Goodwick & Carregwastad

2 juvenile Choughs with an adult on the cliffs and around the headland and in the evening four big bats - horseshoe bats? - over the Moor from the harbour road.

Fishguard and Teifi

Fishguard Harbour (per Richard D) - 19 Black-headed gulls including the first juvenile. No sign of the Black Guillemots.

Jewsons this evening - 3 Common Sands and 25 juvenile Shelduck.
The resident pair of swans will not be having any young this year. The female is being treated for lead poisoning (blood levels of 30 times the safe level) and is apparently not recovering well.

St Dogmaels Quay - still 45 Black-headed gulls with one juvenile. 30 Curlew.

Notes from Orlandon

Beautiful male kestrel hovering over the marshy field around our garden this morning.
A juvenile heron has been visiting the garden every day for the last few days -we don't know what he is eating - maybe picking water boatmen from the pond? (no fish)
Like Bob and Annie I am having trouble finding breeding Spotted Flycatchers around the area this year though there were plenty on passage.
For the first time since we have been here (since 2003) there has been no Grasshopper Warbler in the marsh (though there was one on passage) and there is no Yellowhammer within earshot of the house.
And lastly, 4 swallows fledged yesterday after a very protracted nesting period - how the parents managed to feed the youngsters during the wet weather I cannot imagine.

Rosemary

St. Catherine's Bridge

Richard - at last, 9 years working for the National Rivers Authority & Environment Agency comes in hand - St. Catherine's Bridge is between Camrose and Withybush Airfield. Easiest way to describe it is turn left towards Camrose off the A40 (as you head towards Fishguard) at the N end of Withybush Airfield, and it's at the bottom of the hill, just beyond West Wales Activity Toys:

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GBHaverfordwest#map=51.8342,-4.97159154&loc=GB:51.83913:-4.98442:15Haverfordwest

I also have an unrivalled knowledge of Pembrokeshire sewage works - sometimes handy, often not.

Teifi

Shelduck creche at Jewsons this evening with 25 young of various ages with only four adults.

From St Dogmaels quay, another 4 smaller Shelduck young. 42 Black-headed gulls and one juvenile. Numbers of Mute swans increasing, now 45.

Haverfordwest etc.

Fortunes Frolic;-
This afternoon, 2 Little Egrets, Black-headed Gull nos. down.
3 juv. Starlings nr. Tescos, also 2 juv. Trafalgar rd. area.
(Paul G.)

St.Catherine's Bridge, Western Cleddau;
Anyone can help with it's location?, several of us don't know it & can't find it, thanks in anticipation.

Nevern Est;-
1 juv. Black-headed Gull still with c6 others, Shelduck still has some young, (couldn't count them, sleeping with mum.)

Coedbach Marsh, nr Kidwelly(Carms.);-
Pectoral Sandpiper present this evening(Dominic)

Marsh Harrier

Female Marsh Harrier over Trefeiddan Moor this afternoon (news from Derek Rees of Trefeiddan Farm)

Strumble & Fishguard

Strumble this am;-
Probably the highlight, having a search through the c50 Starlings in the last cattle field before the head.(at least 5 RC Starlings are being reported in GB).
At sea, 8 Puffins, 7 Common Scoter past, the highlights in 2 hrs.

Fishguard Harbour;-
c15 Black-headed Gulls, -- no sign of Black Guillemots.
(Fishguard Bird Group).

Nest Box Challenge - Pembrokeshire records to date

Browsing the BTO/Breathing Spaces Nest Box Challenge web site reveals that there are currently 28 gardens and 91 nest boxes registered in Pembrokeshire for this on-line garden nest-box recording project (an average of just over 3 boxes per registered garden). The gardens/boxes appear to be quite well distributed across the County in about 18 OS ten kilometre grid squares. Potentially this could give a fairly reasonable picture of box occupancy across the county.

In 2007 there were 60 submitted records. So far only 16 records have been submitted for the 2008 season (including records of unoccupied boxes). According to the latest results recorded box occupancy in Pembrokeshire in 2008 is just 8%!).

A degree of caution is required as at present we have no idea of the type of nest boxes registered, or of how regularly or consistently they are being checked. But do the 2008 results really reflect a very poor occupancy of garden boxes this year, or are further records still to be submitted? If you have registered boxes from your garden and have outstanding records to submit, then hopefully the "real picture" should eventually emerge.

www.bto.org/nbc for more information.

An email message recently received from Clive Hurford (mainly about fritillary butterflies at Castlemartin, where we have had literally thousands of marsh frits and a good number of small-pearl bordered frits this year) that he saw a Green Sandpiper on the Western Cleddau on 24th June (near St Catherine's Bridge). This is sort of in keeping with a record of one or two that he saw near there in early July two years ago.

Clive wonders if these records are not early returning birds, but more perhaps it is likely that one or two non-breeding birds might spend the summer on the river. If the area was checked regularly throughout the summer perhaps we find out more?

Yesterday, 28th June, I noted what to me appeared to be quite good numbers of juv blackbirds, song thrushes, goldcrests, coal tits, marsh tits, treecreepers and chiffchaffs in Minwear and Pickle woods. Could not find any evidence of tree pipits in areas they were displaying in April/May; both wood warblers and spotted flycatchers also seemed hard to find. There were at least 3 Common Sandpipers along Eastern Cleddau River.

Dispersing juv herons building up at Bosherston lakes now - between 7-10 individuals there on Friday 27th June. Reed warbler fledglings there and also at Llangloffan Fen.

Teifi

This evening from St Dogmaels quay, 38 Black headed gulls and the first juvenile of the year. (1st July last year).
No young Shelduck around the estuary but there were four at Jewsons this morning being watched by a fox.

Dinas Head

Chough 8 family party

Peregrine 2 male and female

Guillemot 300

Razorbills 50

Gannet 30

Swallows 20+

Choughs

3 Juvs with 2 adults on the cliffs at Marloes ( same nest site as last year) while I was looking at them, 4 adults flew in & exchanged greetings - 1 had an alloy ring on right leg, which I was unable to read.
Also 1 (male?) Kestrel.
Had a look at the Gann, Sandyhaven chapel & Blackbridge - too many people, dogs, canoes etc... can`t wait till Autumn!

