Lesser Scaup

What appears to be a first-winter female Lesser Scaup today at Bosherston Pools, photographed on the Eastern Arm below the 8 Arch Bridge by Caroline Pickett.

Skokholm

491 Skylark and two Snow Bunting today. 

Golden Plover

c150 birds above the fields at the Talbeny / St Brides / Dale junction. (Tavernput cross) this afternon.

Marloes

James (Roden) and I went for a wander at the Deer Park this morning. An adult male Ring Ouzel flew from the valley and landed on the cliffs to the east of Martins Haven beach, feeding in the blackthorn. In the northwestern most field at West Hook Farm, an exceptional flock of 55 Chough, alongside some starlings and thrushes. 

Marloes mere is looking really wet - lots of space for ducks, and they're much easier to see at the moment, with the bunds around the irrigation pond removed. About 20 odd Shoveler, a couple each of Widegon, Teal and Tufted duck. On Saturday 4 female Pintail were amongst good numbers of other duck. 

Caught up with the Grackle and AGP over the weekend - both incredibly confiding birds - really good fun to watch. We spent a couple of hours at St Brides too - plenty of birds about, the most interesting being a female type Redstart in the willows around the carpark. 

American Golden Plover

It wasn't around this morning, but true to form the American Golden Plover was present late afternoon in its favoured spot about 50m north of the car park.  If you sit still and quietly on the rocks (or the beach!) you can get incredible views.  I had it all to myself for about an hour, and showed it to 2 non-birding visitors from Shropshire: they were delighted.  I love this bird!

Marloes Mere

A pretty damp look around a very full mere late afternoon. Both hides are out of bounds so its only viewable from the car park and track. What looked to be a male Marsh harrier at the very far western edge (rain splattered optics and specs not helping) flushed 25 Snipe and 60 Teal, 50+ Mallard, 12 Shoveler, 6 Wigeon, 2 Gadwall and 2 Tufted duck. 200 Herring gull came in to bathe. Water rail squealing. 3 Little grebe. 4 Moorhen and a single Coot. Kestrel hovering over the flooded mere for the hour or so I was there. Big murmuration of 7,500 starling over Trehills fields.

Last stop at Mullock Bridge to check the 19 egrets that were in with the cows, at least 4 Cattle egret plus 15 others presumably Little egret before they took off and dropped down onto the marsh in the gloom and rain.

Ring Ouzels and Grackle

 At least 7 ring ouzel at Rosebush quarries this morning including 2 male birds still feeding on the cotoneaster around the back of the second quarry. Also at least one willow tit seen and heard near Pantmaenog car park.

Also a couple of Dinas updates - Saturday evening 22 greenfinch in the largest ash tree in our garden and a barn owl on Thurday evening.

The grackle was still in the car park at Nolton Haven at midday today (Sunday).

Grackle / Plover

 The Grackle still entertaining a small group of birders early afternoon in the car park at Nolton Haven.

The American Golden Plover was still present mid afternoon (George Mee) on the rising tide, but I could not find it at 530pm - but the high spring tide and onshore wind meant it's usual roost spot was getting very wet!

Yellow Browed warbler

 A Yellow Browed warbler Porthclais behind the ladies toilets feeding above the river on the opposite bank mid day.

Ring Ouzels

 The Ring Ouzels still at Rosebush this morning . I managed to connect with 5 of them.

Llys-y-fran

Another look at the Ring ouzels before a visit to Llys-y-fran this afternoon. 7-8 Ring ouzels same location as yesterday though they were often out of sight over the brow of the quarry top. Paul and I could only see 3-4 until some nearby shooting flushed 7-8 birds. Looked to be 2 adult male, 2 adult female and 3-4 1st w. 

We met up with Martin C at a deserted Llys-y-fran with very few gulls present on our arrival around 4pm and only 750 LBBs at 5:30. Best we could do were 4 Yellow-legged gulls (3adult, and a 2nd W), 6 Common gull and a single 1w Mediterranean gull. Eventually more gulls began to drift down including c100 BH gulls, 50 Herring gull and the pair of adult GBBs are back to cause some mischief. Otherwise 2 GC grebe, 2 Little grebe and a Little egret before a heavy downpour put an end to the visit.

 Great-Tailed Grackle

After keeping us waiting the Grackle made a dramatic entrance and moved confidently around a neighbouring lawn

Grackle & Cattle Egrets

The Grackle was still showing well late afternoon (still not convinced it isn't Boat-tailed, but what do I know!).  At least 3 Cattle Egrets at Mullock.

