The First Back.

Probably Richard's bird East past Strumble the other day , a cracking Adult Med. Gull at the Flagpoles this morning at 8.00 a.m. Couldn't find it this afternoon though when i had the camera with me.

Pen Anglas

Golden Plover still there this morning,a single Redpoll and a flock of 70+ Common Scoter flew past heading west. A few Starlings around also.

Storm Petrels

Last night saw the first chance this year to have a go at ringing Storm Petrels at Strumble by the Teifi Ringing Group. Richard , Wendy , Karen & Dawn from the TRG joined by myself & SB all hoping for a bit of success with the conditions looking quite good given the offshore wind & cloud cover. In all 5 birds were caught between 11.55 & 01.30 , immature/likely non breeding adults the latter 2 birds showing varying stages of wing moult you can just see in the picture of the 2 birds that were caught together. See the TRG blog for a more detailed discussion.   

Pen Anglas

3 Bottle-nosed Dolphins off the outer breakwater (2 adult +1 calf),40 Starlings a mixture of adults and juvs and a single Redpoll.

Strumble (24 June 2012)

Time: 0700 - 0900
Weather: Cloudy, dry, sunny spells.
Wind: WNW (F5)

Storm Petrel - 1
Common Scoter - 36 (3F, 33M)
Turnstone - 1
Puffin - c.30

Common Porpoise - a few but not showing very well this morning.

Strumble (23 June 2012) [Part 2]

Time: 1600 - 1800
Weather: Rain.
Wind: SW (F5)

Great Skua - 1
Storm Petrel - 1
Chough - 3
Puffin - c.30

Common Porpoise - c.50 and still showing very well.

Strumble (23 June 2012)

Time: 1000 - 1200
Weather: Cloudy, dry.
Wind: SW (F6)

Great Skua - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 1 (Ad Sum) (Heading into Fishguard Bay)
Chough - 6
Puffin - c.100

Common Porpoise - c.50 and showing well and well spread out
Lots of commoner sea birds with lots of Auks flying West carrying fish.

Golden Plover

The summer plumaged Golden Plover was still present at Pen Anglas late afternoon but has started to moult.
I also saw a Weasel on the A487 near Fishguard Fort this morning.

Strumble Head 22nd June

11.35 - 15.00

Common Scoter - 4 ( 2 of each )
Arctic Skua - 1 ( Light Phase Adult )
Sandwich Tern - 2
Puffin - 17

Many Thanks to Paul Grennard for the sightings. 

Strumble (17 Jun 12)

Linnet families everywhere on Sunday - seems to have been a successful year.  Whitethroats still busy feeding young.  Grey Seal bull in Porthsychan guarding his beach - a new bull, the old one-eyed male has not been seen this year (yet!).

Garden & Strumble 18th June.

The young Blue Tits ( there are 2 ) are being fed well & constantly following the parents , one also trying his luck on the feeder as well.

Strumble very quiet after the excitement of yesterdays Stormies the 2 sunbathing Chough being the hi-light.

Fishguard Harbour

2 Black Guillemots in the harbour this afternoon

Strumble Head 16.45 - 18.45

Wind : WSW 2/3

Storm Petrel - 19
Puffin - 14

Manxies numerous , Gannets , Kitties & other Auks in good no's a lot of the Gillies & Razors carrying fish.
Porpoises showing reasonably well but distant.

Garden

Still got a few Siskins around & coming to the feeder. A lone fledgling Blut Tit ( or possibly 1 other ) being well fed by the parents this morning.

Goodwick Moor 17th June.

It was the flora that was the star on the moor earlier with the road bank a riot of colour with Foxgloves & Daisies predominating. All the warblers still singing & 2 Reed Buntings heard as well.A couple of small flocks of Ravens over ( 6 or 7 in each ) , possibly some post breeding movement. 

Pen Anglas

Not much to report this morning a stunning summer plumaged Golden Plover on the burnt gorse area was a surprise,a family of Chough 2 adults and 4 juvs all feeding together was about it for today.