Angle Bay & the North

Kilpaisson;-
63+ Curlew, c20 Black-headed Gulls, & 1 male Wigeon, a first returning bird, from where?
Pembs. Ringing Group,(150+ birds caught this am. in this Constant Effort Site session).

Ty-Rhyg;-
Tree Pipits, Redpolls, Siskins , also Sedge Warbler feeding young & Willow Tit this afternoon.
Rosebush Resr;-
1 Great Crested Grebe, 5 Coot including 1 on a nest, Mallards including fem. with young. Again Siskins & Redpoll & a male Reed Bunting. The water level has risen again, fishing from the bank & a boat this pm.
Also Ringlet b'flies at both above sites today.
(Fishguard Bird Group)

Strumble Head 09.45 - 12.15

Conditions much calmer than anticipated, although the wind did pick up slightly towards 12 o'clock so nothing exceptional (like an albatross!!). Birds of interest included: Gannet 95+ , Fulmar 22, Kittewake 7, Manx shearwater 156+, Common Scoter 6.

Fishguard & Nevern Est.

Nevern Est. Update;-
1330; 3 Sandwich Terns audible & sometimes visible from the Boat Club.

Fishguard Harbour;-
From the Flagpoles, 0530-0615; Cetti's, Grasshopper & Reed Warblers singing near the Seaview Hotel. On the Beach, 6 Black-headed Gulls; with 3 Sandwich Terns feeding in the bay & 1 Black Guillemot could be seen feeding from here too.
A walk to the rugby pitch , at least a further 4 Reed Warblers singing along the reed-bed edge & Cetti's singing from the Dyffryn corner as well.

Nevern Est;-
The 3 young Shelduck have survived another night, & the juv. Black-headed Gull still present with 4 sub-adults.

All the above in a windless, sun trying to break some light cloud start to the day.--- Not like that now!

Strumble Head & ...

Strumble this am;-
1 Bonxie, 2 Sandwich Terns, 8 Puffins, 7 Common Scoter.
Fishguard Harbour;-
6 Black-headed Gulls, but no sign of any Black Guillemots late morning.
St. Justinians;-
4 Common Scoter,
Newgale & Broad Haven, plenty of Manx Shearwater movement, as at all the above sea-watching sites.
(several observers.)

Marloes Bee-eater - possibly!

Yes Dave, I was also unhappy about "hanging around with the sparrows". Didn't sound very bee-eater-ish. Will try to find out more.

Rosemary

Albatross -- South through Ramsey Sound

An Albatross, probably Black-browed was seen flying South through Ramsey Sound at 12:30 today. Seen from the mainland by a visiting birder.
(news via Steve Hinton)

Black Guillemot & Black-headed Gulls

Fishguard Harbour;-
1 Black Guillemot appeared this afternoon as the ferry left it's berth.
5 Black-headed Gulls roosting Stena side.

Nevern Est;-
5 Black-headed Gulls, including the first juvenile seen here this year.
The Shelduck still have 3 young!
(Janet & Richard D.)

Fortunes Frolic;-
2 Little Egrets, 2 Shelduck & an impressive count of 48 Black-headed Gulls by mid-afternoon.
(Paul G.)

Marloes Bee-eater

Hi Rosemary, an interesting report but to me "hanging around with Sparrows" doesn't sound right for a Bee-eater - but then this may not be quite what it was doing. They are birds of open countrym but I could picture one perched on a garden fence if it was open. It might be worth you visiting her garden to see if you could picture a Bee-eater in that location and behaving how she describes it behaving? A Black-headed Bunting would sound more likely if it was hanging around with sparrows perhaps.

Bee-eater in Marloes

Yesterday a friend in Marloes reported that another mutual friend had seen an unusual bird in their garden on Monday evening. It was reported as having a lemon yellow face and chestnut at the back of the head and being about Starling sized. I vaguely though it might have been a Yellowhammer but Marina, whose garden it was, had looked through the common birds in the bird book and couldn't find anything like it.

I then forgot about the whole thing until reading the blog this morning "Bee-eater on Ramsey" it trumpeted!! I rang Marina and asked her to look up Bee-eater in the bird book - was that the bird?? Yes, it was completely right she said - and I believe her as she knows her common birds well. Apparently it was in the garden at about 6:30 pm hanging around with the Sparrows, but the Jackdaws drove it off. It then came back again for a short while but not long enough to get a photo. So if this was the Ramsey bird why on earth is it heading North? Or maybe it's a different bird. Who knows. Exciting in any case.

Only snag is, I didn't get to see it!!

Rosemary

PS There have been several sightings of a Merlin around the Peninsula over the last fortnight or so.

The gann

Early yesterday morning (23rd June) the first Common Sandpiper of the "autumn" on the river plus around 60 Curlew.
Also got notification of a Hoodie (crow!!) on Skokholm on 16th - Alistair Proud.
The Deer Park chough have four fledged chicks and there is a resident pair of Peregrine on the headland as well as a pair of Kestrels apparantly feeding chicks somewhere near Martins Haven.

Tuesday evening -- first Green Sand!

Green Sandpiper;-
Pembroke Upper Mill Pond this evening with 4 Redshank.
(John H.)
Fishguard Harbour;-
17:00, no sign of Black Guillemots , 2 Black-headed Gulls.
Nevern Est;-
5 (now 14 by 21:15) Black-headed Gulls, Shelduck with 3 young.

Ramsey Bee-eater

Nothing extra to report since Richard's email. The bird was found by a day visitor just before 3pm. It was sitting on fencing wire near the buildings catching bees. At about 3:40pm it began calling and flew very high out across the Sound, heading roughly in the St. John's Point direction.

We'll keep an eye out for it in case it returns this way and let you know if it does. Good luck with finding it on the mainland!

