Grey Phalarope - pattern of occurrence

Phalaropus fulicarius

Most Grey Phalaropes have been seen on or over the sea but they have been found occasionally on estuarine waters, coastal pools and floodwater, at the Gann, Bosherston, Newgale, Carew Mill Pond and Orielton, with inland occurrences at Letterston, Loveston, Narberth,  Haverfordwest  and Pembroke.

Cumulative total birds by month,1904 – 2006.

 

Mostly single birds were seen but occasionally up to 10 in a day, however, there have been large scale incursions, or “wrecks”, into the South West Approaches which reached Pembrokeshire. During a “wreck” in 1891 Mathew noted they were “numerous”, particularly around Caldey. During a similar but better documented event in 1960, there were up to 35 at Skokholm during the 18th to 27th September and 227 around The Smalls on the 29th September. An incursion in 2001 resulted in a total of 39 being recorded around the Pembrokeshire coast between the 6th and 9th October.

August records fell between the 12th and 31st, apart from three sightings on the 2nd, at Little Haven in 1985 and at Strumble Head in 1986 and 2000. August birds exhibited varying traces of summer plumage, so were adults and probably females, as they take no part in incubation or rearing young and depart the breeding grounds much earlier than the males which are then still involved in the breeding process.

The early year records suggest that a few spend the winter at the same latitude as Pembrokeshire. These were: singles at The Smalls on the 2nd January 1985, Dale and Freshwater West on the 13th February 1971 and Pembroke on the 17th March 1928.

Although there are no ring recoveries to prove it, those occurring in British and Irish waters probably come from Iceland, Bear Island and Svalbard, possibly also from east Greenland and Noveya Zemla. However the number involved in years when “wrecks” occurred may mean that birds from Canada and west Greenland were involved.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2006)

Grey Phalarope - 2006 status

Phalaropus fulicarius

Passage migrant.

The Grey Phalarope has a circumpolar Arctic breeding distribution, the closest to the UK being in Iceland. Wholly pelagic outside the breeding season, they are sometimes displaced inshore by turbulent weather. In the Atlantic they winter as far south as western and southern Africa.

Mathew (1894) considered the Grey Phalarope to be an almost annual storm driven autumn visitor to Pembrokeshire. Lockley et al (1949) added a further six occurrences. There followed records in four years in the 1950’s, in six years in the 1960’s, three years in the 1970’s and in every year bar one from 1981 to 2006. The increase in frequency of sightings was more likely to be the result of increased observer activity, rather than more birds occurring. A summary of this latter period could be just as written by Mathew.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2006)

Sooty Shearwater - analysis

Puffinus griseus

The number of Sooty Shearwaters seen has been dependent on the nature of the weather systems occurring during the peak passage time, August to September. A trickle of small numbers were recorded during light to moderate winds, larger numbers in more turbulent weather.

During the 1980’s Atlantic depressions moving south-west to north-east with their centres passing over Northern Ireland and Scotland were prevalent. Locally these produced south-west gales which veered north-west before moderating when the system progressed further to the north-east.

The south-west component is thought to have displaced shearwaters from the Western Approaches into the Irish Sea. They were able to make their way back southwards when the wind wore around to the north-west, many of them passing close in to the north Pembrokeshire shore in the process. The largest counts of Sooty Shearwaters at Strumble Head were made during these conditions, i.e. 237 on the 1st September 1985 and 397 on the 3rd September 1983.

The depressions that occurred in August and September between 1990 and 2006 tracked further south with their centres over Pembrokeshire or further to the south. These systems did not produce the south-west going north-west winds locally, indeed they often produced easterly winds which did not prove favourable for placing Sooty Shearwaters in Pembrokeshire waters.

They did occasionally produce strong north winds blowing through the North Channel and down the Irish Sea, which pushed some Sooty Shearwaters close to the north Pembrokeshire shores but in lesser numbers than during the 1980’s. Counts between 11 and 35 were made on peak days, the maximum being 42 on the 14th September 2004.

Breakdown of Strumble Head totals

1980 - 89     1736

1990 - 99       645

2000 - 06       474

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2006)

Sooty Shearwater - status

 Puffinus griseus

Passage migrant.

The Sooty Shearwater breeds in New Zealand and its sub Antarctic islands, south west South America, the Falkland Islands, the South Atlantic islands and Australia. They spend winter in temperate sea areas in the North Pacific and North Atlantic. In the Atlantic they travel off the eastern seaboard of the Americas to the Newfoundland area, returning south off the western seaboard of Europe.

The Sooty Shearwater was first recorded in Pembrokeshire on the 9th September 1931 when R. M. Lockley saw one from a boat between Skokholm and Grassholm. Then Lockley et al (1949) stated “Seen fairly regularly during the early part of September off Skokholm.” 

A total of 41 were recorded between 1957 and 1978, most being logged at Skokholm but some were also noted off Skomer, South Bishop, from boats visiting Grassholm and the Smalls, from the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry and off Strumble Head.

