Common Tern.

 An adult at the entrance to Westfield Pill this afternoon,is my first sighting here,since one on the corresponding date 28 years ago.

Visit to Bug Farm & Dowrog Common

Details of the Pembs Bird Group visit to the Bug Farm and Dowrog Common are now on the Events page. 

The latest version of the full poster is available HERE

Angle Bay – WinGS count and a late WebS count

Late yesterday afternoon we managed to do a late Sept high tide count of waterfowl for the WeBS and an evening count of roosting gulls for the Winter Gull Survey (WinGS).

Roosting gull numbers were very disappointing (14 Black-headed, 9 Herring and 2 LBB). Four Med gulls had been present before dusk but these (and almost all of an initial c.120 Herring Gulls that had been feeding in ploughed fields near the bay) left to roost elsewhere.  

However, there was a reasonable variety of waterfowl, including: 4 (probably recently arrived) Light-bellied Brent Geese,  29 Mute Swans (only one full grown cygnet), c.230 Wigeon, a few Mallards, 7 Pintails (all immature/female types), 11 Great Crested Grebes, c.180 Oystercatchers, 1 Grey Plover, 3 Ringed Plover (we noted 30+ roosting near the Point House c.10 days ago), c.190 Curlews, 10 Bar-tailed Godwits, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Redshanks, but only 2 Dunlins seen. A Gannet was feeding in the bay when we arrived. Little Egret numbers, roosting around the bay in small groups, had increased from 28 10 days ago to 32 by yesterday. Small numbers of alba Wagtails included at least 10 White. Cetti's Warblers were singing well in the reedbed at dusk.  A passing female sparrowhawk might have disturbed 100s of mixed corvids before they headed off to roost.

There was quite a nice sunset to end the day, just very few roosting gulls!

The official WinGS roost counts should actually be this evening, but the forecast does not look particularly suitable!

Evening roost counts for WinGS can still be undertaken during the following week, up until 6^th October. There are still vacant sites available on the coast should anyone wish to help with the survey.

To find out more and to select a site, click here on WinGS

WinGS - Llys-y-fran

George, Fiona and I did the gull count this evening to avoid the wild weather that's forecast for tomorrow. About 100 LBBs at 4:30pm increased gradually to 430 (5:30pm), 1350 (6pm), 3600 (6:30pm), with a final count of 5900 at 7pm. More gulls were still arriving so this likely topped 6,000. 68 Herring gull, 15 BH gull, single adult GBB and 4 adult Yellow-legged gulls.

The 5 Pink-footed geese were still in the field opposite keeping well away from the other geese and always on alert. The Canada geese were scattered at various spots on the reservoir with 2 or 3 Greylags among them. Greylag numbers had increased with a flock of 150 in the field opposite. Lovely calm evening, going to be a little different tomorrow it seems.

Haverfordwest area

 Significant amount of Swallow going through, and presumably coming in from the Northies about 8 Jay’s, 4 Mistle thrush numerous song thrush over night with many mippits and skylark going over West this morning

Ospreys

From Graham Stephens: There were three ospreys circling above Llangwm Ferry this morning. It was low water and none of the birds showed any interest in fishing (the stiff northerly wind was kicking up a chop so water clarity was poor) and headed off away from the estuary. Presumably these birds were  on passage, taking advantage of the northerly airstream on their migration south. Unusual to see three birds together on the estuary.

AUTUMN WALK TO DR BEYNON’S BUG FARM AND DOWROG COMMON

 

Kilpaison, Angle Harbour

3 pale bellied Brent Geese on the shore, all adults, two with coloured leg rings. Unfortunately they were paddling about in the incoming tide and eventually drifted offshore, so I could not get a clear view of letters. I think one was left black right orange, the other left green right yellow, though I may even have got that wrong. Hopefully they'll stay around and it should be possible to read the rings on the falling tide when they're feeding. Small raft of wigeon, lots of mute swans, but I didn't bother counting as Paul will have done that the other day. All very quiet at the harbour end, several little egrets feeding and one great crested grebe offshore. 

Skokholm

The Common Rosefinch is still here 

Marloes peninsula

Usual circuit. Meadow pipits very conspicuous tonight. Robins as well. Craneflies seem to be peaking as well, every step flushed 10 or 20. 3-4 Chiffchaff and a single Willow warbler in Martins Haven. A single Golden plover and a Ringed plover flying over Trehills fields. 20 Little egret roosting at the Gann at 7:40pm.