2nd known record for Ramsey - 1st record in June 1996

BEE-EATER - Update

BEE-EATER;-
Flew from Ramsey- high towards St. John's Point at 15:40.
(Greg)

BEE-EATER to Med. Gulls

Ramsey;-
Bee-eater 15:00 Ramsey today, news from Greg, I,m sure he will add to this later!
(Greg-Ramsey)

Mediterranean Gulls;-
Arrivals today; from Isles of Scilly east to Devon, our first birds are now due!
Birds back in Norfolk y'day.

Teifi.Est.. Shelducks

Teifi;- y'day evening;
Jewsons, ad's Shelduck with 4 small young, & ad's with 10 well grown young.
St. Dogmael's Quay, ad's with 8 well grown, & ad's also with 4 smaller young.
3 Black-headed Gulls also from the Quay.

Teifi;- this am;
1 Little Egret back, & 5 large juv. Shelduck, far bigger than last night's birds.

Angle

At Kilpaison this morning a lone Knot with a little red around head and chest but otherwise seemingly in winter plumage. Also 2 Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin. Are these returning birds?

Goodwick & Northern Headlands

I got a good view of a badger that paused as it crossed the path at Pen Anglas this evening and behind the Seaview Hotel a big bat as well as one of the usual little sort.

Spotted Flycatchers

For the record there was a Spotted Flycatcher feeding at the entrance to Canaston Woods today. It was using the Forestry Commission sign as a perch from which to launch its sorties. There was another SF by the roadbridge in Haverfordwest on 12th.June.

Fortunes Frolic & ..

Fortunes Frolic ;-
This pm, 30 Black-headed Gulls & 1 Little Egret.
A cycle ride around Millin & Picton, also produced no further returning birds.
Passing through the Creamston area, no further sightings of Yellowhammers present recently.
(Paul G.)

Nevern Est;-
This evening, 1 Kingfisher above the bridge.
Y'day, 3 Black-headed Gulls, & Shelduck with 3 young still.
Teifi est;-
Last night,10 Black-headed Gulls from the Quay, & Shelduck with young at Jewsons still.
Canada Geese up to 159+ & Mute Swans now 26+.

Black Guillemots

Fishguard Harbour;-
Both birds feeding by the ferry berth at 1700.
(Janet A.)

The Black Guillemots were present in the harbour until 10th July last year.

Strumble this am.

0800-1100 this am;-
2 Storm Petrels, 8 Puffins, 1 Sandwich Tern & 1 Dunlin all passing west.
To give a feel for some numbers of more regular species passing, c 9000 Manx Shearwaters, c100 Fulmars, c 250 Kittiwakes, c500 Gannets & c4500+ auks, mainly Guilllemots, in the 3 hrs.
No sign of any Black Guillemots in the Harbour to complete the "summer auk" set.
(Fishguard Bird Group).

Hooded Crows

Of interest - 4 hooded crows (together) at Trefeiddan Farm on Sunday 15 June (from Derek Rees). Derek has also had a cuckoo singing there since April with a female calling in June. Grasshopper warbler singing there yesterday.

Chough are fledging in good numbers here on Ramsey but the weather couldn't be worse for them!

The 2007 Pembrokeshire Bird Report is now available. For details on how to obtain a copy please see here.
Congratulations to the editorial team of Jon Green, Steve Berry, Stuart Devonald, Wendy James, Trevor Price, Adrian Rogers and Derek Grimwood for getting a great report out so quickly.

Nevern & Teifi Ests.

Nevern Est;-
From the bridge, but downstream a pr. of Shelduck with newish young - down to 3 already!
11 Curlew on the dune-spit, 1 Black-headed Gull.

Teifi Est;-
3 Sandwich Terns feeding around bouys, 40 Oystercatcher & 2 Black-headed Gulls roosting at the Webley. 2 broods of small Shelduck at Jewsons, couldn't count the young.

Last year, the first returning Mediterranean Gull was on the Nevern Est., 23rd June.
(Pembs. Bird Report 2007, -- available from Jon Green)

Teifi Marshes & ...

Teifi Marshes;-
Friday afternoon (& Thurs. evening) no further sign of the Hobby around the Reserve, or in the Teifi Valley as far as Llechryd.
From Heron Hide Thurs. evening, 34 Mallard, 2 prs. Teal, & 1/2 Cetti's singing.
Friday, Lesser Whitethroat singing from the river area from the Reserve Viewpoint.
(Karen & Richard D.)

Pembroke U.M.Pond;-
2 Redshank, Thurs. evening.
(John H.)

Fishguard Harbour;-
No sign of the Black Guillemots y'day late morning.

Fishguard Harbour

3 Sandwich Terns fishing in the harbour first thing this morning

Hobby

Good view of a Hobby feeding over the Teifi at the Wildlife Centre for half an hour this afternoon.
I first spotted it from the river lookout picnic spot but also seen well from further upstream where the canoe trips leave from.

Teifi

Teifi, this early am;-
10 Ringed Plover & 1 Dunlin, on Poppit, viewed from The Patch where a male Wheatear was present. In the main estuary, 8 B.h. Gulls, c140+ Canada Geese & 28 Mute Swans.
At Jewsons a pair of Shelduck with 4 young, the only young I could find today.

Cardigan Town, a Peregrine hunting Feral Doves above the streets at 1300.

Shelducks at Newport

A terrible year.4, possibly 5, pairs have produced just 1 brood of 4 which had all gone within a couple of days.

Bonxies

Two Bonxies passed west at Strumble Head this morning, a good movement of normal sea birds including four Puffins one carrying food.A very brief and distant glimpse of a fairly large cetacean which I suspect was a Minkie Whale but not a good enough view to be sure.

Ceredigion bird report

The 2006 Ceredigion bird report is now available at £5.40 including postage from John Davis, Trisant, Aberystwyth, SY23 4RQ. It is well worth having a copy.

Cuckoos and gale force SW wind (no link!)

I hope there are more cuckoos around but as one who has been watching out for and listening for cuckoos on Castlemartin peninsula and comparing notes with local Range watcher (Peter Hughes) over most of the last 25 years I am not yet convinced.