The American Golden Plover was not present this morning on a half tide, so definitely seems to be a high tide bird.  It seems it may have been seen on Sunday 15th October so may have been in this routine for a while....

American golden plover and ring ouzels

 The American golden plover was being very obliging on the shore of the Gann just about where it was originally seen mid-afternoon.  It was put up by a dog about 3.15pm and flew further up the shore towards the river along with a couple of ringed plover and dunlin.  I found the ringed plover and dunlin again but couldn’t find the American golden plover.

The four ring ouzels were still feeding high up on the cotoneaster berries in a very wet Rosebush quarry, they were moving between the two sections of the quarry which each have a pond in them.

Great-tailed Grackle

From David Butler: Regardless of the origin of the Great-tailed Grackle at Nolton Haven it was very confiding whilst feeding on worms, grubs and insects.

American Golden Plover etc

The adult American Golden Plover was still at the Gann at dusk on the high tide, showing exceptionally well, although I couldn't find it this morning.

A great day out with Fran and Chris around the peninsula, highlights included Ruff at the Gann, 4 Cattle Egrets at Mullock, Merlin at Marloes Mere and Martin's Haven, Hen Harrier over the Deer Park, and 5 Pintail at Marloes Mere. 

Great-tailed Grackle - Nolton Haven

 No idea how it got there, but I loved spending time with this Great-tailed Grackle, (which had previously been reported on Twitter and Bird Guides,) in the Car Park in Nolton Haven this afternoon. Amazingly tame. Several times it came within two feet of me. I understand it's been in Nolton Haven for a few days. A great bird !!

Ring ouzels, still Rosebush quarries

Den's Ring ouzels were still in the quarries late afternoon (Ring ouzels high on cliffs here SN 07958 30140, view from here SN 07920 30166). They were mostly feeding on the cascading cotoneaster berries high up on the quarry sides. Be very careful in the quarry and keep well away from the edge of the flooded quarry, there are sheer drops and slippery edges and plenty of trip hazards - thats the risk assessment sorted! 

According to the Milford Haven Port website there's a tanker from Texas out in the Haven at the moment, if the grackle has a return ticket now's its chance to get home. 

St Davids and Llys y Fran

Visited a few sites around St. Davids with Fiona this morning. 

Porthclais first - a Yellow Browed Warbler at the entrance to the sewage works was the highlight. At least one (probably two) Siberian Chiffchaff was around the carpark. An increase in migrant numbers here since my last visit earlier in the week, with probably about 10 chiffchaff seen in total, a similar number of goldcrest, and 3 blackcap. 

Rhosson and Pencarnan were relatively quiet, just a handful of common migrants. Best birds were a group of 6 reed bunting on the track down to Pencarnan. 

Ninewells was the final stop. A huge mixed flock of tits, crests and warblers was feeding at the top of the valley, ranging widely, from the road down to roughly where the cabins are. With them was a single Yellow Browed Warbler. 

This evening, we spent an hour at Llys y Fran, from about 4:30. Not a huge roost, but quite a variety. About 1000 LBB, 100 BHG, 3 Common Gull, a handful of Herring Gulls and 4 Yellow Legged Gulls (two adults, 1 3cy and 1 1st winter). A couple of other first winter birds looked interesting, but a bit distant to call. As we left at 5:30 the birds were really starting to stream in, so no doubt we missed out on some interesting birds. 

American Golden Plover @ the Gann

A very confiding moulting adult American Golden Plover at the Gann this evening, on the beach at high tide no more than 100m north of the car park.  The 3 Cattle Egrets still at Mullock late afternoon, and one Ruff still on the lagoon at the Gann (there have been up to 4 recently).  Nice to share the plover with Lisa and Caroline Pickett, who timed her walk at the Gann perfectly, but not as good as the couple from Canada who appeared within 60 seconds of finding it: they were not as impressed :-)

Pembrokeshire Bird Conference 2023

Bookings are now open for the Pembrokeshire Bird Conference on Sunday November 26th at Letterston Memorial Hall, the same location as last year.

Our keynote Speaker is Julian Hughes, Head of Species (Wales) at the RSPB, with a thought-provoking talk  "Saving Birds In Wales: What it takes to bend the curve".

We have 7 other speakers covering a range of Pembrokeshire based topics including "a year on Ramsey," and an update on the work the National Trust is doing at Marloes Mere and other important sites around the County.

After managing to hold the price of the Conference at £15 for several years, increasing costs have forced us to increase the price this year to £16, including a light lunch and refreshments.