They continued to be recorded on occasions at these places and also off St David’s Head, Ramsey, St Govan’s Head, from the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry, off the Swansea to Cork ferry and from small vessels visiting the Celtic Deep area. One to five birds per day were involved apart from 20 at the Celtic Deep on the 15th September 2002. However, much larger numbers were logged with greater regularity at Strumble Head between 1980 and 2006.

Overall annual pattern 1980-2006 at Strumble Head

 

(Expressed as the mean number of birds per six day periods. Values were adjusted for the seven day periods at the end of Aug and Oct by dividing their totals by seven and multiplying by six before calculating the mean.)

Passage has been recorded from the 3rd July to the 19th November, peaking in August and September but some sightings have been made outside this period. They were single birds at the Smalls on 22nd March 1984, at Whitesands Bay on the 28th December 2000, at Strumble Head on the 2nd January 1988, 3rd May 1982, 23rd December 1983 and 27th December 2006.

References

LOCKLEY. R. M, INGRAM. C. S. and SALMON. H. M.1949. The birds of Pembrokeshire, West Wales Field Society.

Great Shearwater - discussion

Puffinus gravis

Further offshore observations from boats could throw further light on the pattern of occurrence of this species, as in some years few, or none, might pass through the Irish Sea. Using the data so far available, 85 % more birds were seen offshore than from the land on dates when weather permitted hire vessels to go to sea and simultaneous observations could be made from land.

The largest numbers seen from land have mostly been when strong onshore winds have prevented offshore observations. The county day maximum of 25 was recorded passing Strumble Head on the 31st August 2002 when the sea was too rough for small craft to put out to sea.  It is possible that observation from a large vessel offshore that day might have revealed a greater presence than has so far been indicated. Resolving such observational incompatibilities presents a challenge.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2007)

Great Shearwater - Where seen

Puffinus gravis

The majority, 128 birds, were seen from Strumble Head, a further 8 from the islands of Skokholm, Skomer, Ramsey and South Bishop combined.

For a species known to mainly travel well offshore it might be expected that the majority passing through the Irish Sea would be out of sight from land. Opportunities to detect these have been limited by the cost and availability of suitable boats and rough weather sometimes limiting their use. Despite these restrictions a total of 93 birds have been logged in the offshore waters of Pembrokeshire.

A group of 23 were flushed by the passing Fishguard to Rosslare ferry on the 15th September 1981. Five sightings of single birds were made from the Smalls during the autumn of 1982 – 84 when there were daily observations from the lighthouse. One was seen south of Caldey on the 4th August 1991 from the Cork to Swansea ferry. Three were seen from the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry on the 10th September 1999. Two were logged about 10 miles north of the Smalls on the 8th September 2006 from a ship on passage from the USA to Liverpool.

 A total of 59 were encountered between 1998 and 2002 from shark–fishing vessels hired to visit the Celtic Deep area.

The largest incursions into our waters were in 1999 when a total of 41 was logged in the Celtic Deep compared to 11 inshore off Strumble Head and in 2002 when 17 were seen in the Celtic Deep and 29  recorded at Strumble Head.

Great Shearwater - Status

Puffinus gravis

Near annual passage migrant.

The Great Shearwater breeds on islands in the Tristan da Cunha group, Gough Island and Kidney Island in the Falklands. Outside the breeding season they migrate up the western Atlantic to Newfoundland, spreading to Greenland and the Denmark Strait. They return southwards on the eastern side of the Atlantic, passing between July and November. They normally travel well offshore but onshore winds push a proportion close to the coast of Western Europe.

The first one recorded in Pembrokeshire was on the 15th August 1957, when C. M. Swaine watched it passing through Jack Sound, the channel between Middleholm and the mainland. Between 1973, when it was next recorded, and 2007 a total of 228 birds were logged. All were between July and October, the earliest one off South Bishop on 14th July 1975, the latest off Skomer on 29th October 1994.

Woodlark

Lullula arborea

Former breeding resident, now a scarce visitor.

The breeding range of the Woodlark is largely confined to Europe, stretching from North Africa in the south to southern Scandinavia in the north and from Iberia in the west to the Urals in the east.

When assessing the Woodlark’s status in Pembrokeshire in 1894, Murray Mathew considered it to be resident but scarce and local, although formerly “very generally distributed and a constant resident”. He attributed this change to the activities of bird catchers, who could realise 36 shillings per dozen for them, apparently a premium price. Mathew feared the Woodlark’s “obliteration from our county list.”

Writing in his diary in 1927 Bertram Lloyd (1939) stated “This bird is quite common in the central part of Pembrokeshire and is spread right across the county wherever the ground is suitable.”  He went on to note their decrease following the severe winter of 1928/29, with a subsequent recovery in the years up to 1937, the year of his last available diary.

The next appraisal was in 1947 when Ronald Lockley concluded that Woodlarks were widely distributed throughout the county, being most numerous in the east and north–east and considered them to be as plentiful around the foothills of the Mynydd Preseli as anywhere else in Britain.

The Pembrokeshire Woodlark population crashed following the arctic winters of 1961/62 and 1962/63. The last known breeding in the county was at Amroth in 1965 although five seen about Brynberian Moor in May 1967 was suggestive.

