2009 Two winter records of a single, possibly the same bird, firstly in Fishguard harbour on 19 Jan and then off Broad Haven (N) on 2 Feb. The earliest migrants were 7 off Tenby on 3 April.
A distinction between spring and autumn migrants is usually taken as July 1st (week 26/27). However, movements are clouded by immature birds that are in no hurry to get to breeding colonies, and failed breeders that may start wandering southwards before the end of June.
Note – This graph uses records from BirdTrack for Pembrokeshire only, and includes records from the Skomer and Skokholm logs going back to the 1947. There will be additional records submitted only to the county bird recorder.
Singles Druidston 27 & 28 Mar, Llanycefn 31 Mar, nr St. Nicholas 30 Apl, Dale Fort 20 June and Dale Airfield 30 Sept.
1991
Singles at St Nicholas on 16 April (GK), Porthclais on 3 May (JE), Skomer on 28 May (SJS et al) and Penberi on 16 July (MT)
1992
Singles St Govan’s Head (KM), Barafundle (KM), Saundersfoot (AG) and Mathry (per SB) on 21s April and Dinas 14 May (KL)
1993
Singles Llangloffan 15 Mar (DW), Penbrush 9 Apr (DDF), Strumble Hd 10 Apr (SB) and 12 Apr (MH), Ramsey first week of Apr (IDB), Angle early Apr (MH), Nevern 1-4 May (MAP), Tretio 9 May (JRH), St David’s 9-10 and 12 May (JB), Mathry 16 Sept (JB), Solva 16 Sept (per PR) and 18 Sept (per GHR), Elf Refinery 26 sept (HHG).
1994
Singles in April at Talbenny 1st, Goose Pill 4th, Skomer 21% Martin’s Haven 22 – 24th. Trevine 26th and St. Davids 29th. Singles were at Spittal on 18 May and at Corner Piece 15 Sept.
1995
Singles Marloes Mere 3 Apr. Skomer 15 Apr, St. Ann’s Hd 17-18 Apr, Whitesands 19 Apr, Skokholm 3-6 May. Skomer 12-17 Oct and Marloes Mere 19 Oct.
1996
Singles Skomer 5 & 17 Apr, Skokholm 5-1 1 May, Waterston I I Apr and Ramsey 7-11 Sept.
1997
Singles Martin’s Haven 9 Apr (per WTWW), Solva 12 Apr (JB), Trefin 20 Apr (BR), Priskilly 1 May (VJ) and Lydstep 8 Aug (JS).
1998
Singles Caldey 9 – Il Mar (NA), Broad Haven (N) 29 Apr (KJSD) and Barafundle 24 sept (RJH, AW, RE)
1999
No records in report
2000
Singles Ramsey (RH) and Westfield Pill (AH, AJH) both 9 Apr, Skokholm 19 Apr which was killed by a female Merlin a few hours after arrival (GT).
2001
No records in report
2002
Single Freshwater W 6 Apr (P.R.H)
2003
Singles Ramsey 27-28 Mar and 8-15 Apr (SA, PKG, LL), Skomer 22Apr (JGB), Tretio Caravan Park 19 Apr (JB).
2004
No records in report (but one at Llanwnda 2 April listed in GHR archive)
2005
Singles St Davids High Street 31 May (JB), Skomer 11 Apr and 25-30 May (JGB).
2006
No records in report
2007
The only record was of a single on Ramsey 23rd-25th May and was even seen feeding with Chough on one occasion (GM).
2008
On Ramsey a remarkable year with three different spring records. The first being a single bird from 18th -20th Apr followed by a second bird seen flying in from off the sea on 23rd Apr with a third individual on 8th May. On the mainland singles at Crosswell 7th & 16th Apr., at Moylegrove 16th — 18th May and at Landshipping on 6th June.
2009
Singles seen at Martins Haven 20th-21st Mar (ST) and Deer Park, Martins Haven on 5th -7th Oct (DGl).
2010
In spring singles at St. David’s on 22nd Mar (MW), at Tenby 25th-27th Mar (JC et al), on Ramsey on 2nd & 3rd Apr (GM), on Skomer 18th-24th Apr, at St. Brides on 9th May. In autumn a single in Milford Haven on 11th-17th Sept (GK).
2011
Singles St. David’s Head / Trefeiddan on 7th-9th Apr, Ramsey 10th – 12th Apr. and St. David’s 14th Apr. and Skokholm 25th – 29th Aug.
2012
No records in report
2013
The only reported individuals were at Angle Bay on 15th Apr, Pembroke 1st June and on Skokholm on 8th June.
2014
Single Watering Valley on Ramsey on 23rd Apr
2015
Two on Skomer on 9th Apr, with one remaining until 11th, then a single Marloes Mere on 14th Apr (photo below by R. Royle) with two here the next day. One in a garden near Castlemartin on 10th Apr and another near Freystrop on 9th July.
2016
The only records were of singles at Broad Haven South on 13th May and on Skokholm on 19th Apr and 14th-17th Oct.
