American Bittern - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Cory’s Shearwater

Calonectris diomedea

Erratic visitor.

The Cory’s Shearwater breeds in several places around the Mediterranean, in Portugal and on the sub tropical islands of the east Atlantic. It is migratory outside the breeding season, many then occurring in the Bay of Biscay, regularly penetrating as far as Cornwall and occasionally appearing in large numbers off the south west of Ireland.

It is an erratic visitor to Pembrokeshire waters, being first recorded from the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry on the 25th September 1965 by Jack Donovan. From then until 2007 a total of 86 birds have been logged. They were not recorded annually, being seen in 66 % of those years. The earliest was off the South Bishop on the 22nd February 1976, the latest off Strumble Head on the 29th November 1999. Otherwise the cumulative monthly totals were:

Most sightings involved single birds, with two in a day on five occasions, three once, five twice and the maxima of six in the Celtic Deep on the 26th September 1999 and seven off Strumble Head on the 15th August 1999. The largest incursion was in 1999 with a total of 26 bird days logged.

Considered by BWP as “equally satisfied with pelagic, offshore and inshore waters”, the fact that 78 % of Pembrokeshire sightings were made from the land, probably reflects the distribution of observer effort. A total of 14 of these were seen from Skokholm, Skomer, St Ann’s Head, South Bishop, Ramsey and St Govan’s Head, and 53 from Strumble Head. The hours of observation expended from the land greatly exceeded the time spent looking in offshore waters.

Offshore sightings were of singles from the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry, from a small craft west of Grassholm and from another boat north of Porth Gain, five from the Pembroke to Rosslare ferry and 11 from shark-fishing vessels in the Celtic Deep.

Cory’s Shearwaters have been seen in Pembrokeshire waters in a variety of weather conditions, with winds from all directions and ranging from calm through moderate winds to full gale force, making their appearance unpredictable.

It is not known to what degree the races Calonectris diomedia deomedia and C.d. borealis are involved in the Pembrokeshire record.

Graham Rees

(Covers records up to and including 2007)

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.

Pine Grosbeak - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Great Grey Shrike - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Golden Oriole - 1894

Species account from M Mathew, 1894, "The Birds of Pembrokeshire and its islands"

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Dusky Warbler - 2008

Phylloscopus fuscatus

Vagrant.

The Dusky Warbler breeds from Siberia to Mongolia wintering to the south but is a vagrant of annual occurrence to Britain.

The first Dusky Warbler recorded in Pembrokeshire was at Strumble Head on the 15th October 1988, being seen by Stuart Devonald, Graham Rees and John Stafford. Initially seen in the open it behaved in an agitated manner. When the observers backed off it immediately flew into deep cover in gorse. It was only subsequently viewable by using a car as a makeshift hide when it foraged on the ground.

The second to be recorded was found by Paull Grennard at Porth Clais, and was seen from the 10th to the 15th of November 2003. It was also skulking but this time in willows and with patience was seen by many observers.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2008).

Black-winged Stilt

Himantopus himantopus

Vagrant.

The Black-winged Stilt is a breeding summer visitor to mainland Europe from wintering grounds in Africa.

The Black-winged Stilt was first recorded in Pembrokeshire on the 24th July 1967, when G. T. McTaggart , a postman delivering mail, came across one on a small pond near Narberth.

The second was at West Dale, also visiting the Gann, between the 3rd and 6th April 1987.

On the 19th March 1990 a Black-winged Stilt was noticed wading in flood water at Penally by an alert observer travelling on a passing train, it remained until the 30th March.

Another was at Skokholm on the 7th and 8th May 1990, where it was frequently harassed by breeding Lapwings.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2008).

Surf Scoter - 2007 summary

Melanitta perspicillata

Rare visitor.

The Surf Scoter breeds across the North American continent mostly north of the tree line, moving south after the breeding season along both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. A very few cross to northern Europe, particularly to Britain and Ireland.

The first Surf Scoter recorded in Pembrokeshire was a male found at Druidston by Leader Hawkins on the 29th October 1979, which stayed until the 4th November. There followed an immature male passing Strumble Head on the 13th November 1982 and four males together doing the same thing on the 13th November 1987. A male, sometimes two males together, off Madoc’s Haven, near Nolton, from the 14th November 1987 to the 5th March 1988, were most likely part of the Strumble Head foursome. A male passed Skokholm on the 25th October 1990.

A male was present off Amroth from the 3rd to the 27th January 1991, 27th November 1994 to the 2nd January 1995, with two males seen on the 22nd December 1994, a male from the 14th February to the 14th March 1997, 21st and 22nd March 1998, 15th November 1998 to the 11th February 1999, 29th November 1999 to the 15th January 2000. Males were also seen elsewhere in Carmarthen Bay during this span of years, for example at Marros and Pendine in Carmarthenshire.

A male and female were at Broad Haven (N) in St Bride’s Bay from the 5th December 2003 to the 2nd January 2004 and a male and female off Newgale, also in St Bride’s Bay, on the 26th and 27th November 2005. Single males passed Strumble Head on the 9th June and the 22nd September 2004.

All the Surf Scoters recorded in Pembrokeshire were seen in association with Common Scoters and it is probable that they accompanied that species on its annual migrations to and from winter quarters, in which case far fewer individuals were probably involved than the plethora of dates might suggest.  

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2008).