Aythya fuligula – HWYADEN GOPOG – Winter visitor and passage migrant, has bred.
Updates to the Wetland Bird Survey counts for this season.
Notable counts including non-WeBS data
1985-86 – Pembroke MP numbers rose progressively from 12 on 23 Sept to 43 on 16 Dec while there were 40, Llys y Fran Res, 25 Nov, 36 on 17 Dec. Population very mobile in response to frequent freezing and thawing of their favoured waters. Consistently present at Pembrokeshire MP (max 58 on 23 March) and at Bosherston Pools (max 60 in Feb when any smaller waters were frozen). Erratic elsewhere, with up to 18 Marloes Mere, up to 22 Jordanston Pools and up to 40 at Bicton Res, with 1-8 on 12 other waters, mostly farm irrigation reservoirs. Most departed in late Mar with the last being at Pembroke MP on 6 Apr. 22
1986-87 – Up to 52 on Pembroke Millpond early in the year (1987). During the cold spell in mid-Jan, up to 14 on the Cleddau Estuary at the Gann, Angle Bay, Pembrokeshire River and Cosheston Pill.
1990-91 Max 67 at Llys-y-fran on 10 Feb
1996-97 – cold weather influx in January when max concentrations 40 at Llys-y-fran Res, 43 at Bosherston and 54 at Bicton Res.
1997-98 – Main locality was Bicton Res which held 64 in Jan.
2010-11 – By far the largest count of the year was 95 at Llys-y-fran Res on 27th Dec (not a count date). Counts during the cold weather to include 152 Tufted Ducks at Pembroke Mill Pond on the 7 Jan, and 100 Bosherston on 8 Jan.
Annie Haycock (BBS & WeBS local organiser)
Records extracted from the Pembrokeshire Bird Reports which may contain more detail than shown here
Pembrokeshire Avifauna 