Little Grebe - Sea Empress oil spill

Tachybaptus ruficollis  

When the oil – spill caused by the grounding of the Sea Empress occurred, 15th – 21st February 1996, the Milford Haven waterway was badly contaminated, most heavily as far upstream as the Cleddau Bridge. Little Grebes quickly left this area, moving to safer places, notably to Westfield Pill where their presence rose from 39 to 52 birds. None were recorded dead or visibly oiled, so their rapid evasive action was evidently effective.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2008)

References

HAYCOCK. A. 2008. A review of the status of wetland birds in the Milford Haven Waterway and Daugleddau Estuary, A report to the Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Surveillance Group. Unpublished

Little Grebe - Migration

Tachybaptus ruficollis

The Migration Atlas (2002) suggests that most Little Grebes disperse from their breeding area to winter elsewhere. It also states that there are still many unknowns about their migration, citing very few examples of immigration based on ring recoveries. BWP considered autumn and spring records on or near the British east coasts, especially at lighthouses, indicated immigration from the Continent.

There are no records of Little Grebes visibly migrating in Pembrokeshire, possibly meaning they pass at night but there have been none noted at local lighthouses. Diurnal records of birds on the sea at Strumble Head and Skomer and visiting ponds on Skokholm, Ramsey and most frequently Skomer, indicate dispersal at least and possibly longer distance migration as well.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2008)

References

CRAMP. S. (Editor), 1977 – 1994. Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa : the birds of the Western Palearctic, Oxford University Press, 9 Vols.

Little Grebe - winter

 Tachybaptus ruficollis

Outside of the breeding season Little Grebes have been recorded on all of the estuaries and main freshwaters, as well as on many small ponds.

The Little Grebe was originally classified as a winter visitor by Lockley et al (1949) and Saunders (1976) when there were no known breeding birds in the county and they noted them on small ponds, lakes, reservoirs and estuarine arms. Only Saunders put any numbers to these occurrences, citing up to 20 on the Gann lagoon and 32 in Hook Reach.

Largest concentrations recorded between 1983 and 2005 were: Cleddau Estuary 69, Nevern Estuary 9, Teifi Estuary 8, Freshwaters 97.

Donovan and Rees (1994) estimated the average county winter population to be about 150 birds. Within the cover achieved by the Wetland Birds Survey team over 100 are on record for most recent winters, the maximum being 162 in the winter of 1996/97. However the survey could not cover all the small waters on which Little Grebes have been seen but seldom reported, so the 150 estimate on average is probably realistic or possibly a slight under estimate.

 Haycock (2008) noted a decline in Cleddau Estuary numbers from about the 1990’s and suggested this could be due to Westfield Pill becoming less suitable for this species. She also pointed out that the mid- winter population for the whole county was reasonably steady overall.

Normally they have started to appear on the estuaries in August and September and reached peak numbers by November to January, thereafter numbers diminished with most having departed by April.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2008)

References

DONOVAN. J and REES. G. 1994. Birds of Pembrokeshire, Dyfed Wildlife Trust.

HAYCOCK. A. 2008. A review of the status of wetland birds in the Milford Haven Waterway and Daugleddau Estuary, A report to the Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Surveillance Group. Unpublished.

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

SAUNDERS. D. R. 1976. A brief guide to the birds of Pembrokeshire, Five Arches Press.

Little Grebe - breeding

 Tachybaptus ruficollis

Breeding resident and winter visitor.

The Little Grebe breeds throughout the temperate and tropical Old World and is resident, dispersive and migratory.

In Pembrokeshire it inhabits still fresh waters in the breeding season so is absent from the fast flowing rivers and streams. It requires waters to be vegetated around the fringes and beneath the surface. It is secretive and inconspicuous around the breeding area and can easily be overlooked, its far carrying, distinctive, whinnying call often being the first indication of its presence.

The breeding status of this species in the county in the past is difficult to evaluate. To Mathew (1894) it was a breeding species but by 1949 Lockley et al stated “apparently does not breed”.

Saunders (1976) commented “Strangely it does not remain to breed, for at least to human eyes, there are several suitable waters.”

However, Bertram Lloyd’s diaries contain records of breeding at Llambed in 1936 and suspected breeding at Slebech in 1937 and Sharrock (1976) indicated possible breeding between 1968 and 1972 in the south west of the county.

Donovan and Rees (1994) quoted breeding at Thornton Reservoir (now defunct) in 1965, at Pembroke Mill Pond in 1975 and at Trefloyne in 1981, with suspected breeding at Bosherston during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

The lack of breeding during the review periods of Lockley et al and Saunders might well have been the result of severe winters in 1939-40, 1947-48 and 1962-63 eliminating a small population which was previously present.

Two breeding bird surveys of the county using a grid of tetrads have since been completed and the results are summarised as follows: 

[Breeding maps & statistics]

Comparison of the results of the two surveys indicates an almost fourfold increase in the number of occupied tetrads during the elapsed period. Most birds were on well vegetated farm ponds used for irrigation. Many of the ponds used in 2003 – 07 had only recently been constructed in the 1980’s and only subsequently became vegetated and thus suitable for Little Grebes.

Although most small waters were used by just one breeding pair, some tetrads encompassed more than one such body of water and on some larger waters there was more than one pair, for instance there were four pairs at Marloes Mere. Allowing for these variables, the county total was estimated to be about 70 pairs by 2007, compared to 12 pairs in 1988.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2008)

References

DONOVAN. J and REES. G. 1994. Birds of Pembrokeshire, Dyfed Wildlife Trust.

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.

SAUNDERS. D. R. 1976. A brief guide to the birds of Pembrokeshire, Five Arches Press.

