Newport Thurs Evening

Suddenly it's all go.8 Black T Godwits, 2 Redshanks, 1 Whimbrel, c10 Ringed Plovers, c50 Dunlin, 46 Oystercatchers (with another 27 on the roost), 2 Turnstones, a Common Tern & a juv & a 2nd yr Med Gull.

Strumble Head

This mornings birds,1light phase Arctic Skua,20 male and 8 female Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Terns and 4 Puffins.Also 30+ Porpoise.

Teifi est.

Teifi est;-
Today,0600 at Patch, 5 Sanderling & 2 Dunlin.

Strumble Hd. & Fishguard harbour.

Strumble;-
1400-1600 .ish;
1 Storm Petrel, 1 Common Scoter, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Common Terns, 1 Whimbrel.
A few Swifts appeared to be coming in, & a feeding school of c20-30+ Porpoises showing well.
Visibility generally very poor though;

Having seen the nos. of Cory's & other seabirds that have been seen today off the SW, Strumble may be worth a look tomorrow again.. even in these winds.

Fishguard Harbour;
1630; 2 juv. Med. Gulls & Ad. & juv. Sandwich Terns, Stena side roost.
2 ad. Common Terns roosting on groynes, Flagpoles.

(Adrian R., Kevin J. & Richard D., photo by Adrian.)

Nevern Estuary

Nevern Estuary this am;-
On the mud, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Dunlin.
From the iron bridge, 1 juv. Med. Gull, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Kingfisher, Common Sandpiper calling.

Swifts and willow warbler

Maes y Garn: Swift 7 seen on Monday evening ahead of the storm front and a willow warbler heard singing yesterday.
Pentre Galar: House martin 13 sitting on power cables.

Lesser whitethroat

Moving quickly through the gorse & bramble scrub, that runs alongside our tearoom at Thornton Ind. estate, Milfordhaven.
Just athought - with the Autumn not far away,time to get into Buff breasted pipit & Cattle egret mode....... to name a couple!

Fishguard Harbour - Med's.

Adrian, Carol, Bella & I had intended to have a walk along the Outer Breakwater for the first Purple Sandpipers.! But we couldn't, so a look for Med. Gulls was in order.

Bingo!
A call from Adrian, he had got 5 Juv's & a 2nd winter at the Flagpoles. There was already a 2nd sum. at the Stena side.
These juv's have just arrived with us in Fishguard , so pehaps more will arrive with this weather system.?
None on the Nevern est. on the way home.

Teifi & Nevern Ests.

Teifi, 0700 this am;-
Patch, 4 Sanderling, 1 Dunlin, 1 Ringed Plover.
Jewsons, a min. of 11 Common Sands, a low sun prevented looking up river.
St. Dogmaels Quay, 2 Redshank
Webley, 1 Barnacle with Canada Geese.

Nevern Est;-
From the iron bridge, 3 Common Sands, Kingfisher, & 2 Whimbrel.
On the mud, 2 Ringed Plover.
(Sam B. & Richard D.)

Northern Headlands

2 juvenile Peregrines flew along the cliffs from the direction of Pen Anglas toward Carregwastad at 13:30 and at the latter site perhaps the same second summer Med Gull flew west past the headland at 15:00 and reappeared offshore at 17:30 and overhead at 18:00.

Llanstadwell

Med Gull 1 Ad ! summer

Dolphins

Thanks to Cliff Benson of Sea Trust for a great Pelagic trip some 25 miles out into the Celtic Deep. Highlight of the day was a fantastic pod of up to 200 Common Dolphins and some smaller groups were seen too including many young calves. A close up encounter with the Gannets at Grassholm was a breathtaking spectacle. Other birds included Manx Shearwaters, Puffins and Guillemots and quite a few (min 13) Storm Petrels. Click on photo for a full screen version.

Silver - washed Fritillary

Felindre Farchog;-
These very large fritillaries were showing well today, in woodside meadows along the river Nevern. Park in the Salutation car-park, and walk west downstream along the footpath, go past the water treatment works and look around the brambles in the meadow through the gate.
Remember this is not a public car- park, & the butterflies are not likely to be seen unless it is sunny, warm, & not usually before 1100.

St. Catherines Bridge;-
Kingfisher, & Emperor Dragonfly this am.
(Janet A.)

Minwear Viewpoint

Minwear Viewpoint;-
6 Common Sandpipers.
(Paul G.)

Fishguard Harbour & Nevern Est.

Fishguard Harbour;- Black Guillemots.
At 0630 this am a sub-adult plumage bird carrying a fish flew in to the harbour wall area, circled then landed on the water. Then flew up to the wall where presumably fed this to his mate?, which was present there;-an adult bird. The sub-adult then flew off again.

Flagpoles; 1 win. plum. ringed Sandwich Tern, & 1 Turnstone.

Nevern Est;-
2 Ringed Plover at the Boat Club

Carregwastad

I saw the same or another second summer Med Gull offshore again and it flew away west at 18:30.

Kilpaisson ..& mainly Cleddau sites.

Kilpaisson this am;-
Male White Wagtail.

Ad. & 1st. Sum. Med Gulls, & ad. colour-ringed B.H. Gull, 1 Sanderling, 4 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plover, 14 Dunlin,& 2 Redshank.
Sat. night - Whimbrels calling.
Pembroke U.M. Pond;-
Only 1 Green Sandpiper.

Little Milford;-
1st Sum. Med. Gull, 1 Common Sand., 3 ad. Little Egrets, c45 Redshank & Dunlin.
Hook;-
10 Greenshank, 7 Black-tailed Godwits & 1 ad. Little Egret.
Llandstadwell;-
Ad & 1st. Sum. Med. Gulls
Sandy Haven;-
5 ad. Little Egrets
The Gann;-
2 Whimbrel.

Various observers.

