Cetti's Warbler - 2003-07

Most records of Cetti's warblers are of singing males being heard. Since its colonisation, which began at Rhoscrowther in 1983, following the first one recorded at Bosherston in the winter of 1968, breeding has been variously established by trapping females with brood patches, seeing adults carrying food for nestlings, fledglings fresh out of the nest being observed and juveniles trapped at the close of the nesting season. Males are polygamous, serving up to four females, so singing males represent territories rather than pairs.

During the 1984-88 survey they were recorded at Rhoscrowther, Kilpaison, Pwllcrochan, Penally, Tenby and the Teifi Marshes, in a total of seven tetrads. Between surveys they were also found in the breeding season at Freshwater East, Castle Martin Corse and Llangloffan Fen. Numbers grew progressively at the Teifi Marshes to reach 23 singing males by 1995, all bar three of these being in Ceredigion, a short cold snap in the winter of 1996 almost eradicating them. By the time of the 2003-07 survey there were two singing males in the Pembrokeshire part of the Teifi Marshes, others being recorded at Tenby, Penally, the Ritec and at Goodwick Moor where fledglings were seen in 2006, covering a total of five tetrads.

Graham Rees

 

Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 490 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 1

Orange = breeding probable = 4

Total tetrads in which registered = 5 (1%)

Cetti's Warbler - 1994

Breeding resident

The first Cetti's Warbler found in Pembroke­shire stayed at Bosherston Pools from 24 January to 28 March 1979 (D. Henshilwood and J.W. Donovan). The second sang from a reedbed at Poppit on 27 May 1981. These were forerunners of the colonisation which has continued since April 1983. Breeding has been confirmed, and at least five pairs are resident at two sites in the south of the county. They have occupied up to six sites in the breeding season, all south of the Cleddau Estuary (see map) until the Pentood Marshes were colonised in 1990, where there are now at least eight to ten pairs.

They have been recorded at Skokholm, Skomer and Strumble Head outside the breeding period, and such wanderers give hope that they will eventually find other breeding localities; for instance, Mullock, Newgale and Goodwick reedbeds appear to be suitable habitat.

Fieldwork 1984-88 (based on 478 tetrads) 

Red = breeding confirmed = 1

Orange = breeding probable = 6

Total tetrads in which registered = 7 (1.5%)

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