Registration for the event starts at 9.30, and we will start the Conference promptly at 10.00 am.

We are again using Eventbrite for bookings and the link to the Eventbrite site is https://pembrokeshirebirdconference.eventbrite.co.uk  

See the Events tab for the poster which has further details.

The Conference is likely to book up quickly so make sure to book your place for what will be a fascinating day.

Peter Royle, Pembs Bird Group Secretary and Treasurer

St Davids area

Good afternoon out with Paul G. We were dodging the heavy early showers before a stunning evening, perfectly timed around waterfowl and raptors. Started off with a Firecrest in the boat yard at an otherwise quiet Porthclais. The family group of 6 Whoopers (the other adult nowhere to be seen) were still on Trefeiddan. They flew across to the little pool at Treleddyd-Fawr for 30 minutes before returning. 3 Shoveler dropped in during the heaviest downpour. Quite a few winter thrushes, with 8+ Blackbirds in the scrub towards Rhosson and what looked like a flock of 20 distant Redwing flying over. Arriving at the Dowrog the track was awash after the rain showers  but the rain soon passed and skies cleared for another raptor-filled evening. Early views of a Marsh harrier and a Short-eared owl were brief. A kestrel flew over before 2 Merlin chasing each other around proved more entertaining. A very brief view of the ringtail that appeared and immediately dropped to roost. But this time it was the turn of the male Hen Harrier to put on a show as it did circuits for over an hour between 5:30 and 6:30, giving some of the best views I've ever had. Super evening and nice to have the company of Paul Williams.

Monday: Dale airfield 180 Golden plover, 30 Lapwing and a Dunlin. 2 Grey wagtail, otherwise lots of Skylark and Starlings in the surrounding fields. The 3 Cattle egret were picking through the high tide seaweed deposits above the marsh stalking and stabbing out at whatever they revealed. A tentative total of 13 Little egret and a Kingfisher flashed by.

Short eared owl

 1 seen this evening along the coast path between Fishguard and Dinas. Looking for a place to roost whilst getting mobbed by crows.

Cattle Egret - Mullock

 All three still present with the cattle at Mullock Tuesday afternoon.

Ring Ouzels - Rosebush

 Eight Ring Ouzels at Rosebush Quarries this morning (DenVaughan)

Rosy Starling

A juvenile Rosy Starling visiting gardens in Trefin since last Wednesday/Thursday (photos from Sunday sent in by David Gardner).

The Teifi

A single Light-bellied Brent Goose feeding at The Webley and a very active feeding female Red-breasted Merganser today.

Kilpaison.

 Kilpaison late afternoon. 

Dunlin 17, Ringed Plover 7, Turnstone 14, Bar- tailed Godwits 6, Curlew 42, Oystercatchers 53, Redshanks 12,  Brent Geese 30, Little Egrets 6, Mute Swans 7.

Out and about

The 7 Whoopers were still at Trefeiddan between 2 and 4'ish this afternoon, 9-10 wigeon and 6 Teal. A few Goldcrest in the alders at Rhosson kept me looking for a while but otherwise the bushes were quiet. A single chough, and a Great spotted woodpecker. A few Chaffinch and Goldfinch flying over. Kestrel swaying on the telegraph wires. Merlin dashed across the moor followed a little later by a peregrine. Nice to bumped into Steve Jones. Pity the BN grebe wasn't on show, could still be there out of sight. Quick look at Penberri, 4 Tufted duck among the bathing Herring gulls.

Lovely still evening so decided to finish off with a visit to the Dowrog. And glad I did. Female/juv Marsh harrier on my arrival perched up on the scrub before drifting eastwards towards the airfield. A Merlin flew in and settled on a roadside fencepost. Some early roosting woodpigeons all took to the wing as a Ringtail Hen harrier arrived from the west, it made 3-4 passes before a Short-eared owl appeared, whilst concentrating on the owl a male Hen harrier came in from the east and immediately dropped down. The other harrier disappeared presumably to roost as well, leaving the shortie to hunt around on its own for around 20 minutes. A couple of times a group of Jackdaw chased it up really high before it came back down, lovely stuff.

Dale Saturday: Cettis again this time above Mullock Bridge (having never heard any here until this autumn that's the 3rd in last 3 visits), single chiffchaff and half dozen redwing on the track to the airfield. 75 Lapwing, 30 Snipe, flock of 50 Linnet and Goldfinch. Lots of starling. Good look around St Brides, Firecrest, male Blackcap and a chiffchaff in the wood behind the WC, quiet up by the castle.

