Strumble Head 28th April ( Old Coastguards )

A short watch with Walrus in the drizzle saw only a single Whimbrel flying east, but the Porpoises were quite spectacular. See Whales in Wales blog on link for more.

 

More Finches !

A couple of Linnets have looked in & one of the Redpolls decided to take a rest on the garden furniture !

Redpolls Fishguard 28th April.

Up to ten birds coming to feeders & feeding on ground. An interesting variety of shades & amounts of red in plumage. A quite large individual present at one point, don't think it's a Mealy though, just shows the variation.

Fishguardish Sat/Sunday.

One of a group of seven Dunlin.

Arounf thirty Whimbrel seen.

Yesterday we  had a mini waderfest on the Fishguard  outer breakwater with Turnstone, Purple Sandpiper,Common Sandpiper, Dunlin and Whimbrel all recorded along with half a dozen male and female Wheatears. Early this morning about 30 whimbrel seen from my bedroom window,  not much at the outer breakwater, (just a couple of Whimbrel) but at Strumble, a steady flow of hirundines were arriving, mainly in two's and threes but several larger flocks of up to fifty. Similar size groups /charms of Goldfinches were also arriving and best of all a Hobby. Out to sea pretty quiet, just one Sand' Tern of note,  apart from the usual auks etc.

Fishguard and Fisguardish...

Maybe no competition to the rarities elswhere in the county but a Swift flying over Lota Park was an early sighting of my favourite summer visitor. Still at least three Purple Sandpipers on the Outer breakwater and at least five Whimbrel. Swallows and martins still streaming in and a nice Red Kite wheeling over Wolfscastle this evening relieved the tedium of being held up behind various agricultural vehicles.

Strumble / Garden 25th April.

A walk around the headland to Porthsychan found 2 Swifts & a Yellow Wagtail over, quite a few Whitethroats, Blackcaps & a single Gropper. Back in the garden now 4 redpolls still coming to the feeders & a female Blackcap visited.

Fishguard Outer Breakwater 23rd April.

Could only find a single Purple Sandpiper, a group of 13 Whimbrel. A few very smart Wheatear about & a couple of White Wagtails.

Another wave of finches,,,,

Approaching 70 finches in garden, mostly Goldies but still a very pleasant supporting cast.

Early Fishguard...

Monday, 22 April 2013

Up early this morning, nothing obvious at Strumble and not much around Fishguard Harbour, 1 white wag (should be silver!) and a small party of six Whimbrel plus a Godwit sp. (they flew before I got a decent look at them but probably a BT.)

Strumble Head (21 Apr 13)...update

Well when the weather broke and the sun came out I went for a quick walk.

I was right about Wheatears.  Saw a total of 8 yesterday on the same circuit but today gave up counting at 50 - and that is in addition to those seen earlier on the road.

More Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers today compared to yesterday and Blackcaps up to 5 (in addition to the garden birds) and Whitethroats up to 4.  2 Whimbrel flushed from a cliff top field.

Fishguard Outer Breakwater 21st April.

Thankfully the rain stopped so a look to see if any Purple Sandpipers were still there. Managed to find 4, 19 Whimbrel & 5 Wheatear on the inside.

Strumble Head & Tresinwen (21 Apr 13)

Not managed to get out on foot yet due to adverse weather conditions but a couple of drives out indicate that we have had a fresh arrival of Wheatear.  They seem to be very numerous along the road between Pontiago and Tresinwen - on road itself and on overhead wires.

Back in the garden a Siskin and a cracking male Lesser Redpoll have joined the finches and my Willowchiff Wagtails are still flitting around the lawn.  2 Blackcaps still here with the female feeding on fatballs.

Strumble Head (20 Apr 13)

Spent all day looking for migrants around the head today.

Grasshopper Warbler and Whitethroat were firsts of the year for me.  3 Whimbrel in the Lighthouse bay early morning.  Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins moving through all day.  Couple of Blackcaps in the garden.

