Landshipping area this afternoon

This afternoon’s walk from home, via the upper Daugleddau shore to Coedcanlas and back along the country lanes, produced no obviously new arrivals on the migrant front.

Our local pair of greylags weren't to be seen anywhere along the shore, although much earlier in the day they had made their usual noisy morning flight over us towards the estuary. Several pairs of shelduck were feeding along the shore, all in similar locations to where we had seen them on previous days. There was also an additional flock 36 on the northern shore of the Eastern Cleddau, near Ferry cottages (opposite Landshipping slipway).

We couldn't find the four greenshanks that have been regularly at Landshipping Quay, perhaps these have moved on – no new waders up this end today - but well done to Richard, little ringed plover is a nice record for Carew Millpond.

Having assumed that teal numbers were declining in the area we counted 84 today resting on the mud and an extensive pile of bladder-wrack at Landshipping Quay – a similar number to that counted a week ago.

Fast asleep in the sunshine – the teal were surprisingly well-camouflaged on the shore, especially the females

It was certainly an afternoon for buzzards to be displaying over their woodland territories. At least 9 individuals were seen in an estimated 5 probable breeding territories. One of the local red kites was also hunting over the area for a short time.    

Martin’s Haven Ring Ouzel (again!)

A (the?) male flushed from our drive this evening, and seen again an hour later.  Maybe stopping over while waiting for the Northerlies to stop?

2 male Wheatears on the Deer Park, so some birds still moving.

Not a bird, but...

...in these desperate times I hope Richard will indulge this! A male Brimstone butterfly flew through my garden an hour ago. Mike Davey, John Stephens and I saw one on 16 March while looking for firecrests (the last day a firecrest was seen), Mike saw a couple a day or two later in the same area, and I saw two on 25 March. This is quite unheard of in Pembrokeshire, according to the County Butterfly Recorder. If anyone else is seeing them I'm sure David Redhead would like to know. I attach one of my photos of a male on lesser celandine, and one of Mike's of a female with a bite out of one wing.

St Florence

Good to see so many postings of sightings from people’s gardens or local walks. Here in St Florence spring has been in evidence with Chiffchaffs all around the village singing. I heard my first Willow Warbler and Blackcap a couple of days ago. 2 to 4 Buzzards have been soaring and calling regularly over the fields from the back garden and on a recent walk there were 6 up together. A Red Kite also drifted over the house on Saturday.
This morning on a walk along the lanes near the village a couple of Redwings, including one singing, 4 Blackcaps singing and perhaps a dozen Chiffchaffs.

In case you haven’t seen them there are great regular updates from Skokholm and Ramsey - see links on the right.

Dinas

From  Clare Ryland  - Singing blackcap in Dinas this morning, good number of chiffchaffs on morning cycle route as well.

Carew Millpond

On my daily bash round the millpond, just now (high tide) - a Little Ringed Plover feeding on the shore opposite the castle. A Pembrokeshire first for me.

Mullock, Dale

Spring bird song in lockdown at Mullock Cottages is BUSY.
Chiffchaffs -4 singing, one does multiple chiffs with only one chaff in the sequence
Greenfinches 2 males singing
Goldfinches in flock and twittering from tree tops
Chaffinches - at least 3 males singing
Blackbirds 5 singing males mid March but now gone quiet and some feeding nestlings - Chris Taylor also reported seeing this south of Pembrokeshire on his patch.
Songthrush - one up the valley towards Marloes, one on our patch towards the estuary
Goldcrests in the larch trees constantly feeding in the tree tops which are bursting with bright green new leaves and insects.
House Sparrows gang is busy - not counted and as we are running out of seed they are more spread out and less easy to count.
Great tits on territories, not so sure about blue tits, great tits had brood patches and strong cloacal patches on the ones we caught 3 days ago
Wrens singing like mad in the mornings you can feel the vibrations of the territorial shout -  ~6 territories on our patch.
oh and Blackcaps singing 5 & 6 days ago and now none - all the blackcaps we caught were mainly males with a lone female.
Woodpigeons crooning!
Great spotted woodpeckers - on the 21st-23rd March they were still chasing each other around and shouting as they have been since mid February. last I heard was 2 days ago when the males were drumming on the junction boxes on the telegraph poles to good effect! soo loud. They are now paired up and breeding as everything is quiet.
Buzzards are in our wood although we have not found the nest yet! We saw them mating, arguing territory with neighbouring  ravens and buzzards and wheeling high together.
On the Gann estuary:
Mallard - a flock floats and flies up and down with the tides
Little egrets x 3
Curlew - not counted ...yet
Little grebe on the irrigation pond east of the Gann
Shelduck 2 pairs arguing about territory.
~ 200 golden plover flew over on (24th March)
Stay safe everyone best wishes from Mullock island!!

Martin’s Haven

A Female-type Merlin and a pair of Chaffinches this morning take the Garden Lockdown List to 27 species.