Saturday 26.7.08. Maes y Garn, Crymych: Willow tit 1, House Martin 2, Swift 2, Raven 2, Linnet 4 (2 adults/2 juv), Buzzard 1, Red Kite 1, Meadow Pipit 23, Skylark 2.

Sunday 27.7.08. Yellowhammer 1 (singing at the junction of disused airfield and Reynalton road, SN096104), Swift 3 (Blaenffos), House Martin 7 (Crymych).

Sat/Sun

22 Choughs at Marloes, of the 3 juvs I saw a couple of weeks ago there now appears to be only1 with the adults at the site where they "hang out".
1 femail Kestrel, 2 Fulmars, 2 juv Peregrines - flew over from the Martinshaven direction.
c40 Starlings mostly juv.
Sunday- 1 femail Peregrine & juv at Lindsway, St Ishmaels.
At Wooltack point this evening, Sue Pritchard found a humungus green & black striped caterpillar which she identified as a future Emperor moth!

Carregwastad

I saw perhaps the same second summer Med Gull offshore with the Black-headed Gulls and Kittiwakes and three Sandwich Terns at 15:00 and 16:15; six male and one female Common Scoter flew west past the headland at 15:30.

Cleddau & ...

Little Milford;-
1st. sum Med. Gull, 7 Greenshank, c40 Redshank, 2 Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Little Egrets(ad's).
Sprinkle Pill;-
5 Whimbrel, & 11 ad. Little Egrets.
(Paul G.)

Deer Park;-
Last night 25 Storm Petrels caught.
(Pembs. R.G.)

Carregwastad

I saw the same or another second summer Med Gull fly west over the headland at 16:00 and back east past it at 18:30.

Teifi

At low tide this evening from the railings - 1 Adult Med gull and 2 Whimbrel. 25 Lapwing - none recorded on the Teifi last year between January and September. 1 Adult Little Egret (of note, a juvenile was seen on the River Towy at Cilsan Bridge today).

Jewsons - 12 Common Sands and a metal ringed Black headed gull. It was close enough to have read the number if it had stood still but was too busy feeding.

South Dairy Mountain (turtle dove)

I visited this site today, no sign of the Turtle Dove, but 3 Yellowhammers the highlight.
An excellent walk though through the mixed farming & mixed young plantations, along the bridle-way. (SN002162) is the grid ref. for the chuch car park near the start of the track / bridleway.

Angle Bay

At Kilpaison early afternoon c. 120 Curlew, 103 Oystercatchers, 1 Redshank, 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, 4 Whimbrel, 2 Sanderling, 7 Dunlin, 5 Ringed Plover, 1 Turnstone, 4 Common Gulls.
At Freshwater West a Merlin mobbing a Buzzard.

Nevern est.

Nevern est., this am;-
1 ad. Med. Gull, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Dunlin, 2 Ringed Plover, 1 Kingfisher.

Little Egret juveniles

There have been a number of sightings of little egrets reported recently, but none state whether the birds are adults or juveniles. Have they bred in the county this year?

Juveniles should have paler browny-grey legs with greeny-grey feet, and the skin between the eye and bill is grey rather than yellow. Please take a closer look.

Turtle Dove

A Turtle Dove was seen on a farm track nr. Wiston y'day morning by Ed. H., a good record and the bird will be looked for today. Anyone had any other sightings this summer of Turtle Doves.?
I recall Bob seeing some this Spring on the south coast.

Teifi this evening

From the railings - 2 Ringed Plover, probably the first returning birds, 4 Dunlin, 3 Redshank, 2 Whimbrel and 52 Curlew.

Jewsons - 10 Common Sands, a Kingfisher and an Otter.

crossbills at gelly

3 or 4 crossbills flying over Gelly at 5.00pm today.

Little Milford - Cleddau est.

This mornings post HT visit by Paul G. has produced so far;-
Juv. & 1st. sum. Med Gulls, 2 Common Sands, 9 Greenshank, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Little Egrets, c70 Redshank, & 2 Dunlin & 1 Curlew.

Crossbills

A party of 11 Crossbills flew over at Pen Anglas followed by another single bird twenty minutes later.

Nevern Est.

Nevern Est.;-
This am, 1 ad. Med. Gull roosting nr. bridge, 2 Whimbrel, nr. Boat Club.

Carregwastad

I saw a second summer Med Gull fly in off the sea at 17:15, reappear and settle on the water at 18:00 and fly away east at 19:15.

The Quest.....

Still looking, watching, waiting, wondering.........

Skomer

Thanks for the Skomer info - I have also seen Little owl on Skomer this year, for the first time !!

Skomer

Excellent day on Skomer. Highlights were 3 Porpoises just off Martin's Haven (2ad. 1 calf). Minimum of 2 Common Dolphin's further out under a flock of 30 or so diving Gannets. Wendell Thomas had another 7 Porpoises off Skomer Head.
On the bird front c.40 Common Scoter passed while waiting for the boat out and on the island 5 Little Owls seen including 2 Juvs, 2 Short Eared Owl, a Juv Ring Ouzel (Morris North and Wendell Thomas), a flock of 14 Chough. At The Wick plenty of Puffins present bringing in beakloads of Sand Eels. Loads of Kittiwakes, a few Fulmars and just one or two Guillemots present.

Teifi & Sprinkle Pill

Teifi, this pm;-
Jewsons, 1 Little Egret, 2 Common Sands.
Opp. St. Dogmael's Quay, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, c70 Curlew, 2 Whimbrel.
Main Estuary, 2 Sandwich Terns, 2 Med. Gulls (ad. & 2 sum.), 1 Bar-tailed Godwit, & 1 Barnacle with one of the Canada Geese flocks.
Also, most surprisingly 2 new v. small juv. Shelducks! The other 30 juvs are beginning to move around now.
( & Richard D.)

