Skok

First Sooty Shearwater of the autumn west this evening. 

Swifts - Haverfordwest

20+ Swifts over and around Swan square, Haverfordwest this afternoon.

Med Gulls @ Newport

An influx this afternoon. c30, of which 25 were Juvs/1cy. Sadly no ringed birds as I would like to know where these birds, presumably still chicks c4 weeks ago, come from.

But Green RL1E, at Newport on Tues, does have a history. Ringed as a chick in the Vendee in early July 2016, it was in Co Mayo in Oct that year, then by Nov, in Andalucia. No other reports till this sighting.

I haven't seen a Green ringed Med before. Presumably these W France birds are a different population to the White ringed N France, Belgium,Holland birds which are the usual Meds seen in Pembs.

The Teifi

The Bittern was seen and photographed yesterday - proving elusive as you would expect to birders, photographers and locals. (see previous post for location)   Water Rails too as visitors peer into the vegetation around the ponds.  Two Black-tailed Godwits and up to 4 Common Sandpipers are usually feeding in front of Curlew Hide overlooking the river. 

Swallows and Sand Martins are scarce in the evenings, but on Wednesday evening very nice to have 25 Swifts and 40 House Martins feeding instead...

70 Curlew feeding in the main estuary as the tide dropped this morning, slightly earlier 5 Sanderling, 4 Ringed Plover and 18 Dunlin were feeding on Poppit beach.

Fledgling Blackbird

I noticed this fledgling on our front lawn, having difficulty standing up & looking like it was calling when in fact it was gasping for for air as I realised when I went round to have look at it. It died in my hand a few seconds after I picked it up. Having a closer look I could see this hard ugly looking lump that spread from it`s throat & up around behind it`s eye, would it be Trichomonosis in such a young bird?

Rose Coloured Starling

From Samantha Neale - Just to let you know that I spotted a rose-coloured starling in my garden this afternoon...Milford Haven PEMBS.
I got a bit carried away watching it...so only managed to get a photo with my phone camera.

Cattle Egrets

From Helen Gillooly - It is the 28th July 2020 and this evening 19:30 I saw 2x cattle egrets in summer plumage in the Nevern estuary to the East of the iron bridge.

They were there for over an hour and spending their time preening.

Such a fantastic sight I thought I should share. Hopefully,  they'll stay around for a few days.

Med Gull

From Ian Bartlett - the Med Gull at Carew Mill was showing exceptionally well this evening.

Garden Chough

An unusual garden bird from Phil Spence! - I thought that you might be interested in this Chough that spent about 15 minutes poking around in my back garden at North Cliffe, Tenby. I have seen (And heard) them overhead a few times in the past couple of weeks, but this is my first close encounter.

Another one to add to my garden list!

Hobby

From Matt Sutton - One south over my Redberth farm this morning.

Bittern - The Teifi Marshes

An immature / non- breeding Bittern was seen again this evening feeding in the overgrown square pond below the main car -park

First seen a week ago, then yesterday in flight and now this evening.
(sev obs and photographers, photo above Tommy Evans )

Gann

Wood Sandpiper at the Crabhall Farm end of the lagoon at 17:45 (5 minutes before the start of another evening Zoom meeting, so no time for photos - sorry). Later at 20:30; 2 Common Sandpiper, 4 Greenshank, 3 Redshank and a Kingfisher. Around 80 Starlings dropped into the reedbed to roost.


Meanwhile Dave had 3 Mediterranean gulls on the beach (2 juvs) with 55 black-headed gulls.


Lisa and Dave

Lochvane Swallows

Lochvane Swallows about to leave the nest on 20th July , far better than last year when they were still in the nest in September (after a number of nest building disasters). As last year the nest was built by 3 adults, also 3 feeding the young and adults were still bringing food to the (empty) nest on July 25th. Other successes this year were first garden breeding Bullfinch, Stonechat and 2 pairs of Song Thrush. Sparrow Hawk visited yesterday, but too late to enjoy most of the fledglings!

The Teifi

The first Sanderling (2) of the season today, along with 24 Dunlin and 6 Ringed Plover. The occasional Whimbrel is heard and there are c100 Curlew feeding around the estuary. 

On the reserve, viewing the river from Curlew Hide is proving useful, 3 Common Sandpipers, 3 Dunlin and 1 Black-tailed Godwit have been seen from the hide during the day.

The only notable movement at sea was a flock of c20 Common Scoter.

(sev obs)

Strumble but no polecats!

