Skokholm

 A Great Shearwater and EIGHT Cory's Shearwater today. 

Big shears - Strumble

3 Cory's shearwaters between 6:30-10:30, including a peach of a bird picked up by Martin C obligingly straight out and relatively close in for a big shear (500m?) giving excellent views, you could even see the scalloping on its back. By contrast George found a distant Great shearwater sat among a group of Manxies and LBBs but beyond my old eyes and while watching this had a Cory's nip through, so two big shears in same scope view for George. Only a single dark juv Arctic skua that chased a juv Herring gull before settling on the water. About a dozen Storm petrels. Drizzle increased around 10:30am so called it a day. With Bernie B, Clive H, George M, Luke G and Martin C who's on a bit of a Cory's run with 7 birds in last 2 days.

Newport estuary Saturday

From Liz Snell: Whimbrel 1 Common Sandpiper 1

Great White Egret

 1 on Mullock Marsh at 1300, viewable (a bit distantly) from Mullock Bridge

White Blackbird St Davids

 

Very active on the Golf Course, just above Whitesands with the young Rooks, not quite an albino!

Black-tailed Godwits

From Curtis Bowen:Not sure if it would be of interest to anyone but I have spotted what I believe to be 3 Black Tailed Godwits over the past 3 mornings at Pembroke Castle pond, estuary side, at low tide. I walk this route every morning and this is my first sighting of these birds at this location. 

I have attached a poor quality picture as it was taken using my mobile phone through my binoculars.

House Martins

From Roger Mathias: Withybush Showground: 5 House Martin pairs/nests look to be going for a second brood, with the first youngsters hawking around their hunting parents, and sometimes following them back to the nest. Lovely sight.

Black-tailed Godwit update

Monday's colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit was a male ringed at Harty, on the Swale in Kent on 16 September 2020. It remained in Kent until December 2020, and was then in Essex in March 2021, Kent again April 2021, Flintshire and Merseyside August 2021, back in Kent August to October 2021, January to April 2022, July to September 2022 and then not seen until it popped up at the Gann.  Many thanks to Pete Potts for the data.

Goosanders

 A group of 13 Goosander at Nevern Estuary this afternoon along with 3 Common Sandpipers and single Whimbrel and Redshank. 13 quite well grown Shelduck ducklings. Of about the 100 Black headed Gulls only 2 were juvs.

North Pembs

Strumble Head - Storm Petrels. Overnight Tuesday into the early hours of  Wednesday, 16 Storm Petrels ringed and 4 Storm Petrels caught already wearing rings fitted elsewhere. (Teifi RG)

The Teifi - good numbers of Oystercatcher and Curlew passing down the coast now, peak roosts being 300 Oystercatcher with 150 Curlew and 3 Black-tailed Godwits counted on the Tues high tide.

Photos

From Mike B: Attached two photos taken from the Kingfisher hide, Teifi Marshes today 14.30 26th July 2023.

Sand Martins, Newgale

From Merv Hopkins: Just a quick note to say there were still several sand martins feeding young at the colony by Newgale beach Monday evening.

Black-tailed Godwit - colour-ringed

8 smart Black-tailed Godwits at the Gann this evening included this colour-ringed beauty.  Looking forward to hearing the history.  Also 3 Common Sandpipers, 5 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank and 28 Redshank. Been a couple of Sandwich Terns recently, including an adult with an attendant juvenile 2 days ago, and it was great to watch the adult bring a small fish to the still-learning youngster.

Angle Bay

70 + Mediterranean Gulls, 50 + Curlew, 40 + Oystercatchers. All at the steps on road to Sawdern point.

Skokholm

 The American Golden Plover flew east early pm.

Amroth seawatching

Totals from a morning and evening watch today.

1 Pomarine Skua, 2 Arctic Skua, 227 Manx Shearwater, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Common Tern, 1 Kittiwake, 3 Med. Gull and 1 European Storm-petrel.

