Southern Puffin - 1949

Fratercula arctica grabae

Mathew considered it "by far the most numerous" bird on the Pembrokeshire list, describing the colony at Grassholm as contain "countless numbers" which "on rising and flying overhead, for the moment completely shaded the sun".  In 1890 J.J.Neale estimated over half a million puffins at Grassholm.  In 1946 there were scarcely 50 pairs.  The decline in numbers at Grassholm seems to be related to the great increase at Skokholm in the same period.  In the reign of Queen Elizabeth vast numbers bred on Ramsey, which has since been abandoned.  The same may be said of Caldey.  It breeds sparingly on a few isolated stacks and cliffs along the mainland coast, but its main stations are Skomer and Skokholm, where they are so numerous that is is difficult to form an estimate of the total force.  It is probably not less than one hundred thousand pairs.

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

Little Auk - 1949

Alle alle alle

Occasional winter visitor (seen especially by fishermen offshore) both now (R.M.L.) and in Mathew's time.  One picked up dead Solva, 18 Dec 1936 (H.W.Evans) and one found dead Freshwater East in winter 1945

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

Black Guillemot - 1949

Uria grylle grylle

Montagu (1820) said that a few then bred near Tenby.  Mathew know of no recent record in 1894.  Since then it has been seen: one Teifi estuary, July 1914 (T.Ground); one St Davids Head, 18 June 1924 (C.M.Acland); and one same place 16 July 1925 (Bertam Lloyd); one 15 July 1932 and 15 July 1933 in Jack Sound (R.M.L.)

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

Southern Guillemot - 1949

Iria aalge albionis

Mathew says it nested on all islands and various mainland cliffs, especially the Stack Rocks, which are today a "tourist" attraction in south Pembs - charabancs run regularly from Tenby during July, and park within a stonethrow of these striking pinnacles of detached rock, and the Guillemots and Kittiwakes seem little disturbed by human sightseers.  Breeds from Cemmaes Head to Caldey on suitable cliffs and stacks.  Decreased during the war.  Approximately 0.5% of the Guillemots on Skokholm and Somer were eximated in 1946 to be of the "bridled" form.

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

Northern Guillemot - 1949

Uria aalge aalge

Identified at skokholm in winter.  This race is probably a regular winter visitor.  R.M.L. recovered one from the talons of a Buzzard, Dinas Cross, 24 Dec 1948.

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

British Razorbill - 1949

Alca torda britannica

Mathew describes it as a common summer resident, but less numerous than Guillemot or Puffin, and mentions the folowing breeding stations: Caldey, St Margaret's, Skokholm, Skomer, Grassholm, Ramsey and various mainland cliffs.  Breeds today in suitable sites from Cemmaes Head to Caldey.  Decreased during the recent war, prabably because of oil-pollution.

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

Long-tailed Skua - 1949

Stercorarius longicaudus

Mathew knew of only one, an immature shot at Tenby in autumn 1889 or 1890.

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

Pomatorhine Skua - 1949

Stercorarius pomarinus

Mathew makes the surprising statement that this "is by far the commonest of the family upon our coasts", and says a few are to be seen every autumn.  It seems likely that he confused it with the Arctic Skua.  It has not been seen Skokholm.  J.Wynne records that he has seen it twice and Mackworth-Praed states one was shot in 1914.  One was seen in Whatsands Bay, 21 Sept 1930 (D.L.Lack)

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

Arctic Skua - 1949

Stercorarius parasiticus

Mathew records in immature shot at Goodwick (no date).  Occasionally seen Skokholm, and off Grassholm, usually in Aug-Sept, sometimes May-June.

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

Great Skua - 1949

Stercorarius skua skua

Mathew quotes Sire Hugh Owen as stating that it "is always to be seen in Goodwick Bay in a good herring season".  Mathias included it in his list.  One in the collection of H.W.Evans was shot at Trevaccwn in 1894.  There seem to be no recent records.

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

Kittiwake - 1949

Rissa tridactyla tridactyla

Abundant resident on Ramsey, Skomer, Grassholm, and south mainland cliffs (at Flimston etc).  In 1946 there were c.1900 pairs on Skomer, and 115 pairs on Grassholm.  It has never bred on Skokholm, but does so on St Margaret's Island.

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

Glaucous Gull - 1949

Larus hyperboreus

Mathew records one short near Tenby "many years ago" and another threre in the winter of 1891.  One shot Solva about 1870 and one seen same place 24-26 Jan 1913 (H.W.Evans).  One shot Pembroke River by J.Wynne 28 Dec 1899.  One Dale, 10 Feb 1938, and one immature at the Stacks, Flimston, 14 May 1943.

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