When we had cuckoos regularly breeding here they usually turned up in late April and could regularly be heard calling for a few weeks at least. More over you could often find them perched on fences hunting and feeding on Drinker or Oak Eggar moth caterpillars in the same locations over the same period and so I was pretty confident they were occupying summer territories.

Female bubbly-gargling calls would be particularly noticeable from around mid May onwards and well into June when male calls were much less obvious (remember part of the well known saying "in June he changes his tune" referring to the female calls?).

However, I would say that territorial and probable breeding cuckoos have been very scarce on the peninsula over at least the last 4-6 years. This year's pattern was much the same. Occasional late April/early May male cuckoo song, but nothing regular and no real evidence of any territories being properly established/occupied. Despite searches, they appeared to be mostly absent in most of May until the unexpected spread of late male calls for a brief period in early June.

The interesting thing was that this period of activity did coincide with the arrival of a few southerly/easterly migrants (including hobby at Stackpole), but of course they could have been returning males. They had apparently stopped calling regularly at Llangloffan by the end of May, so perhaps they continue to call when moving south?

If there has been an increase in cuckoo numbers in north Pembs, then hopefully we will see a recovery in the south. If they have had a good year then we should hopefully find some migrating juvs perched on fences in and around July/August. But comparison between the 1984-88 South Pembs Atlas data and 2003-07 data for the same area in MapMate is pretty striking!

Please ensure that all sightings are added to the National Atlas www.bto.org/birdatlas

This evenings SW gale has produced some pretty spectacular seas and sights at Elegug Stacks - hundreds of guillemots flying high in the air over the stacks and even occasionally almost over the car park! Waves/spray crashing over headlands like Mewsford Point - could be bad for the seabirds and for some fledgling choughs along here! Many gannets were being driven close inshore and many thousands of Manx shearwaters were going west close in to the cliffs. Must be the possibility of a "good seabird" blown up from the south? Too wet for me to hang around there for long - I got soaked!

Cuckoos etc

I do believe we all need to be careful about anecdotal evidence regarding breeding numbers/success etc. However, and clearly breaking my own suggestion here, I would think that there has been an increase in Cuckoos breeding in North Pembs this year. The male in the 'Bocca Valley' at St Davids has been there for well over a month and has been accompanied by a female on at least 8/6/08. There has also been a long staying male at Ty Rhyg, accompanied by a female on at least 1/6/08. These at least are unlikely to be late or returning migrants. I have heard up to 3 males in a day in the St Davids area on a couple of occasions but have not previously recorded anything like this since 1999 when I returned to Wales. Of course I may have been unlucky in the past, that's the trouble with anecdotal evidence - you can't know, and it leads to a series of disputes regarding diverse experiences and time in the field. I would suggest that there are more Cuckoos about this year, and breeding, but have no basis for being dogmatic about it.
Thanks to Paddy J for confirming breeding Teal at Ty Rhyg and presence of Crossbills which I was fairly sure were still there but hadn't been able to prove in recent visits.

Martins Haven etc

Sightings via e mail from Sash Tusa:- Martins Haven - Female Kestrel last night at c.1900,Pr of Peregrines chasing a Collared Dove (unsuccesfully). Choughs have fledged young: a group of 6 and another familly gp of 4, at least. Good views of all the auks, Gannets and Kittiwakes in Jack Sound and off Wooltack Pt from c 2 hours pre- high tide. 6 Swifts y'day afternoon over the skylark fields. Fulmars at the end of Deer Park: very hard to count, but appear to be from 2 to max 12 occupied sites, probably 2-7 nests. Gann 80 Oystercatchers at HT roost, also 1 summer plumage Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover,1 Whimbrel. The shelduck pair still have 12x shelducklings: unchanged from 2 weeks ago (but more grown up). W Ceddau Kingfisher by Catherines Bridge carrying food. Also GS Woodpecker, Swift, House Martins, lots of bats from 2100-on. Chiffchaff singing, also Blackcap. Milford Chiffchaff singing directly above rail station, another (or the same?) above the docks. Marloes Sands: Kestrel, 2x Peregrine.

Cuckoos

I've just read Bob's posting about late Cuckoo migrants. Is it possible they are returning birds because adults don't hang around long and they have gone very quiet in the Preselis this last week?

Ty Rhyg

Whilst checking empty Kestrel boxes at Ty Rhyg today saw a family party of Crossbills with the young still being fed - I didnt know they bred this time of year. The Teal have six ducklings on the pond and Redpoll were everywhere. At least three broods of fledgling Tree Pipits and a cuckoo still around. There was a female Kestrel looking very tatty but no sign of a male so presumably they failed their breeding attempt. At Carn Ingli there was no sign of Whinchats at any of the former breeding areas so Brynberian is possibly the only definite breeding site in the county for this species.

Treecreepers - minwear area

Noted the comment about possible scarcity of Treecreepers in Minwear wood, I have to say that this year in a BBS square and TTV areas I cover, I have been more aware of them than in previous years; noted 2 nests (fledged young now) and personally have been thinking they were having a good season in Minwear, Pickle and Canaston woods. One pair nested right next to the Forestry car park nearest to Blackpool Mill, and prob fledged 4-5 young about 10 days ago.

Three pairs of great spotted woodpeckers have recently fledged young between this location and Canaston Bridge - quite a high density (all within the same 1 km sq).

Has anyone confirmed redstarts breeding near Blackpool Mill this year? They usually nest here, I usually hear them at dusk, when the young are just about fledged in early-mid June, whilst surveying bats. I have noted them each year for about the last five years but I have not been aware of them here so far this summer, but they can be remarkably quiet and unobtrusive.

Barn Owls, Kestrels and Yellowhammers

During a cold last evenings survey of old farm buildings north of A40/ Slebech, Annie and I did not find a hoped for roost of horseshoe bats but we did confirm breeding barn owls. Nearby a male kestrel was hunting over a young plantation and later at dusk a female kestrel was noted heading towards Wiston Wood - they must be breeding somewhere nearby! On the 3/4 km walk back along the farm lane to our car we did pick up a greater horseshoe on a bat-detector. It was heading along the lane towards the farm and we are pretty sure they use the area as a night-time feeding-roost.