Pembs sightings

Sightings by Dylan, Josh, Emi and Francis Daunt from their week in Pembs:

17^th and 20^th July, Gann: whimbrel (3+), curlew (c100), knot in summer plumage, greenshank (3+), redshank (20+), common sandpiper (3), med gull (2)

19^th July, Pen Anglas: dartford warbler (2), cuckoo, whitethroat, linnet (abundant)

19^th July: Goodwick reedbed and scrub: lesser whitethroat, garden warbler, kingfisher, reed warbler, sedge warbler, reed bunting

Avian Flu Update

Thanks to Lisa Morgan for providing me with an update on the Guillemot Avian Flu outbreak.

HPAI Avian Flu has now been confirmed from the Pembrokeshire Guillemot corpses sent off for testing. Guillemots are continuing to wash in along the Pembrokeshire coast.

The collection of corpses is being coordinated by Pembrokeshire County Council, with assistance from the Wildlife Trust, National Trust and the National Park. Collection work is being concentrated on those beaches with more public use and hence more public health risk, but please continue to report from all sites and the council will endeavour to clear these too. There are regular multi-agency meetings to coordinate the response so a lot is going on behind the scenes.

Reports of corpses should be made to PCC, since DEFRA does not organise the collection of dead birds, unless required for testing. No further guillemots will be tested but other species that haven’t been tested yet in 2023 will be.

You may have read some speculation in the media that the deaths are due to food shortage. These have been largely dismissed by scientists.

Lisa Morgan at WTSWW has asked me to thank PCC and all involved in the emergency planning response that has now been ongoing since 8 July.

Peter Royle

Secretary Pembs Bird Group

Crosbills etc

From Mike Duckham: 3 Crossbill in a north Pembs conifer forest, and several scattered Willow Tits inc at least 1 juv seen.

At least 2 juv Gos giving strident begging calls and male seen circling distantly.

Sprinkle Pill

A high number, 31, of Little Egrets in the roost last night along with a solitary Grey Heron. Greenshanks (3) and Redshanks (4) starting to appear also. 

Skokholm

American Golden Plover still today. 

Chough families at Stackpole

On a slightly happier note, there were plenty of Chough families between Stackpole Quay and Broadhaven South today. The youngsters were very tame and approachable. The considerable number of visitors walking in the area did not give them a second glance - they had no idea they were almost within touching distance of one of the rarest birds in the UK!! 

Rosemary Royle

More on Avian Influenza update

For a non-Facebook and non-Twitter link use this:

https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/members-of-the-public-asked-not-to-touch-dead-or-sick-wild-birds-as-avian-influenza-confirmed

Avian Influenza Update

Please see and share the multi-agency press release just gone out from Pembrokeshire County Council: 

English Facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/PembrokeshireCountyCouncil 

Welsh here: https://www.facebook.com/CyngorSirPenfro 

English Twitter: https://twitter.com/Pembrokeshire 

Welsh Twitter: https://twitter.com/CyngorSirPenfro 

Skokholm

An American Golden Plover on North Plain yesterday and today. A few birds starting to move, including juvenile Cuckoo, Willow Warblers, Whitethroats and Whimbrels. 80 Storm Petrels caught last night. 

Ty Rigg

 Nightjar 2 at least possibly more

Tawny owl 1

Great spotted woodpecker 1

Thanks for your update on Bird Flu Lisa

 This is sad,bad news as it was looking like we would miss the worst of it. We at Sea Trust have over the years been involved in picking up injured seabirds as well as grounded shearwaters, Over the past twenty years we have established a long list of contacts within the county, particularly in the north. who contact us if and when they find injured /dead birds.

I have taken the liberty of spreading Lisa's message on our social media, but I expect we will get quite a large response from them when people find dead birds and expect someone to do something.

Until now Defra etc have not been  particularly responsive, either because they have not the available resources to respond quickly or have not contingencies in place for if the problem escalated as it appears to have done.