Thereafter each individual sighting was recorded, the species having become so scarce. Two were noted in 1968 and one in 1971. Observer cover increased from the 1980’s resulting in the following detection rate:

Number of birds recorded per year.

Of these 20 were in the autumn, October – November, nine in winter, December – February, four in spring, March – early May. None were seen in other months and none in potential breeding habitat during the breeding season. All records were from coastal or near coastal localities.

Woodlark numbers have increased in southern England, in round figures from 250 pairs in 1986, through 600 pairs in 1993 to 1,500 pairs by 1997. More recently they have nested in Gwent, raising the hope that they may eventually return to Pembrokeshire as a breeding bird, perhaps as a result of climate change aiding their survival.  

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2008).

References

LLOYD. B. 1929-1939 Diaries, National Museum of Wales.

LOCKLEY. R. M, INGRAM. C. S. and SALMON. H. M.1949. The birds of Pembrokeshire, West Wales Field Society.

MATHEW. M. 1894. The birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands, R. H. Porter

Arctic Skua - Age and morph

Stercorarius parasiticus

Age and or morph was recorded for the bulk of the Arctic Skuas seen at Strumble Head between 1980 and 2006. Adults made up 67 % of the total, of which 31 % were light–phase, 33 % dark–phase and 3 % classified as intermediates, the remaining 33 % of the total were predominantly juveniles, though some first and second year birds were identified.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2007).

Arctic Skua - Spring

Stercorarius parasiticus

The Arctic Skua has been sparse in Pembrokeshire waters during spring, with one to three per annum being the norm during the period 1958 to 2003, passing between the 4th April and the 30th June. Four in 1998, six in 1996, eight in 2002 and 10 in 1993 exceeded the norm. Records came from Tenby, Broad Haven (S), St Govan’s Head, West Blockhouse, St Ann’s Head, Skokholm, Skomer, The Smalls, St Bride’s Bay and Strumble Head.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2007).

Arctic Skua - Autumn

Stercorarius parasiticus

The number of birds involved each autumn varied, extremes being 67 in 1993 and 355 in 1985. Differing breeding success no doubt played a part in this variability but changing weather systems seem to have been the main factor.

Autumn totals at Strumble Head, 1980 – 2007.

 Passage has been recorded from July to December, at Strumble Head between 1980 and 2006, a total of 24 being seen in July, 32 in November and 5 in December. Totals for the months August to October, expressed in six day periods were:

Light to moderate winds with a westerly component prevailed in most autumns. It was thought that some of the Arctic Skuas travelling southwards through the Irish Sea were drifted eastwards into Cardigan Bay by these westerly winds. When the skuas encountered the north Pembrokeshire coast they followed it in a westerly direction, so as to gain sea room for their continued southward migration. When south–westerly gales occurred larger numbers appeared in Cardigan Bay, presumed to have been blown there from the sea area south of the Irish Sea. When the wind veered to between west and north before moderating, these birds were able to make their way back out to sea, many of them passing close in to Strumble Head. It was such a weather system that resulted in the largest day total recorded when 103 passed on the 3rd September 1983.

Light to moderate north–east winds predominated in the autumn of 1993 and few Arctic Skuas were seen, most of those that did pass were during short interludes of westerly winds. Strong winds from due east dominated the autumn of 2003 when a total of 203 Arctic Skuas was logged passing. Such winds could be expected to drift southward travelling birds away from Cardigan Bay, so it seems likely that those seen at Strumble Head had arrived by flying overland from the North Sea assisted by the following wind.

Observational evidence indicates that Arctic Skuas are diffusely spread once they have cleared the north coast of the county. Daily observations from The Smalls throughout the autumns of 1983 and 1984 recorded far fewer birds than passed Strumble Head on the same dates. Offshore watchers using boats going as far out as the Celtic Deep only occasionally encountered one or two Arctic Skuas, as was the case with shore based watchers on the west and south coasts of the county and on the offshore islands. At Skokholm the mean autumn total from 1953 to 2003 was seven birds.

 Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2007).

Arctic Skua - Status

 Stercorarius parasiticus

Passage migrant.

The Arctic Skua has a circumpolar Arctic breeding distribution extending southwards to northern Scotland. Migrants seen passing through British waters are en route to and from Atlantic wintering areas, principally south of the equator.

Mathew (1894) noted just one record of an Arctic Skua, shot at Goodwick, but gave no date. Lockley et al (1949) considered it to be occasional off Skokholm and Grassholm, mainly in August and September but sometimes in May or June.

A mean of 10 per annum was recorded in the county between 1953 and 1975, during a period when little seawatching was conducted. The low detection rate being linked to a paucity of watching was emphasised when Saunders (1976) noted 45 passing Strumble Head on the 8th September 1974. Watching at this headland became more frequent from 1978, with regular autumn observations from 1980 onwards. The annual average total of Arctic Skuas recorded in Pembrokeshire between 1980 and 2003 rose to 235, 90 % of them being seen at Strumble Head, passage taking place between July and November, the majority between August and October.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2007).