Red-breasted Merganser - Breeding records

1995 - Female noted at the Gann 18 June.  Reappeared on 6-7 July with 2 large flightless young (GHR et al), the first breeding recorded in Pembs. 

2005 - Female with 4 ducklings Eastern Cleddau, 24 June

Records from Pembrokeshire Bird Reports for those years.

Red-breasted Merganser - 1949

Mergus serrator

Mathew knew of no dated or recent record, but Mathias and Dix included it in their lists.  H.E.Evans obtained four in Solva Harbour over a period of fifty years.  An immature male shot Teifi Estuary 20 Oct 1909 (B.Birds XVIII 234). One male, Dale, 8 Mar 1937; one 10 Feb 1938; two 13 Feb 1940.  Seen regularly in upper reaches of Milford Haven in winter (H.A.G and R.M.L.).

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

Red-breasted Merganser - 1994

Winter visitor

Scarce in Mathew's (1894) time, who knew of no dated or recent records, but Lockley et al. (1949) reported that it had become a regular winter visitor to the upper Cleddau Estuary, with occasional occurrences elsewhere. It has continued to increase gradually since then, and is now regular in winter at the Teifi Estuary, Fishguard Harbour, Cleddau Estuary and off Amroth—Saundersfoot. Numbers involved are small, with probably only 40 birds present in most winters, including odd ones and twos scattered around the outer coast. The largest group recorded was 28 in Hook Reach on 31 January 1987. Red-breasted Mergansers arrive in October and November and usually depart in March and April, but have lingered late into May on the Teifi and Cleddau and might well breed in Pembrokeshire in the future. They breed in neighbouring Ceredigion as close as the Afon Ystwyth.

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

Red-breasted Merganser - 1980s winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Red-breasted Mergansers were present in some coastal and all estuarine 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.  

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents 6-18 birds.

Graham Rees

Red-breasted Merganser - 1894

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

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