Marloes Mere

A brief stop at Marloes Mere on our evening bike ride was rewarded with a Rosy Starling. 

Initially on the ground in the turnip field just past Runwayskiln, it then flew over the track and into the willows near the hide. It remained perched and preening in the evening sunlight and was still there when we left at 19:45.

A very exciting bird for a couple of reasons; firstly I've somehow managed to miss every Rosy I've ever been remotely close to, so a tick for me and secondly I saw and called it before Dave!

PLEASE NOTE: The Marloes Sands car-park remains closed, so this is one for those close enough  to access it on foot or two wheels.

Photos Dave Astins

Lisa

Skok

Pectoral Sandpiper briefly today.

Cuckoo rhyme

Our family version is:

In April, I open my bill
In May, I sing night and day
In June, I change my tune
In July, away I fly
In August, away I must

Hobby

A Hobby flew over Welsh Hook a couple of days ago and then today another or female Red-footed Falcon flew over the house. It looked more like the latter but didn't have bins so can't be sure.

Milton fury

This buzzard was hanging round the huge rookery at Milton (on the A477) and was seen off by furious rooks, who pursued it for 5 minutes. The buzzard tried to shake them off by soaring to around 1000 feet.

Cuckoo Dowrog.

 Re Sach's thoughts on a possible recent influx of Cuckoo's...
 While returning from shopping at CK's in St Davids, we took a short detour to avoid roadworks. We stopped briefly at the Dowrog, our first visit since March. It was a mizzly early morning and skylarks were feeding young which was nice to see. To my delight we then heard a cuckoo which seemed to be approaching from the direction of Tretio. They were a common sight where we lived in Pen Caer, twenty odd years ago and the spring and early summer resonated with their calls as well as the females bubbling reply.
And then ten or more years ago it was as if someone turned off the tap. I heard odd birds early on but none stayed. Some years I heard nothing of them at all.
We hung about at the eastern end of the Dowrog, as it seemed to be getting closer. Its call varied from the usual Cuckoo to Cuck -uk -coo. Eventually i saw its flickering flight as it approached landing on a telegraph line about half a mile away. Sadly it came no closer flying off towards the recycling centre/ St David's Airfield.. I vaguely remembered that at some time there was a variation in call so rang Graham Rees to pick his brain . As usual hew came up trumps and reminded me of the old country rhyme:  
'The cuckoo comes in April, sings the month of May, changes its tune in the middle of June, and in July he flies away. 
More like the middle to end of May, in this case but i am none the wiser as to why it changes its tune!

Polecat

Sadly a road kill at Rickeston,  Milford Haven.

Lochvane Friday

A very quiet day today, although Stonechat and Chough very active. Another Slow Worm casualty in the same place as the Adders, but plenty of live Adders in view also

 On the butterfly front Small Heath and Speckled Wood seem to predominate with lots of Common Blue and a significant number of Small Pearl Bordered Fritillary on the Cliffs

St Florence

With some grass cutting for silage on the edge of the village 6 Red Kites appeared as if by magic this afternoon.
Also 11 Greylags flew just to the north of the village heading east around 4 p.m.

And a Male Peregrine low over the garden c.7 p.m.

The Gann

One Med Gull (2cy?) flew in off the sea & off towards St Brides. Nothing else.

Martin’s Haven: Cuckoo, Choughs, owl

Yesterday a Cuckoo was heard regularly from late-afternoon (c.1600) to c.2000. Initially it was distant, probably Marloes Mere, but it then moved nearer us, but , alas, could not be seen!

I wonder if this was the same Cuckoo as heard at Mullock, or there has been an influx with the south-easterly winds?

There was also a Cuckoo heard (and recorded on a phone!) at Trehill Farm on 18 May.

Also yesterday 14 Chough over at 1900, probably flying to roost on the Deer Park or Skomer.

And a Little Owl called briefly at c.2300: we have never heard or seen one here before.

On a non-bird front, as well as a visiting Toad last night, we have found several what we are pretty sure are Glow Worm larvae in the garden recently. None seen after dark last night, but this could make the Deer Park a good place to see them over the next couple of months.