Sprinkle Pill;-
This pm, 1 Greenshank, 1 Whimbrel, 7 Little Egrets.
(Paul G.)

Little Milford -- Current hot-spot!

Paul G. has decided after recent visits to make this his daily pilgrimage for a while,
Watch this space!

This am, at / falling HT;-
1st sum. Med Gull., 17 Black-tailed Godwits, 11 Greenshank, 2 Common Sands, 2 Whimbrel, c70 Redshank, c50 Curlew.

Paul is viewing from the footpath running south towards Hook.

N. Pembs

Nevern Est;-
Just past HT 1 Redshank, little else.
Fishguard harbour;-
At HT, quiet, 1 Black Guillemot present but difficult to view this am.

Teifi;-
8 Common Sands. at Jewsons on the Teifi, the best I could find at 0630 in the mist.

Crossbills

A group of 10 Crossbills flew over today at Dinas Cross at 1.15pm heading in the direction of Fishguard

Guillemot Fishing Tales

Click on the photo for a full screen version!

The Quest is nearer for Derek & Dave!

Or ..Cattle Egrets have bred, (although in Somerset!)

Following last winters invasion, Cattle Egrets have bred & reared at least 1 young in Somerset this year.
This news will feature on BBC1 tonight at 19:00 in "The One Show."
This is believed to be the first breeding in the UK of this species.

Perhaps one ...... in Pembs???

Pembroke Upper Mill Pond

Last night;-
1 Black-tailed Godwit, 4 Greenshank, 2 Green Sandpipers.
(John H.)

Angle Bay, Manorbier & Stack Rocks

Mid morning on the stretch between Kilpaison and The Lodge 50 Oystercatchers, 15 Curlew, 2 Whimbrels and 4 Ad. Summer Med Gulls.
Along the coast path at Manorbier this afternoon 3 juvenile Kestrels and a flock of 12 Chough.
Evening at Stack Rocks - only a few Guillemots left on the Stacks with a few well grown chicks in amongst them, no doubt all will be gone within a few days. Plenty of Guillemots on the sea.

More Monday Records

Little Milford;-
Update from below, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Greenshank, c100 Redshank & 2 Little Egrets.
Hook- Fowborough Point;-
2 Whimbrel, & 2 Dunlin.
(Paul G.)

Fishguard Harbour;-
45 Oystercatcher & Whimbrel.
(Adrian R.)

Fishguard Harbour

Today, 1330;-
2 2nd sum Med gulls, 1 at Stena side, 1 at the Flagpoles.

2 Black Guillemots seen, 1 definitely a sub-adult, & the other bird also looking like one. Until now we have only proved 2 birds, 1 ad. & 1 sub-ad. which have been present continuously? since 12 April.
Have we now/ had 3 birds involved in the Harbour?

Little Milford

Little Milford;-
14 Black-tailed Godwits this am. (Paul G.)
Another good site for the" new site guide".

Oystercatchers at Newport

Yesterday (Sun) am; a flock of 49 on the estuary, with 1 by the Boat Club, 4 on the beach & 24 on the roost = 78. My record for this site.
Nil else of note.

Pen Anglas

3 young Swallows perched and being fed by an adult.

Teifi Marshes

Black Tailed Godwit 1 on the river
Cettis Warbler 1 calling by kingfisher hide
Curlew 5

Kilpaison - Angle Bay.

Kilpaison, last night;-
c2200 , Sandwich Terns calling, & an adult with 1 juv. watched come in to roost on the foreshore. Also calling, Common Sand, Whimbrel, Redshank, Curlews & Oystercatchers.

This am, 3 Sanderling, 2 Ringed Plover, 9 Dunlin, & 1 Common Gull, the notable species.

Gann - Shelduck and Peregrine

Pretty quiet as you might expect but there were 10 well grown shelduck with one adult - if these are the remainder of the original 13 then that's a pretty good survival rate. We had some entertainment from a juvenile peregrine who obviously fancied BH Gull for breakfast - he was flying up and down the river diving on the resting gulls trying to get them into the air. They did fly up, but only about a foot off the water and the peregrine was obviously not prepared to attack them at that height presumably for fear of getting wet. He tried a number of times but with no success. Last time we saw him he was being a bit over-ambitious and having a go at a Herring Gull!

Also 1 whimbrel, a few Redshanks and 2 GC Grebes in the bay.

Rosemary

Llanstadwell

News phoned in from Richard D of 4 Med Gulls at Llanstadwell - 2 Ad. Summer, 1 Ad. Winter and 1 Second Summer. He's on his way to Kilpaison so no doubt there will be news of waders later!

Where to Watch Birds in Wales

Further to my posting earlier this week regarding Birding Sites in Pembrokeshire you may be interested to see the article on the Birdguides website about the new addition of "Where to Watch Birds in Wales" by David Saunders and Jon Green - click here for the article.
I have already had a couple of offers of information to expand our own on-line guide to Birding Sites in Pembrokeshire - any more would be most welcome.

???? & Black & White Geese on Cardigan Island.

Hopefully this was on Cardigan Island!

Barnacle Geese;-probably a min. of 8 pairs nested raising a min. of 9 young, but eggs/small young still in 5 nests.

Canada Geese;-? pairs, at least 30 young reared.

Results from a visit 23 May 2008(Lizzie Wilberforce, SWWWT)

Strumble Head today

This morning;-
6 Storm Petrels, 2 Arctic Skuas, up to 20 Puffins.
(Richard S.)

This pm 1400-1530;-
1 Bonxie, 2 Sandwich Terns, 7 Chough (un-ringed).
(Adrian R.)

Shark

Cliff Benson's film of the Porbeagle Shark seen off Goodwick Beach earlier this week is on the BBC website - click here for a direct link.

Nevern Est.

1030, justpast HT, 1 Black-tailed Godwit & 1 Redshank on mud in middle of estuary.