It occurs to me that if volunteers could be trained and supplied with PPI and allowed to pick up dead birds, it could make a significant impact in preventing cross contamination. It is just a thought, but worth discussing, if a meeting could be put together with Defra, and organisations such as ours in the very near future. 

allthingsgood, cliff Sea Trust. 

Guillemots

Following on from Lisa's grim news, Lynne Houlston, Castlemartin Ranger and her seasonal assistant .  Fiona Day recorded/collected 40 dead guillemots from across the Castlemartin Range coast on Saturday, mostly from Frainslake beach.  Not the kind of news we want to hear but expected! 

Quail calling...

 A Quail calling near Moylegrove this afternoon. (Arfon Williams)

Carew Mill Med Gull

The Carew Mill Mediterranean gull is back for at least the 10th year. Arriving at the same time every year, identical behaviour, basing itself on the patch of mud in the SW corner close to the mill. It sees off any black-headed gulls that land there, and paces about catching what look like ragworms. 

Albino Swallow

An albino (or v leucistic) Swallow is hunting over fields behind Aberbach beach, Dinas this afternoon Flying and feeding pattern identical to normal plumaged Swallows present.

(Hilary Roscoe)

The Teifi estuary

A look at the high tide roost sites this morning, 66 Curlew, 1 Greenshank, 60 Oystercatcher, 1 Black-tailed Godwit and the current Shelduckling creche of 15. Six Mediterranean Gulls amongst 60 Black-headed Gulls. No juvenile Med Gulls (still early) but only 2 juvenile Black-headed Gulls - v low.

Avian Influenza Update

Over the last 7 days we have seen a spike in dead seabirds washing in on Welsh beaches. The worst affected areas have been close to the HPAI Positive tern and gull colonies in North Wales, but we are now seeing hundreds of dead Guillemots coming ashore from Pembrokeshire round to Gower. You should be aware that with the stormy weekend weather birds could wash in just about anywhere.

Although we are still awaiting the Avian Influenza test results from the Pembrokeshire Guillemots, HPAI has been confirmed in samples from North Wales. To limit the public health risk we have to assume all have HPAI for the time being.

The key messages: 

• Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick wild birds that you find.
• Keep you dogs on a lead and away from any dead or sick wild birds.
• If you find dead wild waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, you should report them using the online system or to the Defra helpline: 03459 33 55 77
• Depending on your location you can also contact your Local Council who will do their best to collect carcasses safely, especially from public places.
• If you find any sick or injured wild birds please contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. 

 Lisa Morgan, Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales

Templeton Yellowhammers

 I came across somewhere from 4 to 6 singing Yellowhammers at Templeton Airfield today, all in the same general area of the Airfield. I couldn't be sure on exact numbers because of birds moving round. However, after unsuccessful visits this year to a few other places where I have previously heard them, it was great to hear and see so many. 

More Chough

 About 40, scattered in several small flocks each side of the road West of Trehill farm this morning, with quite a few juveniles begging for food.

Big Chough flock, N Pembs.

Walking from Pwll Deri to Strumble Head, in a field near Pwll Deri, Fran' Eggby counted 53 chough including several yellow billed youngsters.

Plumstone Mountain Nightjars / Ty Rhyg

I returned to Plumstone Mountain last night to see if I could find any sign of the Nightjar(s) I heard there just over two weeks ago. A surprise for me was a Hare on the track leading to the gate by the horse paddock near the bottom of the Mountain - the first I remember seeing during 11 years in Pembrokeshire. Then just after 10 pm, I heard quiet churring from within the Forestry area I was in and, as I walked back across the heathland, I heard a Nightjar churring from the Dudwell Mountain direction and another from further down within the Forestry area. This would suggest at least 2 churring males, possibly even 3. 

A visit to Ty Rhyg on Saturday morning produced plenty of birds, including Crossbills, a Garden Warbler, Siskins and Lesser Redpolls, a Spotted Flycatcher, a Willow Tit and the first Redstart that I have seen there.