Cuckoo at Mullock

There was a male cuckoo in residence for most of the day in the Mullock area yesterday. I first heard/saw him at 6:00am when emptying the moth box and last heard him at 9:00pm when letting the moths go. This is the first time, since we have lived here (17 years) that there has been a cuckoo which stayed for a while - usually we just hear a couple of "cuc-oo"s as they fly up the valley on the way to somewhere else. There are plenty of hosts (sedge and reed warblers) but I doubt that he will find a female.

Skomer

Rose-coloured Starling and Red-backed Shrike showed up today.
Sadly the first one only very briefly and got no photo of it. Couldn't find it again but the shrike was around all day.

Newport

On one side of the Iron Bridge there were 3 f Mallards trying to roundup 10 wayward ducklings, while on the other side the pair of Shelduck and their 6 ducklings were being harried by 4 Carrion Crows!!
For the past two days I’ve only seen a single Mute Swan near the bridge, and the reeds have covered the path leading towards the Swan nest. Interestingly, the pair of 1st winter Mutes that have been spending their time in the estuary, were on the river directly below the tennis courts before flying towards the bridge and over the single Swan tauntingly.
Back home, the Swallows have taken two days to build their nest, it has a grass lining and I’m guessing today they will add a feather lining before laying eggs.

Martin’s Haven

The fog rolled in and out a couple of times yesterday late-afternoon and evening and, as it came in, so the seabirds became disoriented. At around 2000, the haven resembled (both to us and, presumably, the birds) a smaller version of North Haven on Skomer, and a couple of flocks of Puffins wheeled around, along with some Guillemots. We have never seen Puffins actually inside Martin’s Haven before, let alone so many: this was a real treat.

The valley itself has quietened down a lot over the last couple of weeks, with few apparent migrants moving through. Unlike Skokholm, which is still reporting Spotted Flycatchers, our last were two weeks ago, when three birds spent a morning here before moving on. But 14 Ringed Plover flying North over the Trehill fields were a nice surprise.

Still plenty of Adders around: we can only hear/see two cock Pheasants holding territory, so the predation reported elsewhere is clearly not severe here. We have now identified seven individual Adders by combination of size and colour action this Spring, which is a sign of a healthy population.

Skok

A Turtle Dove today.

Marsh harrier, Croesgoch

Report from Phil Lees of a Marsh harrier across the B4330, 2 miles east of Croesgoch earlier today.

Lochvane follow up

Interesting observation regarding the snakes. I have asked my herpetologist friend and this type of attack is well known, without a doubt, to be the result of a Pheasant attack. It seems they are very adept at despatching snakes –. Another unintended impact on our wildlife by an introduced species.

(Richard Harris)

See posts below for original observations

Pembrokeshire Wildlife series

Dear readers, 
I am a researcher for a television series about the wildlife of Pembrokeshire and I would love to hear from you if you have any wildlife stories that you think we might be interested to follow?

We're thinking about wildlife activities between June and October specifically at this point. We are considering stories about Pembrokeshire specialties, but also other common wildlife if it exhibits an interesting behaviour or can be found in an usual place perhaps. We're particularly looking for wild Pembrokeshire locations rather than the urban environment, but really we're very much open to ideas and would love to hear from you!

We're obviously bound by the same restrictions as the rest of the country, but the more information we can gather at this point the better placed we will be going forward.

Please reach out to me on kathy.james@aden.co (it really does end like that!).

Thanks in advance for your help with identifying great wildlife happenings in your area.

Best wishes, 

Kathy

Great Crested Grebe

Still at Black Rock, Dale. 20m off the beach

I`ve never seen so many Orange Tips as I have this Spring

Carew Cheriton to Milton

Several fledged blackcap families along the lane today. This female still busy feeding young.

Landshipping and Minwear/Blackpool Mill areas

Quite a few carrion crows have fledged in the Landshipping area now. Juveniles can be seen perched in various trees and bushes awaiting food from the adults. There seems to be a plentiful supply of small marine organisms to support them. Jack Donovan and Graham Rees (Birds of Pembrokeshire) mention groups of non-breeding crows, sometimes up to 100 strong, gathering on the estuaries during the summer to feed on shellfish. Over the last several weeks we reckon to have seen at least 100-150 non-breeders doing just that along the shore between Landshipping and Sam’s Wood.  