Pen Anglas

Fed up with the weather and the dog looking so depressed I thought she might commit suicide I decided to put on my waterproofs and  go up to Pen Anglas for an hour or so.There was a steady stream of Manx Shearwaters passing also 5 Common Scoters flew west.I then picked up a single Bottle-nosed Dolphin then a second,the Gannet numbers were increasing,over one of the Dolphins a Storm Petrel started to feed,a second bird joined the first.this was all happening very close in shore.By the end there were 4 adult and 1 calf Bottle-nosed Dolphin,2 storm Petrels and 70+ Gannets all feeding just below me an impressive site.

Strumble (16 Jun 12)

Time: 1015 - 1215
Weather: Wet, windy (typical November day)
Wind: SW (F6-7)

Storm Petrel - 3
Puffin - c. 30

+ Lots of Manxies in scattered feeding flocks, a few Kittiwakes and Fulmars in attendance, lots of Gannets feeding close in shore over a few Porps.  Autumn has arrived early - woo hoo!

Strumble - Porpoises & Gannets !

A good selection of the commoner seabirds yesterday evening ( Manxies , Auks , Kitties ) overshadowed by a magnificent display by the Porpoises & Gannets as groups of both moved around in front of the lookout feeding constantly. Gannets into three figures & Porpoises although difficult to count must have numbered in the region of 70 to 80 animals.

Pen Anglas

Less around than yesterday again rafts of Manx Shearwaters on the sea,several Porpoises one with a calf. 18 male Common Scoter flew west.2 Redpolls were the only bird of note on land.

Strumble Head 16.45 - 18.45 10th June

Wind : Very Light

Med Gull - 1 ( 1st sum )
Sandwich Tern - 3 ( All Ads. )
Puffin - 1

Lots of rafting Manxies , a few Kittiwakes , Gannets & Auks. Porpoises showing well but distant.

Pen Anglas

The sea was like a mill pond this morning,there were two large rafts of Manx Shearwaters and several smaller ones on the sea probably adding up to a couple of thousand birds,three Bottle-nosed Dolphins were feeding near the outer breakwater.A fly over Crossbill,3 Redpolls and a Cuckoo was calling over towards Lower Town Fishguard were other birds of note.
Near Jordanston a pair of very elusive Little Grebes on a  pond, also two singing Garden Warblers at the same location.

Flagpoles 16.00

Of interest to the regular Flagpoles watchers 4 Black Headed Gulls. 

Slightly Out Of Area

I have received some information this morning regarding recent incidents concerning Youths in possession of an Airgun with telescopic sights around the Coast Path in the Solva area. The person who saw them seems to think it was being used to the detriment of local bird species. Please contact relevant authorities if you see anything like this.  

Strumble (04 Jun 12)

A thorough search around the head didn't produce any migrants.  The Buzzard below set the pulse racing when it first appeared.  Stonechats showing well - this time with Bluebells!

Pen Anglas 4th June

The only probable migrant was a Spotted Flycatcher lurking about in the burnt gorse by the dry stone wall. Quite a few butterflies about now with a very small dark looking blue which looked interesting.  

Strumble (03 Jun 12)

Manxies streaming west past the headland close inshore as I type this.

Strumble (02 Jun 12)

The Foxgloves are putting on a good show this year.

Strumble (01 Jun 12)

After a few lean years this year Lesser Redpoll are extremely numerous around the headland.

Lots of nesting activity going on.  Blackcaps nest building in the garden, Sedge Warblers everywhere, pair of Collared Doves in the farmyard, Whitethroats all over the place.  Young Robins, Blackbirds and Dunnocks in the garden.

Tresinwen (01 Jun 12)

Its not as if real estate is hard to come by. These little gems ignored the 13 nest boxes in the garden and chose to nest under the roof! Very funny watching the adults enter as they have to shimmy in sideways! (Hope the chicks aren't too fat when they come to fledge!)