Black Guillemot - 1994

Sporadic visitor, former breeder

Montague (1866) said of the Black Guillemot "we have seen it rarely on the coast of Wales near Tenbeigh where a few breed annually". Mathew (1894) knew of no further occurrences but Lockley et al. (1949) added five records of single birds at the Teifi Estuary, St David's Head and Jack Sound, all in June and July between 1914 and 1933.

Since then up to four have been recorded in 26 years, 60% in June and July. They have mostly been single birds, but a pair was seen around Ramsey Sound throughout the summers of 1968 and 1969 which, with one standing next to a hole in the cliffs of Stackpole Head in 1987, raised hopes of colonisation. All sightings have been from the outer coast ranging from Ceibwr to Strumble Head, Ramsey, Borough Head, Jack Sound, Skomer, Skokholm, Elegug Stacks and St Margaret's Island, apart from one far up the Cleddau Estuary at Hook Quay on 31 January 1971.

The origin of these birds is not known; they may have come southwards from Anglesey or the Isle of Man, but most probably they have flown from Ireland.

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire