Blyth's Reed warbler - 2013

Acrocephalus dumetorum

Blyth’s Reed Warbler is a bird which breeds from  from Finland through to Siberia and winters in Asia.  It has only been recorded in Wales on two occasions, both birds were trapped.

The first Welsh record was of one trapped on Bardsey on 13^th October 2001

The second Welsh record, and the first for Pembrokeshire, was of a first winter bird  trapped on Skokholm, 27^th September 2013. (R D Brown, S Westerberg, T Westerberg).  

Blyth’s Reed Warbler Skokholm September 2013

MYP 28/09/2013

Semi-palmated Sandpiper - 2016

There have now been three records of this attractive American peep in Pembrokeshire. The first was on Skokholm in 1964 and was also the first Welsh record. This and the most recent record were of adults whereas the 2007 individual was a juvenile.

Skokholm (moulting adult) 20^th to 21^st July 1964) (A  W Diamond, W J Plumb)

The Gann (juv - photo below) 14^th-27^th Oct 2007 (D J Astins, P K Grennard et al)

 Photo (c) David Astins

 The Gann (moulting adult - photo below) 3^rd – 5^th Sept 2013 (D Grimwood et al)

 Photo (c) Richard Crossen 

2016 - A juv at the Gann, 5th – 8th Aug (DG et al). Photos on the sightings blog

Mike Young-Powell 

Sub-alpine Warbler - 2013

Sylvia cantillans

Western  Subalpine Warblers  of the nominate race cantillans breed in SW Europe and NW Africa,  Eastern Subalpine Warblers of the the race albistriata, in SE Europe and Turkey. Spring males of the two races are readily separable by the extent of and intensity of rufous on the underparts and the thickness of the sub-moustachial stripe. Females are more difficult though the intensity of colouring can be helpful; with Eastern showing paler, colder tones on both upper and underparts. The Skomer bird of spring 2013 shows features of ‘albistriata’but beng a female may be impossible to determine for sure. Records of Subalpine Warblers in Pembrokeshire, were confined to the Islands until a bird at St David’s Head in spring 2013.

Subalpine Warbler was removed from the list of species considered by BBRC in 2006 and is now on the WRP list of Welsh rarities.

Skokholm Records

Skokholm 1st October 1953

Skokholm 3rd May 1970

Skokholm 7th June 1976

Skokholm  11th May 1990

Skokhom 15th May 1992

Skokholm female 2nd-8th April 2001 (G Thompson)

Skokholm male 3rd Nov 2001(G Thompson)

Skokholm (female ssp cantillans) 16th May 2013 (E Wood et al ). Photo below by Richard Brown, note warm colouring.

Skomer Records

Skomer3rd May 1990

Skomer 26th May 1990

Skomer 14th May 1992

Skomer male 19th May 2008 (D Boyle)

Skomer female 29^th-30^th   May 2013 (J Boulter, E Stubbings) Photo below by Dave Boyle, note cold colouring which may indicate an Eastern bird.

 

Ramsey Records

Ramsey 23rd-27th May 2006 (G M,L M)

Ramsey male 15th May 2008 (J Wells)

Ramsey male 23rd June 2009  (SC Votier)

The only record away from the Islands thus far:

St David’s Head (male ssp cantillans) 23^rd-27^th April 2013 (W James, K Mr, R Seekins, M Young-Powell) photo below by Mike Young-Powell.

 

MYP 29/05/2013 

Bonelli's Warbler v. Western Bonelli's Warbler

Phylloscopus bonelli/ Phylloscopus orientalis

There have been three records of ‘Bonelli’s Warblers’ in Pembrokeshire. The first ever record for Britain was an individual on Skokholm on 31^st August, 1948 (PJ Conder, J Keighly). Pembrokeshire’s second was also on Skokholm, 31^st August, 1991 (M Betts).

In 1997 Bonelli’s Warbler was split into two species and is now called Western Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus bonelli) occurring in South-west Europe and Italy and Eastern Bonelli’s Warbler (Phylloscopus orientalis) originating in South-eastern Europe and West Turkey.  There are subtle plumage and biometric differences between the two as well as clearly differing calls. A review by BBRC of the first two Pembrokeshire records identified the 1948 birds as 'Western' but the 1991 bird was not able to be specifically identified.