Really sorry to have missed the polecats plenty of rabbits around Strumble so not surprising although I have never seen a live one! I did get a passing Hoodie Crow maybe the one Bob and Annie reported a few days ago which was bird of the morning It was flying over the sea towards the lighthouse seemed to think better of running the gauntlet of the gull colony and flew over our heads inland. Porpoises were frustratingly splash and dash but the only seabirds of note were two Sandwich Terns.

Strumble Polecats

An interesting non bird sighting from Dave Evans - At 0945 Sunday 26 July, as I drove across the cattle grid to Strumble Head, four full-grown Polecats were leisurely crossing the road from the field bank into the roadside gorse thicket above the observation shelter.  All identical, dark-brown and so not likely to have any ferret in their make-up?

Quite a sight!

Gann Saturday

A total of 9 different Mediterranean Gulls at the Gann yesterday at different times: 2 adults, 4 2CY  and 3 juveniles/1CY. Couldn't make out any rings either, although Lionel Self did photograph one with a white ring (per Twitter).

Also a very smart adult Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Whimbrel and 2 Common Sandpipers. We had a Skokholm ringed juvenile Great-blacked Back Gull but it was just too far off to read.

(Dave & Lisa)

Newport

Iron bridge - Underneath the bridge preening was an eclipse m Mandarin. Last seen paddling towards the steppingstones.

Grasshopper Warbler

Still singing briefly at St Brides this evening.

Med Gulls at Carew

Having spent most of the day working inside on what was quite a showery day, we decided to do a short cycle tour over to Carew for some exercise. Not too much there of note - about 300 mixed gulls were resting on the mud at the Millpond- mostly Herring perhaps 50 LBB Gulls and 100+ BH Gulls. However, it was also nice to see 12 Med Gulls resting with them, including 8 adults ranging from summer plumage to near winter plumage and 4 juveniles. None were ringed as far as we could tell.  

Swifts still here in Fishguard!

Richard Ellis's photograph of the Little Egrets reminds me of a very similar sight that amazed me at a place called "Little Sea" on the Purbeck Peninsular, Hampshire 20 odd years ago.
It was getting late and was looking out for a Hobby. My partner Freddie said there were several of those big white birds like the one we saw in Crete on a dead tree. Little Egret was a rare bird in the UK then, one would be noteworthy but "several" would be unbelievable.
I hope i did not sound too dismissive but Freddie was a good observer and so i deigned to take a look at the dead tree she said had the "several"  Little Egrets on it! there were in fact eight and then another five came in to roost! Even the stark dead tree against the wooded background was so similar! Thanks for the memory!
More recently, a single Brent at Newport Estuary and at least three swifts still screaming around Fishguard Coop car park!

Recently fledged juvenile Little Egret - near Lawrenny

Noting Richard's posting of 13 little egrets at roost reminded us that a couple of days ago, at the Black Mixen area of the Carew/Creswell near Lawrenny, there were at least six Little Egrets including at least one juvenile. There could have been more than one, but some were a bit too distant to be sure.

One definite juvenile, closest to the roadside viewing area, was constantly following an adult around and begging for food. It looked like it had only recently fledged. Unfortunately, they were all a bit too distant for a decent photo. 

It seems likely that they were from a nearby Heronry, where they have bred in the past. A few Little Egrets have been present along the Daugleddau near Landshipping throughout spring and summer but we don't know of a potential breeding site in this area yet. We'll keep a look out for distinctively marked juvs and it would be interesting to know how many (if any?) of this year’s young are at local roosts.

  

Kilpaison.

Another visit to Kilpaison this morning, Just a handful of Herring gulls, And a juvenile Med gull.

West Williamston

High tide this morning: a roost of 13 little egrets upstream on the Paskeston shore. 40 curlew flew upstream, and 8 whimbrel the other way - pleased with this having missed whimbrel in the spring. Great views of a hunting sparrowhawk.

The Teifi - returning birds

Today saw the arrival of the 1st juvenile Ringed Plover. the 1st juvenile Dunlin appeared yesterday. A high tide count this morning included 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 100 Curlew, 14 Dunlin and 3 Ringed Plover.   A 2nd year Common Gull was the first of that species on Tuesday.

Newport

Yesterday there were 1/2 dozen Med Gulls, including 2 Juvs (2 queries - where do our July juveniles come from, & why do they look noticeably bigger than their older sisters?)
The adults included White 3HK4. It was ringed as an adult in Antwerp in May 2019, was in Devon in July then Faro Portugal in November before Newport.
It was still here this afternoon.
The older Shelduck brood of 4 are now flying, & still with both parents. The younger brood, still stable at 2, has been abandoned by the male parent.
A Greenshank & a Whimbrel around.