This afternoon over at Blackpool Mill, blue tits (several pairs) were extremely busy taking in caterpillars to their young. Judging by the amount of food being taken to various nests, it looks like they are probably having a pretty good breeding season, although adult plumage is starting to look a bit worn now.

Sawfly and moth larvae seemed to be the main food

The spotted flycatcher was feeding occasionally from the river-side willows this afternoon but never close enough to enable a closer look at its right leg ring. 

There were plenty of other woodland birds around. Stock doves were calling nearby and  a few wood warblers were singing in their usual spots. Great spotted woodpeckers were also looking for caterpillars in the canopy to feed their probably soon to fledge offspring. Blackcaps are one of the most numerous species in our area. This territorial male (who seems to have a damaged right tarsus and was only able to perch on his left foot) was keeping a close eye on at least two other nearby singing males.  

Marloes Mere

The Mere continues to be a fantastic magnet for hirundines and Swifts. Over a hundred in total this afternoon, including 12+ Swifts and at least that many Sand Martins; fewer House Martins.
I am really interested in the Swifts and Sand Martins, because I am not aware that either breed at all locally, so the feeding at the Mere must be very good to justify the “commute”.

Passerines include at least 5 singing Reed Buntings along the North side, and uncounted (!) Sedge Warblers.

Duck are getting harder physically to see, but there still appear to be 3 pairs of Shelduck, albeit not necessarily breeders: we see at least one pair flying to/from Skomer each day.

Newport - Hooded Crow

Fourteen years ago I found a small colony of Green Hairsteak butterflies on Carningli (West). Today not only did I find c10 GH butterflies there this afternoon but also a male Redstart and a Hooded Crow.

GC Grebe

Still off  Black Rock Dale, Yesterday.

Coed Glynaeron

Coed Glynaeron is one of several commercial conifer woodland plantations in the Preseli area that is managed with a high priority given to biodiversity, and being less than 2 miles away is always well worth a visit. The highlight of a walk there on Wednesday was a flock of 60 crossbills, definitely the biggest count at the site this year for me. Two pairs of ravens appeared to have fledged chicks, or perhaps one large brood had split up and moved to different parts of the wood. Hearing the constant calls of cuckoos, often singing from the interior of the woodland as well as from the moorland in the distance conjured up a feeling of being in a bygone era; it does seem like ages since I've heard them in woodland.

At least 5 each of singing redstarts and tree pipits joined a constant chorus of blackcaps, garden warblers, whitethroats, willow warblers, and chiffchaffs. A wood warbler nest with 4 eggs was found very close to one of the tracks, given away by a female flying off and calling. The only other sign of this species was a male singing at the other end of the woods, which must be a different territory. The only species that was expected but not seen, was spotted flycatcher, though many are yet to arrive back from their wintering grounds.

Lochvane follow up

Yesterday we received an email from friends just outside St.Clears Carms.. The email was about a cock pheasant killing a good size grass snake, we asked if they could measure the snake but when they returned the snake was gone; the snake had presumably been feigning death and decided that 'discretion was the better part of valour' making it's escape while things were quiet.

It was therefore interesting to see another avian killing of a snake on blog, however in this instance I would rule out pheasant as the snake had been eviscerated, I would also rule out buzzard as the snake seemed to have had a more clinical evisceration than I believe a buzzard would perform, to mind this leaves a member of the corvid family as the culprit; I am certainly interested in any further criminal analysis on offer though.

Alastair Proud

The Gann

1 GN Diver, 1 GC Grebe this afternoon

Lochvane Friday

Edge of Bracken on path to sea, 2 Adder and 1 Slow Worm dead in exactly the same spot over the last 4 days. All killed by puncture wounds and eviscerated ( and presumably eaten) No damage to heads. It looks like bird attack, but not many Buzzard here, plenty of Pheasant in the bracken. Any ideas?
Steve Jarvis

