Woodchat Shrike - 1980 onwards

Lanius senator CIGYDD PENGOCH Rare migrant

1981 - 1, Dale, 16 May (MS); 1, Skomer, 25 Aug and 8 Sep

1986 - Singles Skokholm 19 May (RW) and Skomer 5 Sept (SJS).

1990 - Male Skokholm 12 June (MB et al)

1992 - One Dowrog on 6 June (JB, JRH, GHR)

1994 - Singles at St Davids Head 14-15 May, and on Skomer 24-28 May

1995 - 3 Skomer 2-3 May, 2 remaining to 4 May (SS et al), one Flimston 12-13 May (PRH, RJH et al)

1997 - Singles, Pointz Castle 31 May (WB) and Skokholm 31 May (GT)

1998 - Male Strumble Head 15 May (MG)

2004 - One record, a first winter Skomer 11-13 Oct (JGB)

2009 - A rare summer migrant, usually recorded on the islands. The only record was of a male photographed by a visitor at Strumble Head on 1st July (R. Iddon). Accepted WRP.

2011 - Three individuals were seen this year in Pembrokeshire, the first a male at Abereiddy on 23rd Apr (H Richards), then a female at Whitesands Bay 25th -26th Apr (MYP et al) and finally a male at Mullock Bridge 15th-19th May (D. Buckley). All accepted by WRP.

2013 - The only accepted records were a female at St Davids Head on 21st-30th Apr (B. Stevens et al) and a male on Ramsey on 26th May (per GM). Photo above right by S. Hinton.

2014 - Two spring records, the first a male at Treginnis on 20th - 21st Apr (J. Wadkin) the second a female at the Deer Park, Martin’s Haven on 12th - 13th June (BS). Both accepted by WRP.

2015 - Three virtually synchronous records of males: on Ramsey 15th – 22nd Apr (LM et al), at Whitesands Bay on 16th - 19th Apr (KYP, MYP et al) and near Aberforest on 16th May (SBa, SEB). All accepted by WRP.

2016 - Two records in May of males on Skomer, the first 4th – 8th (JWM, EM Riera) photo below, the second 25th – 26th (JWM). Both accepted WRP.

2018 - Single Skomer 18th - 21st April (SG). Accepted WRP

Woodchat Shrike - 1949 status

Lanius excubitor excubitor

One seen near Tenby 4 May 1923 (British Birds, XVII,22). One ringed and released Skokholm, 12-17 June 1948

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

Woodchat Shrike - 1994

Scarce passage migrant

First recorded near Tenby on 4 May 1923 (Lockley et al. 1949), 37 Woodchat Shrikes have been reported in 25 years between 1948 and 1992, up to four in a year occurring between 30 April and 14 September. Most were seen at Skokholm (23 birds) but others have occurred at Cam Lledi, Dale, Dowrog, Llwyngwair, Martin's Haven, Newport, Skomer, St David's and Whitesands.

One ringed at Skokholm on 3 June 1976 was retrapped just 17 days later in Suffolk.

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