STRUMBLE HEAD
SEAWATCHING REPORT 2014.
Observers.
A.Rogers,R.Stonier,C.Grayell,R.H.Davies,S.Berry,G.H.Rees,C.Benson,R.Wilkinson,C.Hurford,R.Liford,
P.K.Grennard,P.Murray,S.Murray,E.Pugh,B.Gibbs,P.Mahiques,M.Jones,J.Faithfull,D.Astins,W.James
,Chris Jones,Clive Jones, Ceri Jones,M.Hipkin. Apologies to anyone I’ve missed
or if I unfortunately don’t know your name.
Rarity description species sightings are all included &
are of course subject to future acceptance by the relevant committees.
During the year 104 separate day or part of day watches
recorded a total of 59 species of bird into the seawatching records, 4 species
of Cetacean & Ocean Sunfish.
SYSTEMATIC LIST.
BRENT GOOSE Branta
bernicla
Pale Breasted B b
hrota:
A pair passed on 21st September & another 2
on 14th December.
Dark Breasted B b
bernicla :
A group of 7 were seen on 7th November.
WIGEON Anas
penelope
A good count with 101 birds recorded between 27th August
& 7th November max. 56 on 4th October.
COMMON TEAL Anas
crecca
A total of 28 passed max. 9 on 28th August.
MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos
A total of 7 birds passed max. 5 on 25th August.
PINTAIL Anas
acuta
A total of 6 birds passed, 2 on 30th September & 4 on
8th October.
SHOVELER Anas
clypeata
Four birds passed on
27th August.
COMMON SCOTER Melanitta
nigra
Passage recorded off Strumble Head 2777 birds, max. monthly
totals during summer/ autumn were:
July Aug Sept Oct Nov
581 611 1173 236
108
Maximum day count was
214 birds ( 194 Males & 20 Fem/imm ). The age/sex ratio for the year was
2150 Adult Males & 627 Female/immatures.
VELVET SCOTER Melanitta
fusca
A single bird on 22nd September was the only record.
RED – THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata
A total of 73 birds passed during the whole year, 45 between
2nd January & 12th May max. 15 on 8th
January. A further 28 birds then passed between 26th September &
19th December max. 10 on 11th December.
BLACK-THROATED DIVER Gavia arctica
A total of 5 single birds were recorded on 5th February, 2nd
April, 30th April & 3rd & 19th November.
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER Gavia immer
A total of 22 recorded on 9 dates max. 6 on 19th December.
FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis
Maximum day count at was 350 on 11th December.
CORY’S SHEARWATER Calonectris diomeda
A good run of birds at the end of August with a single on
29th , 2 on 30th & another single on 31st. If accepted along with the Great
Shearwater records it is the first time both large Shearwaters have been
recorded on three consecutive days at Strumble.
GREAT SHEARWATER Puffinus
gravis
A very good passage during the last two weeks in August with
single birds seen on 17th & 24th then 4 on 29th, a good count of 10 on 30th
& finally another 2 on 31st. As with Cory’s Shearwater if accepted then it
is the first time both large Shearwaters have been recorded on three
consecutive days at Strumble.
SOOTY SHEARWATER Puffinus griseus
Aug Sept Oct
Strumble Head 16 3 3
Quite a poor year, 22 birds in total recorded on only 9 days
maximum 6 on 30th August. The low number this year almost certainly attributed
to September usually being the peak month traditionally for “Sooties” & the
wind conditions this year were very poor in seawatching terms during that
month.
MANX SHEARWATER Puffinus
puffinus
The Teifi Ringing Group caught a single bird on 24th June
during a Storm Petrel Ringing session. First recorded on 20th April
& last on 19th December.
BALEARIC SHEARWATER Puffinus mauretanicus
Aug Sept Oct
Strumble Head
15 13 35
As with Sooty Shearwater a poor year for this species,
recorded on 21 dates between 11th August & 22nd October max. 14 on 4th
October. Only two double figure day counts this autumn & no early year
winter records.
STORM PETREL Hydrobates pelagicus
Only 4 recorded this year, a single on 11th May & in
autumn 2 on 21st October & a single on 19th December the latest ever
recorded at Strumble & in the county.
The Teifi Ringing Group ringed 3 birds at Strumble Head on
24th June.
LEACH’S PETREL Oceanodroma
leucorhoa
Only 5 recorded this year, a single on 19th October & 4
on 21st of the same month.
GANNET Morus
bassana
Recorded throughout the year.
CORMORANT Phalococorax
carbo
At Strumble Head a
total of 47 birds were recorded on passage max. 15 on 30th August.
SHAG Phalocrococorax
aristotelis
.
Recorded throughout the year.
LITTLE EGRET Egretta
garzetta
A single bird past on 22nd October.
GREAT WHITE EGRET Ardea
alba
A single east at 11.55 on 27th august was the second for the
head.
HERON Ardea
cinerea
A total of 8 birds passed
this year 3 in August & 5 in September.
RINGED PLOVER Charadrius
hiaticula
Three single birds, all in August on 17th,27th
& 30th.
GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis
apricaria
A total of 4 birds, a single on 16th September
& 3 on 21st October.
GREY PLOVER Pluvialis
squatarola
Singles on 26th August & 6th &
21st October.
KNOT Calidris
canutus
A total of 26 birds passed, the maximum a very low count of
6 on 26th August.
SANDERLING Calidris
alba
A reasonable return of 28 birds past. The maximum count was
11 on 11th August.
DUNLIN Calidris
alpina
A good number of 125 were recorded, max. 45 on 18th
August.
RUFF Philomachus
pugnax
Two single birds, one each on 25th & 27th
August.