And then there were three

3 Cattle Egrets at Mullock today, still present early evening in the field with cattle adjacent to the Milford / Haverfordwest road junction.

Quite a lot of birds on Dale Airfield this afternoon, including a flock of around 70 Golden Plover, 4 Lapwing, a single Dunlin and at least 26 Snipe flushed from the wet grassland surrounding the pond.  Also a late-ish Wheatear and 5 Reed Buntings.

Ringed plovers at Newport beach

 Flock of 19 plus 2 dunlin on the rocks at the north end of the beach at high tide this morning.

Mullock

 Ten Egrets this morning, eight Little & two Cattle as recorded  on other posts.

Gann / Mullock

3 Ruff were the highlight at the Gann this morning, it was nice not to get soaked today! On the driveway at Crabhall a very vocal Siberian Chiffchaff along with a Chiffchaff.  As we passed Mullock on our way to town mid afternoon 3 white shapes in the field with the cows by the road junction morfed into 2 Cattle Egrets and a Little Egret. (Dave & Lisa)

Swift sp.

 A lone swift seen along the coast path near Aber bach at 17:30 this afternoon.

Observed from a few fields inland in poor light and drizzle. All dark in silhouette, probably a late common swift but hard to say for certain.

Whoopers St Davids

 

A bit long distance especially in the drizzle but lovely to see 7 Whoopers and a Great white egret on Treffiaddan this morning.  ( I missed seeing two by a couple of minutes)

Great White egrets

 2 Great White egrets with 7 Whooper swans 3 adults and 4 jus at Trefeiddan moor mid morning.

Carew cattle egret

Nine little egrets and a cattle egret in the field next to our house this morning, alongside our neighbour's magnificent Simmental cattle. Cattle egret last seen in this spot on 21.05.2021

 BLACKBIRDS

A fall of Blackbirds with a few Song Thrushes before 9am, in dull weather, in East Haverfordwest. The birds had flown into tall fir trees,as in previous years and were very active, moving off by 9.30. 

Trefeiddan Whoopers

 This morning my first whopper swans of the year were feeding on Trefeiddan, at David's, there were six individuals visible, three adults and three juveniles, which seemed a bit odd... perhaps there were others nearby..

Otherwise, migration was obvious. Plenty of birds moving overhead, with hundreds of starlings, chaffinches and skylarks (including a few flocks of 50+). A handful of siskin, meadow pipit, redwing and song thrush moved over too, alongside three reed bunting. 

The bushes were busy too, with too many goldcrest and robins to keep track of. Otherwise I tallied 13 chiffchaff between Porthclais, Rhosson and Pencarnan, alongside 7 blackcap. An Acro (probably a reed warbler) was present in the area where boats are stored, on the sewage works track at Porthclais. It gave a very brief view before disappearing deep into the willow. Having spent quite a bit of time staking out two unseasonal Acro's in this area last year, I opted to avoid the turmoil. 

Kilpaison.

 At Kilpaison in the murk this morning.

28 Ringed Plover, 20 Dunlin, 7 Redshank, 6 Bar- tailed Godwits, 37 Curlew, 24 Oystercatchers, 28 Pale bellied Brent Geese, 8 Little Egrets.

Great White Egret.

 One at Westfield Pill earlier this morning.

Kilpaison

Approx 300 Wigeon now at Kilpaison,  7 Pintail,  1 Shoveler, 8 Teal and 28 light-bellied Brent Geese. (Paul Warren)

Rose-coloured starling, Haverfordwest

Rose-coloured starling on garden feeder, Haverfordwest, being reported on Rare Bird Alert.

Cattle Egret & small Calidrid

The Cattle Egret still at the Gann this lunchtime, above the footbridge with a large flock of bathing and preening gulls, along with 10 Grey Heron and 7 Little Egret.  A good selection of waders with 2 Ruff, 7 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 6 Ringed Plover, 3 Greenshank and, amongst a handful of Dunlin, a small Calidrid (most likely a Little Stint, but you never know...) seen only in flight and they headed east out into the bay in the direction of Angle.

Flock of great egret - Fishguard

 Saw a flock of 8-9 great egret + 1 little or cattle egret heading south over the A487 outside Fishguard at 2pm today

Great egret - Fishguard Bay Resort

 One seen late afternoon heading along the coast in the direction of Aber bach.

Sad News about David.