The third record, a Western Bonelli’s Warbler  was present on St David’s Head on 3^rd October, 2011 (M Young-Powell et al). The plumage differences are slight to non-existent and there was no opportunity for biometrics to be taken so specific identification rested on the call. The bird frequently called as per Willow Warbler, an uprising ‘hooeet’ with something of the sharp tone of a finch in it). This was sufficient to identify the bird as Western Bonelli’s the  only Pembrokeshire record thus far.

MYP 29/05/2013

Coal Tit - 2012 - Irish race hibernans

Parus ater hibernans

On 22^ND October in the Blackthorn scrub above the Youth Hostel at St Davids , a Coal Tit was observed by M Young-Powell, showing the lemon yellow cheeks and yellowish underparts of the Irish race ‘hibernans’. It turned out that a similar bird had been trapped and Photographed on Bardsey in 2006.

The Irish race of Coal Tit ‘hibernans’ differs from the Mainland British form ‘Parus ater britannicus  ‘ by having yellow below and in the cheeks as compared to white cheeks and warm buff breast sides.

Coal Tits used to breed on Tresco in the Isles of Scilly but they died out and they are now very rare visitors to the Scilly archipelago. In the autumn of 2012, Coal Tits started arriving on St Agnes in north-westerlies  and were watched on the rocks out at Horse Head; unfortunately I was on Bryher for the day. They remained on St Agnes and also appeared on other islands for the next week or so. Numbers reached the twenties on St Agnes alone. They showed the characteristic yellow cheeks and dirty yellow underparts of ‘hibernans’.

It has been suggested that similar plumages can occur in birds found in south-west Scotland, maybe around the Solway Firth. This may have relevance to the Bardsey record but seems unlikely to be the source for the invasion of the Scillies in 2012 and the clearly related St David’s bird. At present a decision  doesn’t seem  to have been made  regarding the origin of these birds – over to the Welsh Rarities Panel.

Photo of Bardsey bird in April 2004 by Steve Stansfield

MYP 30/05/2013

Little Bittern - 2013

Ixobrychus minutus

Little Bitterns breed through much of Europe but is a rare vagrant to Britain. The first early records come from Mathew (1894): an adult  male at Merlin’s Bridge  was trapped beneath the wheel of the Mill and became part of the Mathias collection, later donated to Tenby Museum. He cites two other specimens collected including one in the same collection but there is no evidence either was obtained in Pembs. Later Lockley  et al (1945) wrote of ‘singles off the Pembrokeshire Coast’ in 1899, shot near Fishguard in ‘about 1916’ and ‘taken’ near Solva ‘many years ago’.

There have been a further seven records in the modern era and these records are, thankfully, properly documented:

Adult male Merlin’s Bridge, Haverfordwest (H Mathias, per M Murray 1894)

One found dead at Broad Haven 26^th April 1964 (KJS Devonald)

Sandy Haven 18^th April 1970 (J Lloyd et al)

Dowrog Common 3^rd May 1983 (C Lambourne, KJS Devonald, GH Rees)

Whitesands, found dead 12^th April 1993 (J Bennett, R Hadfield) Specimen retained by JB.

Castlemartin, a wing found 2nd April 1995 (GH Rees et al)

Cilgerran Gorge 6^th May 1995 (PE Davies)

A garden near  Haverfordwest  7^th-10^th May 2008 (G&S Davies) later found dead (ID by RJ Haycock).

Teifi Marshes  19^TH-20^TH April, 2012 (S Bebb et al)

That four of the seven records involved dead birds is remarkable. The Teifi Marshes bird stayed just long enough to allow an opportunity for photographs. Clearly a male, the body plumage has moulted to attain adult plumage and  an adult  tertial can be clearly seen, contrasting with the majority of the retained juvenile wing feathers, proving that this is an immature bird.

MYP 29/05/2013