teifi

The Cattle Egret was watched flying in from fields towards the river mouth eventually settling riverside opposite St Dogmael's Quay where the Little Egrets sometimes roost.

A female Merlin was flying around the Webley end of Poppit dues early this morning.
(Gary)

Just a few bits & pieces

At the Gann first thing, 5 GC Grebes on the flat calm sea, the ever ptesent Hooded Crow, 3 Grey Plover were the only birds of note.  On my travels today between St Ishmaels, Merlins Bridge & Johnson  plus  sightings over the weekend there must be at least four Red Kites ( maybe 5?) between Sandy Haven & Waterston. Would that include the lone bird over "Homebase" Haverfordwest yesterday too I wonder ?

St Brides Bay

A great afternoon birding down at St Brides Bay today. Highlights were a black redstart and water pipit, but equally special were the great northern diver and first guillemot of the spring (for me at least :-) ). Good numbers of turnstone around the coast and oystercatchers, curlew and chough were seen enjoying the short grass around the castle.

Marloes Mere

Pretty much as usual.  Ring tail hen harrier, drake Pintail and the 7 Tufties. A Peregrine sporting rings was sat in a field trying to get out of the stiff wind. (red on left poss starting with an A). Met Derek at a breezy Gann, 15 Brent, 3 Grey plover and the Merganser. The GN diver, Steve mentions, was among a sizeable gull roost at Goultrop but nothing unusual among them.

Purple Sandpipers

4 Purple Sandpipers on Emmet Rock at the north end of Broad Haven beach during todays WeBS count - despite the nearby crowds. Also 36 Scoter, a Shag and 4 Red throated Diver including one very close in to Little Haven. A Great Northern Diver close in to the Goultrop Roads car park plus a few more Red throats. On the way home 2 Hen Harrier ringtails at Dowrog.

Purple sandpipers

At least 3 Purple sandpipers on The Ram's Nose Whitesands lunch time today,
with the 7 Whooper swans still near Cros-goch this afternoon.

Iceland Gull - - the Teifi

An adult Iceland Gull was bathing, preening and then roosting below the gull view point (half way to The Webley) at 930 - 10am this morning.
A count of Lapwings this morning -- at least 1500 still.

Cattle Egret, Merlin - - the Teifi

The Cattle Egret was feeding alone up in a field above opposite St Dogmael's Quay, 6 Little Egrets roosting beside the river. A female Merlin was hunting Rock Pipits on the Webley saltmarsh late afternoon.
Wader counts included 40 Dunlin, 50 Redshank, 53 Curlew also 2 Stock Dove opposite St Dogmael's Quay.

New arrivals?

This morning, outside the gates to Porth Clais Sewerage Works, wall to wall sunshine hinted that Spring was just around the corner. 2 nearby CHIFFCHAFFS enhanced that feeling.

Had they arrived on the recent southerly winds, or were they wintering chums? Your guess.

Oystercatchers (Colour Ringed) - Angle Bay

Pembs Ringing Group are building a good data set of our Colour ringed Oystercatchers, thanks to all the resightings. There is a good interaction of birds along the Pembrokeshire coastline, Gann, Angle Bay, Skokholm, Skomer, Newgale.
"5A" was ringed on the 25/06/2016 on Skokholm as a juvenile (Pullus) and has not been resighted until this latest sighting on the 11/02/2019.
"06" was ringed on the 23/08/2016 at the Gann, resighted 4 times in the intervening years at the Gann, including being re-trapped on the 07/03/2018 at the Gann.

Thank you once again for the records.

Oystercatchers - Angle Bay

A couple of colour -ringed Oystercatchers present in Angle Bay on the 11th Feb. Presumably ringed at The Gann or on Skokholm....?

Many thanks to Mike Davey for these sightings, and for this "York" tip ringed Herring Gull, also sighted in Angle Bay on the 11th Feb

Y: F04 update - - was ringed on 30th June 2017 at Harewood Whin York, ringed as a 3rd calender year.