Yellowhammer

From Sandra Coates-Smith: Nice, if distant, view of a male yellowhammer on Folkeston Moor, Southwood Estate Sunday afternoon.

The Teifi...

In front of the Webley on the high tide up to 7 Mediterranean Gulls, this year's juveniles yet to arrive. Up to 145 Black-headed Gulls, but no Sandwich Terns yet - hopefully a sign of successful breeding. A moulting drake Teal on the reserve is an early returning bird. 

Of interest a drake Teal has been present through June during our Pied Fly nest box checks on the lake at Ffynone.

Re: Mystery Legs

 I think the legs belonged to a racing pigeon registered to the Irish Homing Union (IHU). Probably fell foul of a predator!

Mediterranean Gulls

4 Med Gulls in Fishguard Harbour yesterday out from the flagpoles, an adult (full breeding plumage), a 3CY and 2 2CY.  The 3CY had a yellow colour-ring but it was too far away to read - but all the yellow ones I have had in Pembs before have been from Germany (usually Rehbach Gravel Pits near Leipzig).

In the Preselis yesterday 2 sightings of Crossbill: 3 at Ty Rhyg and 2 at Coed Glynaeron.  Several Spotted Flycatcher about but couldn't find any Pied Flycatchers in the Gwaun Valley.

Mystery legs

From Andy Forbes: I thought the group might be interested in these photos.

The red ring is IHU 22 N04102

I cannot see any identifying marks on either of the green rings.

Collected 5/7/23.

Ospreys

From Harry Grubb: 2 Ospreys seen from a kayak - Eastern Cleddau.

Gann Tuesday pm

Highlight at the Gann on Tuesday pm was a juvenile Wheatear - no rings. Plenty of Curlews and Whimbrel and two very red Black-tailed Godwits.  Rosemary Royle

KOWA 883 Promina Telescope for sale

A KOWA 883 Promina Telescope complete with with TE-11 WE 25-60x Zoom eyepiece. In an as-new condition having been recently serviced, including replacing all lenses, by Viking Optical the sole UK KOWA repair specialist. Comes with all original packaging and free delivery. At £1650.00 it is some £600 cheaper than new and at least £250 cheaper than used offers on other sites.  Currently located at SA62 4NW if you wish to view and try. However, I am happy to travel in Pembrokeshire if you wanted to meet and view the scope. For further info contact Mike Hayes email:  mihayes@sky.com

Hooded crow, Croesgoch

 Hooded crow hanging around on the roof of Croesgoch Farmers store yesterday afternoon.

Gann - Little Ringed Plover

A smart juvenile Little Ringed Plover picked up by Lisa at the top of the lagoon this evening (I thought it was a stone from behind!).  This species is getting more regular here (3 records last year: 2 in spring, 1 in autumn).  As Graham notes Redshank are returning, we've had them for a while now and are up to around 20, but today was the first juvenile of the autumn. Yes, autumn!  Also 3 Greenshank and what I presume is the same Bar-tailed Godwit that has been around all summer.  Also our first Common Sandpiper of the autumn. (Dave & Lisa)

Redshanks in Llangwm Pill

From Graham Brace: Redshanks have returned to Llangwm Pill after an absence of three months...a week later than usual. According to my records over the last 10 years or so they normally arrive back on the 21st June, the longest day, give or take a day either side. I have been monitoring the Pill every day and on Thursday 28th June there was a group of 25 feeding in the gullies at low tide. I expect that number to increase over the coming days and weeks to the normal overwintering population which peaks at around 50 birds.

Bullfinch update

Well there must have been a female around somewhere as yesterday, after the rain, Dad turned up on the lawn with three well-feathered youngsters. Couldn't get a photo with all three in!. Not sure what they were eating - they avoided the big patches of clover, self heal and birds-foot trefoil.