Green Woodpeckers & recent news

Green Woodpeckers;-
BTO ATLAS WEBSITE, BIRD OF THE DAY MAP --- Have a look!

Speaks for itself, & the surrounding counties,
are they losing the species too?

Plenty in London! As a local birder found; 8 whilst watching Ring-necked Parakeets y'day in Richmond Park.!!

Pembroke U.M.Pond;-
Thurs evening, 2 Green Sands, 2 Greenshank, 4 Redshank. (John H.)

Teifi, y'day evening HT roost;-
Webley;-1 Little Egret, 1 Dunlin, 2 Whimbrel, c70 Curlew, 3 Redshank, 62 Oystercatcher, 206 Black-headed Gulls.

Teifi Est. & North sightings

Fishguard Harbour;-
1 ad Med. Gull..Cracking! describes Adrian. (16:10)

Nevern Est;-
1 Common Sand. above the bridge this pm.

Teifi, this am;- V. quiet as y'day.
Jewsons, 10 Common Sands; St. Dogmaels Quay, 2 Redshank; Webley, 1 Barnacle in with the Canada Geese.
Y'day, Whimbrel & 2 Dunlin as well: also all 30 Juv. Shelduck seen at their respective locations.

Carregwastad

I saw a common dolphin with a calf just offshore.

Strumble Head and Crymych

Strumble Head 12.7.08, belated posting. Birds seen included: Fulmar 9, Gannet 33 + 1 dead floating past the headland, Manx Shearwater 46, Common Scoter 67 (included at least 10 female), Kittewake 2, Storm Petrel 1 (seen by Richard S, not by me). The majority of birds seen this time were favouring travelling south in the north-east winds.

In fields south of Crymych being cut for silage, Buzzard 1, Lesser Black-backed Gull 143+, Herring Gull 27+.

Maes Y Garn, Crymych, Red Kite 1 (13.7.08) and another seen today, Starling 45 juveniles and 12 adults.

Newport Thurs am

The highlights were a Redshank & 2 Whimbrels.
The Med Gull on the 10th & 11th July had been ringed as a chick in Poland in June 07 & this was its 1st subsequent sighting.

Strumble Head

A single Bonxie flew west,8 Puffins apart from that very quite.No sign of the shark in the harbour today.

Shark

An as yet unidentified shark was present this afternoon in Fishguard Harbour very close to the shore.It was at a guess eight foot long.
Also present in the harbour were four Common Dolphins
Near by at Pen Anglas Bottle nosed Dolphins were also seen today.
Indentified as a Porbeagle Shark

Teifi Est. & other sightings

Fortunes Frolic;-
This pm, 7 Common Sands, & 1 Little Egret.(Paul G.)

Nevern Est;-
1 Common Sand. from iron bridge, 1600(Janet A.)


Teifi Est;-
By 1100 a Ruff, first seen earlier had moved to opp. St.Dogmaels Quay as the tide retreated.
Also 4 Dunlin & 4 Redshank along that bank.
12 Common Sands, at Jewsons.
1 Barnacle Goose with the Canada's earlier. I hope to have breeding figures for both Canada & Barnacle Geese breeding on Cardigan Island soon.

Fishguard harbour;-
2 Black Guillemots showing in the harbour this pm.
(Cliff B.)

Birding Sites in Pembrokeshire

You may have noticed a new link to the right to "Birding Sites in Pembrokeshire". This has been available from the Bird Group website for some time and is in need of some updating and the addition of more sites. If any regular birders out there can provide a few lines on any birding sites in Pembrokeshire you regularly visit which are not already covered please get in touch with me by e mail - pembsbirds@hotmail.co.uk - I can provide the link to a map and photos. Any amendments or additions to current Site information would also be welcome.On a similar subject the "Guide to Pembrokeshire Bird Sites" in the back of the Bird Report is also rather out of date. Any suggestions for additions to the list of sites would also be most welcome.
Richard Crossen

Some insects are almost as good as birds .......

Found an amazing ichneumon wasp, about 3 inches from end of antennae to end of ovipositor, in, of all places, Focus DIY. It was perched on an orange garden parasol! We (well Peter) liberated it to the outside world to the puzzlement of the Focus staff who thought it was a dragonfly. On returning home and looking it up in my trusty Collins "Insects" I find it was a Rhyssa Persuasoria also known as the Giant Ichneumon or Sabre Wasp. I assume it had hatched from one of the bits of wood in the shop, or been attracted by the wood in the stores. I presume it is now flying around Pembrokeshire looking for a pine wood and some Horntail larva to parasitise.

Rosemary

Quail (no sign) & Med. Gulls etc...

One of the Dark Green Fritillaries that Steve keeps seeing on the Pen Anglas headland.


Nr. Haycastle Cross;-
Had a look/listen at Robin's excellent site. Nothing calling at c1000 this am. Nice barley fields behind though.
A thought..We never used to wait until evening for Quail to call in the Midlands/SE.

Fishguard Harbour;-
2 Med Gulls at c1300, 1*ad, 1*2 sum.

Stackpole Green Woodpecker update

Yesterday, noted that there were at least five green woodpeckers about (a pair and a separate threesome). Not all were seen at very close range but at least two were typical speckled/spotted juvs. It may be that we have three juvs out now, but there maybe a second pair too - in the past we normally had at least two breeding pairs.

These birds flew over the lakes to feed on nearby grassland. Quite a lot of ants emerging (mating flying males/queens etc) in long grass appeared to be attracting at least two of these woodpeckers into quite tall ungrazed grassland on the north-facing slope of the Mere pool valley, behind Broadhaven dunes.

Quail also heard in cerial field on edge of Castlemartin Range late in the day - nr Trenorgan (a typical location for them on the peninsula).

Kilpaison

At high tide this afternoon 4 Sanderling and 6 Dunlin.