Carew Millpond

The flock of mainly herring gulls, plus the odd lesser black back and black-headed (one with full black hood) were today joined by 6 common gulls, an unusual sight here.

Teifi Estuary gull watching point

Mederterrean gull  3 adult 2 juv
Great bb gull 10
Lapwing 1000
Golden plover 500
Redshank 20
Dunlin 20

Roof nesting gulls again

Thank you Paul Warren for Valero. Apparently Pete knows about Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven & Tenby. So any additional sites please, especially up north.

Roof nesting Gulls....

I just read the post on the blog re roof breeding gulls. Herring gulls breed in work on the roofs and also as you go up ferry lane on your left is a large warehouse/factory building in the industrial estate and they also breed on that roof. If I can think of more I'll let you know.
(Paul Warren - Valero)

Roof breeding gulls

Are there any roof breeding gulls in N (or anywhere else) Pembs?. Pete Rock, BTO head honcho for large gull ringing, would like to know.

Newport

Three nice birds on my garden feeders, f Blackcap and 2 Redpolls.

Hooded Crow, Whooper Swans...North Pembs

Hooded crow at Crug Glas this morning. 7 Whooper swans still near Treffynnon. Also a mixed flock of 70 winter thrushes near by. Male and ring-tailed Hen Harrier on Dowrog at dusk.

(Dafydd and Heather Richards)

Med Gulls -- The Teifi

At Least 12 Med Gulls late this afternoon, 9+ adults, 2+ 2nd winter, 1+ 1st winter.
(Jon Green)

Teifi Estuary boat builders

Water Pipit 1
Little Egret 2
Wigeon 30
Lapwing 500
Curlew 25

Gulls & more at Newport

Yesterday was my best ever for ringed gulls.
Blue BHS is a resident Herring Gull, ringed at a Gloucester landfill site in Jan 07. I have seen it several hundred times at Newport, but there are no reports from anywhere else.
In contrast Herring Gull Blue MAP, also ringed at a Gloucester landfill site in Jan 11, has only been reported twice previously, both at Newport in Oct '11 & April '13.
Common Gull White JA546  is another Norwegian bird, ringed as a chick in Aug '16. This was the 1st resighting.
Black Headed Gull Black 2BAJ was ringed as a chick near Solihull in July '16. It was at Newport in Feb & Oct '17 & Feb '18, back to the Midlands in April '18 before it's 3rd consecutive early Feb visit to Newport.
Med Gull White 3YVA was ringed as an adult in Belgium in May '17. It had moved to Ireland by Aug '17, spent the Spring of '18 in Antwerp before Ireland again in July '18. Presumably it's on it's way back to Belgium.
There was also a 1st W Norwegian BH Gull with an unreadable (white letters on pale green) ring.

Today ,by contrast, there were very few gulls & no rings. But by the bridge the Pintail was still with the Mallards, the Water Pipit was foraging & there were a pair of Goosanders.

Blustery birding

Still a bit wild out and about. The ringtail hen harrier making slow progress flying over a flooded mere late afternoon, was the highlight. Otherwise really hard going, a Red-throated diver, out from Monk Haven. And a single adult Med gull, up at Kete. Nice to see Harry G at Marloes Mere, Harry had done better than us, with a couple of Chifffchaff in Monk Haven earlier.

Great Spotted Woodpecker - Crundale

It was good to see a great spotted woodpecker near Stephen's Ford on the B4329 Cardigan Road just south of Crundale. A pair were present there previously, but not seen (by me anyway) for over a year.

Iceland gull, Newgale and Black redstart, St Brides

Newgale: An adult Iceland gull in a cattle field, on north side of the marsh was likely the same bird Paul found a few weeks ago. Really blustery so checking the pipits was hard work, but only 5-6 Rock pipits. Marloes Mere: 7 Tufted duck (4m) in north irrigation pool. The Gann: 14 Brent, 2 GC grebe, the Merganser and the Goldeneye. Dozen Ringed plover and 3 Grey plover. St Brides: Black redstart briefly on church roof, but elusive, 14 Turnstone on the beach. A female Merlin pursuing a Skylark with vertical climbs and stoops at Talbenny airfield. Red kites at Newgale, Sandy Haven and Talbenny. Capped a good morning out with Paul G.