Llanteg Hobby

From Kevin Caley  - I thought that you might like to hear of a hobby that graced our property this evening (about 6.00-6.20), bringing our on-property bird list here in Llanteg to 73 species.  While standing gazing out from the barn, my attention was grabbed by alarm calls from the resident swallows which I at first thought were mobbing a kestrel. ‘That’s odd’, I thought, so I watched, and realised quite quickly that it was a beautiful adult hobby, attracted to our front meadow by the abundance of fox moths currently occupying that area, and zooming over and through the grass flowers.  The hobby did several circuits, frequently swooping down low, grabbing a moth and feeding on it on the wing, ignoring the mobbing swallows.  At one point, the bird came so close (within 9 m) that not only could I see the gorgeous orange-chestnut undertail and streaked underparts, but also the clear black crescent under the eye that extends onto the white cheek, and that lovely dark, soft grey back with the dark central areas in each feather.  I was mesmerised by its mastery of the air for a good quarter of an hour, and it was me who left first.  I don’t know how long the bird kept hunting there, but we have .... or, rather, had .... a large population of fox moths!

Newport

As we have all noticed, since the lockdown and the decrease in traffic noise the bird song is phenomenal. Standing on the Iron Bridge earlier the reed bed seemed to be buzzing with Sedge Warblers, the odd Grasshopper Warbler and occasional Moorhen. On the river in amongst a group of 13 m Mallard were a pair of Gadwall. Which the cob Mute Swan took a disliking too (his mate seems to have been sat on her nest for a very long time!!).
On the mud feeding in front of the incoming tide were 7 Oystercatchers, 2 Whimbrel, 7 Dunlin and 3 Sanderling. The 1st winter Mute Swan has been joined by another 1st winter.
The pair of Swallows outside of my back door are still in discussions whether or not to nest there.

Haverfordwest Swifts

I’ve only seen a couple of Swifts in Haverfordwest so far this year, but there were at least 18 feeding high over the Priory and river this evening.

Skok

Red-spotted Bluethroat at the Well this morning.

Blackpool Mill this afternoon

This afternoon for a change we cycled over to Blackpool Mill. Lots of the resident species were busy feeding young – including blue tits collecting caterpillars from the willows to feed their brood in a crevice in the mill bridge. 

There was no sign of a kingfisher today nor a dipper, but we were surprised to see a single sand martin briefly feeding over the river. We aren’t aware of a breeding colony along this stretch of the Cleddau so perhaps this one was just a late migrant passing through.

Pied Wagtails were busy on the river collecting aquatic insects – mayflies, stoneflies etc - to feed their young in a nest in a wall crevice – they were regularly in and out in a flash.

A pair of grey wagtails was occasionally present but showed little in the way of breeding behaviour. One of the pair appeared to have some nest material on one occasion which it promptly dropped into the river and showed no interest in collecting any more.

Both wagtail species seemed to be finding this perch a useful spot to catch insects form

It was pleasing to see a spotted flycatcher perching briefly on a fence. They have become quite scarce in our area, although a pair often nests somewhere near the mill. It was intriguing to see that this one was ringed.  

Where had it been ringed we wondered! 

Skok

The big news today was that the Dunnock pair are feeding chicks, these our first since 2012.

Swallows

Till yesterday I had seen very few. But this morning a large movement (hundreds an hour) west along the north coast.

Landshipping and Martletwy area

New migrants have dried up a bit in the Landshipping/Martletwy area during the last week or so. A couple of garden warblers singing from some willow scrub on the edge of the village in Martletwy were nice to hear though. There still seems to be a noticeable lack of whitethroats along our local hedgerows where we normally expect to see several occupied territories. Hopefully, some are still to arrive.

Opportunistic buzzards and red kites (on the look-out for disturbed rodents and various other food sources) have been drawn to various fields being cut for silage near our house in recent days. Despite the early mowing, there are still a few pairs of skylarks breeding in fields not normally cut for silage which is pleasing. Today at least one of the pairs was actively collecting food to feed their young. 

Both adults were busy collecting food

It’s been generally quiet on the estuary as far as waders are concerned. Small numbers of whimbrel passed through last week, but we haven’t seen any for the last couple of days or so.

Three little egrets continue to be seen occasionally near the Eastern/Western Cleddau confluence and a fourth one was also present on the Daugleddau shore near Sam's Wood the other day. We still wonder where they might be breeding. 