 Strangely in the the forty years I knew David he never looked any different! As a young birder I first met him on Scomer, he was then Director of the West Wales Naturalists Trust,  I was in awe.  David Saunders, organiser of Operation Sea Bird, a legend! He was then and was always aproachable and modest.  

I suppose it was during the Sea Empress debacle I had most contact with him when under the auspices of the then Dyfed Wildlife Trust, I set up a bird rescue team based at the then, Marloes Youth Hostel  (now the Runwayskiln Cafe) where we had up to forty or more volunteers collecting oiled seabirds. I remeber him ringing me one morning and asking if we could get to Pendine as hundreds of oiled Scoter were washing up, It was appalling, we did what we could but most were beyond help coated in the stinking clinging black sludge, the whole length of the polluted sands. 

Some years later I had booked a last minute cruise around the British Isles  with my partner Frederike and  my old mate Jack Donovan, because one of the places it visited was St Kilda. Having had a stroke it was the only way Jack could have got there. 

As it turned out David was on the cruise as a guide with his wife Shirley. I dont think The two stalwarts of the Trust had always seen eye to eye but they seemed to have buried the hatchet and were great company, recounting some marvellous tales, mostly about Ronald Lockley! 

My abiding memory of the cruise was sitting at a table all together on the sundeck, staring out at St Kilda, eating a cream tea.while a Russian jazz band played Sweet Georgia Brown..Tears were streaming down Jacks face and later I asked him why? Jack explained he knew the history of St Kilda extremely well and the grandeur and beauty of the place and the tragic history of its inhabitants had affected him deeply.

In recent years David contacted me occasionally with odd snippets regarding historic Pembrokeshire Cetacean records as and when they turned up in his archives.

And so David,along with Graham Rees, Jack Donovan, Stewart Devonald and Peter Tythcot, the old Guard have all passed on, the end of an era!   

David Saunders

Like Steve and Anna, it is incredibly sad to hear the news. David was my first boss and responsible for me coming to Pembrokeshire in the early 80s to work on a West Wales Trust for Nature Conservation/Dyfed Wildlife Trust scheme, (at the time Steve had the only available photocopier in Haverfordwest and we made good use of it). David also asked me to help with artwork for his Where to watch birds book and I've continued to do so through the years. David offered advice on various publications I've been involved with, his extensive local knowledge meant this often running to many pages. I haven't seen David since covid, prior to that I'd bump into him out shopping in Pembroke Dock or the last time collecting blackberries.

A local legend has gone

Sadly I am posting the news that David Saunders died last week.  His family have requested privacy and there will not be a public funeral.  

David was the first warden of Skomer in 1961, the organiser of the first national seabird survey "Operation Seafarer" in 1969/70, the author of many books including the first "Where to Watch Birds in Wales", a past Director of the Dyfed Wildlife Trust (now the Wildlife Trust South & West Wales) and the critical (some would say very exacting) reviewer of many a published article and book.

He was a good friend, and for a time my employer while we were on Skomer, who maintained a very regular contact with us for the last 50 years or so. His opening remarks in many emails were often "I am furious" either because facts in articles were clearly incorrect or missing important detail.  He maintained a close interest in seabirds throughout his life and only two weeks ago he asked for the 2023 survey details of the seabirds on Skomer.

Those who knew David well will have appreciated his in-depth ornithological knowledge and his skillful ability to impart that to an audience. We will miss his critical appraisal, there are few around with his historical perspective, and even fewer with a library like his. 

  David with Ronald Lockley aboard the Waverley 

Snow bunting, Ring ouzel and 'Sibe chiff'

 Yesterday evening Fiona and I returned to Martin's haven in hopes of seeing the yellow browed warbler, after Brian had seen it again earlier in the day. By the time we got there it was chilly, and wind was funneling strongly up the valley. We stood watching the willows for half an hour or so. Before giving up we wandered down towards Martin's haven beach. A 'phyllosc' gave itself up in the bracken, calling regularly. The call was distinctive, and having seen dozens in Shetland last autumn, we quickly realised it sounded like a siberian chiffchaff. It worked its way up the valley, calling loudly, but remaining low in the bracken and gorse. We managed occasional poor views, before it flitted across the road and into the willows. No sign of the YBW or anything else in the withies, but seems likely they were hunkered down! 

This morning I headed to st David's head. It started off promising. The area around the YHA produced about twenty or so redwing and a similar number of blackbirds, a handful of chiffchaff and blackcaps, and dozens of goldcrest. A cettis warbler in some gorse scrub before we YHA was an unusual sight.

