Booted Warbler - accepted records 1993 - 2013

British Birds Rarities Committee

1993: Dyfed Skokholm, 25th-28th September, photo. (J.E. & J.W.Donovan, I. & K.Johnson et al.).

2000: Pembrokeshire Skomer, 14th-15th September 2000 (S.Avery, M.J.Pilsworth).

2013: Singles Ramsey on 22nd September and Skokholm on 25th September. Both accepted by BBRC as the 2nd & 3rd county records and only the 5th & 6th for Wales. The only other earlier records for the county came from Skokholm 1993 and Skomer in 2000. 

Source: County Bird Report, 2013 which quotes 2nd and 3rd county records in 2013.

Citrine Wagtail - accepted records

Motacilla citreola

British Birds Rarities Committee

2000 Pembrokeshire Skomer, first-winter, 28th September (S.Avery, J.G.Brown, M.J.Pilsworth).

Wilson's Storm-petrel - accepted records 1990 - 2000

Oceanites oceanicus

British Birds Rarities Committee

1990 Dyfed Strumble Head, 6th September (P.Bristow, G.H.Rees et al.).

1997 Pembrokeshire Strumble Head, 5th September (C.Benson, R.H.Davies, G.H.Rees). Mainland sightings are still very rare: the Pembrokeshire record is the third from that headland, but, in Britain, St Ives, Cornwall, leads the way with seven.

1998 Pembrokeshire Strumble Head, 11th September (C.Greyall, G.H.Rees et al.).

2000 At sea Sea area Lundy, 51°31’N 05°41’W; about 41 km WSW of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, two, 6th August, photo. (D.J.Astins, J.Bennett et al.).

2000 At sea Sea area Lundy, 51°33’N 05°34’W, about 32 km SW of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, 7th August (D.C.Palmer et al.).

Red-throated Pipit - accepted records 1990 - 2009

Anthus cervinus

British Birds Rarities Committee

1991: Skomer, 6th-8th September (Miss K.E.Lawrence, J.Parke, S.J. & Mrs A.C.Sutcliffe et al.).

1992: Skokholm, 17th September (M.Betts); 27th (M. & P.Betts, J.E. & J.W.Donovan).

2000: Skomer, 19th-21st October (D.J.Astins, M.J.Pilsworth, O.Roberts).

2002: Skomer, 22nd-26th April, photo. (J.G.Brown, J.Darke, S.E.Duffield et al.).

2009: A single on Skomer on 23rd October 2009 (D Boyce).

Sources Pembrokeshire Bird Reports, 1991, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2009.

Rosy Starling - accepted records 1990 - 2001

Sturnus roseus

British Birds Rarities Committee

1990 Dyfed Skomer, juvenile, 28th September (C.Orsman, S.J.Sutcliffe, H.A.Williams).

1995 Dyfed Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire, juvenile, 18th-19th September (C.Benson, G.Jones, G.H.Rees).

1996 Pembrokeshire Pembroke Dock, adult, 13th-14th January, photo. (M. & Mrs C.Rowe).

1999 Pembrokeshire St David's, adult, 16th-22nd May 1999, photo. (J.W.Donovan, S.White et al.).

1999 Strumble Head, juvenile, 29th-30th August, photo. (S.E.Berry et al.).

2000 Pembrokeshire Skokholm, adult, 8th-10th June (G.Thompson et al.).

2000 Strumble Head, juvenile, 10th-12th September (S.E.Berry et al.).

2000 St David's, 20th-21st June (Mr Jones, L.Lomax, O.Roberts et al.).

2001 Pembrokeshire Strumble Head, 17th June (M.Deans, L.Gregory, D.K.Underwood).

2001 Pembrokeshire Haverfordwest, juvenile, 16th October to 21st November, photo. (F.Lanthorn, B.Morgan, G.H.Rees).

Rosy Starling was dropped from the BBRC list in 2001, and subsequent records are evaluated by the Welsh Rarities Panel.