SHARROCK. J.T. R. 1976. The atlas of breeding birds in Britain and Ireland, Berkhamsted, T. & A. D. Poyser.

Black-necked Grebe

 Podiceps nigricollis

Scarce and irregular visitor.

The Black–necked Grebe breeds by lowland fresh waters in the Palearctic and Nearctic, a proportion moving to estuarine waters in the winter. A small population breeds in the UK but it is likely that most winter visitors are from the Continent.

Apart from the statement by Mathew (1894) that they had been “several times obtained on the Pembroke River”, to date 27 individuals have been noted in Pembrokeshire in 20 separate years up to 2006.

The latest in spring was one at Garron Pill on the 20th March 1987, which had been present there from the 6th November 1986. The earliest return was of one at Newport on the 10th August 2004.

Most were recorded within the Cleddau Estuary, localities being the Gann / Dale, Angle Bay, Pembroke River, Carew, Garron Pill and the Daugleddau.

Elsewhere they were recorded once at Bosherston, three times at Newport, twice at Little Haven / Broad Haven (N), three times at Fishguard Harbour and once each at Llys y fran Reservoir, Treginnis Reservoir and Heathfield Gravel Pit.

All occurrences were of single birds except for two together at Angle Bay on the 24th December 1925, at Little Haven on the 5th January 1964 and at the Gann on the 26th December 2000.

References

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

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2006).

Great Crested Grebe - breeding

Podiceps cristatus

Few fresh water sites in Pembrokeshire are suitable for Great Crested Grebes. One was seen at Bicton Reservoir in November 1980 and ones and twos occurred sporadically at Bosherston between 1984 and 1997.

One was at Heathfield Gravel Pit on 27th May 1999, with two there on 4th July 2001 and breeding was attempted in 2005 but was unsuccessful.

From one to five were seen at Llys y fran Reservoir in most years between 1985 and 1995, then in 1996 a pair bred but the nest was predated at the egg stage. Birds were present in the following years but breeding was not proven again until 2004. A pair present with three juveniles in July 2002 was suggestive but at that date could have come from elsewhere.

A single bird was seen at Rosebush Reservoir on 20th September1992, where a pair built a nest in 1995 but did not breed. A pair hatched a chick in 1997, were seen sitting on a nest in 1999 and 2002 and bred in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

A bird of the year was picked up unharmed in Haroldston Hall farmyard on 27th July 1966, it was released onto the farm’s irrigation reservoir where it spent several days before leaving.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2006)

Great Crested Grebe - 2006 winter

Podiceps cristatus

Most Great Crested Grebes have been noted on salt water, with Angle Bay and Fishguard Harbour holding the largest concentrations, maximum annual counts being :

Angle Bay

 

Fishguard Harbour

Other wintering locations were Newport Bay, St Bride’s Bay, Amroth / Saundersfoot and the higher reaches of the Cleddau Estuary.

Occasional sightings have come from the Teifi Estuary and all around the outer coast, including the offshore islands of Skokholm and Skomer and passing Strumble Head. Presumably these birds were either through migrants or in transit to the regular wintering localities.

References

DONOVAN. J and REES. G. 1994. Birds of Pembrokeshire, Dyfed Wildlife Trust.

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.

Great Crested Grebe - status

Podiceps cristatus

Breeding resident, winter visitor and passage migrant.

Breeding Great Crested Grebes inhabit fresh waters throughout the non Arctic Palearctic and are variously resident, migratory and dispersive.

In Pembrokeshire the Great Crested Grebe was considered to be a not very common winter visitor by Mathew (1894), a rather scarce winter visitor by Lockley et al (1949) and a sparse winter visitor by Donovan and Rees (1994).

Throughout this period there was an increase in the UK breeding population, following the cessation of persecution post 1860. This increase has continued in the long-term, e. g. a 28 % growth nationally between 1995 and 2005 as measured by the BBS.

The number visiting Pembrokeshire also increased, from 13 in 1936, through 19 in 1963 and 28 in 1985, to the subsequent annual totals recorded, as follows:

 

Red-necked Grebe - 1894

Account extracted from M Mathew, 1894, The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands.

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Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

A scarce winter visitor and passage migrant.

The Red – necked Grebe breeds mainly in fresh water habitat, in the temperate Palearctic and Nearctic, mostly wintering on tidal waters.

In Pembrokeshire, Mathew (1894) noted that the Red–necked Grebe had been killed several times at Pembroke Mill Pond. Thereafter records were more specific. A total of 102 birds were recorded in 44 years between 1898 and 2006, observer cover being greatest from the 1980’s. It seems that the species has been a regular visitor but more have been seen in some years than in others, mostly one to four in a year but six were noted in 1987 and 1997, 10 in 1988 and 16 in 1996.

Annual totals on record 

They have been noted around the outer coast at Newport Bay, Fishguard harbour, Solva, Newgale, Druidston, Little and Broad Haven (N), Martin’s Haven, Wooltack Point, St Ann’s Head, Giltar and Tenby, on the Teifi Estuary and in most parts of the extensive Cleddau Estuary as far upstream as Little Milford. They have also occurred on fresh waters at Bosherston, Llys y fran Reservoir, Heathfield Gravel Pit, Pen Beri Reservoir, Treginnis, Slate Mill Reservoir, Bicton Reservoir, Westfield Pill and Crickmarren Pond. Additionally singles were recorded once at Skomer, twice at Skokholm and on six occasions flying past Strumble Head, which were considered to be active migrants.

They were mainly recorded in the periods of January to March, 55 %, and October to December, 40 %, but also seen four times in April, once in May (at Skokholm on the 21st 1997), once in July (at Dale on the 30th 1948) and six times in September.

Graham Rees

( Covers records up to and including 2006 ).