Carew Mill

The Med Gull as usual near the Mill, eating ragworms and posing for photos.

Kilpaison.

At a wet Kilpaison this morning, 47 Dunlin, 8 Oystercatchers, 2 Whimbrel, 5 Curlew.

Swifts

From  John Bearne - A minimum of 25 over Milford town this evening including several young birds so they must have had decent breeding success. Always a joy to watch them prepare for the long journey ahead.

Marloes Mere

2 juvenile Shoveler sifting through the bistort beds out from Britton Hide, which has had a coat of paint. Nice. The Oriole Hide by contrast looks like it might not survive another winter storm. Oh I wish we could sort out a scrape. I watched in hope as a young fox worked in and around the channels hoping it might flush something interesting.

Marsh harrier

 A female type Marsh harrier over St Davids airfield this morning then flew off high towards the Dowrog.

Up North

First trip away from Dale since March, and it was a beautiful day to be out.  Had a couple of walks in the Preselis & Gwaun Valley, highlights included Goshawk, 3 juvenile Crossbills, and a Lesser Redpoll.  Finished with 3 adult Black Guillemots in their traditional spot.  Cracking!

(Dave & Lisa)

Skok

Green and Wood Sandpipers yesterday evening. More birds on the move, most notably Willow Warblers.

Things must be moving.

Sat in the garden watching all the juveniles with parents of several species visiting the bird feeders, I noticed a big bird rise above the trees long wings, long tail, white rump, a ring tailed Hen Harrier flew off towards St Davids!

The Gann

A  solitary  Lapwing flying  around / over this morning was unusual.

The Gann

Just a humble addition to  Dave's post, 4 Med Gulls - 2 Adults with 2 juveniles on the beach.

Landshipping Quay this afternoon

It was a lovely sunny afternoon, so we did one of our regular walks to Landshipping Quay. A few more waders were in the area, including a couple of redshanks and six common sandpipers in two groups of three. 

A distant shot of three of the sandpipers resting on some bladder wrack

A mixed flock of gulls was feeding near the Eastern and Western Cleddau confluence. They were mostly black-headed, but we could see at least two Med gulls in the flock (adults more or less in winter plumage). Our view was  bit distant so there could have been more. 

However, the main reason for our walk today was to record butterflies along a transect route we walk almost weekly between April and September. The highlight was holly blue – we had our highest ever count of this species in 20 years of annual recording. The second generation of this species seems to have benefitted from the excellent spring weather earlier in the year.

Gann

We are increasingly starting to see autumn migration, with waders especially picking up.  This evening was perhaps the best, with a single Sanderling, 6 Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper (several singletons recently), 42 Dunlin, 2 Whimbrel, a Greenshank, 7 Redshank and a spanking breeding plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit.

Amongst the Redshank was this smart juvenile, which first appeared on 11th, and a Gann ringed bird which I could not quite read (but we think it is no.19, definitely not no.50 which was here in late June).

Despite all the disturbance here the single successful Shelduck pair still have 2 youngsters, which are now very well grown - hard to believe they were tiny little fluffballs as recently as 9th June!

(Dave & Lisa)

Llys y Fran and Preselis

 

Had a look around Brynberian today to try and catch up with some Whinchats. Just a single group of 3 camera shy juveniles. Only covered a tiny part but there appears to be plenty of good looking habitat. 5-6 Stonechat families, similar Reedbunting, couple of juvenile Wheatears and single Whitethroat. Redpolls passing east in small parties was nice to hear. Biggest surprise in more ways than one was a heron way out on the moor that came up from right under my feet.
Earlier in the week a visit to Llys-y-fran - access from Farthing Brook end still. Levels are low, plenty of exposed bank. About 200 LBB gulls roosting on the bank down by the big fishermen's field nearest the dam end. 10-12 Great crested grebe and a single Little grebe. Kingfisher fishing in the creek at Farthings Hook end.

Cliff nesting House Martins

Viewed from a boat, both the small colonies at Cat Rock and Aberforest are active with at least 5 nests at each site with adults feeding young. Not had a chance to view the Ceibwr Bay site.
The "snake Buzzard"   (see post below) has been seen carrying snake amongst other prey above the valleys around Ty Canol - an area with a healthy Adder population.
(Steve Roberts)

Newport

Boat club - 1 PB Brent Goose.
Iron Bridge - 4 Little Egrets, 2 RH Goosanders and 2 Herons.

Brent Goose, Goodwick

A single Brent Goose by the flagpoles this afternoon before being flushed by a bait digger. Also present were 3 Mediterranean Gulls, moulting adults including a ringed bird PYT8 (red).