Aberbach -- North Pembs.

Sat. evening;-

Fishguard Bird Group set a couple of moth traps in a cottage garden leading to Aberbach beach.

The highlight of the night is published here by poular request! A Scarce Burnished Brass, quite a rare breeding moth, that has excited a few moth people. c60 different species were recorded. I have the full list if anyone would like to know more.

Many thanks to Guinness, Stella etc. for the evening/nights sponsorship.

No Quail

Paul & I joined Robin at Hayscastle yesterday evening to listen for quail, but without any joy. Worth another go though I'd say.

June Round Up

Lyndon's monthly round up for June is now on line. Please see link to the right.

Mon am.

Teifi;-
9 Barnacle Geese with the Cananda's this am. 7 Common Sands at Jewsons, & 9 Redshank at St. Dogmael's Quay. 20 juv. Shelduck seen,( the other creche will be somewhere).

Pembroke U.M.Pond;-
1 Green Sandpiper last night. (John H.)

Sunday Sightings

Fishguard Harbour;-
1 ad. Med. Gull, Stena side, c1000.
Teifi Est;-
6 Black-tailed Godwits, c1200,(Arfon W.)

Fortunes Frolic;-
9 Common Sands.,1 Little Egret, the Mute Swans with 3 young,(they didn't breed here last year).
Westfield Pill;-
1 Common Sand., 4 Redshank, 1 Kingfisher, pr. of Mute Swan with 4 young.
Llandstadwell;-
3 Med. Gulls, 2* ad., & 1* 1st sum.
(Paul G.)

Quail

Sighting (hearing) from Robin Taylor - Two Quail heard from 9.30pm on Saturday, one and a half miles North of Hayscastle Cross in field on West side of road ( B4330 ) immediately before the chapel.This is the Hayscastle Environmental Woodland with a planting of new trees in long grass. Park in the layby outside the chapel. Map Reference is SM902266.

Angle Bay - Kilpaison .. etc

Sat;-
Ad & 1*2 yr. Med Gulls, 15 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 146+ Curlew, 10+ Redshank, 5 Knot.
Fri evening;-
7*ads & 1*2nd sum. Med Gulls, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 27 Redshank, 1 Knot, 1 Dunlin.
Also Whimbrel & Common Sands calling as darkness arrived.
(Pembs. R.G.)

Llandstadwell;-
1 ad. Med Gull at HT today.

Nevern est;-
This am, 3 Goosander, 1 Common Sand, & Kingfisher above the iron bridge.(Karen)
This pm, 7 Redshank, & 1* 1st sum. Common Gull.

Corvids etc

Thanks Bob & Annie. BWP says "Although juveniles most often join adult flocks, they sometimes predominate or even form independent flocks, often with Jackdaw." This latter is what we get on the Nevern Est. It still begs the question of where are the adults. And can anyone give me any sure fire way of seperating juv Rooks & Carrion Crows. I know about curved or straight culmens, pointy heads, loose plumage & calling in 1s or 3s but haven't found any or all of them particularly helpful. Some years ago, when I was new to Med Gulls, I was advised to start with the bill (vs BHG), & it's true. Something similar for Rook vs CC would be much appreciated.

The 2nd cy Med Gull at Newport is Red PEK4-presumably from Poland or Hungary. I hadn't noticed the red ring on the red leg yesterday.Also a flock of 12 Redshanks & a Kingfisher this am.

Late summer corvid flocks, green woodpeckers and horseshoe bats

Noted Sam's comments about corvid flocks with no obvious bare parts (where were the adults if they are rooks?). We also get large flocks of juv rooks in south Pembs. Currently there at least 500 or more feeding regularly on Castlemartin peninsula. Whilst there are some carrion crows in the flock, the vast majority are juv rooks (but often get reported as carrion crows).

There are adult rooks in the flock too but I have often noticed that somewhat scrawny juvs with black bills and lacking pale bare parts form by far the bulk of the flock - especially in a good breeding season like this year. Many rooks appear to have fledged this year - they certainly seem to have prospered in the "moist summer"!

I also wonder if, like choughs, adult rooks may be taking their offspring to good feeding grounds and actually encouraging them to join "young birds clubs" to assist their dispersal and survival. Makes some sense if you are an adult, wanting a quiet life after hectic and tiring breeding season, when now you need to moult and build up your strength again.

We know, from colour-ringing, that this is what can appear to happen with choughs. Young choughs join up with other young of the year and non-breeding older birds - forming a wandering flock gradually growing in size added to by newly dispersing recruits. This happens any time around now. By the beginning of August many surviving juvs will have dispersed from their breeding territories and may be roosting some distance away in flocks with 1-2 year olds.

Green woodpeckers - 1 juv noted at Stackpole - seen feeding out in the dune grassland with the male. I think quite a lot of holidaying visitors will have seen them as they are occasionally feeding near the coast path at present - lets hope passing peregrines are not hungry! We are hoping to do a repeat ant-hill density survey this autumn (last done 15 or so years ago) to see if we can detect any changes that may point towards reasons for a decline in green woodpeckers on the peninsula.

We have just started counting and marking baby greater horseshoe bats. (The thirtieth season running at Stackpole that the bat productivity has been monitored). This years breeding season is the latest, probably for at least 10 years of more. The first births are up to 10 days late and the "pups" are also very small at birth compared with usual births. This does not bode well for good autumn/winter survival!

The key problem for these bats almost certainly relates to the cold April this year, when insect food was scarce at a time the bats should have feeding well and putting on weight after coming out of winter roosts. Certainly moth numbers were poor then and numbers are still way down - judging by regular weekly standardised light-trapping reports around the country (plenty of typical species but generally lower numbers of moths being caught). I wonder if other edge of range insect-feeding specialists are being similarly affected?