On the small road up to the farmstead, we noted at least 3 male yellowhammers in full song - could have been more - certainly a nice little breeding population. On the way home, young tawny owls at Canaston. We know of at least 5-6 broods out of the nest now in south Pembs, but compared with 2007, they are a bit later this year.

Received our 2007 Bird Report the other day, like the new style; a lot of useful information included - well done Jon/Steve et al.

Black Pool Mill

One Juvenile Dipper by the weir independent of parents, also 2 Adults present, Grey Wagtails with food, Spotted Flycatchers feeding young in the nest. 2 Goshawks seen briefly.

News at sea

Balearic Shearwater;-
1 circa 5 miles South of Grassholm yesterday.
(Cliff B.)

Black Guillemots .. etc.. to Whinchats!

Fishguard Harbour;-Black Guillemots.
Have spent some time watching these birds, it would appear they are now present in the harbour all the time . We have seen them out of the water on the wall/metalwork. For quite long spells, especially when feeding, both birds are on the water together. However, 1 bird flew over to below Fishguard Fort to feed this morning, whilst the other stayed Stena side.
Probably the easiest/ most reliable Black Guillemots that we have been able to observe!
(probably not breeding though.)

Outer breakwater;-
2 Chough flying towards Pen Anglas.

Nevern Est.;-
17 Black-headed Gulls this am.

Fortunes Frolic;-
17 Black-headed Gulls this am, (11 y'day)
1 Little Egret last Fri. 13/6.
(Paul G.)

Whinchats -- Brynberian Moor.
Paddy spent several hours y'day carrying out the most comprehensive survey(ever!) of the area for Whinchat. A minimum population of 8 breeding pairs was his findings for the area!
Clearly a very valuable effort & result!

Another Kestrel

1 Male at Lindsway bay, St Ishmaels, this evening.

Goshawk

Goshawk(male)over Treffgarne Quarry this pm

Black Guillemot

Message from Janet A,
1 Black Guillemot was in Fishguard Harbour today.

Minwear High Wood

This afternoon saw a tree pipit, black caps feeding two youngsters and a
treecreeper. Used to be a time when you always saw treecreepers in these
woods but now it is the exception rather than the rule
John M

Waders and foxes

Six dunlin on the Carew-Cresswell today, as well as a few curlew heard calling there and in Garron Pill.

Other creatures of note were three foxes. The first a well-grown cub that came within 10 feet of me before panicking and crashing through a fence, the second an adult carrying a rabbit across a field - and ignoring me as it went past, and the third a small cub that probably belonged to the adult, but was exploring out in the open on its own.

Hobby etc

Hobby this pm at Sealyham. St Davids Hd am Whimbrel and many Small Heaths. Yesterday at St Davids Hd: Cuckoo, 13 Starlings (only 1 juv)and Dk Green Fritillary (a male I think and being uncharacteristically obliging). At Ty Rhyg 2x TreePipits and Redpoll, there has also been Grasshopper Warbler there and possibly, surprisingly perhaps, breeding Teal.

A few waders, Teifi, etc.

Teifi;-
This morning, only from Pembs. side,
Shelduck 10 juv. at Jewsons & 55 Canada Geese.
Shelduck 6 newish juvs, opp St. Dogmael's Quay & 88 Canada Geese.

Kilpaison;-
Yesterday morning, still 8 Dunlin, & at roost 65 Oystercatcher & 42 Curlew.
Also trapped on Fri. night 5 Small Elephant Hawkmoths-- with Elephant Hm.

The Gann;-
2 Whimbrel on the saltmarsh Friday evening still ( Steve S.)

North Pembs

Teifi, early morning - wader numbers consistently low now after the big passage 2 weeks ago, just 12 Dunlin and 3 Ringed Plover. 3 Sandwich Tern feeding over the bar.

National Park viewpoint near Nevern - Yellowhammer feeding young.

Pen Y Bal, the headland north of Newport, designated a heathland reserve, is worth a visit. Probably underwatched as it is a bit of a trek up from Newport beach but good variety of habitat. Numerous young Stonechat, Whitethroat and Linnets. 3 pairs of Wheatear feeding young. Kestrel, Ravens and Chough seen as well.

Late Cuckoos - still migrating?

Over the last 10 days we have had late male cuckoos calling at Stackpole and on Castlemartin Range. Spoke to Clive Hurford on the Angle peninsula last weekend, he had recently heard a cuckoo at Freshwater West. Briefly we heard individuals in late April but nothing much since until beginning of June. Today, whilst Annie and I were doing our weekly butterfly transect walk near Landshipping Quay, a cuckoo flew across the road. We have been unaware of cuckoos here before, certainly the first one we have seen in this area. It seems to Clive and I that these are most likely to be late migrants, but it would be nice if they are not and are staying around and breeding in south Pembs where they have been decidedly rare in recent years!

Other birds of recent note include:
Dartford Warblers feeding young in a regular S Pembs location. Willow tits have bred at Llangloffan (thankfully)! I was beginning to think they had finally gone as I could not prove them breeding in April. Single purple sandpiper with a turnstone (both in full breeding plumage - the purple gloss really obvious on the former) yesterday on Castlemartin coast. Goshawk calling in one regular area where they are probably breeding; plenty of fledged siskins around too.

Castlemartin peninsula seabirds etc and Atlas update

At Stackpole a hobby noted mid week, it appeared at dusk - when some of our 500-1000 pipistrelle, 500+ greater horseshoe and c. 200 lesser horseshoe bats were starting to emerge!

Whole colony seabird counts more or less completed on the Castlemartin peninsula and study plot counts at two main colonies at Stackpole and Elegug Stacks have at least one more visit to do. Still to add up all the sub-colonies figures but at present they suggest that Auk numbers are pretty similar to last year, if a wee bit late breeding. Around 15,000 guillemots on the peninsula, 1,000 razorbills, several puffins in three separate locations between Stackpole Head and Mewsford Point.

