Monday, August 26, 2013 at 10:36AM Athene noctua vidalii
Unknown so far west in Matthew's day. Breeding first recorded in 1920. Now a common resident, breeding even on the islands, where it preys largely on Storm-Petrels if permitted to remain. Most abundant owl 1927, but less numerous by 1946.
R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society
Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 6:59PM Little Owls are found in open lowland country; they often perch in quite prominent positions close to nest sites and so are not quite as difficult to census, compared with the larger owls. According to Donovan and Rees (1994) Little Owls were thought to be increasing again following a gradual decline in the middle part of the 20th Century.
Recent data suggest that there has clearly been a significant crash in their population during the years between 1984-88 and 2003-07. During the earlier atlas period, Little Owls were recorded in 31 tetrads, but from only six tetrads during 2003-07, an 81% decline. All atlas categories registered fairly large declines.
Donovan and Rees (1994) estimated that there were probably 50 pairs breeding in Pembrokeshire in the 1980s. During the recent atlas period, breeding was confirmed only on Skomer Island and on Ramsey Island. On the Pembrokeshire mainland they were recorded at just a thin scattering of widely distributed locations where breeding was not proven.
Although this is an introduced species to Britain, first recorded in Pembrokeshire at Solva in 1920 (Donovan and Rees, 1994), the Little Owl is now one of our rarest breeding species. Judging by the latest distribution maps, it would appear to be one we could lose, at least on the Pembrokeshire mainland.
Bob Haycock
Fieldwork 2003-07 (based on 490 tetrads)
Red = breeding confirmed = 1
Orange = breeding probable = 2
Yellow = breeding possible = 3
Total tetrads in which registered = 6 (1.2%)
Thursday, December 22, 2011 at 5:47PM Breeding resident
The first Little Owl in Pembrokeshire was noted at Solva in 1920, and later the same year they were found breeding at several sites (Lloyd's diary, 1936). Lloyd encountered them in ten widespread localities, ranging from Freshwater West to Eglwyswrw, between 1925 and 1937, and also found several nests. Lockley et al. (1949) stated that the Little Owl was by then a common resident.
It had become the commonest owl in Pembrokeshire by 1927, but was less numerous by 1946 when Saunders noted that "there are now only a few records annually, mostly from coastal areas". A pair attempted to breed at Skokholm in most years up to 1954 but were discouraged and sometimes deported because of their predation of Storm Petrels. Up to six pairs breed annually at Skomer where Storm Petrels are also preyed upon. Little Owls were located in 31 tetrads during the 1984-1988 Breeding Birds Survey, probably totalling 50 pairs, and were recorded in other localities during the intervening winters, so they appear to be on the increase again.
Fieldwork 1984-88 (based on 478 tetrads)
Red = breeding confirmed = 7
Orange = breeding probable = 7
Yellow = breeding possible = 17
Total tetrads in which registered = 31 (6.5%)
Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 9:49AM 
Red = breeding confirmed
Orange = breeding probable
Yellow = breeding possible
Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 9:06AM 
The BTO winter atlas showed that single Little Owls were noted in five Pembrokeshire 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.
Graham Rees