A really smart flyover male Cormorant, and two Shelduck on the way to Skomer, take the “seen from, but not in” list to an additional 7 species.

Deer Park Ring Ouzel

Another male Ring Ouzel (or the same as three days ago?) on the Deer Park steps and wall at about 1700 today. Eventually chased off by a resident Blackbird from our garden.

A lovely bird to watch. I wish i could work out why my poor digiscope efforts come out sideways!

Teifi Marshes

Willow warbler 1+ Chiffchaff 10 Shoveler pair Sparrowhawk female Red kite 2 Little egret 1

Gann

Adult green-ringed Common Gull J6U7 again at the Gann on the river today, hard to read in the bright sunshine and strong winds.  A yellow-ringed adult Lesser Black-backed Gull was just not clear enough to be certain (but it either started with an M or ended with a W!!!).

Otherwise pretty quiet, no Brent Geese, a single Grey Heron, and Redshank numbers dwindling but one of the few hangers on was no.62 from the local ringing scheme.

Martin’s Haven & Marloes Mere

Still migrants trickling through: 3 Wheatear in and around the garden this morning, and a couple of Chiffchaffs.

Marloes Mere: the surprise for me later afternoon was the Shoveller outnumbering Mallard: I counted over 30 of the former, and fewer than 20 Mallard. Plus c.10 Teal (all paired up), 5 Wigeon, 3 Shelduck. And three Tufted Duck (1M, 2 F) dropped in at about 1645.

This evening, a ringtail Hen Harrier hunting along the Deer Park wall before heading off towards Skomer.

A Daugleddau walk this afternoon

A walk this afternoon from home to Coedcanlas, through Sam’s Wood and back along the shore of the Daugleddau to Landshipping didn’t produce any new migrants although the behaviour of chiffchaffs near Coedcanlas suggested that they were investigating suitable nesting habitat there. 

It was nice to see nine stock doves (a flock of seven feeding grassland and two others in the roadside hedge). These were probably some of the local breeding population from either Lawrenny Wood or Sam’s Wood.

A great crested grebe (probably one noted a few days ago near Landshipping) was feeding in the channel just upstream from Llangwm with a couple of cormorants. One mature adult was in smart breeding plumage displaying its small raised crest. 

The local greylags were on the shore – probably the pair that we regularly see flying over our garden. 

Shelduck pairs are clearly establishing their territories, with much noisy displaying activity this week. Along a 3 km section of shore from Sam’s Wood to Landshipping there were at least five evenly spaced pairs near likely breeding locations. 

Teal numbers were bit lower today, c.40-50 at most near Llandshipping Quay but four Greenshanks were still present in their usual patches.

Around St Ishmaels today

20 Golden Plover, 2 Swallows.

Rambles round Tegryn

From Clive Harrison - Not a rarity but a pretty elusive bird when you try to photograph!

Skok

The fourth spring record for Skok of Coal Tit today. Also a Red Kite. Up to four Black Redstart in recent days, but only two found today.

Ring Ouzel still

We watched the Ring Ouzel this evening for over an hour, feeding on the Trehill Farm fields: a lovely bird.
Finally decided to try to take some photos with a point and shoot camera, and rewarded accordingly with a series of photos of in-focus wire fence.

Elsewhere: still individual Wheatears around, but much quieter. No Chiffchaffs seen/heard this afternoon, as the Northerly wind picked up.

Greenfinch, revival?

My first Greenfinch for a couple of years, singing in St Thomas church cemetery, H'west this morning.

Radford Pill to Carew Mill

Dunlin in the mix today alongside greenshank, redshank, knot and black-tailed godwit (which were widely scattered today). Blue-sky thinking from this little egret (feet covered in thick black mud). But no sign of yesterday's mystery wader for which I'm still kicking myself.

Skomer

Ring Ouzel and Black Redstart in North Haven, first Blue Tit at Green Pond

Morning walk

Only a single Chiffchaff this morning and strangely no skylarks, but we did see a fox with something in its mouth - we thought it was a rabbit at first but no, it was a small foxcub (dark grey, blunt muzzle, pointy ears) and she must have been relocating it, though it was broad daylight.

Cuckoo, Thursday

From Graham Brace - A cuckoo was seen in a hedgerow near the caravan park at Black Tar, Llangwm yesterday afternoon (27th March). The sex of the bird was not determined but the observer who reported it to me is reliable and knowledgeable and assured me that, from its flight, posture, colouring and size, she was not confusing it with a collared dove, fieldfare or sparrowhawk.

 

I note from 'Bird Spot' that there have been several cuckoo sightings around the country over the last week or so.

Heathfield GP...

