Strumble raptor

I arrived at Strumble this morning to see a raptor flying by. It was not much more than a speck but i snapped it and pretty much forgot about it until i got back home and downloaded it! Its a bit blurry (it was at least half a mile away but its obviously an Accipiter Sp. not a falcon as I expected it to be! Apart from that, there was nothing of note other than a couple of Red Throated Divers feeding on the tide race.(although porpoises were showing well!).

Strumble bits ...

Just over an hour at Strumble  this morning several porpoises but bird wise pretty uneventful A couple of gannets fed over the porpoises along with the usual mixed gulls, Strings of Auks headed west and half a dozen Divers were on the sea, at least four RTD's the other two Sp + a GND flyby East.
 

Strumble Head / Fishguard Harbour 25th Feb.

Approximately an hour & a half at Strumble this afternoon only produced a few Auks & a single Kittiwake.
The Harbour slightly better insofar that I managed to catch up with the Black Guillemot that eluded me all day yesterday & a Great Northern Diver present. 

STRUMBLE HEAD SEAWATCHING REPORT 2015.

STRUMBLE HEAD SEAWATCHING REPORT 2015.

Observers.

A.Rogers,R.Stonier,C.Grayell,R.H.Davies,S.Berry,G.H.Rees,C.Benson &  SeaTrust Team,R.Wilkinson,C.Hurford,R.Liford,P.K.Grennard,P.Murray,S.Murray,E.Pugh,B.Gibbs,P.Mahiques,M.Jones,J.Faithfull,M.Locke,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 85 separate day or part of day watches recorded a total of 55 species of bird into the seawatching records, 5 species of Cetacean & Ocean Sunfish.

SYSTEMATIC LIST.

SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna

Two records of 2 on 23^rd January & the same number on 14^th May.                                                  

WIGEON Anas penelope                                                                              

Lower count than 2014 with just 14 recorded max 8 on 23^rd August.

COMMON TEAL Anas crecca                                                                                 

A total of 30 passed max 25 on 23^rd August.

 MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos                                                        

 A single bird on 23^rd August was the only record for the year.

SHOVELER Anas clypeata                                                        

 A single bird passed on 21^st September.

COMMON EIDER  Somateria mollissima

Three birds passed, 2 on 8^th September & 1 on 11^th December.

COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra                                          

Passage recorded off Strumble Head 2354 birds, max. monthly totals during summer/ autumn were: 

July        Aug        Sept       Oct         Nov       

 42        603        1251         99        161 

Maximum day count  was 312 birds ( 251 Males & 60 Fem/imm ). The age/sex ratio for the year was 1995 Adult Males & 359 Female/immatures.

VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca                                 

Three birds on 12th September was the only record. 

RED – THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata                         

A total of 135 birds passed during the whole year, 22 between 8^th  January & 10^th  March max. 12 on 10^th February. A further 113 birds then passed between 4^th  September & 23^rd December max. 35 on 11^th December.

BLACK-THROATED DIVER Gavia arctica                          

A good year with a total of 20 birds recorded max 15 on 11^th December.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER Gavia immer                                    

A total of 39 recorded max. 23 on 11^th December.

FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis                                                 

Maximum day count at was 250 on 13^th November.

CORY’S SHEARWATER Calonectris diomeda                    

A single bird on 19^th July was the only record.

GREAT SHEARWATER Puffinus gravis                               

Single birds on 8^th & 19^th July were the only records for the year, the 8^th July record being the earliest county record.

SOOTY SHEARWATER Puffinus griseus                                

                            Aug            Sept            

Strumble Head    5              10          

Another poor year with only 16 recorded, with a single on 19^th July making up the total.

 

MANX SHEARWATER Puffinus puffinus                          

First record for the year on 10^th January & last recorded on 20^th November.


BAROLO SHEARWATER Puffinus baroli


Undoubtedly the bird of the year, came past at 16.35 on 31st August. 

                                               

BALEARIC SHEARWATER Puffinus mauretanicus 

                                  Aug               Sept                 Oct

Strumble Head           28                  63                    8

A single bird also recorded on 7^th November.

STORM PETREL Hydrobates pelagicus                                          

Only 5 recorded this year, 4 in August & a single in September.

