Friday, December 16, 2011 at 2:16PM Vagrant
One at the Gann on 20 September 1977 (R.C. Price) and another at the Teifi Esutary on 5 August 1991 (J.Green) are the only Pembrokeshire records of this vagrant, which is the third most frequently recorded transatlantic wader in Britain as a whole (Colston et al. 1991).
Friday, December 16, 2011 at 2:14PM Vagrant
Singles have occured at Tenby on 25 August 1947 (Lockley et al 1947), at Skokholm on 1 September 1985 (M.Betts) and at Westfiled Pill from 3 to 4 September 1990 (A.J.Hansen et al.).
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:39PM Scarce passage migrant and rare winter visitor. Not recorded in March and June
Both Mathew (1894) and Lockley et al. (1949) described the Little Stint as an occasional autumn visitor to Pembrokeshire. It remains principally an autumn visitor, being seen at coastal localities including Skokholm, Skomer, the Gann and Nevern Estuary between 22 July and 11 November, the majority in September. Normally single birds occur but groups of up to four are not unusual and six together were at the Teifi Estuary on 26 September 1983. Most records have concerned juvenile birds.
Single Little Stints are infrequently recorded in the spring, from 27 April to 17 May. Rare in winter, with just four records to date: a flock of ten at Fishguard Harbour on 14 January 1929, singles at Milford Haven on 20 January 1963 and at the Gann on 13 December 1969, with two birds at the latter location on 6 February 1977.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:36PM Vagrant
One was at Skokholm on 20 and 21 July 1964 (A.W.Diamond, W.J.Plumb). It was caught in a clap-net on 21 July, and as well as being ringed and photographed a comprehensive description was recorded, as befits a first record for Wales.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:35PM Passage migrant. Recorded in all months
Mathew (1894) and Lockley etal.(1949) agreed that the Sanderling was principally an autumn passage migrant but that a few were seen on spring passage. More recent observation has revealed that it is now annual in its occurrence, being seen on the outer coastline, the estuaries and the islands. Flocks of up to 24 occur between 12 March and 11 June and between 25 July and 16 November, with 50 at Broad Haven (north) beach on 30 July 1986. Fewer pass in spring than in autumn.
Despite the apparent suitability of our sandy beaches Sanderlings do not winter, but up to five short-staying birds have occasionally been seen from December to February, usually within the Cleddau Estuary, particularly at the Gann and Angle Bay.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:26PM Winter visitor and passage migrant. Not recorded in June
Mathew (1894) considered Knots to be autumn and winter visitors, appearing at the end of August and beginning of September. He quoted Goodwick Sands and Pembroke as localities for them. Lockley et al. (1949) agreed that they were autumn and winter visitors, usually in small parties of under 20, but occasionally in larger flocks, for example 100 at Dale on 6 November 1938.
The Knot is now erratic in its occurrence in Pembrokeshire. Small numbers, usually 20 or less, may winter on the Cleddau Estuary in some years, and sometimes larger groups of 50-100 appear, but seldom stay for long. A count of 500 was made on the Pembroke River on 22 January 1972. Small influxes have also been noted during cold spells.
They are more widespread, but not numerous, during passage times, when they can occur on any of the estuaries, beaches, and offshore islands, and sometimes in coastal fields. Very few pass through in the spring between March and May; usually single birds can be seen, but occasionally groups of up to six birds occur. Knots are more frequently seen in the autumn, when there is a small but marked passage off Strumble Head, with flocks of up to 85 passing between August and October. These are evidently birds that do not stop off in Pembrokeshire, for no comparable numbers are seen elsewhere at that time. Knots were attracted to the lighthouse at Strumble Head on 25 September 1985 during nocturnal passage.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:22PM Breeding resident and winter visitor
"Resident, one of our commonest birds, nesting in most districts of the county" wrote Mathew in 1894. "Common in suitable moors and wet grounds, although somewhat local in distribution" commented Lockley et al. (1949), who also stated "breeds on the islands". Lloyd's diaries record nesting on the islands of Ramsey, Skokholm and Skomer and in many places on the mainland, ranging from over 35 pairs at Castle Martin Corse and 30 pairs in the boggy ground behind St Govan's Head to smaller scattered groups further north, as at Dowrog, Strumble Head and in the Preseli Mountains at Rosebush and Maenclochog, and at just a few areas in the east such as Ludchurch Common and Carnary.
Lapwings began to decrease thereafter, so that Lockley (1961) was moved to comment that "the number of breeding birds has declined, principally due to high farming and the drainage of marshy fields". This process has continued and many commons have also ceased to be suitable because reduced grazing by cattle, and possibly rabbits, has permitted invasion by rank growth and scrub. A general increase in numbers of foxes and crows may also have been an important factor. Saunders (1976) assessed the Lapwing as breeding "sparsely throughout the county". It is now confined to a few largely coastal areas, and the total population can be accurately estimated at 70 pairs, over half of them on Ramsey Island.
