Grey Plover - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Grey Plovers were present in coastal and estuarine 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents 7-65 birds, up to 65 being noted at the Furzenips.

Graham Rees 

Herring x Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrids

Harris, M.P. 1970. Abnormal migration and hybridization of Larus argentatus and L. fuscus after interspecies fostering experiments. Ibis 112: 488-498.

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Jay - 2006

Jay Garrulus glandarius

Breeding resident.

 Jays are found across the middle latitudes of the Western Palearctic.  

The Jay was considered to be resident in Pembrokeshire but not numerous by both Mathew (1894) and Lockley et al (1949). Gamekeepers in the county were known to have kept numbers down right up to the beginning of World War II, B. Lloyd (1939) for instance noting 28 strung up on a gibbet at Slebech in 1927. Jays currently breed in woodland and mature gardens throughout the county and are largely unmolested.

Breeding distribution 1984-88

Breeding distribution 2003-07

Pembrokeshire Breeding Birds Surveys.

Breeding surveys	1984 – 88	2003 – 07
Total tetrads where found	200	212
Confirmed breeding	60	31
Probable breeding	32	85
Possible breeding	108	96

An estimate of 600 pairs breeding in Pembrokeshire was made at the close of the survey of 1984 -88, based on an average density of three pairs per occupied tetrad. The New Atlas of 1988 – 91 used an average density of four pairs per tetrad when calculating the UK total breeding population. The relative abundance map they produced indicates that this value might well have been applicable to Pembrokeshire. This would have elevated the county total to 800 pairs. The BBS charted a decrease of 14 % across Wales between 1994 and 2007 and the local survey of 2003 – 07 returned a 6 % increase in distribution in the county. Applying the BBS value to the 2007 county distribution, results in an estimate of 730 pairs breeding in Pembrokeshire at the end of 2007.

Normally sedentary, in some years there have been eruptions into areas outside typical woodland habitat, including coastal localities and the islands of Ramsey and Skomer. These have coincided with years of high breeding productivity and/or poor acorn crops. Such events were noted in 1947, 1961, 1966, 1972, 1983, 1993, 1996, 2001 and 2005 and were probably regional in origin, with the exception of 1983 when a 90% failure in the acorn crop across northern Europe, including the UK, caused a major eruption of Jays. Large flocks were seen moving westwards over southern Britain during October which probably included continental birds. Groups of up to 25 were widespread in coastal Pembrokeshire, many of which remained over the winter. Notable movements were 200 passing over Martin’s Haven on the 6th October, 32 reaching Skomer that day, and 127 passing along the coast at Strumble Head on the 19th October, where two were watched out of sight flying over the sea towards Ireland.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2006).       

Gannet - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Gannets were present in a few coastal 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The coloured 10km squares represent 1-3 birds seen in a day.

Graham Rees

Guillemot - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Guillemots were present in some coastal 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 21 birds.

Small numbers were found feeding in coastal waters but many more during their occasional winter time visits to breeding locations.

Graham Rees 

Great Tit - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Great Tits were recorded in most 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 38 birds recorded per day.

Graham Rees 

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Great Spotted Woodpeckers were present in most 10km squares of their known breeding range during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 2-3 birds.

Graham Rees 

Grey Heron - 1980s winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Grey Herons were present in most 10km squares of their known breeding range during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84, being equally at home by fresh and salt waters.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 7 birds.

Graham Rees 

Collared Dove - 2008 breeding

Streptopelia decaocto 

Collared Doves nested in Ireland in 1959, two years before the first breeding record for Pembrokeshire, indicating that some outstripped the general westward expansion. A possible link with movement to Ireland was supplied by birds temporarily stopping off at Skokholm from 1962, Skomer from 1963 and at Grassholm in 1969. There were just a few records of birds actually seen flying out to sea, the most notable being 26 doing so at the South Bishop on the 17th May 1976. This contrasts with “heavier traffic” noted departing Anglesey (Jones and Whalley, 2004), even though Pembrokeshire is a little closer to Ireland.

It was recorded as breeding in every 10 Km square in Pembrokeshire by the first breeding birds atlas for Britain and Ireland, covering 1968 – 72, the second, or New Atlas, of 1988 – 91 depicted a similar distribution but a relative abundance lower than for southern England. The Pembrokeshire atlas of breeding birds, 1984 – 88, plotted distribution on a tetrad grid, that is groups of four 1 Km squares,  occupancy being registered in 56 % of them and breeding being confirmed in 73 tetrads. The repeat Pembrokeshire survey of 2003 – 07 indicated occupancy in 65 % and confirmed breeding in 76 tetrads.

Breeding distribution 1984-88

Breeding distribution 2003-07

Breeding surveys	1984 – 88	2003 – 07
Total tetrads where found	265	305
Confirmed breeding	73	76
Probable breeding	113	197
Possible breeding	79	41

Comparison of the two survey results shows a 15 % increase in distribution by the latter period. This compares with an 18 % increase in Wales as a whole between 1984 and 2007 noted by the BBS. The estimated Pembrokeshire breeding population of 1,600 – 2,100 which accompanied the survey of 1984 – 88 was based on a range of six to eight pairs per occupied tetrad, an attempt to cater for higher densities in suburban areas than in isolated homesteads. The same situation prevailed during the 2003 – 07 survey, so applying the 15 % increase to the earlier estimate suggests a breeding population in the range of 1,830 to 2,440 pairs in the county.

Despite a wide distribution in the county the Collared Dove is not evenly spread. It has been found to have a close association with human habitation, occurring around farms, small holdings and gardens but it is generally absent from more open countryside. Although it will eat invertebrates and green plant matter it mainly feeds on seeds. Locally these have included grain, both spilled and strewn for poultry, a variety of seeds put out on bird tables, the seeds of garden plants and grasses and bread put out for birds generally.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2008).

Collared Dove - 2008 winter

Streptopelia decaocto

The Winter Atlas of 1981 – 84 concluded that winter distribution was essentially similar to that of the breeding season, having colonised the county the Collared Dove had become largely sedentary. The Migration Atlas (2002) indicated that ring results showed a greater movement during the colonisation years of 1965 – 79 than in later years, a further indication that a large degree of population stability had been achieved.

Flocks of up to 130 Collared Doves were not uncommon in wintertime Pembrokeshire up to the 1970’s, with a gathering of 200 at Porthlysgi the largest recorded. Such flocking died out with grain harvests and storage becoming less wasteful during the 1980’s. There was a later resurgence in winter flocking, with 38 at Saundersfoot in 1990, 30 at both Trefasser and Lleithyr in 1995, 60 at Roch Gate in 1997, 87 at Llanrhian in 2001, 40 at Letterston and 50 at Johnston in 2003, 57 at Mathry in 2004 and 28 at Treleidr in 2008, though what attracted these groupings seems not to have been put on record.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2008).

Yellowhammer - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Yellowhammers were present in the majority of 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 75 birds seen in a day.

Flocks found at a good seed source provided the largest numbers. 

Graham Rees

Wren - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Wrens were present in the majority of 10km squares during the winters of 1981-82, 1982-82 and 1983-84.

The darker the colour, the higher the relative total count for each 10km square.  The darkest blue represents over 25 birds seen in a day.

Graham Rees