Strumble Head (31 July 16)

Adult Red Kite (very scraggy plumage) quartering the hillside behind Victor's farm early afternoon.

Maesgwynne Valley 31st July

A walk down to the bridge over the stream & back was quite profitable with 6 sightings of Golden Ringed Dragonfly ( Probably 4 different ), one feeding on a large insect( Pictured ) & an unexpected Spotted Flycatcher by the paddock next to the bridge, unexpected because they have been thin on the ground lately prompting thoughts that they had possibly moved on already.

Purple Hairstreak

A female Purple Hairstreak at Allt Clyn Gwaun Valley yesterday sunning it's self in an Oak tree.

Breakwater birds 30/7/16

Rock pipits with newly fledged young, a common sandpiper, and strangely, a single egg in an Oystercatchers "nest"!

You would expect any such egg would have hatched several weeks ago as according to studies made by Keighly and Buxton (THE INCUBATION PERIOD OF THE OYSTER-CATCHER BY J. KEIGHLEY AND E. J. M. BUXTON. British Birds Vol XLI) the incubation period is only about four weeks.
The parent birds have been conspicuously obvious close by. In previous years I have seen them with chicks on a ledge of the inside face of the sea wall presumably having laid their eggs up there and have been keeping an eye out for them this year. But until now, I was unaware of where they had nested.    

I have walked  and driven past this spot scores of times but not seen the nest until a young man who was out with us found it. Generally the parents have caught my eye as they hung on the lip of the breakwater road opposite.I thought there must be a nest.young somewhere about, perhaps in the concrete jumble below. 

The main problem the parents have is that Carrion Crows and  Ravens patrol the breakwater constantly and now their young have fledged are very much on the lookout for easy pickings. Also gulls of several species roost and hang about there.

It seems probable that this is a second attempt, and a normal clutch would be 3 or 4 eggs.  I will try and keep an eye on it from a distance but I fear as in other years, the odds are against a happy ending. 

Breakwater birds...

Black Guillemot seen going out of the harbour heading NW and returning with fish in beak several times so still feeding young! Sandwich Terns feeding in the harbour one Ringed Plover on Breakwater N side.

Strumble Head 25th July 16.

Time: 06.30 - 12.30
Weather: Overcast
Wind: WSW 2

Common Scoter - 58 ( 46 Males )*

Storm Petrel - 1*

Grey Heron - 1

Whimbrel - 1

Arctic Skua - 1*

Mediterranean Gull - 1 ( Juv )

Puffin - 10

Quite a few Porpoise showing throughout the watch.

Many Thanks to David Bedford ( Yorkshire ) for the early stuff*. 

Got a Headache !

This juvenile Bullfinch hit the window pretty hard but fortunately sat & recovered for a few minutes before flying off strongly.

Flagpoles 18.00 22nd July

Steve's Meds reported below had full black hoods, I had a 1st summer & a 2nd Summer with poor hoods so just shows how quickly the birds move in & out in fact the Meds I had left while I was there. Also of note a brute of a Dunlin bringing to mind a bird at Newport a few years ago which dwarfed other birds with it.

Mediterranean Gulls

There were 3x2nd summer Mediterranean Gulls in Fishguard harbour this afternoon by what used to be the flagpoles.

Strumble Head 20th July 16

Time: 15.30 - 17.30
Weather: Bright
Wind: SW2

Whimbrel - 1

Puffin - 6

A single Porpoise seen.

At 16.40 while watching some circling Gannets at approx. tide race distance a Whale breached once at probably about the same distance out again. Minke is most likely but unfortunately I never saw it subsequently to confirm the identification.

Definitely Autumn...

Wdigbirder found these beauties at the flagpoles, (Goodwick Parrog) seven Black Tailed Godwits , very pretty!

Three Sandwich Terns, must be Autumn!

Off Fishguard Harbour today.
..

Med Gulls, Strumble, yesterday....

Lapwing

A Lapwing over the valley was most unexpected earlier, a rare almost extinct breeding species in the county & not seen around here really outside the winter months. 

Gannets feeding with Dolphins...

Some great Dolphin and Gannet action off the breakwater today...

Strumble Head 11th July 16.

Time; 06.45 - 0915
Weather: Cloudy
Wind: SW 2/3

Common Scoter - 7 ( All males )

Puffin - 58

The other local breeding species in large numbers apart from Kittiwake with only ten birds seen. 

Porpoises showing intermittently.

Stone me! a little cracker!

Found on the end of the Outer Breakwater Fishguard Harbour this afternoon....

Maesgwynne 10th July.

Nice male Blackcap around the feeders earlier.

Fishguard Harbour Tysties

This is one of a pair of the only Black Guillemots (Tysties) breeding south of Anglesey the most southerly pair in the UK. They have been breeding here since 2007.

As reported below, Porpoises were also in evidence but hard to spot!

Strumble Head 8th July 2016

Time: 14.30 - 17.30
Weather: Bright
Wind: SW2

Common Scoter - 9 ( 7 Males )

Knot - 14

Black Tailed Godwit - 12

Puffin - 1

Porpoises present but not showing well.

Golden Oriole

A big surprise this morning near Cwm yr Eglwys was a male Golden Oriole not just because of  its scarceness but also appearing in July.

Silver Washed Fritillary

A few shots taken locally today Silver Washed Fritillary, Red Fox and Common Darter.