Strumble & further afield (31 Mar 13)

Well its official I have made it to April without finding a hirundine.  Not a good record to make.

Summer plumage Golden Plover still at the head horse field.  Found Steve's flock of Golden Plover on the Fishguard side of Scleddau by the A40 this morning as I headed towards Blackpool Mill on a Dipper sortie.

Strumble Head & Tresinwen (30 Mar 13)

Wheatears seem to be building in number but still mainly male birds.  They are now spreading into inland fields away from the horse fields on the coast.  Also flushed a very out of place Snipe this morning- almost trod on it.

Later this afternoon two snipe in the field behind the house.  Lots of Wheatears on the leeward slope beyond the lighthouse - poss circa 15.  Golden Plover still present.

Pen Anglas

This morning a single female Wheatear and two fairly late Fieldfares at Pen Anglas

Strumble Head (29 Mar 13)

A good search around the head today produced over 10 Wheatear (only one female).  There was a summer plumage Golden Plover in the field behind the lookout car park.  It appears to be a left leg amputee but was feeding fine.  I also had a great session with one of the local Kestrels.  Still no hirundines.

Golden Plover

Groups of birds in the fields by the A40 between Fishguard & Scleddau at approx 5.30 this afternoon,all still in non breeding plumage as far as i could see.

Strumble Head/Flagpoles 28th March

At a very cold Strumble 4 Wheatears ( 3 males ) by the Lighthouse car park was the highlight, another male Wheatear then on the grass opposite the Flagpoles.

Strumble Head 25th March

A quick look around the area at the Lighthouse end found 10+ Wheatears & a tired looking female Ring Ouzel flushed near the stile to Richards Valley.

Merlin

A Merlin flew north near Jordanston this afternoon.

Tresinwen (24 Mar 13) - A Migrant!

Male Ring Ouzel at 1400 between the post box and Carreg Lwyd.

Strumble & Tresinwen (23 & 24 Mar 13)

Thorough search for migrants both days in rather chilly (!) conditions has only found:

2 male Wheatears this morning in the ploughed field by the road towards the head - not there yesterday.  A Pied Wagtail behind the farm.  Chiffchaff in the garden both days only giving quiet contact calls - doesn't appear to be in the mood for singing...and who can blame it!  Still not seen any hirundines around the head this year.  A few Redwings still around the garden.

Finches

Still good numbers of finches around the garden, mostly Siskins still with the biggest numbers of Greenfinches ever had here up to 20 earlier in the week. 

Flagpoles 16.00 23rd March

A single Dunlin & Redshank,3 Ringed Plover & a dozen or so Turnstones. Very few gulls loafing on the sea.

Chiffchaff

Two Chiffchaff near Jordanston this afternoon.

Strumble Head 14th March.

Time: 10.00 - 11.30
Weather: Bright
Wind: NW 2

Red Throated Diver - 1

A few porpoises feeding.

A Red Kite over Tresinwen & a close Common Buzzard.

Flagpoles Gull 12th March.

A 2nd calendar year bird showing some features good for Ring Billed. But are they good enough ?

Flagpoles 16.00

Horrendous conditions at the Harbour, suprisingly on beach 2 Ringed Plover, 4 Redshank & 5 Turnstone.

Abermawr

A summer plumaged Great Crested Grebe just off shore at Abermawr and a male Wheatear on the beach this morning.
Yesterday a Merlin at Withybush Airport.

Tresinwen & Strumble (10 Mar 13)

Brrrr !

All of yesterday's spring migrants have gone to ground - no sign today.  Also no sign of Siskins in the garden.  Only consistent birds to yesterday were the Redwings by the house - now up to 26 birds.  I think they will hang around a bit longer given the forecast for this week!

My first garden first of the year - 2 Greylag Geese.  They flew in off the sea by the sea-watch lookout then along the coast Westwards past the lighthouse.  They then headed inland up Richard's valley, turned over Tresinwen and have now settled in fields between the house and the old coastguard lookout.  They appear to be a pair.

Fishguard Outer Breakwater 10th March.

The Female/1st w type Black Redstart still present in more or less the same place as January, a sgl Great Northern Diver & Summer Plumaged Black Guillemot the only other birds of note.

Tresinwen & Strumble (09 Mar 13)

Red Kite low over the garden at 10am this morning also 3 Siskins on feeders.

My first Chiffchaff singing in Porthsychan valley this morning with my first Wheatear (Cracking Male) on the headland just north of Porthsychan beach.  Also at least 2 White Wagtails mobile around the headland.

Stonechat pairs are back on territory with at least 3 pairs found.  A group of 5 Goldcrest in gorse just behind the sea-watch lookout was a surprise.

Winter still here though with a flock of 10 Redwing by the house when I got back.

A Mild Evening.

The first venture out into the garden for Bats suprisingly turned up one, too big for pip so probably a Long Eared. Also a Golden Plover over calling & a few groups of Starlings in almost darkness heading to roost in the direction of the preselis.

Strumble Head 6th March.

Not a seabird but the years first House Martin seen by Walrus on his Porpoise watch. Surely the earliest record for Pembs i thought but no, at least three historic February records in Birds of Pembrokeshire. Like many avian issues probably to do with recent wind direction is my guess.   

Fishguard Harbour

This morning two summer plumaged Black Guillemots on the Stena side of the harbour and a single Wigeon on the flag pole side.
Near Jordanston twelve Golden Plover flew over.