Terns and Redstarts on the Teifi

Always helpful a wet weather system in the Irish Sea, mist...light rain - who knows what turns up river....

This morning 3 adult Sandwich Terns and 1 adult Arctic Tern feeding then roosting on a middle sand bank as the tide dropped. I guess with the desertion of the Skerries colony this season we may see many adult Terns moving south early.....
Med Gull numbers are picking up along the Ceredigion coast - 170 at Llanon recently and I guess our little venture in Med Gull colour ring reading may be replaced with reading colour rings on Sandwich Terns here from the Webley.

Photographers have been busy with the  many Kingfishers on the Teifi, great to see that a couple of juvenile Redstarts on the main path have been photo'd by them too.
I don't usually go into much " in hand detail" but on the subject of Redstarts we took this photo on Tuesday when we re captured him for the first time since ringing him as a juvenile in July 2018. 
This is an adult male in moult.

You can see 4 new wing feathers growing, all the rest will be replaced over the coming few weeks and the body moult will produce the more drab appearance for the winter. All new feathers for the flight to Africa. 

Unlike the majority of Ducks and Geese which become flightless when they replace all their flight feathers together, most birds like Redstarts need to be able to fly to feed, so replacing all wing feathers at once is not an option.

Llanstadwell

I stopped briefly on the Neyland road by the Llanstdwell junction to look at the high tide gull roost.  Over 120 Black-headed gulls with two smart adult Med gulls and maybe 30 immature Herring gulls.  I only had binoculars so couldn't see any rings and half the birds were just heads over the bar there so no doubt more birds hidden too.   I will take my scope next time,.

Snake ‘Eagle’

Yesterday at Newport Sands we watched a Buzzard hovering over the edge of the golf course. We lost sight of it but, a little later, it flew out of the bracken carrying a snake in its talons. It flew off in the direction of the town, being mobbed by a gull and a jackdaw. I couldn’t identify the snake through the binoculars but I estimate it was at least 12” long and looked to have a light underbelly. Given the terrain, could anyone advise the most likely species?

Osprey - Neyland Marina (Sunday)

My brother-in-law just mentioned he saw an Osprey over Neyland Marina around 3pm on Sunday. Interestingly Brian John reported another sighting near the Nevern on the same day via Twitter.

Hooded Crow, yesterday

From Fiona Day - No picture but a sighting to report - hooded crow seen around 3pm yesterday over West Dale Bay. Was being chased by a raven and headed towards Dale Airfield. 

Black Guillemot, Wednesday

From Rich and Lin - We were out kayaking the other evening from Pwllgwaelod and saw an unusual bird stood on a sea level ledge, at a distance of around 5 metres, a little to the east of Fishguard Lower. Unfortunately it flew before we could get a photo.

It looked like a guillemot, but completely black apart from a flash of white around the wing area, and had strikingly red legs.

Landshipping area yesterday; south coast today

At Landshipping yesterday, we noted at least 4-5 whimbrels (their numbers are clearly starting to build up) and a few curlews on the shore. A redshank was back in the area and we gather from Jane Hodges (during her second-round count of shelduck families) that she had noted a greenshank a few days ago at Millars Park lagoon area. We didn't manage to find this one yesterday.

A common sandpiper was feeding on the muddy shore of the Eastern Cleddau, upstream from Landshipping slipway. It seemed to be exploiting lugworms almost its own body length.

Small wader long worm!

Recently independent juvenile choughs are now starting to flock up. This afternoon we noted a dozen or so near Old Castle Head, Manorbier. A few of them were not yet particularly streetwise to the potential perils of a passing juvenile (seemingly independent) male peregrine. Happily for the choughs, his hunting skills were pretty poor and a half-hearted attempt to catch one was not very impressive!   

Earlier today Paul Culyer (NRW) mentioned seeing a flock of 22 choughs at Stackpole. Many of these were probably juveniles. It’s possible that the adult choughs Derek mentioned in an earlier posting could have been two or three-year old non-breeding birds. They move around in variable-sized feeding flocks (soon to include this year’s juvs as well). Of course, they might have been some of the local breeding birds enjoying a bit of socialising and feeding together in a good spot now that the kids have left home. 

  

Chough

A group of six feeding in the rough field behind the old hill fort by Gateholm this afternoon, looking smart with their bottle green wings. Appeared to be all adults & strangely - for Chough - very quiet.

 

                                                                                                                                   

Castlemartin Corse, Carew Mill Med Gull...

...hanging out with the big gulls this afternoon.

This morning, a sedge warbler sang solidly for 30 minutes near the hide at Castlemartin Corse - the only place where it was possible to escape the horseflies. Don't go, is my advice. 