2017
Singles reported at Haverfordwest on 30th Mar, Abercych on 27th Mar, Marloes on 28th Sept, at Wooltack Point on 1st – 3rd Oct, at St. David’s Head on 15th Oct and on Skokholm on 31st Oct,
2018
Singles reported in April at: Pelcomb Cross 14th, Marloes Mere 19th – 20th, Rosemarket 24th, Broad Haven 25th, Carnffoi, Newport 26th – 28th and Strumble Head 26th. One autumn record at Abercastle 25th Oct.
2019
Singles reported at Walwyn’s Castle 1 Mar, Broad Haven 3 – 11 Mar and West Lambston 19 April.
Records from Birdtrack, showing the period in which hoopoes are likely to be seen. Note that these records may include several sightings of the same bird, and additional records are likely to have been supplied to the county recorder.
Week 11 = second week in March, week 17 = 3rd week in April.
Week 36 = 1st week of September, Week 43 = 3rd week of October
Note that these are records from BirdTrack only. They include data from the digitised Skokholm and Skomer logs. They do not include all the records sent to the county recorder and therefore may differ slightly from the table above. A week with only one or two records may not show up at this scale.
Week 10 (earliest arrival) is the week beginning 2nd March,
Circus aeruginosus – BOD Y GWERNI – Winter visitor.
The Hen Harrier is widely distributed across northern Eurasia. In Britain it breeds primarily over 450m on heather-covered uplands, including in north Wales. In most areas it is migratory, heading south for the winter, although in some areas (including the UK) the migrations may be short – eg from the Welsh uplands to lowland heaths and mires, and to coastal areas – depending on the food supply.
Hen harriers are seen from the beginning of September (week 36) with the peak number of observations in October and November. It remains throughout the winter, with observations tailing off during April. Occasionally a straggler is seen during May.
The best areas for observing hen harriers are the St Davids Peninsula, Mynydd Preseli, Dudwell/Plumstone Mountains, the Marloes Peninsula, and the Castlemartin area.
The Curlew Sandpiper breeds along most of the Arctic coast of Siberia, and winter mainly along the coasts of sub-Saharan Africa but also in India and as far south as Australia and New Zealand (HBW). Individuals from the western Siberian population migrate via Scandinavia, stopping off at the Waddenzee off the north coast of the Netherlands and Germany. A number of these find their way across the North Sea to Britain, with a few making it as far west as Pembrokeshire.
Males leave the breeding grounds in July, followed later by the females; thus birds seen here in August are mainly adults, with some still in full breeding plumage. Larger numbers occur in September, and these are almost all juveniles.
Numbers are variable – one or two records in some years, dozens in others. This depends partly on the weather conditions over Scandinavia at the time of autumn migration, and partly on the number of young fledged in that year. The latter depends on the number of lemmings on the Curlew Sandpiper’s Arctic breeding grounds. When lemmings are numerous, predators such as the Arctic Fox prefer them. When lemmings are few, the predators turn to wader eggs and chicks (BTO Migration Atlas 2002).
Large influxes were recorded in 1969 and 1988 (see Curlew Sandpiper 1994); and in 1996 when 29 were recorded at the Nevern Estuary on 22 Sept, along with 11 at Hook on the Cleddau estuary the same day (high numbers were also recorded elsewhere in Wales).
Spring migration only occasionally brings one or two birds to Pembrokeshire. Most of these are seen in late April and May, the earliest record being 16th March on Skokholm, 1959.
When can they be seen?
The graph shows the cumulative number of records (not the number of birds) entered into BirdTrack since 1980. Although BirdTrack did not exist in 1980, a lot of data, especially from the island bird logs, has been added retrospectively. Conversely, not all records go into BirdTrack, and there is a lot of data missing from this graph. However, it does give a good indication of a few records in May (weeks 18-22), a few in July, but most from mid-August to late October (weeks 34 to 43).
Where can they be seen?
Records are scattered through the main coastal sites of the Teifi Estuary, Nevern Estuary and the Cleddau Estuary, on the latter mainly at the Gann and Angle Bay. Birds are also recorded passing Strumble Head.
Ringing
There have been few ringing recoveries involving Wales, and only one from Pembrokeshire. This individual was ringed at Angle Bay – one of the September 1996 influx – and was caught by a ringer in Spain nearly 15 years later in August 2011.
Annie Haycock (BBS & WeBS local organiser)
References:
BALMER D, GILLINGS S, CAFFREY B, SWANN B, DOWNIE I, FULLER R. 2014. Bird Atlas 2007-11: The Breeding and Wintering Birds of Britain and Ireland. HarperCollins. UK
LACK P. 1986. The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland, T & A. D. Poyser, London
LOVEGROVE R, WILLIAMS G, WILLIAMS I. 1994. Birds in Wales. T & A. D. Poyser, London
Pembrokeshire Bird Reports
WERNHAM. C, TOMS. M, MARCHANT. J, CLARK. J, SIRIWARDENA. G, BAILLIE. S. 2002. The Migration Atlas, Movements of the birds of Britain and Ireland, T & A. D. Poyser, London
Phoenicurus ochruros – TINGOCH DU – Winter visitor and passage migrant
The Black Redstart is found over most of Europe and parts of Asia in sparsely vegetated rocky areas, often at high altitudes. It is resident in parts of its range and migratory in others (HBW). In Wales, it is mainly a passage migrant and winter visitor.