Upon dropping into the valley a small group of thrushes were obvious amongst the stunted hawthorns, two female-type ring ouzels were with them. As got my camera, I noticed a bird of prey, drifting over Carn Llidi and into the valley. It was obviously a ringtail harrier sp. Unfortunately, it dropped down against the eastern side of the valley and flew northwards, making it difficult to watch or photograph. The withies were very quiet, with only a handful of goldcrest, and thirty or so siskin dropping in briefly. A merlin wizzed through a couple of times too. 

Overhead passage was strong, good numbers of skylark and chaffinch were moving, with a few meadow pipits mixed in. As such I decided to wander out to the head, where pipits and buntings often seem to drop down. It was extremely quiet, I'd walked from the far end of the valley, all the way to the head, and seen only a single stonechat. Right at the head I heard the familiar call of a snow bunting. The bird flew directly overhead, being pursued by three rock pipits, and dropped down amongst some rocks a hundred meters or so away. As I made my way towards the spot, the pipits began to harass the bunting again, and pushed it another hundred meters or so. This continued for an hour or so before I decided I'd had enough. 

Later I checked Pencnwc and Rhosson, but only a group of six reed buntings to show for it.

Castlemartin Corse

A lot more water, and with it more birds. Just a few ducks - shoveler 5, mallard 7, greylag 1. A (probably juvenile female) ruff was keeping company with 6 lapwing on the upstream flooded meadows. Just 7 snipe, 2 grey heron and a little egret. A flock of 220 golden plover flew over the Corse.

Rob and Adam who walked in from the Fresh West end saw 2 marsh harriers, one almost certainly the 3CY-ish female that's been about recently, the other a seemingly all-dark juvenile male, going by Rob's photo of it perched in cover. Neither bird was showing by the time I arrived from covering the upstream flooded meadows. If so a rare morph, acc. to the Bird Guide, not sure I've seen one of those. 

Otherwise buzzard, kestrel, water rail, Cetti's... Best non-avian sighting a late male Aeshna mixta. 

Yellow-browed warbler, still Martins Haven

George's YBW was very vocal and busy at 8am this morning, still in the blackthorn scrub behind the NRW offices/WC. Also blue and great tits, goldcrest, male Blackcap and at least one chiffchaff, apart from the Blackcap everything appeared to be moving as a flock. An hour later it seemed deserted just the Blackcap, the wind had freshened and was funneling through the valley, I could hear goldcrest and tits in Sash's withies so they may have moved there. Otherwise Siskins moving south in numbers their squeaky tu-lee calls carrying on the breeze for the hour I was on the Deer Park, skylarks silent until 9am, from then on their chirrups were constant. Red kite low over the bracken on the Deer Park, Dunlin calling and a lone Golden plover passing over. 30+ Chough in the field behind Lockley lodge with smaller groups and a few pairs on the walk from Marloes Mere.

Brent Geese - the Teifi

Twenty Light-bellied Brent Geese was a nice surprise this afternoon - I thought this autumn's novel passage of Brent Geese through the Teifi estuary was over. Also 65 Wigeon, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 2 Mediterranean Gulls and at least 20 Common Gulls in a brief look. 

Redwings, Begelly

From Steve Smith. Just had six Redwing over Begelly,  they landed in a sycamore tree but had flown off by the time I had grabbed the camera.  My first of the year. 

Yellow-browed warblers

 Two yellow-browed warblers today, in the Marloes area. The first in the blackthorn scrub and ivy in the valley on the deer park, behind the toilets and NRW offices at Martin's haven. The second on the lane to Martin's haven, in the willows between Goose cottage and Trehill farm. 

Plenty of other migrants about, a tree pipit, and a late willow warbler at Martin's haven, and a handful of reed buntings in stubble fields around st Anne's head. Chiffchaffs, blackcaps and goldcrests well represented at various spots around both peninsulas, and still a few wheatears too. 

H'west Redwings

Yesterday, I heard my first two Redwing of the autumn flying overhead in the morning. Today, a flock of c20 flying over the (old) wilko car park. 

Skokholm

A Bluethroat is here this afternoon. Good numbers of common migrants today. 

WeBS counts on the Avifauna

I've updated all of the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) graphs on the avifauna to show all 2022-23 counts.  You can see them here. From early November, the monthly graphs will be updated with the 2023-24 counts. 