Derek's Grasshopper Warbler

We heard it too on Saturday at about 11:30 am. I don't recollect ever hearing them before at that spot.

Blackcap

There was a juvenile blackcap in our Crundale garden this afternoon.

Grasshopper Warbler

Singing in the marshy area behind the church at St Brides this morning, I've heard it a couple of times in the past week.

Ringed Med Gulls

A couple of ringed Med Gulls shared with the Teifi.
White 3LR2, ringed as a chick in Arnhem,  Holland in June 2019, was at the Teifi on July 6 & 7, then at Newport today.
Yellow AZET, ringed as a chick in Leipzig in June 2019, was at the Teifi on July 7, then Newport on July 8 & 9 and today.
Neither had been noted in the year between ringing & these sightings.

Swifts Home or away?

I was in the Fishguard  Co-op car-park about midday when I noticed several swifts hawking around the rooftops . My best count was about eight but may have been more. I have not managed to keep track of swift numbers this year so its possible they were local birds with young. I did see at least a couple of swifts a month ago or so, in the same area. 
Two pairs potentially could raise between four and six young in a good season so maybe they were residents. Interestingly on our return home, we saw two more swifts fly over Mathry. The big dark cumulus clouds overhead and subsequent rain may have brought them all down if they were migrating, so i guess we will never really know!

Coot - The Teifi

Liz Snell and myself went along the Teifi in the boat yesterday - 22 Common Sandpipers at Pinog, two Shelduck families with 3 and 4 chicks respectively, and a Coot near the Teifi Marshes river viewpoint were the highlights. (Silke Einschuetz)

 
A brief visit to Teifi Marshes turned up Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank and Water Rail. Several Common Sandpiper calling throughout the marsh.
(Luke Gravett)

Same Kestrel Ray ?

A Kestrel was perched on a lampost near the Withybush roundabout, where it joins the road from Crundale, when I passed yesterday afternoon.

Hobby - Berea

Yesterday evening (Sunday). A Hobby  perched on metal post, making the most of the dragonflies around the irrigation ponds, Berea.
(Jannine Williams)

Chough breeding update

The chough breeding season is over now. Jane Hodges and ourselves have been rushing around the mainland coast recently to find out how well they have bred this year. 

From our own observations, and from information posted to the sightings blog or provided to us directly, it is evident that choughs have had a very good breeding season this year. We haven’t added up the number of young yet but, along the mainland coast, it looks like it's been a bumper year in terms of breeding success and productivity. 

A very noisy youngster pursuing one of its parents for another meal!

• Most territories were occupied in 2020;
• At least two, usually three or four (and in some places five) young have fledged from many of the nest sites for which we have data;
• Nest failures at mainland sites appear to have been very low this year;
• The warm, mostly settled weather in April and May undoubtedly helped breeders and non-breeders; the rain arrived in June in time to stave off food shortages that may have affected productivity (and immediate post-fledging survival) had the very dry weather persisted;
• There were several flocks of non-breeders on the coast during the spring. These ranged from between seven and 19 birds, suggesting good winter survival and a reasonably healthy non-breeding population.

This female (ringed as a nestling in Ceredigion in 2014) bred successfully for the first time at Castlemartin this year.
Here she is carefully preening the head feathers of one of her two offspring

We would very much like to thank contributors to the blog site for your posted comments on chough this spring/summer, and also those who contacted us directly by email etc. This information has been a considerably valuable in this difficult year.

Jane, Bob and Annie.    

Kestrel over Crundale

A kestrel flew over Crundale this afternoon, the first we have seen for some time.

Sandpipers, Shelduck and Swifts....

The first Green Sandpiper of the autumn was flying around the Teifi Marshes this morning. 16 Common Sandpipers only last night, 31 the evening before at the same 3 sites visited.
Two creches / families of  Shelduck are all we have left -  4 juveniles with adults faithful to the Pinog area and 3 juvs with adults moving around the St Dogmael's Quay area. The rest of the adults have left the area to moult.
Screaming presumed family parties of Swifts were flying around the nest sites in Cilgerran and St Dogmael's last night.
Two Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank from Curlew hide on the reserve yesterday and several Kingfishers entertaining the photographers. c20 Med Gulls out in the estuary too far away to do any colour-ring reading.

New Garden Tick

Two Whimbrel over our house around 6:30 this morning heading towards the Gann

Juvenile Black Headed Gull

In a chaotic post lockdown Gann this was the only bird worth noting.

Pembroke river.

Pembs river Shelducklings Doing great , Still 9, Also 2 Common Sandpipers, 7 Redshank.