Heathfield GP walk quite interesting this morning.
Greylag is unusual here and there were: Goldeneye, Gadwall, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Teal and Mallard. Lots of Sand Martins and Chiffchaffs and a Fox.
(Mike Y P)

Ring Ouzel Martin’s Haven

A stonking male Ring Ouzel on the Deer Park Wall at 0900 took our Garden Lockdown List to 25. It flew off onto the Trehill Farm fields. Yesterday we had added Goldfinch and Kestrel, with another 5 species, including Gannet and Hen Harrier, having been seen from the garden but not in it!

Still a trickle of Chiffchaffs and Wheatears coming through, but only ones and twos at present. But it was nice to see a pair of Wheatears inspecting a former rabbit hole on the cliff edge.

Yesterday a real treat on our evening walk was a small pod of Common Dolphins in St Bride’s Bay.

Camrose

It's been a couple of interesting mornings in Camrose with the splendid sun rises, on the birding side are new Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a single Redwing this morning (straggler). We have had some good feedback this season on Redwing ringed in Pembrokeshire from the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. As for our longevity birds we have a 6 year old Dunnock and a 5 year old Chaffinch showing their readiness for the 2020 breeding season.

St Florence

From David Collins: a stroll, late afternoon, out of St. Florence, along Trefloyne Lane towards Kiln Park. I managed to see a couple of Red Kites, still a few Redwings, saw and heard numerous Chiffchaffs, plus a Cetti's Warbler calling several times in the reedbed opposite the golf course.

Garden/country lane birding around Landshipping

The last couple of days have been absolutely glorious here - spring has well and truly sprung. A real pleasure to be out in the garden or undertaking exercise walks along the country lanes.

Chiffchaffs are increasing in numbers daily here, blackcap numbers too - two males singing in our garden hedges this morning. We heard our first willow warbler in the valley below our place today. All the resident species are just singing their heads off. Surprisingly still no obvious hirundines noted here just yet.

A few of the garden/hedgerow birds

Skokholm

Three Black Redstart and two Red Kite today.

Gann

Highlights of our hour long ramble from the house included a Gannet feeding in the bay (viewable from the garden), 21 Brent Geese, a single Great Northern Diver and 5 Ringed Plover.  4 Little Egrets flew across towards Dale to roost, and our first Grey Heron for a while was on the lagoon.

A flock of 55 Oystercatchers were roosting on the beach as the tide came up, 10 of them were ringed and we managed to read all of them.  Also read 2 of the colour-ringed Redshank, which are starting to come into their breeding finery.  Numbers of most of the winter visitors are down: just 3 Wigeon (down from 100+ peak) and a handful of teal.

Hakin, Milford Haven

I went on a walk up Jetty Road, Hakin, Milford Haven after a friend reported hearing a very early Wood Warbler singing there yesterday.

There was no sign of the Wood Warbler, but there was plenty of other birds there, among them 2 Blackcaps, several Chiffchaffs, a Nuthatch calling, a few Song Thrushes and a Greenfinch which seemed to be posing for photos. The present situation is certainly giving me an incentive to explore my local area more.

Radford Pill to Carew Mill

(Within walking distance - an hour door to door!)

A redshank and greenshank were observing social distancing in Radford Pill. Otherwise just 4 teal, a little egret and a few black-headed gulls.

After I'd turned the corner into the Carew River, a flock of 80 black-tailed godwit were feeding upstream, a few in summer plumage including two strikingly brick-red individuals - could they be  Dave's islandica birds?

Best of all, a tight group of 9 knot feeding with the godwits. Bob and Annie, or Richard C, may know differently, but I've never seen knot here before. PS - Brian S has just texted me - is that a curlew sandpiper with the knots - aaarrgh!

Skokholm

Firecrest and two Black Redstart today.

Osprey - The Teifi

From the description and the gulls reaction, sounds like one went through the Teifi estuary mid afternoon today.

Osprey - Monday

From Graham Brace - An osprey was sighted at Port Lion early on Monday afternoon (23rd) and again in Llangwm Pill later. Both sightings were reported to me by reliable sources. Sadly, I wasn't around to see it myself!

Even more Goldies

Some forty birds (that I could see from the kitchen Windows) over our house at St Ishmael's this afternoon, heading towards the fields around Monkhaven / Trewarren farm (?)

Martin’s Haven migrants

A chilly start to the day, but migrants are starting to flow through now.

A pair of Wheatear were on the Deer Park directly above Renny’s Slip. And warblers became increasingly visible as the sun warmed the bushes. We had perhaps a dozen Chiffchaffs in the valley at lunchtime, a male Blackcap, and a singing Willow Warbler: a real treat!

Interestingly, the Chough seem to have had a pretty good winter: there are often groups of 5-7 over the valley, presumably youngsters; the pairs that traditionally nest around the Deer Park seem to keep apart from them both in the air and on the ground.