If you'd like to join the WeBS team, there are a few sites that need counters:

Millin Pill (on the Cleddau estuary near Slebech)

Trefloyne Pools (near Tenby)

Tretio Pools (near St Davids)

Crickmarren Pond - near Hundleton

Orielton Decoy - near Hundleton

Withybush Pool - in Withybush Woods near Haverfordwest

These last three sites are relatively easy if you're not feeling confident about the ID of waders and wildfowl at a distance, nor are the numbers too daunting.

Counts are done on a specific Sunday in the middle of the month - or as close to that date as is practicable.

If you would like to take part, please read the instructions, sign up for WeBS on the BTO site and choose your site from the vacant sites page (you have to zoom in to see the sites).

Thank you.

Annie

Skokholm

Wryneck and Firecrest today. 

Great Egret - Sprinkle Pill

 A Great Egret was fishing in the pill on the rising tide yesterday afternoon. By the time I had reached the pill mouth it was there also, with the flock of Little Egrets.

Cattle Egret, The Gann

The Cattle Egret was still around at the Gann this afternoon, just upstream of the bridge and hiding with the roosting gulls.

On the lagoon  were three Bar-tailed Godwits and a single Ruff, with the rescued and released seal pup now moulting on the bank. Also of note was a large number of Herring Gulls, probably around 800, in three groups- the river and beach roosts and a raft in the bay - but with few juveniles.

Osprey

 Osprey off Pwllcrochan Flats today. Was there all morning. (Den Vaughan)

Red Breasted Merganser

 A female type Red Breasted Merganser at the Nevern Estuary this morning towards the mouth of the estuary.

 40 + Mediterranean Gulls of varying ages mainly adults

St Govan's Head

I managed a couple of visits to St Govan's Head over the weekend. Although nothing bright and yellow to report this time, there was still a nice variety of birds about and decent overhead passage. 

Saturday was the quieter of the two mornings. A handful of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits flew over south and a few finches were moving around including 3 Crossbill which U-turned over the headland and flew back north. 

Today in the calmer weather, there was lots of birds moving. In two hours birds moving south out to sea included: 138 Meadow Pipits, 100 Skylarks, 71 Linnet 16 Goldfinch, 42 alba Wagtails, 14 Swallow and a late Sand Martin.  

At 08.47 a superb juvenile American Golden Plover appeared flying low over the headland towards me. It came straight over my head, calling constantly as it headed out to sea. It continued south and I watched it disappeared to a small dot in the distance! 

Elsewhere the bushes were quiet, a few Song Thrushes, Robins, 6 Bullfinch, 3 Goldcrests, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap... and lots of Chough. About 20 in total seen this morning.

Cattle egret and an interesting snipe

The Cattle egret was still above the footbridge at the Gann this morning along with 6-7 Little egret, initially in the field with the dozen cows beside Whiteholmes Farm and later resting among the large gulls by the footbridge. 2 ruff on the pools was the pick of the waders and a couple of Little grebe. Pair of red kite batting away the attentions of local jackdaws. Another Cettis warbler by Crabhall after the Mullock bridge bird of a few days ago.

Whilst plodding around Dale airfield Saturday afternoon, hoping for an interesting pipit or bunting, approaching the pond 6-7 raspy snipe got up as expected followed by another much closer quieter bird that was much slower to take flight and just revealed itself with a whir of wing beats. At first i was thinking it was a woodcock. I got the binoculars on it and it wasn't a woodcock though it did look stout. It was flying low and I hurriedly got the camera on it for a video but it doesn't show anything as it had presumably dropped down. Hmmm I was a bit baffled. I hadn't really considered Great snipe but having done a bit of reading there are some similarities, (a habit of flushing late, a small woodcock like appearance, can be silent when taking flight, and to fly low before dropping into cover) and it seems September into October is prime time. I had another look this evening but just Common snipe. It was on the eastern side of the pond, between the pond and eastern runway.  Lots of skylark and pipits these last few days with their chirrup and sip-sip calls constantly overhead so no surprise to see a Merlin dashing through tonight. Otherwise, a dozen chough, a freshly dead sheep had drawn in numbers of crows and a couple of raven. Just goldcrest and tits on the track up.

Recent Sightings Ramsey

 A couple of recent records from Ramsey.

2 Grey Phalarope on the North of Ramsey spotted by Falcon boats yesterday afternoon.

Today we had-

5 House Sparrows

2 Chaffinch

11 Blue Tit

3 Goldcrest

1 Greater Spotted Woodpecker

1 Magpie 

1 Golden Plover

1 Mistle Thrush

A flock of Siskins flying over

Although nothing super exciting, still nice records for the island. 