Carew Mill Med Gull

Back for a seventh summer (I like to think it's the same one), having a good preen in the river channel below the dam this afternoon.

A couple of days ago, in poor light, a moulting Red Kite was circling over the Mill.

Common Sandpipers - The Teifi

A visit to the three areas favoured by feeding  Common Sandpipers found 31 this evening, no doubt more around the estuary. A Greenshank this evening was on the reserve and a Redshank was photograhed this morning - as were a minimum of 5 Kingfishers.

The reading of colour rings on Gulls will have to wait for the tide height to increase again, birds are roosting in distant locations, though I did pick up the 1st juvenile Med Gull of the season amongst c50 Meds, c50 Black-headed Gulls and 62 Curlew.

More on the colour-ring results in another post, but the recent 4 Med. Gulls were from a German, a Dutch and 2 Belgian colonies.

(sev obs)

Broad Haven Swifts

From David Meanwell Three Swifts this morning over Broad Haven Allotment at 10.30 heading north. The first I have seen in the area for several years

Swifts @ Abereiddi

Having read the Strumble posts about Swifts today, i saw 60 at Cae Rhys near Abereiddi at 5pm.Heading West along the peninsula.

Strumble Swifts

Interesting post by Bob and Annie. I went to meet friends for a picnic this evening at Strumble. At about 18. 30 a couple of Swifts flew past alerting me and then a steady trickle passed by over a couple of minutes, gathered around the lighthouse, I estimated at least 100 birds heading west! Were these Bob and Annie's birds?
I very much doubt they were local. I doubt if there are more than ten pairs in a ten mile radius of Strumble. I got the impression they were migrating, bon voyage to them, my favourite birds!
Twenty years ago when i spent some time watching breeding Peregrines at Carreqwasted, a pair of Chough bred nearby, raised 3 chicks one at least was eaten by the Peregrines!.I did not see them on subsequent years .

Strumble Head to Goodwick today and Daugleddau area Yesterday

For a change, we walked the coast path between Strumble Head and Goodwick this morning, noting on the way two Chough families (pair + three young near the Lighthouse and another more interesting pair with two young at Penfathach where we don’t know of a breeding territory). Another couple of adult Choughs were seen in flight near Pen Capel Degan; these could have been non-breeders or failed breeders.

There were quite a few juvenile Linnets along the coast path - feeding on various small herb and grass seeds. We presume that they have had a pretty good breeding season along the coast this year.

A lone “nomadic” Hooded Crow flew towards Porthsychan from the Carregwasted area. A few minutes later it flew back again. After about 30 minutes (perhaps unable to settle at any one location) it flew westwards again reappearing near Pwll Bach before turning back east once more in the direction of Carregwasted.

A rather smart male Kestrel was feeding above Pwll Bach. Just to the south quite a large flock of Swifts, numbering at least 50-60 birds was feeding over fields just inland – just local birds, or passage birds already on the move after breeding?

Yesterday we did one of our circuits from home to Landshipping, taking in the Daugleddau shore to Sam’s Wood. There were not many birds of note; two Little Egrets could have been part of a group of three we’ve seen a few times this summer. There were several Curlews feeding along the shore and a single Whimbrel. We wondered if it was an early returning migrant, or perhaps one that has summered on the Cleddau?

Elegug Stacks this week

With the easement of travel distance restrictions, it was nice to be able to make an early evening visit to the Elegug Stacks at Castlemartin again, where we hadn’t been for several months, just to see how the auks were doing near the end of their breeding season. Unfortunately, this year will be the first one for very many years without a count of the breeding seabird colonies along this stretch of coast due to Covid 19 issues.

Most of the earlier breeding Razorbill chicks had seemingly fledged. Many of the Guillemot chicks had probably fledged as well. However, there were still quite a few to be seen and heard and lots of adults still attending the main colonies on the stacks.

The chick flapping its tiny wings and the two above will soon be ready to jump off the top of the Stack

Sadly, no Kittiwakes at all there this year. The once thriving colony (peaking at 500-600 occupied nests in the early 1990s) is no more!

There seemed to be relatively few large gull chicks around – perhaps earlier stormy weather affected them? Some late LBBGs were still incubating or brooding small young.

We couldn’t see any evidence of Shags breeding and Fulmar numbers also looked to be a bit down.

Recently we’ve also noted c. a dozen of more Puffins at their usual location on the east side of Stackpole Head, so it was nice to see double figure numbers there. 

The small Oystercatcher breeding population also seems to have produced more young this year. Perhaps less human disturbance on the accessible beaches might have helped this this spring?   