Laughing Gull - 2005 - first for Pembrokeshire

Larus atricilla

After having spent the morning of the 4th of November 2005 checking the estuaries of north Pembrokeshire, looking for a possible Franklin's or a laughing gull, aware that an influx was under way in south west Britain and Ireland, due to hurricane Wilma, I decided to check Fishguard.

Whilst walking from Fishgard Square to Goodwick, I received a phone call from my good birding friend Clive Jones, informing me that a laughing gull had just been found at Porthcawl, Glamorganshire.  My initial reaction was that of despair, having had no luck myself, but I dcecided to press on anyway.

Shortly after arriving at the flagpoles car park, Goodwick, I began to scan the assembled gulls with my binoculars and to my utter amaement, out on the beach in front of me was a cracking first winter laughing gull.  I simply could not believe my luck.  I then set about trying to contact local birders and Birdline Wales to share my superb find with others.

I managed to contact local birders Cliff Benson and Adrian Rogers.  Adrian was the first to arrive as he worked close by, followed by Cliff.  Both looked at the bird through my telescope and both agreed it was indeed a first winter laughing gull.

We decided to try and entice the gull close by throwing bread to it, so record "shots" chould be taken.  Unfortunately the bird flew when this was done and it was not relocated again, depriving most local birders from seeing a first for the county.  However, more laughing gulls were discovered in Pembrokeshire in the weeks that followed, so nobody missed out in the end.

Paul Grennard

Pembrokeshire Bird Report 2005

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The first county record of this species following an influx into Britain in the wake of Hurricane Wilma.  The three different ages involved all stayed long enough for many to enjoy and learn the salient identification features.  The number of individuals involved was a minimum of five.  All records are summarised as follows: 1st winter - singles Fishguard Harbour 4 Nov (PKG), Nevern Estuary 11 & 15 Nov with 2 there on 21st, Gann 10 Nov and 4 Dec; 2nd winter - Pembroke Dock 11-22 Nov.  The same bird was at Llanstadwell 12 & 19 Nov; Adult - Gann to Dale Fort 6 - 19 Nov probably the same bird was at Broad Haven north on 10 Nov.  Also Haverfordwest 28 Nov - 6 Dec.

Pembrokeshire Bird Report 2005

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Arctic Redpoll - 1996 - first for Pembrokeshire

Carduelis hornemanni

British Birds Rarities Committee

1996 Pembrokeshire Goodwick, 6th February to 17th March (K.J.S.Devonald, J.W.Donovan et al.)

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A cold north wind and a dusting of snow on the Preseli mountains said stay by the fireside.  The wireless said most of Britain was in an arctic grip, "Joe" my four-legged friend said "come on mate, I need a walk".

Wellied, woolied, hat and coated we set off for the quarry.  It is a sheltered, secret little corner and given the bleakness of the weather, I felt something might be tucked in there.

My first reward was a woodcock which burst out of the leaf litter as we entered the quarry.  A little further and I heard and saw about half a dazon siskins feeding on the outermost seed clusters of a birch tree, accompanied by a similar number of redpolls.  As I watched them, I noticed amongst the redpolls was an extremely pale individual.

It was an almost ghost-like presence among its warmly toned companions.  Apart from its crimson top-knot and yellow beak, the impression was of an under-exposed black and white negative, in the photographic sense.  I began trying to fix the details in my memory and as I did, it occurred to me I could be looking at an Arctic Redpoll, a snowball.

Back home I made a sketch then went through my books, and magazines.  It looked plausible.  I rang Graham Rees with the news later that evening and it seemed that if we could "nail" it, it would be a first for Pembs.

It proved to be a frustrating few days that followed.  The bird was easily spooked and seemed averse to displaying its rump.  The landowner fo the site had given me permission for access but made it clear he would not tolerate strangers on his land.  Thankfully he knew Jack Donovan, and in the end it was he and Stuart Devonald that confirmed the bird a couple of days later.

Cliff Benson

Pembrokeshire Bird Report 1996