Monday 30 April 2012

Pen Anglas

 Cold and slightly damp up at Pen Anglas this morning but a big improvement weather wise compared to yesterday,the wind kept any small birds hidden but there were 5 Swifts all heading east and 4 Wheatears.

Sunday 29 April 2012

Flagpoles 16.00

Following Richards efforts at Strumble this morning i decided a quick walk of the dog was in order to find that storm blown major rarity at the flagpoles. A total of 4 Herring Gulls & 10 Oystercatchers & a complete soaking for my trouble , the harbour as i've not seen it before you could actually have used a surfboard effectively ! Bella loves her walks but there was no dragging her heels to get back to the car on this occasion. Hopefully when this clears it will have left something good to be found.

I'm very grateful to Richard for agreeing to post his stuff here , his dedicated Strumble seawatches during the autumn are one of  the mainstays of the recording efforts & solidly back the effort to uphold the tradition built up over the years by GHR & others.

Isn't that top pic of the Lighthouse just amazing!  

Strumble (29 Apr 12)

Wind building up yesterday evening - the storm approaches:

And then today the storm hit.  Winds are currently NE F10 (Storm force).  Only possible to park Jeep at head by facing into wind.  Got absolutely soaked trying to get this pic.  (I must be mad).

Strumble & Goodwick (28 April 2012)

c. 30 Whimbrel in front of Sea Life Centre Saturday morning at high tide.

100 Wheatear, many of which were Greenland race birds were in a short cropped field near the head early Saturday morning then seemed to disperse very quickly.

First Swift and Whitethroat of the year at the head.

Stonechats feeding young in nest and showing well.  Male Kestrel using the strong winds to hover with no efffort at all.

Saturday 28 April 2012

Wheatears & Wagtails

A detoured trip home from work just to see if there was anything interesting about was successful when i stumbled upon a field near somewhere between Hayscastle & Castlemorris which had 20 Wheatears & probably the same number of immaculate White wagtails.   

Tuesday 24 April 2012

At Last !

After the last few evenings walk around Goodwick Moor giving only one or two Sedges & Groppers the walk earlier found them to be in much greater numbers this evening. The Cetti's are still bashing away & a nice suprise was the 14 Whimbrel that landed in the field at the back. Things are starting to pick up , At last! 

Thursday 19 April 2012

Flagpoles 17.00

A quick walk with the dog at the Flagpoles , 2 Common Sands & 11 Whimbrel , both year ticks. Conditions look good for a go with the Bat Detector later as well.

Wednesday 18 April 2012

Strumble Head 6 p.m.

A quick walk around the headland from the Lighthouse as far as Richard's Valley found suprisingly 6 Wheatears , a few looking very tired. A very short seawatch from the lookout saw hundreds of Manxies passing & not too far out in the very strong Northerly. Finally species no. 100 on the local patch yearlist & very appropriate that it should be Manx Shearwater. I never get tired of watching them.

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Porpoises

Yesterday eventually got to have a walk at Strumble which resulted in seeing 3 Wheatears & not much of anything else birdwise. A much better show though by the Porpoises , starting off at the Old Coastguards point with approx 4 animals very close in then at different points during the walk from there to the Lighthouse a total of animals into double figures spread out across the tide race & closer. A very flat calm sea helped a great deal.

Sunday 15 April 2012

Friday 13 April 2012

Second Innings

Myself & the Walrus , joined this time by Steve Berry did a second Batting stint on Goodwick Moor. Initially things looked good as the sky was packed with easily a 100+ flock of all 3 Hirundines feeding , plenty of bat food then. As time went on though the temperature dropped & we could only manage about 5 connections , Soprano Pip being the only one positively & confidently identified. Could do with some warmer evenings.

Thursday 12 April 2012

Strumble Head


A walk around the headland from the Old Coastguards point to the Lighthouse found , firstly lots of people then a single Wheatear which was just about close enough to be photographed. A good flock of Hirundines mostly Swallows with a few Sand Martins numbered 50+, out to sea only a few Gannets , a single Fulmar & 2 of each Gillie & Razorbill. A few Porpoises were showing quite well & not very far out from the coastguards point , but still no Manxie.
The Mute Swan that Carole saw at the Flagpoles yesterday was not present today , that could be quite costly regarding my local year list , they're not common at all around the Fishguard area.

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Flagpoles 16.00 10th april

A sgl House Martin & a couple of Swallows & 2 Summer plumaged Black Headed Gulls on beach. Distantly what looked like 2 Sandwich Terns on a platform a long way out.Hopefully will get afew more & nearer as the month progresses.

Thursday 5 April 2012

Cwm Abergwaun

A short walk along the river upstream of Lower Town Bridge found a pair of very confiding Dippers , really quite relaxed considering the amount of work that has been taking place there. A few chiffs singing as well , not much at all in the harbour though.

Sunday 1 April 2012

Strumble Head

Had an hour from 16.15 doing a short seawatch at the lookout.Was hoping for my first Manx of the year , didn't suceed but did have 3 Drake Common scoter & a Snow Bunting flew over calling.

Pen Anglas


Had the first good look around Pen Anglas of the spring , lots of Chiffs singing & a male & female Wheatear being the only migrants.Interestingly it looks as though some controlled burning has taken place , will help to make stuff easier to see if we have a good spring there.