Robin - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Black redstart - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Redstart - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Stonechat - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Whinchat - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Wheatear - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Ring Ouzel - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Blackbird - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Mistle Thrush - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Avocet

Recurvirostra avosetta

Rare visitor.

The breeding range of the Avocet is from Africa to the south west of Asia and Europe north to Holland, with an increasing population in eastern England.

The Avocet was first put on record for Pembrokeshire by Mathew (1894), who noted one taken near Tenby about 1883 and mentioned two specimens from near Pembroke but gave no further information. A total of 28 birds have been recorded in the county since then, with occurrences in four springs, three autumns and 10 winters.

Spring records were: four at the Nevern Estuary from the 10th to the 12th May 1993, one there on the 10th and 11th May 1996, singles at the Gann on the 26 April 1999 and the 4th to the 14th May 2004.

Autumn records were: two at the Nevern Estuary on the 17th to the 19th September 1976, singles at Picton Point on the 21st September 1999 and Nevern Estuary on the 13th October 2005.

Winter records were: two near Pembroke in the winter of 1900, Three “off Milford Haven in winter” 1927, one Carew on the 1st to the 3rd February 1923, two Little Milford on the 29th January 1954 and four there on the 29th January 1955, one Hook Reach from the 10th November to the 15th December 1974, one Angle Bay on the 15th November 1992, another there on the 15th January 2000, one at the Nevern Estuary on the 22nd December 2000 and one at Little Milford from the 12th January to the 4th March 2002.

The record so far suggests that the tidal Western Cleddau has been the only place that Avocets have favoured for any length of time. It seems worth noting that in this context, the dates published for Little Milford in 1954 and 1955 were arrival dates, contemporary verbal communication was that the birds concerned were in that area through the winter.   

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2008).

Balearic Shearwater - Analysis of Strumble Head records

Puffinus mauretanicus

From one to five birds per occasion were recorded from Skokholm, Skomer, Grassholm, Ramsey,

Whitesands Bay, St David’s Head, Fishguard Bay, St Govan’s Head, from the Rosslare to Fishguard ferry and in the Celtic Deep area. However intensive watching at Strumble Head revealed a greater presence in local waters than observations elsewhere hitherto suggested.  

The annual totals are probably over-estimates as they would include individuals remaining in the observation area for more than one date. Unlike most other seabirds which are generally seen passing north to south through local waters in the autumn, Balearic Shearwaters arrive from the south in search of food and are often seen feeding offshore.

Hours of observation

 

The number seen has varied from year to year.  The hours of observation compared with birds seen indicates that this was not just a consequence of observer effort. The trend over the 23 year period was of increase.

This was part of an increase noted throughout south west Britain at this time, demonstrated by Wynn and Yesou (2007), which was probably due to a warming of the sea surface causing small fish shoals, the prey of this species, to move  further north than in the past.

Most were recorded between July and November, the largest numbers between August and October. Counts at Strumble Head have usually consisted of one to six birds per day but rising to about 20 when strong northerly winds blew. Higher counts of 33 on the 4th October 1996, 36 on the 2nd October 1999, 37 on the 22nd September 2003 and the maximum recorded of 93 on the 7th October 2006, occurred when there were strong northerly winds, which pushed birds closer inshore than they might otherwise have approached. Exceptional numbers of Balearic Shearwaters were seen in the waters of south west Britain including Wales, in the autumn of 2006.

Patterns of occurrence at Strumble Head: total numbers.

 There have been a few sightings outside the July to November period: once at the Smalls in December 1984 and January 1983, 10 times in eight different years at Strumble Head in December and 10 times in four years in January. None have been recorded in March but singles have been noted at Skomer on the 25th April 1991, at Skokholm on the 15th May 1997, from the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry on the 25th May 1997, near Grassholm on the 2nd June 1993, off Strumble Head on the 2nd February 2002, 16th April 1990, 2nd June 1993, 2nd June 1996 and 8th June 1987. 

From time to time observers have pointed out that some shearwaters seen in Pembrokeshire waters resemble Yelkouan Shearwater. Other observers considered these birds could be particularly pale Balearic Shearwaters. Those breeding on Manorca would appear to exhibit mixed characteristics of both Balearic and Yelkouan Shearwaters, further clouding the issue.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2006)

References

WYNN. R. And YESOU. P. 2007. The changing status of Balearic Shearwater in northwest European waters, British Birds, Vol. 100, 392 – 406.

Balearic Shearwater - Status

Puffinus mauretanicus

Status: annual visitor.

Balearic Shearwaters are only known to breed on the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean. There is a known breeding population of only 2,000 – 2,500 pairs, which makes it one of the most vulnerable seabirds in the world. Post breeding dispersal has regularly resulted in a proportion visiting the Bay of Biscay and south-west Britain and Ireland.

A specimen housed in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard, USA, collected in Pembrokeshire waters in September 1900, was the first to be recorded in the county.

 It was next recorded when one was seen from a boat near The Smalls on the 7th July 1955. Balearic Shearwaters were then noted in 11 years between 1960 and 1975 and annually from 1980.