Nightjar - 1990 onwards

Caprimulgus europaeus - Former breeder now occasional passage migrant.

1990 - One Skomer 4 Sept

1992 - One Waterwynch, 17 June, one Lower Gwaun Valley during the summer.

1993 - Singles Skokholm 18 May, Mathry 24 May, Porthclais 26 May and Skomer 20 Sept.

1994 - A pair at Velindre Farchog in May.

1996 - 2 calling and wing clapping Upton 30 Apr (PS).

1997 - One calling Sutton 15 May (KPG).

1998 - One nr Goodwick 23 May (CB).

1999 - One Mynydd Morfa 30 Apr (AN).

2003 - Singles Rhodiad y Brenin 5 June and Treleddyd Fawr 7 June (J.B)

2005 - Female Skomer 25 May first for the island since 1993 (JGB). Male singing nr Bwlch y groes 4 June (AP) but not heard subsequently.

2009 - Single Ratford Bridge on 6th July (TA).

2012 - One on Skomer on 5th May (DB).

2016 - A single seen on Skomer on 15th May was the only record

2018 - Single St David’s Head on 27th May was the only record

Records extracted from the Pembrokeshire Bird Reports

Nightjar - 1949 status

Caprimulgus europaeus europaeus

Fairly common summer resident, widely distributed.  Breeds occasionally Skomer, Ramsey and Caldey.

R.M.Lockley, G.C.S.Ingram, H.M.Salmon, 1949, The Birds of Pembrokeshire, The West Wales Field Society

Nightjar - 1994

Breeding summer visitor and passage migrant. Not recorded from October to March

The Nightjar was regarded by Mathew (1894) as a common summer visitor, to be found breeding all over Pembrokeshire. Lockley et al. (1949) similarly assessed it as a fairly common and widely distributed summer visitor that occasionally bred on the larger offshore islands.

Observers began to note a rapid decrease during the 1960s, part of a national decline, and by 1971 they could be found at only eight sites. None were proved to be breeding during the Breeding Birds Survey of 1984-1988 but `churring birds' were heard in five localities, so the Nightjar might just be hanging on as a Pembrokeshire breeder.

They are still recorded occasionally on passage at the coast and the islands. The earliest recorded arrival is 26 April and latest departure 25 September.

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

Nightjar - 1970s breeding

 

Red = breeding confirmed

Orange = breeding probable

Yellow = breeding possible

Nightjar - 1894

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

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