The Lapwing is much more numerous and widespread in the winter, particularly on the wet pastures of the coastal belt where flocks of 200-400 birds are seen frequently. Birds begin to arrive from July, when small parties of mixed adults and juveniles can be encountered flying overland from the north-east, but the bulk arrive at night during October and November. Departure, during March and April, is rapid and at this time they have been seen flying over the Smalls from the direction of Ireland and have been detected by radar departing north-eastwards at night from the mainland of Pembrokeshire (Johnson 1969).
Cold winter weather in the east drives many additional Lapwings to Pembrokeshire. Should the county remain unfrozen they stay, but otherwise many pass on to the south and west; for example 1,150 passed over the Smalls towards Ireland in such conditions in February 1983. Ringing recoveries have shown that some arrive in Pembrokeshire from north-west Europe and that locally-bred birds move down to winter in Iberia.
Fieldwork 1984-88 (based on 478 tetrads)
Red = breeding confirmed = 11
Orange = breeding probable = 7
Yellow = breeding possible = 10
Total tetrads in which registered = 28 (5.9%)
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:21PM Winter visitor and passage migrant
Numbers of Grey Plovers have increased in Pembrokeshire in recent years. Mathew (1894) noted that they were "not common". Lockley et al. (1949) considered them a "regular winter visitor in small numbers" and subsequent records in Nature in Wales refer to groups of less than ten birds. The increase dates from 1970 when about 50 were noted between Angle Bay and Lawrenny, and counts from the whole of the Cleddau Estuary for 1983-1987 show a continued increase, though the cold winters of 1985-1987 may have distorted the scale (see Table 8).
The weed-covered scars at the Furzenips have also proved attractive to Grey Plovers since at least 1983, with some 40 to 90 birds being noted there each winter. These birds spread out along the adjacent coast at low tide, including the south coast as far as Elegug Stacks. They occur only erratically elsewhere in groups of less than ten, the Teifi and Nevern estuaries and Fishguard Harbour being the most favoured localities. A complete survey of the outer coastline in 1985, conducted as part of the British Trust for Ornithology's Waders of Rocky Shores enquiry, located just one Grey Plover, if the Furzenip birds (which reached a maximum of 36 that year) are excluded.
They depart the Cleddau rapidly during March but there is a small through passage in April and May, and again in August to October, when they are seen passing the headlands or pausing on the offshore islands.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:16PM Winter visitor and passage migrant
Golden Plovers were evidently much more numerous in the past, for Mathew (1894) noted that "tens of thousands visited the county" in the very cold spring of 1886. Lockley et al. (1949) added that "frosty conditions with north-east winds bring great numbers to Pembrokeshire".
They are frequently seen in wet pastures, mostly, but not exclusively, in the coastal regions. Flocks vary in size up to 1,500 birds but some roosts, such as those at Hook, Garron and Castle Martin ranges, can hold up to about 3,000 birds. The total population at such times is probably about 10,000 birds. Cold spells can bring hundreds of additional birds, many of which pass quickly on, but some stay and this has lead to high mortality when frozen conditions endure; for example over 100 corpses were found around Stackpole following the cold spell in February 1985.
A few arrive during August and September (exceptionally July) and peak numbers are reached between November and February. Spring departure takes place in March and early April and there appears to be a through passage during April and May (sometimes into June) which includes birds showing the plumage characteristics of northern races. Single Golden Plovers and small parties are seen flying in off the sea and coasting during the autumn arrival, and larger parties depart northwards from the estuaries on calm spring evenings. They are sometimes heard passing over at night during the migration periods.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:14PM Vagrant
Taxonomic studies of what was called the Lesser Golden Plover resulted in its separation into two species, the Pacific Golden Plover Pluvialis fulva and the American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica (British Ornithologists Union Records Committee 1986).
A bird seen at Skokholm on 26 September 1981 (G.G. Gynn) was described in sufficient detail to retrospectively ascribe it to the American species, the first to be recorded in Wales.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:12PM Scarce visitor. Not recorded from November to March or in June and July
Mathew (1894) recorded one Dotterel shot at Castle Martin in the spring of 1888. The next sighting was of a group or trip of five at Skokholm on 7 May 1960, and further spring records were one at Skomer on 7 May 1976, four on Preseli Top on 8 May 1981, 11 at Skomer on 15 May 1991, a group of 15 at Dinas Mountain on 16 May 1991 ( which had gradually reduced to four when last recorded on 19 May) and one at Skomer on 28 April 1992.
Seventeen single juveniles were recorded between 25 August and 16 October from 1964 to 1992, at Skokholm, Skomer, Ramsey, St Govan's Head, the Gann and Dale Airfield, with two at Skokholm on 17 September 1974 and three at Ramsey on 21 August 1981. There is just one autumn inland record, a single bird at Foel Cwmcerwyn on 23 September 1973.
Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 6:10PM The Kentish Plover is declining in north and west France and Belguim, mainly due to human disturbance at the coast (Cramp et al 1983). It is therefore not surprising that the only Pembrokeshire records, singles at Skokholm on 28 May 1967 (C.Britton) and Dale on 15 May 1977 (M.Thomas) are not recent.