At Stackpole Quay, we have also recorded black guillemot - not yet sure if it will stick around or appear in the cliffs where we had one resident in summer many years ago.

Gull numbers pretty well the same as last year. Unlike St Margaret's/Caldey, kittiwakes down to around 25 pairs nesting. Though curiously, around 200+ adults and imms have been feeding off Elegug Stacks over the last week or so and there are plenty of close inshore sand eels around!

Occupied Fulmar sites are at their lowest ever here. I have yet to see any eggs and many sub-colonies are vacated - though birds are flying around the cliffs.

Atlas changes:
Some of you may have noticed the down-grading in species richness maps in the Breeding Atlas since yesterday. Sorry about this! Annie and I plus others (via the Regional Atlas forum) are partly responsible for suggesting these changes were made. See the message from Simon Gillings BTO Atlas Development Officer below.

"As suggested by various people I have now recalculated the species richness maps so that they exclude species that were coded as M, U or F. Also, all species with no breeding evidence at all are also excluded. So the map now only shows species richness of those that are possibly, probably and confirmed to breed. This is how it should have been all along, so apologies for misleading. As you'll see, the result is rather marked to say the least.

Most areas now show up in whites and yellows rather than oranges and reds. But it is a better indicator of where effort needs to focus next".

Marloes Stonechat

There appears to be 2 of these colour variants, 1 seems to have a territory in the area below "Green mire cottage" to the edge of the beach, either side of the track - the other is the usual place on the rough ground west of the YHA.

Tregroes Moor - Fishguard

All records yesterday;
Fishguard harbour;-
No sign of Black Guillemots early afternoon.

Tregroes moor;-
Team visit to the moor, 2 territorial Lesser Whitethroats the only birds of note, a few other breeders recorded.
Other highlights, a Keeled Skimmer(f), a good site record. 3+ Common Heath & 1 Burnet Companion moths( both species scarce but prob. under-recorded in the county.)
(Janet, Adrian, Steve, Richard D.) Photo- Adrian.

Pembroke U.M.Pond;-
3 Teal back & 2 Shelduck. (John H.)

Breeding Whinchats in Wales

From John LLoyd, (BTO Wales);-
A posting on the Carmarthen site;-
1 Whinchat singing from a patch of gorse near to the dam quarry. This was the only Whinchat seen in the whole of the morning surveying (mostly in other counties) in the Llyn Brianne area. A very scarce species this year.

South Pembs

A visit to Stack Rocks in evening sunlight showed off the Guiilemot colony wonderfully yesterday - lots of activity on the stack and loads of birds on the sea. Gannets passing and many Manx Shearwaters heading west back to Skomer. (if you visit Stack Rocks you can check if the range is open on 01646662367)

Elsewhere in the south I have seen Dartford Warbler feeding young, Lesser Whitethroat and plenty of Whitethroats and Stonechats busy feeding young as well. A Red Kite over a freshly cut hay field in St Florence last Sunday was a good record this far south.

Dartford Warbler

I saw one at the coastal site in the north of the county as the sun went down at 21:30.

North Pembs

Birds of note seen on a quick look at a few sites this morning;
Ty Rhyg - Tree Pipit, singing well.
Rosebush Reservoir - Great Crested Crebe. The water level is low so worth checking again for waders along the edges.
Ty Canol - Male Redstart on a fence near the entrance to the woods.
Along the cliff path north of Newport, not much around in the wind but House Martins, Razorbill and Fulmar seen, presumably nesting on the cliffs.

Richard D and Wendy J

Strumble Head

Just the usual summer resident sea birds passing good numbers of Manx Shearwaters, also four Puffins.Several small groups of Porpoise present and showing well.

Lapwings inland

Saw a pair yesterday at Llysyfran, they flew over the dam, across the lake heading towards Woodstock, breeding pair perchance?

Teifi & ..

Teifi today;-
On the rising tide, very little, 2 Sandwich Terns sitting on bouys, 25 Mute Swans, 177 Canada Geese,... numbers building.
At Jewsons a new brood of 8 Shelduck today. Talking to Jon G., this is probably the 5th brood this year on the river... all young so far???.

May Round Up

Lyndon's monthly round up for May is now on line - click on the Puffins for a direct link.

St David's Area

Some sightings from Derek Amer, who has recently moved to Pembrokeshire, via e mail:-
Porth Clais - Spotted Flycatcher and Lesser Whitethroat, Whitesands - Cuckoo, Solva - breeding Grey Wagtail.

Green Hairstreak

I saw another or the same one at Carnfathach, the highest point of the escarpment between Pen Anglas and Carregwastad.

Black Guillemots & Fishguard area

Fishguard Harbour;-
This morning the pair of Tysties loafing on the water together behind the Lynx, not long before it sailed.
Nr. Strumble;-
Whilst surveying birds came across a Green Hairstreak not far from the demolished Coastguards lookout.
Harbour Village to Pen Anglas;-
1 Red Kite drifted over going East.
Not far from the Coastguards/Stena small store building, 5 + Small Pearl Bordered Frittilaries, also Small Heath.
(Janet A. & Richard D.)

Flagpoles;-
1 Whimbrel at c.16:00(Adrian R.)

Woodchat

ps - the lower of my two pics makes a really good background image for your PC - if anyone wants a hi-res version please e-mail me david.astins@btopenworld.com.

Ty-Rhyg & Brynberian Moor .. & House Martins.

Ty -Rhyg;-
A visit this morning, viewed from c50m inside the gate, Tree Pipit singing, Cuckoo & Redpoll.
Brynberian Moor;-
Again this morning, Whinchats feeding young, Cuckoo, Redstart, & Redpoll.
Dragonflies, Keeled Skimmer& Large Red Damselfly seen.
(Paul G., Richard C., & Richard D.)

House Martins;-
Following a few discussions re. numbers breeding, I guess our largest breeding "colony" this year is at Chevron/Texaco with c100 nests on tanks.
(John H.)

Deer Park

I was really pleased to see this Woodchat Shrike instead having just missed the earlier one, during the afternoon it was showing on and off but sometimes quite well.