Postscript: mid-afternoon most of the Chiffchaffs had moved on, but another pair of Wheatears in the Car Park field

More Goldies

Yesterday afternoon a flock of around 250 Golden Plover flew high over Mullock Bridge calling occasionally and almost restless in the way they kept moving south then north but disappeared south in the end.  You could just about see them with the naked eye.
Cetti's singing across the road in the scubby stuff today too plus a few Greenfinch on the feeders and singing in the scrub - nice to see them as they have been very scarce over winter.

Hen Harriers on St Davids Peninsula.

A stunning male Hen Harrier at Dowrog before the lock-down on Sunday was my first male there this winter. There has been a ringtail roosting that looks like its moulting into a male, with pale grey feathers amongst the brown. Yesterday, now confined at home near Trefin, i could hear (from the garden) Snipe, alarm calling as a few birds scattered in all directions - the culprit being a ringtail Hen Harrier hunting low - lots of grey feathering, so maybe the bird from Dowrog. Ive also seen probably the same bird hunting the fields south of Llanrhian a few times.
Yesterday an obvious influx of Chiffchaffs, with singing birds all over the place, with a passage Wheatear at Llanrhian (all on the one daily allowable walk).
Finally, again pre-lockdown, an almost entirely white Magpie in a roadside hedge by the Fishguard Fort car park on Sunday.

A home patch walk - Landshipping area this afternoon

We managed a walk along quiet country lanes in our home patch near Landshipping this afternoon. This is a regular route we walk from home for general exercise and so today's was well within the rigorous restriction guidelines. 

Chiffchaffs were among the many birds singing along the route. Song Thrushes especially were in full song on this fine, spring afternoon. We noted several small flocks of goldfinches - these have been gradually returning to the area in recent weeks. No swallows noted here just yet but they will be any day soon.

We were watching a flock of around 80-100 teal and 12 redshanks, resting and bathing at Landshipping Quay when suddenly, the whole lot exploded into the air in a state of obvious panic! This was caused by the local male goshawk passing through, heading over the Cleddau towards the Fowborough area. 

Photographed into direct sun-light and so difficult to capture plumage details

It was high tide and five little egrets flew to a roost in some nearby trees (a regular location). Earlier in the day the local pair of greylags flew over our house - undertaking one of their regular daily early morning flights across our garden to the estuary. 

Our records entered to BirdTrack etc this summer are likely to be somewhat limited and biased to our garden and our local patch. However, it will be intersting to see if we can add any new species to the garden list (firecrest being a new one this year a few weeks ago). It will be enjoyable anyway, as well as providing some good physical and mental exercise!        

Skokholm

A small fall included the first Willow Warbler of our year, 22 Chiffchaff and six Goldcrest. The auks again arrived en masse.

Home birding....

Delighted to see a flock of 250 Golden Plovers flying around the local fields this evening, presumably they were looking for a field to roost for the night. Small numbers - up to 30-50 winter on the Frenni just above Boncath, but unusual this close to home.

Pembrokeshire Lockdown Bird Challenge

A message from David Ord who has generated a Facebook Page called 'Pembrokeshire Lockdown Bird Challenge’.

'Here are three challenges for people in Pembrokeshire to join in to help alleviate the boredom of staying at home/in the garden during the coronavirus crisis: 1) How big a list of birds seen / heard from home or garden can we collectively accumulate? 2) How big a list of birds can we photograph from home/garden 3) How many drawings/paintings of birds in the Pembrokeshire Avifauna can we create? For details of how to contribute please look for 'The Rules of the Challenges’ on the Facebook Page ‘Pembrokeshire Lockdown Bird Challenge’. Hope to see you join, participate and enjoy!'

Redwing,etc Strumble\Fishguard 22/3/20.

Migrants seen over the past week included Alba\White Wagtail &Wheatear  Fishguard (outer breakwater) 3 Sand Martins 22nd   and two Swallows 23rd  along with a rather splendid Redwing photographed by my partner, Fran on Saturday 21st near Strumble.

Wryneck, Nolton Haven

A report of a Wryneck at Nolton Haven over the weekend.

Martin’s Haven & Marloes Mere

Derek got the best of the Wheatears this morning, and we saw neither them nor any Chiffchaffs today.   But the Stonechats are holding on to their territories, and plenty of other evidence of nest-building going on. Plus my first Adder of the year!

An evening walk to the Mere was notable for the number and variety of duck in the calm, if chilly, evening. We had double-digit numbers each of Mallard, Wigeon, Shoveller, Teal, plus Andy & Helen’s Pochard (a really smart bird), a pair of Shelduck, and two Gadwall. A Chiffchaff calling, and Chaffinch and Reed Bunting singing.

St David's Head, Heathfield GP...

The first Willow Warbler with usual recent trickle of Chiffs, Wheatears and Goldcrests at St David’s Hd this morning.