Newport Thurs Evening

At the bridge a 1st summer/2nd c y Med Gull. Upstream at the bend 2 juv Goosanders (I now know about the face markings). c20 Curlews on the roost in the Bay.

If all the larger Corvids in the large flocks on the estuary are juv Rooks (& Bird Track has forced me to realise that I'm not at all good at distinguishing same from Carrion Crows), where are their bare bill base parents?

Red Kite

A Red Kite gliding low over Narbeth town centre at lunchtime today caught the attention of several shoppers as well as that of the local Herring Gulls who promptly saw it off !! This was our first for Pembs. and a very welcome sight.

Teifi this am

Teifi;-
On the way to the Teifi, at the roundabout I watched a f. Sparrowhawk catching then struggling with a Collared Dove! on the verge.
Common Sands. 11 at Jewsons & 1 on the river on the reserve. c200 Black-headed Gulls around the estuary this am. 2 Cetti's singing on the reserve.
Shelduck, the 1 & 4 juvs with their respective parents, & the 2 large creches seemed as usual (16 & 9 respectively).
This looks like a very good year for them here, how are other young doing? Nevern est. had 3 & the Gann c7 recently. I assume Jane H. is carrying out the Cleddau counts?

Well done Derek A. with the 2 Green Woodpeckers, a notable sighting of perhaps? our rarest breeding bird??

Fulmars at Newgale

There appears to be 7 nest sites on the cliff at the Broadhaven end of the sands (above the natural arches) a total of 10 birds in all.
The marsh is flooded, with some 35 LBB/GBB/Herring gulls, with about 8 B/H gulls, 3 of which were juvs, partially hidden in the grass.

Strumble Head

A single Puffin , 14 male and 5 female Common Scoter most other seabirds were very distant today.50+ Porpoise which were very active.

Green Woodpeckers

2 Green Woodpeckers on the cliffs at Broad Haven (Bosherton). Identification confirmed as one 'yaffled' when they flew off. Elsewhere 2 Redshanks near the ferry at Pembroke Dock along with
about 10 Black-headed Gulls. A Yellowhammer was singing at Loveston, nr.Kilgetty.

Strumble Head, 0745 - 12.00

Again the conditions weren't as I expected, calm sea and very good visibility, guess the winds were too far to the south west. Birds seen included: Manx shearwater 490 (at least 90% were going north, a 15 minute count at 0745 showed 179 going north), Gannet 124 majority moving south, Fulmar 9, Common Scoter 27 (all moving south), Kittewake 1, Black-headed Gull 1 (s), Sandwich Tern 2 (s), Swallow 2 (s). Porpoise - very active, at least one calf with a parent.

Bangkok

Greetings from Bangkok. Great to be able to keep up with the birding back home! Good to see the Red Kites are having a good season. A few Sparrows, Mynahs and one Cattle Egret the only birds seen here to-date.

I think this qualifies as the longest distance Blog posting to date!

Red Kite breeding season

With most young Kites either fledged or about to fledge its a good time to summarise the season so far. This year Kites have continued to expand their range and increase in number within Pembrokeshire with at least 18 territorial pairs during April/ May compared to 12 last year. Of these at least 14 definitly attempted to breed and of the 11 nests located, 8 were successful. A total of 14 chicks were known to reach fledging age and most are still sat around in the nest trees looking very bedraggled in the wet weather. One chick of fledging age has been found dead and has been taken for post mortem examination.
Thanks for all the kite sightings that everyone has sent me and I'm still always interested to hear of more.

Abereiddy & Lapwings.

Aberreiddy;-
Adrian & I had a look to the north of the Blue Lagoon yesterday pm.

Yellowhammer singing on the wires, & both Kestrel & Peregrine present around the cliffs.

Also this Golden-ringed Dragonfly in the Barley fields. ( photo Adrian R.)

Ramsey;-
From Greg;
The Lapwings this year have failed to get any of the young to flying stage.

At Kilpaisson , Angle Bay, we have 4/5 young to the flying stage. Interesting to discuss the different breeding success.

Yesterday;-
Nevern Est, 1 Common Sand. & 1 Kingfisher.
(Mon.) Pembroke U.M.Pond;- 10 Greenshank to roost.(John H.)

Lizard on Goodwick Moor

It is a common lizard. It has lost its tail somewhere early in life and the tail has regrown. The older the lizard is when it loses its tail, the more the replacement looks as though it has been "stuck on" as an afterthought.

Castlemartin peninsula weekend 5th/6th July

Checks on most chough nest sites have revealed a pretty good breeding success so far. Around 20 nests had young, and although some pairs may have nested a bit later than usual fledging success is looking quite reasonable. No large brood sizes, but at least 17-18 of these have fledged young.

Paddy - whilst the three nest boxes had no evidence yet of kestrel occupancy, we now know that a pair of kestrels have reared 2 yng from a natural sea cliff nest (somewhere near Pen-y-holt Bay). The nest-site was not found but on Sunday morning Peter Hughes noted 2 recently fledged yng were sitting on the cliffs with both adults in attendance nearby. I went to have a look at them later on. It is pleasing that at least one pair out of 2 or 3 on the peninsula have been successful. Unlike all the peregrines between here and Tenby that appear to have failed this year.

Dartford warblers have also fledged at least 3 yng at one site - we could not prove breeding success on the peninsula last year.

Annie and I have just recently received in the region of 14,500 or so winter tetrad records from Nov-Feb (winter Atlas records for Pembs). We will be going through these later in the summer to check them and will be in touch with Jon and Steve about these some time. A cursory look suggests that there are not too many problems, though a red grouse recorded near Fishguard by a well known local birder is almost certainly an inputting error! We will easily be able to correct we're quite sure.

Anyway, we will eventually have quite a lot of potentially useful mappable records of winter bird distribution available for local use.

North Pembs pm.