There are few ringing recoveries involving Wales. However, the BTO Migration Atlas indicates that birds migrate through the UK between their wintering grounds around the Western Mediterranean, and breeding areas on mainland Europe, particularly the Netherlands, Belgium and France, and further east. Some birds stay for the winter, though it is not clear if these are mainly birds that have bred in Britain, or are continental ones.
The majority of records are from coastal sites, though as the map shows, there is a scattering of sightings across the county even in mid-winter.
Most records come from Skokholm and Skomer Islands, where data is gathered on a daily basis. However, as the islands are not normally occupied during the winter, there are few over-wintering records from them.
Only a handful of mainland records have been entered into BirdTrack each year, although this has increased to 20-30 in the last three years.
Mainland records in dark green, Island records in lighter green
The graph shows the cumulative number of records (not the number of birds) entered into BirdTrack since 1980. Although BirdTrack did not exist in 1980, a lot of data, especially from the island bird logs, has been added retrospectively.
Migration peaks show clearly. It has usually started by the time the islands are re-occupied in early March (week 11) and continues until the end of May for spring migration. Autumn passage starts in mid-September (week 41), continuing at least until the end of November.
2009 was an exceptional year for black redstarts seen on the mainland, with up to a dozen recorded on several days during October, and up to twenty in a day noted on the sightings blog.
Annie Haycock (BBS & WeBS local organiser)
References:
BALMER D, GILLINGS S, CAFFREY B, SWANN B, DOWNIE I, FULLER R. 2014. Bird Atlas 2007-11: The Breeding and Wintering Birds of Britain and Ireland. HarperCollins. UK
LACK P. 1986. The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland, T & A. D. Poyser, London
LOVEGROVE R, WILLIAMS G, WILLIAMS I. 1994. Birds in Wales. T & A. D. Poyser, London
Pembrokeshire Bird Reports
WERNHAM. C, TOMS. M, MARCHANT. J, CLARK. J, SIRIWARDENA. G, BAILLIE. S. 2002. The Migration Atlas, Movements of the birds of Britain and Ireland, T & A. D. Poyser, London
The Bar-tailed Godwit breeds in Arctic and sub-arctic habitats from northern Norway through Siberia to western Alaska. (European Atlas 1997). Ringing recovery data suggest that birds passing though, or wintering in, the UK have come from northern FennoScandia and western Siberia. Of these, three birds ringed in Norway have been seen in Wales, two of them in mid-winter. The third was a migrating adult, ringed in southern Norway in September 1950, and recovered in Pembrokeshire 21 days later.
Large numbers of breeding birds stop on either the Waddenzee coast or the large UK estuaries to moult in July-August. Juveniles follow in September. While many birds do stay in the UK for winter, a good proportion move on to the west coast of France, and some at least as far as the west African coast.
This species is generally less likely to be found inland than Black-tailed Godwit, but uses a wider range of coastal habitats including sandy shores, as well as muddy estuaries as far upstream as Boulston on the Cleddau.
The winter atlas sightings on the map above were made between November and February. However, Bar-tailed Godwits are more often seen on migration. The following graph uses records from BirdTrack since 2008 to show a wider period of sightings. (Note that this is the number of sightings, NOT the number of birds, so it includes records of birds that are present but not counted).
There are few records between 8th June and 17th August (weeks 24-33), but sightings are much more frequent in April-May (spring migration) and September-October (autumn migration).
Highest counts were 158 at Kilpaison in February 2018, and 133 on Pembroke River in December 2017. Very few other counts have exceeded 50 individuals. See also Bar-tailed Godwit 1994.
Wetland Bird Survey
WeBS counts provide a monthly snapshot of water-birds across the country. This graph shows the maximum count in Pembrokeshire each winter since 1982. Numbers are generally erratic, both from month to month, and year to year. The high count for 1988-89 was in September, although numbers did stay relatively high through that winter. Counts elsewhere in Wales were also generally above average at that time.
The total maximum count is calculated by adding up the counts for all sites for each month that season. The maximum may fall in any month between September and March.
Annie Haycock (BBS & WeBS local organiser)
References:
BALMER D, GILLINGS S, CAFFREY B, SWANN B, DOWNIE I, FULLER R. 2014. Bird Atlas 2007-11: The Breeding and Wintering Birds of Britain and Ireland. HarperCollins. UK
LACK P. 1986. The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland, T & A. D. Poyser, London
LOVEGROVE R, WILLIAMS G, WILLIAMS I. 1994. Birds in Wales. T & A. D. Poyser, London
Pembrokeshire Bird Reports
WERNHAM. C, TOMS. M, MARCHANT. J, CLARK. J, SIRIWARDENA. G, BAILLIE. S. 2002. The Migration Atlas, Movements of the birds of Britain and Ireland, T & A. D. Poyser, London