I used to bird Heathfield GP but it declined badly. It’s close so will try to cover it this Spring given the situation. 1st visit today - 1 Goldeneye, 30 Sand Martins and 2 Kingfishers.
Found Black, Fudge and Ring-neck Ducks etc there in the past.
(Mike Young-Powell)

Castlemartin Corse

Six chough a couple of days ago, eight today. Young non-breeders, Bob suspects. Also a pair of greylags grazing near Starman's Hall, later flew up the Corse. A pair has been present early in the breeding season for the last couple of years. No migrants today, unless Rob Lewis, who was arriving as I was leaving, saw something after I'd left.

Pochard - Marloes Mere

A drake Pochard was at Marloes Mere opposite the Britton Hide early this morning. Other birds included plenty of Mallards and Shovellers, plus Teal, Wigeon, Coot, Moorhen, Little Grebe, two Canada Geese, a Mute Swan, Stonechat, Chiffchaffs and four Black-tailed Godwits flying over.
Here is a distant record shot of the Pochard.

The Teifi

A freezing frosty wander on the marsh produced little other than Chiffchaffs singing.
Plenty of  Razorbills and Guillemots on the sea and flying past the headland - also a Great Northern Diver flew east. A single Grey Plover from St Dogmael's Quay was the 1st of the year.

The 4pm visit today, 16 Black-tailed Godwits were feeding riverside on the marsh and some great coloured bird. One colour-ringed bird which went behind reeds before I could see the legs well enough....!

Wheatears

Just following on from Sash's post, 6 Wheatears in the field behind the car park this morning.

St David’s, Lochvane

From Steve Jarvis - St Davids Golf Course

Kestrel, Sparrow Hawk and a Red Kite today, with Chough calling overhead.

In Lochvane more Chough, Raven in display flight, lots of Stonechat and a steady flow of singing Chiff Chaff. Still only 9C but a feel of isolated Spring!

Willow Tit, Redwing

From Harry Grub - Willow tit singing @ Henrys moat ( near Tufton)
Redwing singing ( I’m pretty sure ) Brandy Brook ford ( upstream from Newgale )
Golden plover, some in summer plumage Mynydd Melyn ( north of Cwm Gwaun )

Martin’s Haven: two “falls”

First thing this morning both Deer Park and Trehill fields felt pretty quiet: just Stonechats and a handful of Meadow Pipits. But, at about 1000, Chiffchaffs started falling into the valley, sitting on the Deer Park wall, and hawking out and around the sallows. I lost count at a dozen at any one time, with a handful of male Blackcaps thrown in. Most were quiet: only one was in full song.

About an hour later the Wheatears arrived. The field directly next to the NT car park has been fallow for two years now, and has a stunning collection of wild flowers and plants. And the Wheatears gravitated to it: again, up to a dozen at a time, split approximately two thirds males, one third females.

Most had moved on by the evening, but not all. Really looking forward to see what/who arrives tomorrow.

Glynaeron this afternoon

A beautiful afternoon up in the Glynaeron area, looking for willow tits, produced a positive record which was pleasing. Chiffchaffs were singing in the plantation, plus quite a few siskins displaying there too. A singing blackcap in our garden was a new arrival here this morning.   

Early Arrivals

3 singing Chiffchaffs today at Llandilo (the first was last Sunday) and my 1st Blackcap singing at Honeyborough (Neyland) was last Wednesday.

St Govan’s, Carew

At St Govan’s this morning after a long search I finally found 2 Wheatears - both females and very flighty. c.350 Golden Plover were on the move over Castlemartin Range and a couple of Peregrines hacked past chasing each other.
Yesterday at Carew on the mudflats on the river by the mill there were 78 Black Tailed Godwits, 8 Redshank and a couple of Dunlin.

House Martin - The Teifi

A House Martin feeding was with c30 Sand Martins at Kingfisher Pond this evening. The pair of Tufted Duck found earlier by Stuart Hall were still present on Mallard Pond. With the drake Goldeneye and a pair of Goosander on the river through the reserve, the pair of Red-breasted Mergansers and Great Crested Grebe opposite St Dogmael's Quay and a flyover Greylag Goose this morning - a splendid collection of Wildfowl. If only we can find a Coot !!
48 Shelduck today, though Wigeon and Teal are still decreasing.

chiffchaffs

0ne singing at Monk Haven & another flitting about in our garden for 5mins or so this afternoon.

Gann

3 Black-tailed Godwits were new this morning on the lagoon, 2 in breeding plumage revealing them to be of the race islandica.  Very blowy from the NE into the bay, no sign of any Brents and only a handful of Wigeon.  On the river a gathering of mainly large gulls included Skokholm colour-ringed Great Black-backed Gull red W:285 and another red-ringed bird which was presumably also from Skokholm but we couldn't read it (and the colour-ring was on the other leg).

Derek's Fieldfare sighting was timely as I also remarked earlier that I hadn't seen one all winter only this morning!

Fieldfare

My first one all Winter at "Picking Corner" on the Dale road this morning.