Red Kites - - Crundale

A nice group of 10 red kites drifted across just south west of Crundale at 5.00pm harried by crows etc.
(John Whitehurst)

Plumstone

Hen Harrier male and female came into the roost before the rain arrived

Castlemartin Corse

A non-stop stream of lapwing (probably 2,000 in all) flew E>W into the wind down the Corse today, suggesting earlier inland displacement during the gale.

A ringtail hen harrier appeared first, closely followed by a female marsh harrier. Both hunted over the reedbed, then the hen harrier peeled off over the fen meadow and farmland flushing snipe as it went. Later, as I was changing out of my boots back at Gupton Farm, it made a pass over the farmyard.

A Cetti's warbler was singing vigorously at 11 o'clock from the hide.

Rob and Christine Lewis saw a marsh harrier and a wandering red kite over the Corse at the weekend. I watched a peregrine perched on a fencepost at Starman's Hall earlier in the week.

W:978 - - Skokholm

Hope this is of interest to the ringers. Whilst testing a lens in the garden, (Milford Haven) I took a few shots of the Gulls and noticed this chap was ringed. I can make out W:978 on one of them.
(John Freeman)

 W:978 (GV22428) was ringed as a breeding adult here on Skokholm Island on 19th May last year. It was nesting at Seal Bay. This is the first time that it has been seen away from the Island and is only the third of our breeding Herring Gulls to be spotted anywhere other than on Skokholm.

These birds are being ringed as an extension of a Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales project which has been running on Skomer for many years. It reveals what proportion of gulls survive between breeding seasons and how this changes over time (changes in food availability being one major factor influencing survival). We can typically expect well over 80% of birds to survive the winter.

For more information on Skokholm's seabirds and our monitoring work the 2017 Seabird Report can be downloaded for free here:

https://welshwildlife-6aa7.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Skokholm-Seabird-Report-2017.pdf

Thank you again for the record and for any further details

All the best

Rich and Giselle

Raptor pecking order

From Jean Dovey: Hen harrier and Peregrine, taken from the road above Puncheston Common.

Hen harrier, Marloes Mere

Some belting shots from Elwyn Davies, of the Hen harrier at Marloes Mere this morning.

Ring-billed gull, Llys-y-fran and footpath closure

A really frustrating visit to the dam this evening with Paul G and Paul M, with virtually no gulls on the water until light had just about gone, and even then it was obvious there were many still to arrive! Paul G picked out the Ring-billed gull and just singles of adult Yellow legged and adult Med gulls. 60 Common gull was a good number (usually just single figures). 150 Lapwing dropped onto the shoreline. 5 Goldeneye (4m). NB there will be no access from the main entrance from 12/2/19 for 6 months while building work is carried out. Notices on site provide more information. The main car park is completely fenced off.

Newport again

Here is the Pintail at the bridge today. There was also a Water Pipit nearby.

Whoopers

7 Whooper Swans at Croesgoch still this morning - as found by Jonathan yesterday. SM842286.

Yellow-browed Warbler - Dinas Island

A friend has reported seeing a Yellow-browed Warbler at Dinas Island yesterday (Saturday), not far from the Caravan Park at Cwm Yr Eglwys.

Newport woodcock

From Dave Evans: At 9am today, by the 30mph sign as you enter Newport from the Fishguard direction, a Woodcock in the middle of the road. In no particular hurry, it lifted heavily over the hedge and dropped into an adjacent garden. 

4 Great Crested Grebes in Fishguard Harbour.

St Brides, Marloes and The Gann

Couple of hours out and about this afternoon. Caught up with the Black Redstart at St Brides, there were a couple of Robin competing with it for the church roof, so it flits about quite a bit - into the church yard, the beach and the roof of the house next door. No sign of any Firecrest here. A ringtail Hen harrier was quartering a brassica field near Talbenny crossroads, and another Hen harrier was at Marloes Mere a bit later. The Hooded crow was still at the Gann.