Gann WEBS count

Good numbers of "shanks" - 5 Green and 34 Red, but the Curlews had mostly vanished. A brief visit from a Little Stint, feeding next to a Greenshank which gave a good idea of size - tiny.  

Rosemary Royle

St Brides Bay WEBS count

None of the key species for a WEBS count and nothing noteworthy EXCEPT huge numbers (10's of thousands) of Swallows heading south over the bay. Literally as far as the binoculars could see there were low flying swallows over the whole bay from north to south and west too.  

Just a few shag and gannets feeding plus small groups of mostly herring gulls.

Anna and Steve Sutcliffe

Pink-footed geese, Llys-y-fran

5 Pink-footed geese among almost a 1,000 geese at Llys-y-fran this afternoon. 770 Canada geese and 102 Greylag all grazing in the fields on the west side. A single adult Yellow-legged gull, a Kingfisher and 2 Common sandpipers the pick of the visit. A pretty wet end to the afternoon so I was away by 5:30pm with only a handful of gulls on the water.

Latest Bird Track migration blog highlights recent movements of Pink-footed geese https://www.bto.org/community/blog/birdtrack-migration-blog-20%E2%80%9327-september

Jackdaws again

From John Archer-Thompson: Seems I am rubbish at counting, here is an image of some of the ‘clattering’ or ‘train’ of Jackdaws mentioned previously. I think there are about 150 here and that was not all of them!

Skokholm

Juvenile Common Rosefinch today

WeBS Castlemartin Corse

 Richard and I went to do the WeBS count for Castlemartin Corse this morning. I don’t think I have ever seen the corse as dry as it was today!

Where I am standing would usually represent very wet feet! It is where the ducks are normally hiding out on open water!

The resultant count for WeBS was slightly sparse with the grand total of 10 Snipe, 1 Water Rail (lone call from the reeds) and 2 Grey Heron!

The raptors however made up for it, with a female Kestrel initally seen hunting over the fields to east of the hide. A male Sparrowhawk made a brief appearance. A 3+CY Female Marsh Harrier was seen on the northern side of the corse and a buzzard on a fence post.

The 3 Whinchat were a definite highlight of the other species seen or heard. 

3+CY Female Marsh Harrier, with Buzzard watching on from its fence post

There has been work done on the path since I visited a few weeks back which hopefully will help access going forwards. Made up ground along main track and new sleeper over one of the drainage ditches. 

MARLOES MERE 21/09/2024

WEBS count before the rain this morning - thanks to the 60+mallard, 10 coot, 17  moorhen, little grebe, 2 teal, kestrel , big female sparrowhawk, 400 corvids, steady trickle of hirundine passage mostly, swallows but some house martins. Juvenile Marsh Harrier quartering the irrigation pond.  Several large flocks of linnets around the mere too.

Very little water in the mere at the moment.

Anna and Steve Sutcliffe

Jackdaws

From John Archer-Thopmson: 

Watching about 50 jackdaws on the cliffs just south of the Deer Park yesterday (20th September), impressive as it was, they were then joined by another group of about the same size. At one point they were all flying about. Really spectacular to see a cloud of c.100 jackdaws, I don’t think there were any other Covid’s involved. There were also at least 10 choughs on the deer park including young of the year.

Skokholm

The young Pallid Harrier spent the day here

Great Egret

 Still at the Gann for it`s fifth consecutive day, feeding on the road side of the lagoon, looking like it might be roosting with the Little Egrets in the sycamores again.

Skokholm

A juvenile Sabine's Gull and a juvenile Pallid Harrier was an unusual double billing today

Spoonbills

From Gavin Finlow (?):

After a trip to Stumble Head today we stopped at Goodwick and on the shore line there was a flock of 7 spoonbills:

The Gann

From David Meanwell: 

3 Great Egrets flew over at 12.20 plus another one at 1pm eventually settling in front of Crabhall  at 1.30
Plenty of swallows in small groups of 4 or 5 heading South East.
Several Grey herons overhead and a Whinchat in the bushes 
What a great picnic!

Dale Airfield

As our boat to Ramsey Island was cancelled this morning, we opted for a walk on Dale Airfield following by a slap up breakfast at the Boathouse Cafe in Dale.  It was an inspired move - for both birds and breakfast!

A brief Ortolan Bunting was flying around calling over the stony field at the west end at 9am, but despite several hours of searching we could not relocate it. Perhaps the juvenile Merlin that was loitering around the field prevented its return.  At least 4 Whinchats in the central triangle and on the eastern runway, along with 6+ Wheatear, a good scattering of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, and at least 300 Linnets.