The Teifi

A pair of Red-breasted Mergansers feeding alongside the Great Crested Grebe was the best sighting of the day. Goldeneye and 3 Goosanders remain  now feeding under the arrivals of  Sand Martins. Swallows still only seen in ones or twos.
(sev obs)

Skokholm

The first three White Wagtail of the spring today. Also a ringtail Hen Harrier.

Castlemartin Corse

Four wheatear were checking out the cow pats in the closely-grazed field between Starman's Hall and Freshwater West this morning. Six chough were feeding in the middle of the field, golden plover further away. A female marsh harrier, not an individual we've seen before, was hunting inland from the hide. 2 Cetti's warblers were singing - one at one o'clock from the hide as usual, one further along the main track towards the pines.

Otherwise quiet - 7 mallard, 5 curlew, 3 grey heron, the odd snipe...

Chiffchaff singing Lower Town

A chiffchaff was singing in the valley up from the bridge, yesterday morning.

Thursday sightings

From Alec MacIntyre: Several interesting sightings today. Two greenshank, two chough and a little egret on the Gann estuary this morning, two gadwall and six tufted duck amongst others at Marloes Mere, a hunting merlin at Sandy Haven, (almost catching a pipit), and a large flock of kittiwakes viewed from Wooltack Point. Also here a single guillemot on the water, 5 choughs and at least 2 porpoises.

From David Collins: 7 sand martins, at 18:00hrs this evening, flying around towards the bottom of Clickett Lane, Tenby, by the rugby football club.

Skok

Nine male Wheatear today, a third of which were definitely our breeding birds. Also a male Blackcap, our third earliest spring record.

Puncheston

From Mike B - Had a visit today by a Sparrowhawk at approx 16:15 to 16:25, he landed on my back hedge in Puncheston before taking of and heading in the direction of the common.
Photo attached,

Swallow - - The Teifi

One Swallow amongst c100 Sand Martins at 5pm this evening feeding over the marsh. For most of the day c25 Sand Martins feeding. On the cliffs near the Cliff Hotel 4 Wheatear.
Other sightings include 2 Black-tailed Godwits on the marsh, Goldeneye and Goosander on the river and an ever declining number of Wigeon and Redshank in the estuary. 54 Oystercatcher today may indicate some passage birds..
(sev obs)

St Davids Head pm

Signs of movement today: 2 Wheatears, 2 Chiffchaffs, Fieldfare, Snipe, 12 Goldcrests. Fewer Stonechats - at least half of yesterday's numbers having moved on. At Sealyham the wintering Green Sandpiper still present but no Herons breeding this year.

Skok

Four each of Sand Martin and Wheatear today. 5217 Puffin the highest ever count by this stage of the year.

Sand Martins - The Teifi

25 Sand Martins feeding over the reserve today, also the usual Goldeneye, 3 Goosanders, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Chiffchaffs.

At last

my 1st sighting of a Norwegian Common Gull at Newport in March. This was the first UK appearance of 2cy White JP032 since it was ringed in Norway in August last year.

Skokholm

We're back! So daily updates on the Skok blog from now on.
Highlights today included two male Wheatear (one colour ringed), the Whimbrel, a Merlin, six Stonechat (highest spring daycount since 2015) and 900+ Puffin.

St Davids Head am

A couple of Sand Martins through this morning. Stonechats very evident (30+) I got the impression of an influx but can't be sure. 8 Choughs also.

Ringed (or not) gulls at Newport.

It's interesting that Dave is still seeing Norwegian Common Gulls at the Gann. I haven't seen one at Newport for a month. It's not that we're short of Common Gulls - 100 yesterday & again this morning.
But yesterday I did have 2 x 1st W Herring Gulls from the Dublin scheme - Wendy's red B39:D from Thursday on the Teifi, & 930:D making it's 1st appearance since being ringed as a chick. Also 1st W Black H Gull White 2BPL, also seen for the 1st time since being ringed as a chick near Edinburgh.

Stackpole

Blackcap singing in dense cover in Lodge Park (opposite the entrance to Mencap Walled Garden) this pm - presumably a wintering bird inspired by the spring sunshine.

Marloes peninsular: Wheatear, Hen Harrier, and an odd game bird

First Wheatear today, a male on the grass above Renny’s Slip.

Yesterday evening a ringtail Harrier past Runwayskiln at 1800, heading West. Is there a roost on Skomer?

Yesterday evening Lucy flushed an all-dark medium-sized ?game bird from the thick grass by the Deer Park wall. It popped over, and disappeared.
Today I saw a bird that answered that description fly across Martin’s Haven valley towards West Hook Farm. It was larger than a partridge, and a slower wing flap, short tail, and heavy build.
Clearly possible its a melanistic pheasant (there is at least one pheasant calling on the Deer Park), but the colour and tail are very different to any I have ever seen.
I wonder is someone nearby is missing a bird from their collection?