Woodchat Shrike

Cracking views of the shrike this evening - I think Stuart saw it after 9pm. I found just plonking myself down in amongst the gorse and waiting did the trick, pics digiscoped using a handheld Samsung NV3.

Also 2 male Tufted Ducks at Marloes Mere from the Scammell Hide, and a Whimbrel, 7 Dunlin & 15 Ringed Plover at the Gann.

St Margarets

Just updated some of the counts and data:-

342 Kittiwakes on nests - almost all sitting now. 4th highest count ever and the best since 1986 - fantastic recovery in the face of reductions almost everywhere else.

202 Cormorants this year c/w 179 in 2007. Approx roductivity data from 83 nests exactly 2 chicks per pair. Lots of very big chicks around but still quite a few on eggs and tiny chicks.

Guilli numbers around 700 I think but I still need to do the detailed checking - so Richard was wrong on that one!!!!

Razorbill numbers seem lowish but I could be wrong on that when I add it all up.


Has anyone got any Great tits in their boxes?? We have checked over 100 in the last week and have seen about five with Great Tits c/w probably a thrid of them last year. Blue tit brood sizes seem low - on caldey of 8 broods max was 6 and on the mainland very few over 8.


Nice views of the Woodchat tonight too. Looks like a first year female with primaries quite faded and worn and pale edging but I wouldn't mind seeing a good photo to confirm this 'cos its not all that easy on females.

Woodchat Shrike & Hobby

Deer Park;-
The adult female Woodchat Shrike still showing very well at 14:00.
Directions see below. (Mike Y-P.)

(Photo Steve Berry - who didn't chase the bird)

St.David's Head;-
Pair of Cuckoo, & Dark Green Fritillary this morning.
(Mike Y-P.)

Teifi Marshes;-
A Hobby briefly over the mound near the Visitor Centre at c14:10 today.
(Arfon W.)

Woodchat Shrike on the Deer Park

A lovely adult, generally sitting in gorse towards the south side near the rath (i.e turn left at the top of the steps). I first saw it at 0800-0815 (and had to run back to the cottage to check the book; I could not believe my eyes!), and again at c.1130.
It was originally being chased by an individual with a large camera. He certainly got some good pictures, but only at the expense of disturbing the bird, which I thought was inexcusable. I was therefore very relieved to see the bird again later in the morning.

Hooded Crow at Winterton Farm

While ploughing this evening, the farmer at Winterton Farm, near Marloes, had a Hooded Crow following the tractor.

Message via Steve S. via Richard D!!

St. Margaret's Island -- Cormorants

St. Margaret's, off Caldey;-
The island visited today with the main objective the annual ringing of the young Cormorants.(Wales largest colony).
A successful visit with c180 juv. Cormorants ringed. All the island was not reached due to some heavy showers!
Great Black-backed Gulls, probably not a good year, of c18 nests looked at only 9 sizeable young, the rest, eggs or v. small young, which may not reach fledging this late.
Guillemots,(from sea) low numbers on ledges today, may indicate a poor year, needs consolidating with other counts this year.
Steve S. also thinks that Kittwake may be the most numerous nesting gull on the island this year.!
From last weeks visit probably at least 2 pr.'s Puffin nesting.

(Pembs. Ringing Group)

Brynberian Moor

5 Whinchat found on another visit to the moor in calmer weather (3 male, 2 female)
2 Cuckoos being mobbed, one was an adult male, the other was a reddish brown female trilling like a curlew. It didn't look like a juvenile so maybe it was a rare hepatic morph?

Teifi

This evening from The Webley, 22 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover and 1 Black headed gull.
Amongst the 120 Canada Geese was a larger goose. I guess it was a Canada X Greylag hybrid with a white eye ring, white base to a black tipped pink bill and pale pink legs.
The Cetti's warbler that Richard found this week, in a new site by Poppit car park, was singing and showing well.

Stonechat

Stonechat still present at the rough ground at Marloes.
I had an email from my good friend Gavin at Seaton, Devon, yesterday telling me he`d just had his third Cattle Egret of the year, in breeding plumage - may even be breeding he said, what with so many in the West country. His parting comment was they don`t seem to like Pembs! Did I say he was a good freind?!!

Black Guillemots .... etc.

Fishguard Harbour;
The pair of Tysties loafing on the still water in the sun this am.

Strumble Hd. Tetrad;-
A bit of breeding bird survey work incorporated a good look at Richard's Valley for that June migrant... not to be found.
A visit to the farmhouse did produce a record of 13 occupied nests of Housemartin, 11 on one side together.
1 Kestrel(m) hunting continously.

Penlan (deforested area), nr. Carn Ingli;
Y'day, again doing a breeding survey, 1 pair of Kestrels, & Cuckoo on a fence being given a lot of grief by Meadow Pipits, the notable records.
(Janet A. & Richard D)

Landshipping, Hoopoe

News via e mail from Heather Davies:- DEFINITELY heard but did not manage to clearly see a Hoopoe 3rd June 8pm Landshipping SN015E117N.

Pen Anglas

A group of 70+ Swifts circling over head,2 Chough and a male Common Scoter on the sea just off shore.

Shelducklings

On Tuesday there were 13 Shelducklings with on adult on the pools at the Gann - will be interesting to watch their progress. As far as I can tell, two have survived to maturity in each of the last two years but from smaller broods - maybe more will make it this year.

Kestrel note - there is a bird regularly hunting (successfully) in the marsh behind our house (N of Mullock Bridge).

Rosemary

Knots this morning in the rain.

Update, Nevern Est., 1000, past HT;-
No sign of the 5 Knot present earlier this am, but a new selection!
22 Sanderling, 20 Dunlin, 6 Ringed Plover.

Teifi, 0630;-
Before HT, waders in front of Boat Club, c. 20 Ringed Plover, c.25 Dunlin, 2 Sanderling, & 1 Knot.
Out on the main mud, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit.
At Jewsons 5 juv. Shelduck with very agressive parents!
At The Webley 152 Canada Geese.