A distant view of two of the birds (actively displaying their fine plumes) on the Eastern Cleddau shore

Llangwm

From Graham Brace - A turtle dove has been a regular visitor to this Llangwm garden most days since it was first seen on 14th May. I just hope it manages to avoid the local sparrow hawk which has been busy in recent weeks taking a toll on the local wood pigeons! Good to see a GS Woodpecker in the picture also.

Marloes Cuckoo

Apologies for the delay in posting this: it has taken days just to download the pictures along our “narrowband”.
John and Caroline Walmsley had this beautiful Cuckoo fly into one of their windows about 10 days ago ago. John confirms that it recovered well and flew off well.
Steve Sutcliffe aged it as a young female.

Skomer

3 Tree Sparrows showed up today. Mine and Nathan's island tick yey

Hasn't bred on Skomer since 1963! Last individual seen in 2017 and before that in 2008.
Good island bird

Edit: As it turns out Dave Boyle saw one in South Valley in October 2010. That I guess never went in to the birdlog.

Gann

A bit quiet these last few days, but still a turnover of waders, including 5 Sanderling this afternoon, one of which was a superb adult in breeding plumage (along with 8 Ringed Plover, and 18 Dunlin).  Just a single Whimbrel and a single Curlew, but 4 more of the former flew noisily over the house this evening, as did 2 Chough, which appeared to have been feeding on the east side of the bay.

Carew Mill

The house martins were busy nest building. Also swallows, and a fine screaming party of swifts. Two greylags dropped into the river channel below the Mill (around noon, if anyone else saw greylags!).

Lochvane Friday

Our local walk still showing large numbers of Whitethroat and Stonechat , with first fledglings evident. On the coast were 4 pairs of Wheatear, a Red Kite and a large group of Sand and House Martin joined the Swallows that have been around every day.

10 or so Gannet were feeding and several Skylark singing strongly, although with most fields silaged this week one wonders about their success.

On the Butterfly front Common Blue have just emerged here, and a single Pearl Bordered Fritillary was a lovely sight in the valley on our way home.

Skomer

Little Ringed Plover today at Moorey Mere. Only the 9th island record.

Skok

A smart male Black Redstart today.

St Florence

From David Collins - A walk out of St. Florence this evening, heading along Trefloyne Lane, I saw a couple of buzzards and about half a dozen swallows. I heard and saw plenty of blackcaps, chiffchaff and whitethroat but, despite hearing numerous garden warbler, spotting them eluded me. At the reed beds, near the golf course, I heard reed warbler and a couple of Cetti's. Although somewhat brief, I also had a decent view of a male peregrine.

I also had the pleasure of moving an enormous Drinker moth caterpillar, that I discovered crossing the road in a leisurely fashion, to safety.

Ridgeway

Yellowhammer again - male flew through the rushy scrub, but I haven't found its HQ. Reed bunting singing in area of springs...flock of long-tailed tits...bullfinch...

Garden warbler, blackcap, chiffchaff, willow warbler and whitethroat all singing loudly.

Skomer

First this year (male) Yellow Wagtail (f.flavissima) at Moorey Mere today, how exciting! Soooo much yellow!
Never managed to get any photos of the two which we briefly saw last year, of which one was the f.flava race. Hoping that it will show up somewhere as well!

Sanderling

Six new arrivals at the Gann this morning, nearing Summer plumage. 4 Dunlin, 4 RPs, 2 Whimbrel & Sandwich  Tern(s) calling - couldn`t see them in the bay - maybe overflying.

Greylags again

3 Greylags over St Florence heading south east at 0940.

Greylag geese...

It would have been very roughly 10.00 Peter...I did have 3 overhead in the same area on 16.04 (see my post), and see also Mike Y-P's post on 02.05, following my dawn Tesco sighting the day before - they do seem to be about. I was keeping an eye on a pair at Castlemartin Corse, before the lockdown.

Greylag geese

Interesting record from the Ridgeway, what time did you have the Geese Richard, as I had two Greylags flying that direction from Haverfordwest at about 8.25 am, possibly the same two?

Ridgeway

No sign of the yellowhammer today, but a pair of reed buntings in the rushy scrub was another new species for this patch.

Two greylags flew over on a bearing NNW>SSE.

This lovely Greenland wheatear in the sprouting corn in the topmost field was wheatear no.23.