Postscript: we caught up with the game bird this afternoon on the road near West Hook farm: a fairly small, very dark cock pheasant (no white neck ring, just all green), and NO tail whatsoever! It’s a very odd looking bird; I wish it luck in attracting a mate.

NRW half of Llanfoffan Fen reopened.

The recycled plastic walk way around the NRW half of the Llangoffan Fen has been fixed allowing access again to this fascinating piece of habitat.
Bird wise yesterday there was nothing much out of the ordinary until we got about half way when a Cetti's Warbler gave a brief bit of sub-song. It was good to see a friend with his wife and young son there near the end of the walkway when another (?) Cetti's explode into song! Quite a thrill for these new converts to birding!
 A young couple with a newborn in a pram were also taking advantage of the walkway, so good to see this amenity being used!

The Teifi

Five Sand Martins spent the early morning feeding over us as we were catching and colour-ringing Reed Buntings for our ongoing RAS project, and 10+ Sand Martins over the Reserve this evening.
The highlight of the morning was a male Reed Bunting we regularly saw last year and his first appearance this year. - He was ringed as a juvenile at Mallard Pond on the reserve in August 2011, our oldest known Reed Bunting.
A stunning breeding plumage Great Crested Grebe was notable feeding opposite St Dogmael's Quay.
The breeding season is  well under way in the hills, Siskins caught at our study site show that they are laying clutches - assuming success the young from these first broods will be on garden feeders by Easter...!

Gann

Lisa recorded 51 Brent Geese on the lagoon this morning on the high tide, this afternoon just 11 as the tide started to come in again.  Clearly movement between here and Angle, and it always seems to be the case that our biggest numbers are on the big tides (better feeding here?).

This evening, as well as reading 1 Curlew, 2 Redshank & 5 Oystercatcher colour-rings, also managed 2 colour-ringed Common Gulls, J6U7 & JJ924 both previously recorded - see HERE and HERE).  5 Mediterannean Gulls amongst quite a meagre gathering (3 adults, 2 2CY), and 3 Ringed Plover on the beach.  2 Mute Swans on the lagoon after an absence.

Great Grey Shrike, Plumstone

From David Ord - I caught up with the GGS at about midday on a soggy Plumstone mountain near to the coniferous wood. It showed well over a wide area here, either sitting on posts and bushes or hovering over the gorse. Quite a challenge to get close to though.

Ty Rhyg and Llys-y-fran

Generally pretty quiet, but considering the recent weather not a bad afternoon to be out. Had a good look around Ty Rhyg, Willow tit calling in one spot and a Woodcock the best. Llys-y-fran: very small gull roost and 3 Goldeneye. Tawny owl at the dam end and Kestrel the pick. With Paul G.

Peregrine Normality

A Peregrine was on a regular favourite pinnacle on the west coast today, but taking shelter from the stiff breeze on the lee side, or perhaps hiding and hoping to ambush a tired migrant. Earlier it had been soaring high and maintaining position. None of the walkers even noticed it.

Near Haroldstone three Razorbill were in closer to the coast than the Common Scoter, which numbered around 200 in a handful of rafts. A single Gannet came close to the coast near Broadhaven,  and probably two kestrels were  in the same area with four Choughs playing nearer to Druidstone.  Plenty of Fulmars were back on the cliffs. The usual gulls were around but there were no obvious migrants and the smaller residents were fairly quiet with just the odd Stonechat, Robin and Dunnock having a brief sing.

Despite the stiff breeze there was a feeling of spring when the sun appeared in the late afternoon. Celandine, daisies, dandelion and the odd violet and campion were in flower, so at least the natural world seems to be carrying on as normal.

Milton Chiffchaff

A chiffchaff was singing in a tall ash tree by Milton Waterworks just now. There have been sightings of wintering chiffchaff along here (Firecrest Alley) by Craig Lewis and Mike Davey, I saw one yesterday knocking about with goldcrests along the stream. So (thinking of Rosemary's recent post) I'm guessing this is a bird that has been wintering here.

Meanwhile the firecrests have taken to flycatching over the stream when the sun's out. Great views in last couple of days, brief glimpse this morning

Marloes to St Davids

From Friday:

- A walk around St David’s Head gave little in the way of migrants save for a Chiffchaff at Porthmelgan. But there was a noticeable movement of Meadow Pipits: 20-30, often in groups of 3-4.

- A flock of 100+ Golden Plover near Llanreithan. Most still in winter plumage. It was lovely to hear them calling other small overflying flocks down to join them.

- Dipped on the shrike at Plumstone, but a cracking Hen Harrier. A Ringtail, but the body and some of the coverts were very pale, and appeared grey rather than brown, so a young male in moult? I need to read up on Hen Harrier intermediate plumages.

- Two Red Kites hunting over the fields near Martin’s Haven. We get them over most years, but these are the first I have ever seen here actually feeding.