Martin’s Haven Swallows

Just a quick update on these:
- there is at least one pair, and likely two, breeding inside the Marine Conservation Zone display centre: you can see the adults perching on the entry hole that the MCZ team so kindly opened up. And the young make a wonderful din when the adults fly inside to feed them.
- The toilets in Martin’s Haven have been opened for a week or so and, a bit surprisingly, there appear to be two nests already inside, and adults flying in and around. Not totally certain that these are new nests, and they might be young birds, but lovely to see.

Newport before the drizzle

Only 10 Med Gulls, but including Yellow AZET, at the Teifi yesterday.

Also 2 Redshanks & a Greenshank (4 Common Sandpipers yesterday)

Black Headed Gull Black 2CHN, also at the Teifi yesterday, is interesting as having been in the area for many months. It was ringed as a chick at Meriden, between Birmingham & Coventry, on June 30 last year. I first saw it at Newport on Dec 12 with several sightings in Feb & March (I wasn't looking in April & May) then June 29. Most BHGs move on much more quickly.

Shelducks breeding. A family of 4 were there when I returned in early June. They are still all there. A further family of 4 turned up in mid June. At first they were doing well, but in the last week have lost 2 of the chicks.

The Teifi

Sixty-two Mediterranean Gulls this morning, following 37 seen yesterday evening at the roost viewed from the Webley Hotel. Three colour-ringed 2nd year birds this morning, only white 3LR2 was present yesterday. White 3FL5 and yellow AZET were new arrivals as was the Black-headed Gull black 2CHN.

(photo Dyfed James)

Not all Gull action at the Webley, 2 adult Sandwich Terns arrived, 3 Dunlin and 3 Black-tailed Godwits plus the more local Gulls and Geese. Of 139 Black-headed Gulls only 2 juveniles. Still early for juvs to reach us and no juv Med Gulls either.

More birders and photographers are recording colour-ring sightings, please note those of us who are regular colour-ring observers abbreviate our notes on the blog. Which leg the colour-ring is on is often helpful and also to note the position of a metal ring.

In the scheme to which  most of these Med Gulls belong, the colour-ring is placed on the right leg if ringed as a juvenile in a colony and on the left leg if an adult when ringed. The French in particular place the metal ring on the tibia (above the knee) most other countries ring on the tarsus (below the knee).

Don't let this put you off sending photos or partial sightings. The colour, the leg, and any position of rings often can identify the bird to the site of ringing even if not the full individual's details. The colour of rings often denote the year of ringing, so even the colour might help us age a bird. All great information, the more colour ring sightings the better.

Thanks in advance - on behalf of all ringers.

(sev obs)

The Gann

An early morning stroll was quite rewarding, 3 BlackTailed Godwits, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Redshank, 5 adult Med Gulls & three Chough on the spit, looked like 2 adults with a juvenile.

Manx Shearwater maths

By yesterday evening we had had over 24 hours of very strong south-westerly winds: averaging 35kts, and gusting up to 50kts. This did not make it easy for birding, or even most birds, which got badly tumbled over if they attempted to fly in the gusts.

But the Manx Shearwaters early evening were simply incredible: good numbers (as far as we could see in the wind!) out south towards Skokholm, but far greater numbers north of the Deer Park into St Bride’s Bay.

We watched them with Steve and Anna from the relative shelter of the Wooltack Coastwatch Hut. There were constant large flocks flying broadly parallel with the land, and some of these came within a few hundred metres of the shore.

But even more impressive was the large, diffuse “raft” that built up. Normally Manxie rafts are pretty dense, numbering from hundred to thousands of birds; these can be seen, with a combination of luck and a scope, from the Deer Park at this time of year and, at distance, often look like a black patch on the sea.

But last night’s raft was way bigger, albeit less dense: good social distancing? We estimated that it spread from well into Musselwick bay out to beyond Wooltack Point. And it extended in depth well out into St Bride’s Bay. Because of the wind, the birds all sat facing into it, and hence we could see thousands of white breasts.

We speculated about the numbers: the raft was (conservatively) 3km wide and (at least) 1km deep; we simply could not see birds further out in the Bay because of the swell. If the Manxies were, on average 3 metres apart, this would give over 100,000 birds per square Km, and over 300,000 birds in the Bay!

One of the remarkable things about birding in Pembrokeshire is, arguably, the opportunity on occasion to see simply astonishing concentrations of birds: think of the Starling mumurations at their peaks. Yesterday evening’s Manxies definitely fell into that category: even Steve and Anna were impressed!