Nevern Est. 0800;-
All waders on the dune-spit, 5 Knot,(-no sign of sum.plumage),
1 Sanderling, 6 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin.

Could have been more waders at both, rain hampering visiblity, & birds sheltering in seaweed etc.

Teifi

This evening on Poppit beach, Dunlin and Sanderling numbers as this morning but also 25 Ringed Plover.

Whinchat - to waders

Brynberian Moor ;-
This afternoon we had a look at the usual breeding site, not ideal time or weather, & only 1 bird, a male seen.
Cuckoo, the only other bird of note.
Another look later a the Carn Ingli site again, no sign of any Whinchat.
(Wendy J. & Richard D.)

Teifi;-
This am HT, from the lifeboat station, 26 Dunlin, 4 Sanderling. (no Ringed Plover!)
Nevern;-
This am HT on the dune-spit, c.17 Dunlin, c.13 Ringed Plover.

Freshwater West & Angle

A little after high tide this morning at Freshwater West 15 Dunlin, 10 Ringed Plover, 6 Sanderling, 1 Turnstone and 12 Oystercatchers. 20 or more House Martins along the cliff and a Whitethroat singing his heart out by the road.
At Kilpaison very quiet with 38 Oystercatchers.

North Pembs. Breeders?

Black Guillemots -- Fishguard Harbour;-
Both birds were present close to the the rear of the ferry at 1400 today. These are the same pair, ( ad. & sub-ad.), as has been seen. Easy to see today as flat calm!
Cliff B. mentioned to Adrian that he saw 1 recently, including 1 going into the harbour wall?

Goodwick Moor;-
From the path around the waste ground Reed Warbler singing.

Cetti's Warbler -- Poppit;- (see below)
Jon G. has replied that this site was one of the original breeding sites, but deserted more than 15 years ago. What a return!

Teifi & Nevern this morning HT.

Teifi, from the Lifeboat Station, Poppit;-
39 Dunlin, 25 Ringed Plover, 12 Sanderling. 1 Bar-tailed Godwit roosting with Oystercatchers at The Webley, also 114 Canada Geese.
A Cetti's Warbler singing from the wet area next to the PCNP car park,-- a new site for them!?

Nevern, on the dune-spit;-
23 Dunlin, 23 Ringed Plover, 1 Sanderling. 4 Swifts screaming around the Boat Club area together.

2.6.08

Nolton Haven, south of Newgale 12.00 - 13.15 Very misty (visibility no more than 200 metres). Fulmars 26 occupied nests, Stonechats with food, House Martin 13+ around farm buildings, Linnet 5, Chiffchaff 3 calling up behind the carpark.

Mares Y Garn, Crymych, single Goldcrest, Red Kite 1 flying over by the house. Confirmed breeding so far around the yard/gardens(young fledglings) Blackbird, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Robin and Collared Dove

The Gann

The Gann;-
High-Tide this evening, 10 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 1* 1st s. BH Gull.
(Paul G.)

N Pembs. waders this morning's HT.

Newport;-
On the beach as v.high tide, 5 Sanderling, 28 Dunlin, 3 Ringed Plover.
Teifi;-
On Poppit beach as v.high tide, 6 Sanderling, 40 Dunlin, 35 Ringed Plover.

Seabird Counts.

Fulmars;-
Adrian did some counting nr Pen Anglas y'day, having noted comments about Fulmar numbers wanted to record that he came across a cliff with a 30 + sitting birds, the cliff-face was full!

St. Margarets Island;-
This was surveyed by boat y'day, Steve S. will give you the year-on-year comparisons; we did see 2 Turnstone, but no fishing Sandwich Terns which we usually do see.
Caldey;
We did land on Caldey for a couple of hours, nothing but the expected breeders.
Trefloyne Fishing Pits;-
Cetti's singing on a brief visit.

Teifi Canada Geese

95 Canada Geese around the estuary this evening. Looking through the records this would seem to be a very high count for the Teifi in June although the Cleddau has had huge numbers in the middle of the month.
The small waders were roosting on the spit at high tide, 25 Ringed Plover, 20 Dunlin and 2 Sanderling. There has been massive disturbance on the estuary all afternoon with 4 Jetskis racing around so the rest of this mornings flock might have moved on.

A yellow-legged gull breeding nr Elegug Stacks

Did the 3 hr long whole colony counts at Stack Rocks (Elegug Stacks) yesterday. Numbers of fulmar and razorbill down - as noted at Stackpole. However, there is an interesting gull pair with 2 small chicks. One of the pair (prob the male) is a definite typical LBB. His partner though looks like a yellow-legged gull (certainly not LBB) with much paler grey wings (mid way between LBB and herring) and she has yellow legs.

However, as they are nesting in a small colony of mixed herring and LBBs, it seems just as likely that the LBB is mated with a hybrid herring x LBB. I wonder if this bird (if indeed it is a hybrid) may be a descendant of some of those manipulated experimental Skokholm LBB x herrings of some 25-30 years ago - are they still turning up and breeding anywhere else?

On the other hand, perhaps it is a real yellow-legged gull - it looks just like one of those Mediterranean birds and of course LBBs head down in that direction in winter! We may never know exactly what this one is. Its yellow legs may be a bit dirtier looking yellow than the LBB, but then again they may be a bit soiled.

It is nesting to the east of the main stacks. We have a short video-clip of the "yellow-legged" gull at the nest, Annie has not yet had time to look at this yet.

Ceibwr

Housemartins nesting in holes in the cliffs by Carreg Wylan. 4 Chough. 1 Gannet flying flying very close in to the cliffs.
On the sea between Ceibwr Bay and the Witches Cauldron, 60+ Razorbills, 20 + Guillemots.

Teifi estuary sunday morning 1st June

Wader flock off the railings: 60 Dunlin, 8 Sanderling, 25 Ringed Plover, 3 Whimbrel and one Bar-wit.

Yesterday - Teifi Marshes - very quiet, as one would expect - 2 singing Cettis & Lesser Whitethroats around the Heron (Pentwd) hide.