After bumping into Owen and Glynis Roberts and their friends, we all enjoyed 3 Great Egrets head south-west and seemingly in the direction of Skokholm Island.

The Gann

 The Great Egret was still present this evening feeding in the sedge on the far side till dusk, finally flying in to roost with the 16 Little Egrets in the sycamores.

Out and about

A day out west with Paul was generally quiet. A Great egret at the Gann around 10am, initially on the back of the pools before flying up the marsh and dropping out of sight in one of the creeks. The Little egrets, a few gulls and cormorants were fishing very actively up the river, lots of chases and deep wading. A Skokholm ringed Herring gull W:958 above the footbridge. Handful of waders, 20 Dunlin, 10 Ringed plover, 25 Redshank, 10 Greenshank and a Common sandpiper. Yesterday afternoon a young peregrine chased a Kingfisher up the river, the kingfisher only narrowly escaped by repeatedly ducking into the water.

Dale airfield: 3 Whinchat and a Merlin best here. Yesterday there were 5 Whinchat. Flock of 25 Chough. Common darter today. Ruddy darter and Migrant hawkers yesterday.

Marloes mere: Spotted flycatcher out from the Britton hide. A juvenile Bullfinch in the same willows was unusual for here. Lots of Silver-Y moths, a first Painted lady for a while, lots of Green-veined, small and Large whites in recent days. Plenty of dragonflies inc Migrant hawker, Common darter and Emperors.

Thòse Spoonbills

 Flying overhead last night  around 7:15 at the Gann, at first heading towards Dale, then did a U turn gaining height flew off over Mullock farm towards St Brides.

Skokholm

At least two Firecrest today, three days earlier than the first of autumn mean. 

Hirundine passage etc

From Roger Wilkinson:

As noted by your earlier correspondent, loads of hirundine passage today. @1000/HR through at David's Head from 11:00-13:00 many in off sea from NW. Mostly swallows.

2 whinchat on wires behind Whitesands.

2 Risso's Dolphins went along the back of St David's head in tide race at 13:00 and off towards the Bishops at a rapid rate.

Late note from Sunday (17th): 2 Sooty Shearwater E, 1330 seen from coast path E of Stumble. Plus a pod of 10 common Dolphin W.

Skomer

A fantastic three days on Skomer, leading the autumn migration event for the Wildlife Trust.  The peak of excitement came this morning, as our early start paid off with 7 Spoonbills over the Farm, and were quickly followed by a juvenile Common Rosefinch at Moorey Mere. The Spoonbills circled a few times, twice attempting to head west out to sea and circling back.  They clearly bottled the crossing, as this afternoon Owen and Glynis Roberts had them flying over the Gann.  Where will they end up?

Other highlights on Skomer over the past few days have included 3 Marsh Harriers, super views of a juvenile female Merlin, at least 5 Whinchats, 6 Spotted Flycatchers, a Garden Warbler and great views of 2 Short-eared Owls.

2 of the 7 Spoonbills

All 7 of the Spoonbills

The 7 Spoonbills heading south over the farm

A record shot of the Common Rosefinch

Marloes Mere

Highlights on the Mere this afternoon was a lone Lapwing along the edge of the pool and further across a Great White Egret was preening and looking for food.

Big numbers of Hirundines on the move!

Impressive easterly movement of Hirundines seen from our south facing garden at Llawhaden between 12-12:45 today. Mostly Swallows but also some House and Sand Martins. Conservative estimate of about 1,000 went through (20-30 per minute and one loose flock of at least 250) in the time stated but there must have been many more as the birds I counted were all within about 100m of the house and looking south there seemed to be birds moving as far as the eye could see! a fantastic sight. Was hoping I might see a Hobby following them but was not to be!

Brent Geese

From David Meanwell: 

Three Brent Geese on  Broad Haven village beach today - Haroldston Hill end.
Regular September visitors.

Marsh Harriers

From Karen Rossiter: Wanted you to know that we have seen two marsh harriers whist we were in the bird hide overlooking Marloes Mere. We had fabulous views. I contacted you because of the notice in the bird hide - and because I was surprised to see them here. Often seen them in Suffolk, Norfolk and Lancashire.

Skokholm

A first-winter Long-tailed Skua was a surprise during a three skua spp morning. Migrants are down to a trickle, but Whinchat numbers remain high and a Lesser Whitethroat was at the Well. 