LEACH’S PETREL Oceanodroma leucorhoa         

Eleven birds recorded, a single on 21^st October, 9 on 21^st November & another single on 11^th December.

GANNET Morus bassana                                                                                  

Recorded throughout the year.

CORMORANT Phalococorax carbo                                                             

 No large movements recorded this year.

SHAG Phalocrococorax aristotelis                                                  .

Recorded throughout the year.

HERON Ardea cinerea                                                                            

A total of 3 birds passed  this year 2 in August & 1 in September.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus

A single bird passed on 6^th August, then 2 on 11^th December.

OYSTERCATCHER Haemotapus ostralegus

A movement of 25 birds on 18^th August was considered to be the only migration observed & not the local birds.

RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula

A total of 7 birds, 4 on 16^th November & 3 on 21^st November.

GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola

A total of six passed, a single on 31^st August & 5 on 22^nd September.

KNOT Calidris canutus

Largest passage for many years, 138 passed max 80 on 30^th August.

SANDERLING Calidris alba

Passage similar to 2014 with 31 passing, max 10 on 5^th September.

CURLEW SANDPIPER Calidris ferrugina

A single bird on 30^th August.

DUNLIN Calidris alpina

A good increase on last year with a passage of 279 birds, max 79 on 30^th August.

BLACK TAILED GODWIT Limosa limosa

A better year with 62 recorded, max 31 on 3^rd September.

BAR TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica

Quite a low count with only 11 recorded, 10 in August & a single in September.

WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus

Numbers down again in 2015 with just 96 recorded, max 30 on 23^rd August.

CURLEW Numenius arquata

Only 5 birds recorded.

REDSHANK Tringa totanus

A slightly better count of 12 birds recorded in 2015, max 7 on 23^rd September.

TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres

A total of 34 birds recorded, max 9 on 29^th August.

GREY PHALAROPE Phalaropus fulicarius                               

A total of 10 recorded, 7 on 31^st August, a single on 5^th September & 2 on 21^st November.

SKUA’S.

Generally a quite low year despite the improvement in September on the previous year. The biggest “Skua” day was a total count of all 4 species of 33 on 3^rd September.

POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus                                           

A total of 22 birds recorded all in Autumn between 28^th July & 13^th November. Max day count was the 4 on 28^th July. Plumage / Age ratio was 16 Pale Phase, 1 Dark Phase & 5 Juveniles.

ARCTIC SKUA Stercorcarius parasiticus                                      

Monthly totals as follows;

         July                        Aug.                       Sept.                          Oct.                     Nov.

           2                          58                         137                            17                        8

No spring records, all recorded between 27^th July & 20^th November. Max daily count 22 on 3^rd September. Plumage / Age ratio was 98 Pale Phase, 105 Dark Phase & 19 Juveniles.

 

LONG-TAILED SKUA Stercorcarius longicaudus                          

A total of 10 birds recorded in all, the first on 24^th August with the last date being 21^st November. Maximum day counts of 2 on 3^rd September & 13^th November. Apart from a 2^nd calendar year bird on 13^th November all were Juveniles.

GREAT SKUA Stercorcarius skua                                                                  

Monthly totals as follows;

       July                  Aug.                 Sept.                      Oct.                   Nov.               Dec.

          3                    25                     51                       2                    24                     4

A single winter record on 5^th January, Maximum day count of 15 on 4^th September which was the only double figure count of the year. The annual total of 110 was the lowest since 2007. Two birds flying north over Tresinwen in the afternoon  on 3^rd October indicates overland passage can happen on occasion.

LITTLE GULL Larus minutus                                                                   

A total of 16 recorded, 2 Adult, a single 2^nd year bird & 13 Juvenile/1^st w.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus

A total of 54 birds recorded, Maximum daily count of 6 on November 16^th. The breakdown of age’s was 24 Adults, 7 2^nd Summer & 23 Juvenile/1^st w.

SABINE’S GULL Larus sabini                                                                    

A slight increase in 2015 but not significant, 10 birds recorded. In August 2 on 29^th with singles on 22^nd, 30^th & 31^st all Adults. In September 2 Adults & a Juvenile on 1^st then another Adult on 22^nd. The final record for the year being a Juvenile on 7^th November.

KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla

Recorded throughout the year.

SANDWICH TERN Sterna sandvicensis                                          

Another  increase on the year previous as in last year with a total of 679 recorded, Maximum day count was 119 on 30^th August.

COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo                                           

Only 2 recorded, singles on 12^th & 15^th September.

ARCTIC TERN Sterna paradisaea                                         

Another low return of just 3 recorded, 2 on 16^th September & an early record on 28^th July.

 

“COMMIC TERN”

A total of 808 birds max. 430 on 23^rd  August.

ROSEATE TERN Sterna dougallii                                           

Only 2 single birds recorded this year, 23^rd & 29^th August.

LITTLE TERN Sterna albifrons                                                       .

Four on 23^rd August & a single on 3^rd September were the only records this year.

BLACK TERN Chlidonias niger                                                          

A good year for this species with 149 recorded, Maximum count 105 on 23^rd August.

 

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.

PUFFIN Fratercula artica

A total of 79 birds recorded, max. 39 on 28^th July.

CETACEANS.

COMMON PORPOISE Phocoena phocoena

Recorded on 63 of the 85 watches, very rarely absent but conditions on the rougher sea days make it difficult to observe them.

COMMON DOLPHIN Delphinius delphis ( Short Beaked )

A total of 249 individuals recorded maximum count 71 on 15^th September. Possibly a record year for the species at Strumble Head.

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN Tursiops truncates

A rare species at Strumble Head, 2 on 3^rd August & 2 on 5^th September being the first records since 2012.

RISSO’S DOLPHIN Grampus griseus

A total of 44 animals recorded, down on the previous year. Maximum day count was 20 on 19^th September.

MINKE WHALE Balaenoptera acutorostrata

A single animal seen in a flat calm sea  heading in an easterly direction at thirteen minutes  past six on the evening of 23^rd June.

OCEAN SUNFISH Mola mola

A total of 10 animals seen between the dates of 23^rd August & 22^nd September, Maximum 2 on 30^th August & the last date.

 

Fishguard Harbour 24th Feb.

On the way down near the Drim a singing Nuthatch was the first I've ever heard, not anything else to report though.


A later trip to Harbour & Outer Breakwater with Walrus found 2 Purple Sandpipers on a very low tide so very lucky, a Common Guillemot close in to the Harbour wall feeding & 2 Red Throated Divers around the Harbour.

Edge of the Patch ( Just Outside Actually ).

After a report of 2 hunting near Castlemorris last week managed to catch up with a single Barn Owl earlier on although never came close enough to try for a pic. Also as noticed previously in the same area a roost of Magpies with 28 counted in one tree alone.

Tricky Gull.

Had me for a minute or two!

Around & About 16th Feb.

Quick dog walk at Strumble then a look from the car at nothing.
Flagpoles had all the gulls tonight, 1 each Adult & 2nd W Meds.
Woodcock watch from back garden produced 6 Woodcock, 2 Mallard & a small laboured flight wader that refused to call ?

Great Northern Divers

In a wind swept Fishguard Harbour this afternoon 4 Great Northern Divers and a single Great Crested Grebe.
The Firecrest is still present at Dinas Cross.

Imogene

 I think you can just make out a bird in this pic' but to be honest Storm Imogene defeated us!

Aonang Seawatch

Time: Not sure
Weather: Hot
Wind: Cooling

Reef Egret - 1
Common Sandpiper - 2
Collared Kingfisher - 2
Eurasian Tree Sparrow - 100's

Strumble Storms

Nothing really out of the ordinary, to be honest I was snapping birds just to keep alert as the porp's were extremely elusive, up, down. gone.

You have to  wonder why these sea birds choose to battle against forty mile an hour winds when they could find a bit of shelter and ride out the storms.

Kittiwakes are real sea gulls and seem to make a leisurely almost effortless progress over the maelstrom!

Most puzzling perhaps are the auks. The Razorbills and Guillemots that do not  effortlessly drift on long wings. They buzz along with whirring wings that must use up energy like a  Chevvy V8. Why not hang around in the shelter of a lee coast or Fishguard Harbour?