Velvet Scoter

Spotted a solitary velvet scoter at the 'Foam end of Milford Haven Docks lunchtime today - white secondaries made it unmistakable. Note to self - always take the camera, even when not out birding! Always seems to be when the most interesting birds pop up. 

Newport

The M Pintail still with the Mallards. c75 Dunlin, which is 3-4 x the usual flock size at this time of year.

Whooper swans

7 Whooper swans just inland from Croes - goch at Trenewydd  Fawr farm just off the  B 4330 Haverfordwest road, neighbouring farmer tells me they have been there since just after xmas,2 ringtails over the airfield this morning with a Kingfisher over the pond last weekend which was unusual.

Marloes

A flock of c.60 Golden Plover on the Winterton Farm fields between Mullock and Marloes.
And 3 Tufted Duck on the northern irrigation pond on the Mere, visibility from the car park.

The Gann

As usual nothing much, bumped into Kim G &then James Roden who said likewise, however things improved a tad when something spooked c25 Snipe from the reeds & a Kingfisher put in an appearance. Of course not forgetting the perennial Hood Crow.

Castlemartin Corse

A female marsh harrier, looking stunning in the sunlight, beat slowly into the wind past the hide, dropped into the reeds and did not reappear. No harriers seen the other day during the winter farmland bird count.

Angle area

A morning around a few south county sites with Paul G. Good numbers of Lapwing and Golden plover, with 22 Stock dove near Corside Nursery, on the road to Angle. Briefest of views of a large white-winged gull (poss Glauc) in flight from the car but no sign in fields. Two female Marsh harriers and a Peregrine hunting over the Corse. At Angle: Dozen Pintail, distant Brent, 5-6 Great crested grebe, and a Chiffchaff by the Point House. Another Chiffchaff, Stackpole Court, no sign of any Firecrest despite a really good check. A dozen Little grebe seemed a good count.

Winter Thrushes.....

Huge fall of winter thrushes in the Camrose area overnight. Appear to be mainly Redwing, hundreds spread over pasture fields. Already attracting sorties by a Peregrine, and a lovely female Merlin. 

(Roger Mathias)

Jack Snipe Haverfordwest

Whilst travelling along freeman’s way at about midday toward Macdonald’s roundabout a Jack Snipe flew over the car from the fields on the right towards Merlins Bridge brook on the left handside of the road.

Railcam

We have been putting a trail cam out near the stream in the valley: last winter this gave fantastic pictures of the birds that had been pushed west by the cold weather, including Jack Snipe, Woodcock, and a Dunlin.

Less variety this winter, although a Moorhen in December was unexpected. In January, the camera took 87 pictures, around 20 of which had no identifiable creature in the picture. Of those that did:
- Water Rails were by far the most common, present in half of all the remaining pictures. Only one fifth of these were in daytime: the vast majority at night. And at least two rails were present in one in five of the pictures.
- 2 pictures of a Hen Pheasant.
- 3 pictures of a Fox
- 7 pictures of Rats.
This last really highlights the need for good biosecurity if you are taking any baggage to Skomer or Skokholm: please be aware of the proximity of rats to the Martin's Haven landing.

Gann & Mere

A quick trip to the Gann this morning: some nice birds on the rising tide.
On the pools, a solitary Sanderling, Greenshank, 60+ Wigeon, and a female Goldeneye.
On the foreshore 2 Whooper Swans, which flew off to the NE, 15 Light-bellied Brents, another Sanderling, and a ringed Oystercatcher: Orange 52, with a smaller orange ring on the other leg above the metal ring.
Offshore, 4 Great-crested Grebes in a tight group with a female Red-breasted Merganser.

Marloes Mere late afternoon: the drake Pintail and good numbers of the usual dabbling duck. A swimming Water Rail, and a juvenile ringtail Hen Harrier. Later, a different ringtail (far less coloured underside) came along the cliffs, presumably on the way to roost on Skomer.