So, well worth coming down to the Deer Park if these very strong winds persist: you might find it hard to stand, but you could also see astonishing numbers of Manx Shearwaters.

The Teifi

White 3PR8 the 2nd year Mediterranean Gull seen yesterday was ringed as a chick in an island colony in the Ijsselmeer, North Holland  - 21/6/2019. The first sighting since ringing.

46 Med Gulls this morning and c26 this evening roosting at The Webley. None appeared to be colour-ringed though a couple of Gulls with only metal rings. An adult Sandwich Tern graced the flock this morning, and 152 Black-headed Gulls this evening was the higher count today, but only 2 juveniles still.
Due to the high river levels - (heavy rain in mid Wales yesterday) the Curlew and Oystercatchers are roosting in clifftop fields, so only 4 Dunlin and 2 Black-tailed Godwits to be found on the spit.

Chough

Five this afternoon, comprising of two Adults & three juveniles at Watery Bay midway between Marloes & Martin's Haven

Gann

Late afternoon 4 stunning Icelandic Black-tailed Godwits in with the roosting Oystercatchers, which numbered 88, easily the highest number we have had here since winter.

Still fairly quiet, no small waders apart from a single Common Sandpiper (2nd) and there has been a single Greenshank for a few days.  The 2 shelducklings are doing well, fantastic parents!

The Teifi

Mediterranean Gull.....fun !
High tide c800 this morning 62 Med Gulls including 4 ringed birds (2 metal only, awaiting details of white 3PR8). Also 175 Black-headed Gulls inc 2 juvs, 8 Dunlin and 1 Greylag Goose in with the Canada Geese. Up river opposite St Dogmael's Quay c70 Curlew and 2 Black-tailed Godwits.

(photo Tommy Evans)

Just before this evening's high tide 67 Med Gulls - not only no ringed birds but also a much higher proportion of adult birds. Due to disturbance by a boat the mixed Gull flock took to the air, the Med Gulls went out to sea, the Black-headed Gulls returned.

Did the Med Gulls en masse decide they had enough time to fly up the Ceredigion coast to their "normal" late summer location  - near Llanon, where over 700 are present late July / August....

(sev obs)

Rose-Coloured Starling

From John Shrouder - At 13:00 today in Berea a single adult Rose-Coloured Starling apparently feeding on the ground in a recently prepared potato field. It flew off assisted by a strong tail wind when inadvertently disturbed. A flock of 100+ common starlings are around here but this bird was alone and easily recognized as a Rose-Coloured.

Westfield Pill and surrounding area

The fascinating scene of a very agitated Spotted Flycatcher, (just beyond Westfield Pill in the Rosemarket direction), persistently dive-bombing two Magpies was the highlight of a bird-rich morning today. One of the Magpies chased after the flycatcher more than once, but the feisty little bird was not to be put off, and continued the dive-bombing until the Magpies had moved further down the path. It then returned to fly-catching until it was suddenly knocked off it's perch by another Spotted Flycatcher.

At Westfield Pill itself, it was good to see many of the usual birds there, including Nuthatches, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, three Kinds of Tit, both Song Thrush and Mistle Thrush, a Jay, a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a singing Reed Warbler.

Earlier in the week, I was pleased to see and hear Yellowhammer's again on a visit to Hasguard Cross and Talbenny, as well as this bird, which was part of a pair at Horton, between Neyland and Rosemarket.

The Teifi

This evening at the Webley during high tide, 4 adult Dunlin, and back to the more usual count of 2 Med Gulls. Some of yesterday's influx of Med Gulls went up river onto the reserve, where Jon Green had 37 Med Gulls, the 6 Black-tailed Godwits and a Greenshank yesterday afternoon.

More Med Gulls

18 at Newport this afternoon is by some way my biggest count here.

Curlew

A lovely couple of hours on the cliffs over looking Ramsey Sound, the regulars, then a call followed by a  high fly past of a single Curlew.  Last seen circling and dropping towards Trginnis

Mediterranean Gulls - the Teifi

I guess 4 - 6 Mediterranean Gulls is the usual count this time of year, after this morning's deluge we gained a few flocks that were presumably on the move. Three flocks totalling 70 birds were roosting on the mud at 10am. Just the 1 flock of 40 was still present at 11am. Six Black-tailed Godwits made a brief visit during the early morning too.

Castlemartin Corse

To Freshwater West for a walk along the Corse, where I saw and heard my first sedge and reed warblers of 2020. Back at the car park I met John Stephens, with whom I watched sand martins (another year first) while I ate a crab roll from Café Môr (ditto). John had taken some proper photos, but I was happy enough with this for the record.

Flight shot from John Stephens