Fishguard Harbour;-
Black Guillemot seen when ferry arrived.
1 sum. plum. Black-tailed Godwit(1700).
(Adrian R.)

Nevern Est;-
2 Dunlin on mud, & 1 Common Sand. above bridge(1600).

Teifi;-
Webley, 6 Sandwich Terns, 2 Whimbrel(1500).

Newport Mon am

26 Oystercatchers, 3 Sandwich Terns with the gulls, 3 Redshanks, 2 Dunlins on the spit, 8 Curlews (& 13 on the roost) & a calling Whimbrel overhead. No Meds or Common Sands tho.

Slebech swallow roost

At least 50 birds over the roost reed bed at 2130 last night. Also one common sand. on the pumping station 'pond' (tide high). With Richard D's thankyou in mind, one kingfisher flew down stream from a bit below Llys y Fran dam on 4/06 - my first record of k'fisher on this river and I am through there regularly.

Interesting nesting obs. for blue tits at L-y-F: My boxes just below the damn were a week behind those using boxes in recently opened up oak woodland at the top end of the Res. and productivity was noticeably lower.

Pen Anglas

2 young Swallows with some adults this afternoon.

Goodwick Moor

One of these on the Moor this pm.

Is it a Common Lizard?

Note the tail..

Pen Anglas;-

Dark Green Fritillary today.

Adrian R. & Steve B.

Strumble to the Teifi.

Strumble Hd;-
1 hour this am, 41 Common Scoter, & 1 Whimbrel past.
Nr. Trefasser, 1 m. Yellowhammer.
Llangoffen Fen;-
Pr. Willow Tit, noisy & active, must have had young nearby. 1 Whimbrel flew over.
(Adrian R. & Richard D.)

Fishguard Harbour;-
1 Black Guillemot present, first sighting for about a week.

Teifi Est;-
Jewsons, 1 2nd sum. Med. Gull again, 6 Common Sands. & 1 Red Kite.(well worn ad.)
Webley, 2 Sandwich Terns, 1 Little Egret.
In the estuary, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 2+ Whimbrel, 1 Redshank.

Teifi -- tonight's Med's & ...

Teifi;-
Jewsons, 18 (eighteen) Common Sands, & 25 juv. Shelduck.
St. Dogmaels, 10 Redshank.
The Webley, 2 ad. Med. Gulls,--- both birds different from the previous adults here (Thurs) & the head patterns Karen described of the Nevern birds this am. 1 1st sum. Common Gull.
5 Whimbrel flew to roost with the Curlew parties, some of these seen around the estuary earlier.
(Wendy J. & Richard D.)

Nevern Est;- 2 Redshank this evening, Whimbrel this am. 3 juv. Shelduck still.
Fishguard harbour;- 1 Redshank.
Pembroke U.M.Pond;- 3 Greenshank today.
(various observers)

Llangwm to Fowborough Point

or... Scarecrows to Ringlets!!

I persuaded Adrian to explore in the rain, so fully prepared we quickly found ourselves amongst the Scarecrows of Llangwm! ..much to Adrian's amusement ( he was unaware of the village's scarecrows!)
Up to a dozen Redshank being found, quieter than hoped, but not at HT.
The walk to Fowborough Point was equally pretty bird-free, but we did see & disturb from the the grass many 10's if not 100's of Ringlet butterflies, quite happy to be on the wing, in a break in some pretty awful weather, a couple of Meadow Browns too.
Curlew seemed to be well spread out on the mud, a few BH Gulls & Shelduck. As above, quieter than hoped, but not at HT., & an early look for waders on the move. Too early!
(Adrian R. & Richard D.)

An unusual cheese I recently tried are they becoming that common that we are now eating them.

Med. Gulls - in the North - Sat am.

Teifi;-
A 2nd sum.(col.ringed), St. Dogmaels before HT.(Wendy)
Nevern est;-
2*Ad/2nd sum. from the tennis courts before HT.(Karen)
Fishguard,Flagpoles;-
A 2nd sum. on the rocks at 0930.

Kingfishers

A small addition to Sash's posting. The River Anghof joins the Western Cleddau at Wolfscastle and goes past my garden a mile and a half upstream. I don't often see Kingfishers on the river (many possible reasons including access)however about 5 years ago a Kingfisher spent August at my pond and there's been one each summer since, gradually extending its stay to December. This year one (sometimes two recently) arrived on 21st June and will be here daily until - well we'll see.

Western Cleddau -- A Thank You.

A few weeks ago Richard C. & I were discussing how to get more varied records, from more people onto the this site.
It is not just for sightings of rare/scarce birds.
The posting from Sash below is of one of the type we are trying to encourage.
Excellent records of poorly known species from an area not watched by many.
Many thanks Sash for sharing your experiences with us, and I hope the fishing wasn't that bad!

If you do visit an area rarely/ never mentioned please tell us about it, and what you have seen.
You would be suprised how interested people are, several people have contacted us about Sash's posting already. Including an e-mail from Terry A. from the Marine & Fisheries Agency, who also surveys the Western Cleddau & is clearly interested in the sightings!

Richard D. on behalf of Pembsbirds.

Colour - ringed Med. Gulls

The challenge of reading colour-rings is back!
Teifi;-
This evening, Wendy & I experienced the frustration of viewing a 2nd sum. Med. Gull sporting a white ring on it's left leg. The bird was just about close enough to read as it moved up the sand as the tide came in, but due to the wind direction the bird always stood such that the butt of the ring edges faced us not the lettering!!
Tomorrows efforts may involve BREAD/CHIPS/??
This looked like one of y'days birds, the 3 ads' having moved on?
Also 2 calling Whimbrel dropped into the Curlew roost.
All juv. Shelduck(30) have been seen today at their various points.
(Wendy J. & Richard D.)

Bats (&birds) at Llys-y-fran resr.