Marloes peninsula

A juvenile Marsh harrier around the mere at 7:30am, inner primaries looked pale which appears to be a different bird from those seen recently. It put up about 80 Mallard, 20 Teal, 2 Shoveler, a curlew and a ringed plover. Good size flocks of linnet and goldfinch on the ragwort, one flock of goldfinch of around a 100. 4 Whinchat on the walk over to Martin's Haven, all in a 20m stretch. They would fly down and appeared to grab crane flies (of which there were plenty coming off). 30+ Chough on the Deer Park. A first juvenile Merlin. Otherwise quiet. A few jays in recent days flying across the road between Hwest and Marloes.

Skokholm

A young Marsh Warbler the highlight today

Yellow legged gull

 

A YLG was at Goodwick a few evenings ago.  Thanks to Owen Roberts and Dave Astins for the ID confirmation

Strumble - 4 Skua day

After the high excitement of earlier in the week I made an effort to get up to Strumble for a couple of hours before work. It would be a tough ask to match anything like what had flown past a few days before*. Totals for this morning were 6 Arctic skua (4 that I saw), 2 Bonxies, 2 Juv Long-tailed skua and a Pomarine. 2 Leaches close in. A Little tern. And a Sabines gull after I left.

*FOOTNOTE: On Tuesday Chris Grayell and Luke Gravett had the foresight to get to Strumble and good fortune to witness an incredible passage of around 100 large shearwaters (c50 Cory's, 41 Sooty and 6 Great shearwaters - totals still to be finalised I believe).

Ring necked Parakeet

 Maybe not the best news in the world but a Ring necked Parakeet was present at Llanychaer this morning 

Yesterday

 From Chris Dighton - Bar-tailed godwit in amongst the usual waders by the flagpoles in Goodwick this evening in fading light. Kingfisher also put in a brief appearance. 

And from Steve Smith - My latest sighting from yesterday is of a Barn Owl 9.30pm  about 100 metres after I turned left towards Pembroke at the new set of lights at the Nash fingerpost junction .

Skomer

Sea watching efforts were rewarded today, with volunteers Mike and Ted putting in over two hours this morning at Skomer Head and again this evening at the Garland Stone. Totals from the Wallen's and island team included:

Roseate Tern 1

Arctic Tern 3

Common Tern 19

Sandwich Tern 4

Comic Tern 8

Arctic Skua 5

Bonxie 1

Common Gull 1

Black-headed Gull 89

Common Scoter 12

On-land highlights included a Wryneck at The Harold Stone and a Coot on Green Pond. 10 Whinchat, 2 Pied Flycatcher, 10 Spotted Flycatcher, 10 Blackcap, 13 Willow Warbler, and a Goldcrest.

You can find the recent sighting from the island here: The Skomer Island Blog: Recent sightings/highlights

Lisa (on behalf of Mike, Ted and the Skomer Team)

SKOMER - Saturday 7 September

After a misty, muggy night with the sky filled with fledging shearwaters and lightning, Saturday morning cleared quickly to reveal a fall of migrants. The bracken and valleys were alive with birds and excitement mounted! The Young Birders group staying for a residential event helped the staff and volunteers to cover the island during the day, even though it was a busy changeover day; the only boat for some time looking at the forecast!

Highlights included a WRYNECK at the farm, a late CUCKOO in north Valley and 5 WHINCHAT at the wick. 30 SPOTTED FLYCATCHER was impressive to witness with birds in every bush, 5 PIED FLYCATCHER, 16 WHEATEAR, 13 BLACKCAP and 35 WILLOW WARBLER felt like minimum counts. A handful of WHITETHROAT, CHIFFCHAFF and a GARDEN WARBLER.  Single SONG THRUSH and GOLDCREST too. A SHORT-EARED OWL was in the willows in North valley with 4 MARSH HARRIERS during the day.

A flock of 11 GREY HERON made their way in V-formation from the mainland across the island, heading briefly out to sea towards Grassholm before thinking better of it and returning east. Interestingly the 104 Great black-backed gulls roosting on the slabs at the wick found the herons circling above completely terrifying, scattering in all directions! 

Waders included 3 COMMON SANDPIPER, 8 CURLEW, 12 OYSTERCATCHER, WHIMBREL, 3 DUNLIN and several SNIPE overhead and on the ponds. 

The fog returned late afternoon ending a great day.