Lots of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers concentrated in my garden and down the Porthsychan valley but very few found beyond that.  Don't know if anybody else has noticed this but the Willow Chiffs seem to be foraging on the ground a lot this spring.  (A sign of a late bloom in hedgerows maybe?).  They are hopping around the lawn like wagtails.

Stonechats are firmly on territory and Linnets have made a massive come back in the last week - they are seemingly everywhere and very active setting up territories.

Mirroring Adrian's records from the week, but on a smaller scale, I have Goldfinches in the garden (circa 10) and one Redpoll late afternoon.  Goldfinches have been very visible all day dotted along the coast.

 

 

 

Strumble (19 Apr 13)

Barn Owl over Pontiago this evening.

Strumble Head 19th April.

Time; 07.45 - 08.30
Weather: Bright
Wind: NW 2/3

Red Throated Diver - 1 ( not in summer plumage )
Bonxie - 1
Arctic Tern - 1

Lots of commoner seabirds, Manx Shearwaters in good numbers now.

Now 2 Redpolls 18th April.

After the greedy Goldfinches give up for the day what looks like Mr & Mrs Redpoll on the feeder.

Goldfinches 18th April.

Large number of birds still visiting garden.

Swift

A single Swift at Abermawr this morning,a steady stream of Swallows and a few Sand Martins passing through. In the woodland Chiffchaffs and few Willow Warblers and a Blackcap.
Near Jordanston another Swift also two House Martins along with Swallows and Sand Martins,two fly over Stock Dove.

Goldfinches 17th April.

As with the post from St.David's on Pembs Birds, Goldfinch numbers in the garden here peaked at 73 this morning.

More from harbour...

Now is the ( too long) winter of our discontent made glorious! Is there ever a better time of year?

Fishguard Area 16th April.

From Paul Grennard , slightly outside of the area a Willow Tit at Llangloffan Fen ( brilliant ) then 2 Sandwich Terns Fishguard Harbour & one of the Black Guillemots showing. House Martins & a Small Tortoishelle Pen Anglas.

Later on I had on about half tide 10 very tired looking Ringed Plover, 3 Dunlin 2 summer plumage & 7 very busy Turnstones who may or may not be today's migrants as is the behaviour of this marvellous bird ! 

Just a quick word about the garden where approx. 100+ finches were in evidence today ( 60% Goldfinch ) a situation mirrored apparently further north at a ringing site in Ceredigion. ( Teifi Ringing Group ) 

Hen Harrier

Fantastic views of a ring tail Hen Harrier near Jordanston this evening, along with three fly over Stock Doves in amongst a flock of Wood Pigeons also a Snipe. Plenty of Swallows and Sand Martins feeding over the pond.

Fishguard Harbour

Monday, 15 April 2013

It seems the slightly milder weather has finally brought our migrants back to our shores, and all the residents out! From the outer breakwater today, we had guillemots, razorbills, oystercatchers, gannets, wheatears, swallows, pied and white wagtails, a common sandpiper and sandwich terns, as well as the usual gulls, cormorants and shags. Here are a few pictures:

Flagpoles 15.00

Lots of Swallows going through,House & Sand Martin, 6+ Sandwich Tern, 6 Whimbrel ( 4 in pic ),3 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstone & single Redshank & Dunlin. Redpoll still on feeder earlier today.

April Suprise.

Pretty sure i've not had an April Redpoll  in garden before, literally the only bird feeding in the miserable drizzle.

Signs of Spring

5 Sandwich Terns this morning off Fishguard Fort.
Near Jordanston my first Willow Warbler of the spring as well as 2 Swallow,several Chiffchaff and pair of Sparrowhawks displaying and a flock of 34 Black-headed Gulls over.

Three Sand terns ....

off the Fishguard outer breakwater on wednesday,  I shot this one "off the hip" aqs it flew by. seems that there are a few around in the past weelk or so probably due to the northerlies... It was obviously hungry but why not swallow the fish! maybe an offering to a potential mate? pairing up before they reach the breeding grounds?

Flagpoles 16.30

Hooray! A party of at least 5 Sandwich Terns & 2 Swallows through.

Garden.

The male Blackcap was in the garden again & the first Chiff seen in the garden this year.