The Teifi Bat Group are having a meeting to record species & nos. feeding at the resr., next Wednesday (06/07) at 900pm.
Confimation of visit details nearer the time.
A opportunity to also see what gulls are roosting at the resr. this early in the season?

A visit to Pontfaen this Wednesday, recorded 697 Soprano Pipistrelles coming out near "Bessies" Pub. & 45 out of Pontfaen Church. Some other species recorded, Daubenton's, Brown Long-eared, Noctule & Common Pipistrelle.
(Janet A.)

The Gann & the North

The Gann;-
A visit after HT this morning produced v. little, the pools are full & it was windy, no sign of any Meds, a few Black-headed Gulls inc. a couple of juvs. No waders could be found except Oystercatchers & Curlew. At least 9 large juv. Shelduck on the pools.

Teifi;-, Jewsons, 4 Common Sands this early am.
Nevern Est;- Quiet this early am.

Western Cleddau: Sand Martins and Kingfishers

I have spent a fair time on the river in the last c.3 weeks (the curse of the elusive sewin), and have been very pleasently surprised by the river's water (and so weed) quality, and the massive variety of insect life. The most obvious beneficiary of this is the large number of swifts seen over the adjoining meadows, and the colonies of sand martins, which appear to be well-populated. The largest of these that I have found has 30+ holes, and is where the river does a sharp turn north of Crow Hill (GR 951 179).
As reported elsewhere there is also a very healthy population of Kingfishers: based on my exploration of the river between, roughly, Haverfordwest and Wolfscastle, I would estimate that the population could easily be one pair per kilometre of river, and possibly an even higher density on the lower reaches. Of the birds that I have been seeing, over half have been carrying fish, so there should be a good number of young to be seen on the river in the next month or so.

Teifi Med Gulls

3 summer adults this afternoon, 1 at Jewsons, 2 from St Dogmaels quay.

This evening at high tide, the 3 adult Med gulls and one 2nd summer were with 115 Black-headed gulls just downstream from the Webley. This area of saltmarsh, sheltered from the sea by the end of Poppit dunes, seems to be a place worth watching at the moment with large numbers of birds coming in to roost. For anyone wanting to see summer Med gulls there couldnt be anywhere easier in Pembrokeshire as they can even be watched from the car.
Richard looked at Llanstadwell and Angle Bay today but nothing interesting.

Richard D and Wendy J

Strumble Head

This morning at the head 10 Puffin,6 male and 2 female Common Scoter also 2 Gadwall flew east at 9.30am.

Gadwall....

A brief look at bits of the Teifi & Nevern on the way home from work in the rain found very little on the rapidly rising tide,(0700).
The interest being on the end of the dune-spit at Newport, 1 sum.plum. Sanderling & 1 Ringed Plover; & on the estuary by the saltmarsh from the Boat Club, a pair of Gadwall.

Teifi this evening

As the tide started to go out late evening a large flock of Black-headed gulls came in from the sea. By 9 pm, around 70 adults and 10 juveniles were roosting by the Webley. No sign of the Med gull.

Teifi -- Med. Gull &...

Jewsons;-
1 Ad.,(with full black hood) Med. Gull at1200; then flew downstream towards St. Dogmaels.
2 Common Sands., & the 25 juv. Shelduck looking good.
Railings;-
More juv. Shelduck, 1 large with ads, & 4 smallish with ads.
Black-headed Gulls all along the estuary today.

Fishguard -- Med. Gull

Fishguard Harbour;-
High -Tide, (0715), a quick look for Black Guillemots- no joy. Only a few gulls around, so a look at the pitches behind the garage.
1 1st summer Med. Gull struting around!

Nevern Est;-
A look from the Boat Club, (0630), Manx Shearwaters again, today plunge-diving c30-5om off the beach, excellent views with the naked eye, let alone bins! Must be food for their liking v.close inshore in very shallow water.?
Also the 3 Shelduck young have survived another night!, & now 2 juv. Black-headed Gulls this morning.

St. Catherines Bridge

Janet A. has been & found the site today, no Green Sands, but 2 Kingfishers, which moved upstream.
Thanks Dave for the directions, sounds like a spot that may get some visits on the way south.

Mediterranean Gulls

Mediterranean Gulls;-
Llanstadwell today, 1 Med. Gull at low tide, 7 (seven) y'day at higher tide.
(Ed.H.)

Teifi;-
At 1300;-
3 Common Sand's & c25 Juv. Shelducks at Jewsons still.

Newport Tues am

An hour later than Richard. The 2 Sandwich Terns still there + 16 Oystercatchers & 15 Curlews. And yes the 3 surviving Shelduck chicks are still alive & well. A Red Kite over the bridge.

Lapwing Breeding at Kilpaisson

Some notes from John H. on breeding success;
Some 7 pairs made nesting attempts initially, 5 pairs have either been successful or laid replacement clutches. With 2 prs. moving out of the bunds and laying relacement clutches on a nearby field once cleared of it's crop.
5 of the 14 adults were carrying BTO rings, presumably birds reared at Kilpaisson in recent years, & 1 bird was a colour-ringed bird from last year.
4 of this years young have been colour-ringed so far.
Predation of the nests is high, particularly the intital nests/young, presumed by Foxes or corvids. Probably the best year for this population & it will be interesting to compare breeding success/productivity with Ramsey Island's population.

Nevern Est. & Fishguard

Nevern Est;-
0645 this morning, 2 Sandwich Terns roosting with 23 Black-headed Gulls,(1 juv.) Also 8+ Adult Gannets feeding in the river mouth & Manx Shearwaters passing west v. close inshore.
With these observations I thought Fishguard must be worth a look.

Fishguard Harbour;-
6 Black-headed Gulls at roost, but nice to see 3 Redshank with 9 Oystercatchers at the flagpoles.

Pembroke U.M.Pond;-
2 Greenshank on the pond last night,
(John H.)