BLACK TAILED GODWIT Limosa limosa
A total of 9 birds recorded, all on 17th August.
BAR TAILED GODWIT Limosa
lapponica
Quite a low count with only 11 recorded, 10 in August &
a single in September.
WHIMBREL Numenius
phaeopus
After the record breaking year in 2013 a drop to more usual
numbers. A total of 452 were recorded, max. 247 on 11th August.
CURLEW Numenius
arquata
Total slightly lower than usual, 13 recorded, max. 5 on 25th
July.
COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis
hypoieucos
Singles on 27th July & 16th August
were the only records.
REDSHANK Tringa
totanus
Just 3 birds recorded, singles on 24th & 27th
August & 3rd September.
TURNSTONE Arenaria
interpres
A total of 22 birds recorded, max. 13 on 11th
August.
GREY PHALAROPE Phalaropus
fulicarius
Nine birds recorded this year, singles on 11th & 29th
August, 3rd & 7th November with the maximum day count being 5 on 21st
October.
POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius
pomarinus
A single 1st w was recorded on 8th January then in autumn 53
passed on 9 dates between 24th August & 19th December max. 36 on 21st
October .Breakdown of individual plumages during the autumn were, 15 Pale
Phase, 3 Dark Phase & 35 Juveniles.
ARCTIC SKUA Stercorcarius
parasiticus
Monthly totals as follows;
July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov.
0 110 21 69 1
In spring a single Dark Phase bird was recorded at Strumble
Head on 11th May. In the autumn 201 birds passed on 31 dates between 11th
August & 3rd November max. 50 on 21st October. Breakdown of individual
plumages during the autumn were, 69 Pale Phase, 111 Dark Phase & 21 Juveniles.
LONG-TAILED SKUA Stercorcarius
longicaudus
The highest day count of the year of 7 was on 21st October
then all other records were of single birds on 11th, 17th,18th & 31st
August, 4th & 22nd October then 11th
December which was the latest date ever recorded in the county for the
species surpassing the previous record by 8 days of a bird seen at Strumble
Head on 3rd December 1999. The birds
seen on 11th & 18th August were
adults with all the remaining birds recorded juveniles.
GREAT SKUA Stercorcarius
skua
Monthly totals as follows;
July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec.
0 54 12 129 2 6
No late winter or spring records this year. Autumn passage
first recorded on 10th August & last recorded on 19th December. During this
period 203 birds passed on 34 days max. 100 on 21st October.
LITTLE GULL Larus
minutus
In the autumn 19 passed on nine dates between 26th August
& 7th November max. 9 on 21st October, of these birds 4 were Adults &
15 Juveniles/ 1st w.
MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
A total of 83 birds recorded, 20 Adult, 5 2nd Summer/Winter
& 58 Juveniles.
SABINE’S GULL Larus
sabini
Another very poor year for this species at Strumble Head
with 2 Juveniles on 27th August an Adult on 29th of the same month &
another 2 Juveniles on 21st October being the only birds recorded.
KITTIWAKE Rissa
tridactyla
Recorded throughout the year.
SANDWICH TERN Sterna
sandvicensis
An increase on 2013 where in the Autumn 550 birds were
logged on 30 dates between 25th July & 19th December max. 54 on 23rd
August. The two recorded on 19th December are the latest ever record for the
species in the county
COMMON TERN Sterna
hirundo
A total of 14 logged, all during the Autumn, a single on
30th August & 4th October then 12 on 10th October.
ARCTIC TERN Sterna
paradisaea
A totalof 17 birds recorded, an early single bird on 20th
July then in September 2 on 1st , 6 on 3rd & 3 on 26th. In October 4 on 6th & the last
bird of the year on 21st.
“COMMIC TERN”
A total of 1574 birds on 25 dates between 27th July &
21st October max. 570 on 28th August.
ROSEATE TERN Sterna
dougallii
A total of 9 birds recorded, all in late August with 4 on 27th & 28th
& a single on the 29th.
LITTLE TERN Sterna
albifrons .
In Autumn a good number of 21 birds were seen, in August
singles on 11th, 25th & 30th with 2 on 27th , 6 on 29th & 7 on 28th. In
September singles on 17th & 30th & in October a single bird on the 9th.
BLACK TERN Chlidonias
niger
A total of 27 birds
passed, in August a single on 27th, 16 on 28th, 4 on 29th & 2 each on 30th
& 31st. The only other record was of 2 birds passing on 9th October.
COMMON GUILLEMOT Uria
aalge
Recorded throughout the year, large numbers moving on
passage during the late autumn.
RAZORBILL Alca torda
As with the previous species, recorded throughout the year
with sometimes large numbers going through in the late autumn.
LITTLE AUK Alle
alle
A single bird passed on 19th December.
PUFFIN Fratercula
artica
A total of 103 birds recorded, max. 26 on 26th
July.
CETACEANS.
COMMON PORPOISE Phocoena
phocoena
Recorded on 87 of the 104 watches, numbers on some days in
the autumn in excess of 50 individuals.
COMMON DOLPHIN
Delphinius delphis ( Short Beaked )
A total of 201 individuals recorded between 16th
August & 30th September max. 50 on 27th August.
RISSO’S DOLPHIN
Grampus griseus
A total of 92 animals recorded. Only not recorded in
January,June. July & December. The maximum daily count was of 14 animals on
the evening of 11th May.
MINKE WHALE Balaenoptera
acutorostrata
A single animal was seen at 7 a.m. on 27th July.
OCEAN SUNFISH
Mola mola
The total of 12 recorded in 2014 was up on previous years,
10 were recorded in August & 2 in September. In the last few years very
rarely recorded outside of these two months.