Alys & Nia

Skokholm

The third Common Rosefinch of the week was in the Courtyard, as was the third Lesser Whitethroat. 

Cattle egret, Mullock area

The cattle egret was visible with the scope from Mullock bridge in a field of cows St Ishmaels side of the marsh, there were at least 3 Little egret in the same field. The explosive song of a Cettis warbler announced its presence close by. 4 Chiffchaff on the track to the airfield only a single Golden plover in the stoney field. A first look at Marloes mere since the improvement work began, quite a nice looking pool in front of the out of bounds Britton hide but only moorhen on it. Exciting times.

Yellow-legged Gull - colour-ringed

During our Celtic Deep pelagic on 3rd September I noticed one of the juvenile large gulls in the slick had a green darvic ring on it's right tarsus.  A couple of the birders on board managed to get some photos that allowed the ring to be read - 93P:C.  I didn't really pay the bird much attention at the time, being too focussed on trying to read the ring.  When I got the photos alarm bells began to ring, and then when I searched for the colour-ringing scheme on cr-birding I realised it was a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull!

This has now been confirmed with the ringing report just received.  It was ringed on 7th June as a chick at Ile de Planassa, Peyriac-de-Mer, Aude, France (HERE).  Lovely resighting!

We also had a green-ringed large juvenile gull on one of the August trips but were unable to read the ring on that occasion.

Photo: Steve Culley

Carew Mill

 A Mediterranean gull roosting with a small group of BHGs below the mill just now.

Cattle Egret, The Gann

A single Cattle Egret was hanging out with the gulls at the Gann this afternoon. Initially it was on the beach near the shoreline until chased off by a crow and then settled with another small gull flock just upstream of the footbridge.

Three Ruff, one adult male and two juveniles, were feeding on beach with 11 Bar-tailed Godwits nearby. The usual cast was supplemented by three noisy Peregrines that appeared to be play fighting over Musselwick side and increasing numbers of  corvids and Teal up the river.

Also of interest was a rescued and released seal pup, which was initially on the beach by the car park and later clambered over to the lagoon. Note to dog walkers: keep your dogs on a lead - seal pups will defend themselves and bite, with bacteria in their mouths causing infections.

Tenby

 A Great Northern Diver off South Beach this morning and 19 Turnstones at the south end of the beach. A light passage of Swallows were heading out to Caldey and beyond.

Strumble and Llys-y-fran

Strumble Head. 9am-1pm'ish By the time Paul and I arrived we'd missed 8-9 Arctic skuas, but did manage 3 pale Arctics, pick was an immaculate juv Sabine's gull, seen very close in travelling with a small group of kittiwake and in perfect light, a 1st winter Little gull, 5 Black tern, otherwise 150 Scoter, 20 Sandwich tern, 5 Commic, 5 Ringed plover and 2 Red-throated diver.

Llys-y-fran: 2 Caspian gulls (adult, 1st w), 5 Yellow-legged gulls (4 adult and 1st w), otherwise 3,000 adult LBB gulls at 3:30pm with a few 100 more dropping in around 6pm, c20 Herring gull and 2 Common gull. 3 Little grebe, 2 GC grebe and a Little egret. A first Redwing.

Begelly

From Steve Smith, Tawny Owls calling early this morning 1am near  Begelly  then later today Red Kite drifted over and a Male Sparrow Hawk flew through the garden causing panic among the BlueTits, Chaffinchs and  House Sparrows on the feeders,  still plenty of Swallows heading through South.

Humming-Bird Hawkmoth

Not as exotic as some of the migrants we have had of late, but pleasing none-the-less to have a humming-bird hawk moth in our garden in Crundale today. They are regular but infrequent visitors here. We had one on 20 Oct last year feeding on Salvia, the one today prefers Verbena Bonariensis. It makes you wonder what might be there when you're not looking!

Wryneck

 A Wryneck on the old road bridge at Mullock..(Paddy J)

Skokholm

Two Common Rosefinch and a Wryneck today, along with a trickle of common migrants including Redstart, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. 

Wryneck in Broad Haven

From Vicky Pearson -  Very excited to have a wryneck hanging around in our garden for an hour or so today… 

MAGNOLIA WARBLER ~ The Movie

 

Finally had to wait until the crowds thinned out to get some footage of the Magnolia Warbler at St.Govan's Head. (4th visit!) And with only a handful of people present on 26.9.23 these are the results. Might be a nice little souvenir for some... ;)