- Stonechats are now holding territory and displaying. 5 males counted on the Deer Park, and more along the Coast Path towards Marloes Sands.

Sand Martins - The Teifi

Five Sand Martins feeding over the new reed cut and reed bed this afternoon, Chiffchaff and Cetti's Warbler were singing this morning. Most winter visitors are still present but in reduced numbers, 1 Goldeneye, 3 Goosander, 1 Purple Sandpiper (Cliff Hotel) and a few small groups of Teal, Wigeon and Redshank.

Kilpaison.

Kilpaison late morning, no waders, But 51 Pale-bellied Brent geese flew in at 12 noon.

The Gann

Brent flock (52) still present this morning along with 6 Shelduck.

Abereiddy (Friday)

From Elizabeth Snell - There was a Cettis warbler briefly singing but also seen in the reedbed near the carpark on the beach this morning 13/03.
A Ravens nest on the cliffs just to the north along the path to Traeth Llyfn had wool in it and there were 2 ravens present nearby but it didn't seem active. The wool was disturbed so I surmised the eggs might be covered but no attempt to attend the nest was made in the 30 minutes I was on that length of cliff.

Kestrel hunting around the blue pool area.

Sand Martins - The Teifi Marshes

A couple of Sand Martins dropped in to feed just before the rain arrived this afternooon. A Chiffchaff was singing near Priory Bridge this morning and a Stonechat was seen in the reedbed.
(sev obs)

Broad Haven Long-tailed Ducks, Plumstone Shrike

A great morning's birding began at Broad Haven, with a look at the flock of  maybe 100 Common Scoters just beyond the north end of the beach. Two Long-tailed Ducks were again present with them today, and a probable Black-throated Diver was slightly further out. There were also two Purple Sandpipers on Lion Rock.

After that, I went on to Plumstone Mountain for my third attempt this year to locate the Great Grey Shrike. The bird was moving round quite a bit, but was broadly in the same area as reported on Sunday. This record shot of the Shrike hovering was the best that I could manage.

Great grey shrike, Plumstone (Thursday)

Despite the very blustery conditions the shrike was showing well first thing yesterday morning between 8-9am. It clearly favours the large isolated holly bush, returning to it 3-4 times after jaunts. It spent the rest of the time towards the edge of the forestry, where it would cock its head and crane its neck if something caught its attention. A Pied wagtail flew directly over it, it looked up but it passed without incident. It swept down to the ground or low vegetation quite a few times but didn't see it catch anything.

Teifi Herring Gull from Dublin

A colour ringed Herring Gull red B39:D was in front of The Webley Hotel, Teifi Estuary as the tide dropped this morning.

Thanks to Graham Prole for the quick reply to say it was ringed by Irish Midlands Ringing Group as a pullus at Irelands Eye island colony off  Dublin last summer 07/07/19. They ringed over 200 last year as part of a long term study looking at urban large gulls in Dublin.

The number is just a couple away from one that Brian S spotted in Pembroke Dock in January. Graham is appreciative of the sightings and said it is great to have so many fantastic colour ring readers in Wales. Keep looking!

Blustery bits and pieces

Yesterday a delayed WeBS count of the Daugleddau produced in excess of 1500 golden plovers - all flying high over the Picton Point/Landshipping Quay area. Teal numbers there were over 100 but there were only a handful of wigeon present (mostly now in pairs).


A pair of Marsh Tits kept a close eye on us at the Quay area. We were not too far away from suitable nesting habitat they were probably prospecting. 

Later in the day we noted that in excess of 100 Pied Wagtails were still making use of their Haverfordwest (Withybush) roost. There were probably considerably more than this, but we didn’t have time to watch them all arrive.

Gann

An impressive flock of 49 Brent Geese (all appeared to be pale-bellied, and unringed) today, this morning on the lagoon over the (very) high tide, late afternoon on the foreshore before flying over to the Musselwick side and then way out into the haven, seemingly roosting (on very choppy water!).

A total of 18 Mediterranean Gulls in the roost around at Dale: 12 adults, 3 3CY, 3 2CY.  One of the adults had a white ring (seen on the foreshore earlier) but we couldn't read it.  Did manage to read 1 Redshank & 14 Oystercatcher colour rings though!

(with Giselle Eagle & Richard Brown)

Skokholm Seabird Report 2019

Now available to download for FREE

https://welshwildlife-6aa7.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Skokholm-Seabird-Report-2019.pdf

Penberri

Yesterday the distant call of a Whimbrel

Great Grey Shrike and other news

Tommy Evans caught up with the Plumstone Great Grey Shrike today...

Migrant Chiffchaffs seen include birds in a ditch near Mullock,
(Rich B & Gis)
Another passage Chiffchaff near Mallard Pond on the Teifi Marshes today. Part of the reed bed undergoing it's annual harvest, it will be in great condition for the passage of White Wagtails during the next few weeks.