Lisa and the Skomer Team 

Skokholm

Today was remarkable, with at least 47 Spotted Flycatcher the highest daycount ever. There were 20 Tree Pipit, 5 Yellow Wagtail, 10 Whinchat, 65 Wheatear, 3 Grasshopper Warbler, 31 Blackcap, 24 Chiffchaff and 150 Willow Warbler. A Dotterel went over twice and there were 2 Osprey. Full totals on the Skokholm blog

Celtic Deep pelagic

A really enjoyable pelagic trip on the Helen Clare out into the Celtic Deep today, my 5th and final pelagic of 2024.  Highlight was 4 Great Shearwaters, which whizzed by our chumming spot 1 by 1 (the 1st even had the the cheek to choose the same moment to pass the boat as my one and only visit to the on-board loo!).  Several sightings of single European Storm Petrels but none lingered long in the slick. 

As the waters were calm and the slick quiet we had time to return via The Smalls and Grassholm, which was a great move. Highlight was an Osprey sitting on the top of the lighthouse, and then we had a second bird WSW of Skokholm!  Just east of The Smalls we had 2 adult Roseate Terns and then good views of a dark phase adult Arctic Skua.  Lots of Common Dolphins around including a number of females with small calves (all will be logged with WWBIC in due course), a Chiffchaff joined us for a while (perching on shoes!) and some of us managed to pick out a Purple Sandpiper on Grassholm.

Chiffchaff, on a tyre...(Chiffchaff on a shoe photos also available)

Spot the Osprey

Not what we were expecting on the most remote lighthouse in the UK

Juvenile Common Tern

Dark phase Arctic Skua

Marloes Peninsula

Had a quick look on the Mere. The highlight was a Ruff that flew about for a few minutes before heading off again. 

 

I also went down the Deer park where there were a group of 25 chough towards Wooltack point. It took this bird a little while to consume the beetle it had found!

 

Kete

A good look around Kete, St Ann's and Mill Bay this afternoon. Lots of swallows and house martins as can be usual the time of year. Linnet flocks as well especially in the weedier fields, one flock came up and rested on the telegraph wires looked in the region of 300-400 (356 actual count of the one flock). About 20-30 Pied wagtails. A flock of 100 starling. Robins ticking everywhere must be 20+. 5 Wheatear. A Whitethroat in Mill Bay. A fly over Yellow wagtail at St Ann's. A Whinchat on the fence above Mill Bay and 2 Spotted flycatchers by the house nearest Kete car park. A couple of nice looking harvested potato fields looked primed for a decent wader but only a couple of Ringed plover. There were willow warblers everywhere, in the gardens of the cottages and especially along the coast between St Ann's and into Mill Bay flying down to snatch flies on the field edges. The most Red Admirals so far and 2 Migrant hawkers.

 

 

Castlemartin Corse

A drop of rain last night, so thought it worth a visit. Some large puddles on the inland wet meadows, a few mallard. Brief view of marsh harrier from the West-Court Farm (inland) end, it went to ground somewhere on the N side and I didn't see it again. The first I've seen there since March 3. Lots of swallows and sand martins were feeding over the wet meadows. From the hide, buzzard, kestrel, sparrowhawk ♀. Cetti's heard once, water rails somewhere. 5 mallard and 2 teal flew in, circled, but changed their minds and didn't land. A chiffchaff was singing in the pines. 

The fenced corridor to the hide (not an actual track) still hasn't been cut (see August 10, 26). The hide is the only place you're able/supposed to get to these days, with the new fencing. The gate through to the eastern end of the NT part and the pines now has a chain wrapped round it, an  escalation from the previous baler twine. No track mown there. Access to this end is important, not least for WEBS and winter farmland bird counts. Apart from these, the Corse has been one of my BirdTrack sites for 15 years, but it is barely worth a visit at the moment. 

Skokholm

A nice fall today, with Barred Warbler the highlight. Also a Dotterel over and a/the Spoonbill early on (which has seemingly reached the mainland). The Skokholm blog will have the full totals later

Spoonbill - Marloes Mere

A Spoonbill  - unringed, has just flown in to Marloes Mere and still present from Britton hide 1520.  (Jake Belton, Ellie Holley)

Marloes Mere

Along with 54 Canada Geese, a handful of teal, a kestrel and the usual suspects of mallard, coot, moorhen, a little grebe and shoveller, was lovely to see a marsh harrier on the far side of the mere and a spotted flycatcher in the willows next to the hide.