Sunday, July 28, 2013 at 9:02AM Loxia curvirostra curvirosta
Mathew gives two records: Angle, 1858; Stackpole Court and elsewhere 1868. A female, Skokholm, 5 July 1929 (R.M.L.). Small parties seen in the Fishguard district, Aug-Sept, 1930; one, Rosebush 28 Aug 1930; and several St Davids, 3 Sept, 1930 (Bertram LLoyd).
R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society
Friday, August 24, 2012 at 9:30PM No Common Crossbills were found during the 1984-88 survey. They were recorded in four tetrads during the 2003-07 survey, though there was no firm evidence of breeding in the county. This species breeds very early in the year and is strongly dispersive, which means on the dates birds were seen here they could have come from one of the neighbouring counties, in both of which they are habitual breeders. The only proven breeding in Pembrokeshire was in 1991, following an autumn invasion in 1990.
Crossbills in Ceredigion mostly fledge from February to April but fledging has been recorded from December to July (R. Liford, pers com). To be certain of breeding in Pembrokeshire nest sites must be found, which will require fieldwork effort early in the year.
Graham Rees
Fieldwork 2003-07
Red = breeding confirmed = 0
Orange = breeding probable = 1
Yellow = breeding possible = 2
Total tetrads in which registered = 3
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 9:07PM Erratic visitor, has bred
Mathew (1894) gives two records, at Angle in 1858 and at Stackpole in 1868. Lockley et al. (1949) added one at Skokholm on 5 July 1929.
Single Common Crossbills and groups of up to 18 have been recorded in 24 years since, most since 1950. They occur mainly at the coast or on the islands, the increase in frequency perhaps reflecting the spread of the species as a breeding bird elsewhere in Wales as post-World War II conifer plantations have matured. The majority of occurrences have been between 5 July and 17 November. Gatherings of about 50 at Pantmaenog Forest in November 1985 and 56 there on 6 November 1990 were both in years when continental Common Crossbills irrupted into Britain. Birds in the Preseli Mountains plantations were seen carrying nesting material in the early spring of 1991 and breeding was subsequently proven at Ty Rhyg and probably also occurred at Coed Glyn Aeron, Pantmaenog Forest and at Stackpole.
A few Common Crossbills occur on the islands and the coast during years when they irrupt into Britain from Europe.
Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 9:23AM Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"
Saturday, December 18, 2010 at 9:21AM Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"
