American Golden Plover - 2017

Pluvialis dominica  Rare American vagrant. 

 

Adult Gann 27th – 30th May (DG et al) and a juv. there 6th – 15th Oct (DG et al). Both accepted by WRP

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Pembs Bird Report 2017.  includes a photo of each of the birds.

Pectoral Sandpiper - 1950

One at the Gann, 11 August 1950.  (Barrett, 1959)

Curlew - 2019 WeBS

It has been well-reported that the curlew is a declining species on a Europe-wide level, to the point that in 2008 it was upgraded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources to near-threatened status (BTO, 2008). Analyses of the European breeding population suggest that it declined by 24% during the 1990s, with further declines in at least the UK breeding population since 2000.  In Pembrokeshire, it still attempts to breed on Skomer, but has been lost elsewhere.

The curlew is better-known here as a wintering species, but even so, there is a downward trend in numbers.

Mid-winter (November to February) counts show a steady decline since the mid-1990s when up to 1500 were counted on the Cleddau Estuary, and up to five hundred on other sites in the county, most notably the Nevern Estuary in the north, and Castlemartin Corse/Freshwater West in the south.  The latter birds may also commute to and from the estuary. 

The slow decline on the Cleddau estuary system is matched by a similar decline on the Burry Inlet.

However, the mid-winter counts tell only part of the story. 

 

As the wintering numbers started to fall, the migration numbers shot up.  The maximum counts made in July-August on the Cleddau Estuary used to be similar to those in mid-winter, but with few birds present in September as the waves of migrants has passed through.  Since the late 1990s, there have been about two to three times as many birds on migration as in mid-winter.  But even these are now declining, so that the Cleddau Estuary is no longer of national importance for its curlew population at any time of year.

(This may change when the next round of threshold levels are published) 

No counts were undertaken in August and September between 1990 and 1993.  June-July (and occasionally August) counts since then have been compiled by Jane Hodges while doing an annual breeding shelduck census on the estuary for the PCNPA.  All other counts have been done as part of the Wetland Bird Survey (formerly Birds of the Estuaries Enquiry) by a dedicated team of volunteers.

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Haycock A (2019). A review of the status of wetland birds in the Milford Haven Waterway and Daugleddau Estuary, 2019. A report to the Milford Haven Waterway Environmental Surveillance Group.

Baird's Sandpiper - 2018

Two at the Gann from 13-16 September.  This is the only Welsh record of more than a single bird.

Long-billed Dowitcher - 2015 Skokholm

Vagrant - no previous island records

A vocal juvenile which circled North Plain in heavy drizzle on the evening of 20th September was seen and heard sufficiently well to confirm the identification before it roosted on the back of North Pond 50 (RDB, GE, BB, et al.). The bird was seen in flight and heard several times the following morning, although it did not settle and good views seemed unlikely. However the arrival of a juvenile Dunlin appeared to relax the dowitcher and they fed together during the afternoon of the 21st. It was not seen to leave North Pond for the next three days and generally fed alone from the 22nd. There was no sign of it on the 25th following a calm and clear night.

Phot (c) Richard Brown from Skokholm blog 

This was the first record for Skokholm and only the third for Pembrokeshire following first-winter birds at the Gann between 12th December 1987 and 3rd January 1988 and between 1st January and 23rd March 2013 (Rees, 2014).

Skokholm Bird Observatory Annual Report 2015 (Richard Brown & Giselle Eagle)

Red-necked Phalarope - 2015 Skokholm

Vagrant - no previous island records

Two summer plumaged birds found on North Pond during 9th June were the first record for Skokholm and the first spring record for Pembrokeshire (SWR, PTI, RDB et al.). They were still present the following day but were not seen on the 11th.

Photos etc on Skokholm blog

The four previous Pembrokeshire records were a first-winter shot on a farm pond near St Twynells in c.1900 (the specimen was confirmed as this species in 1928), singles off St Ann’s Head on 19th September 1950 and at the Gann on 16th September 1957 and most recently a juvenile on a slurry pond at Haroldston West on the 4th and 5th October 1983 (Rees, 2011).

Nationally 2015 was an exceptional year for passage records of this species and it proved a record breeding year in Shetland.

Skokholm Bird Observatory Annual Report 2015 (Richard Brown& Giselle Eagle)

Golden Plover - 1980s winter

The BTO winter atlas showed that Golden Plovers were present in both estuarine and agricultural 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 496 birds.

Day roosting birds made up high numbers at the Cleddau Estuary, whereas those on the Castle Martin ranges were active feeders.  

Graham Rees 

Dunlin - 1994

Winter visitor and passage migrant

There is no evidence of any change in status since Mathew (1894) and Lockley et al (1949).

A considerable autumn passage commences in early July and continues into November, with peak movement in September.  Some birds pause to feed on the estuaries and to a lesser extent on mainland beaches and offshore islands.  They have also been seen passing during the day from ships offshore and from the Smalls and off Strumble Head, as well as being detected moving at night at the lighthouses of the latter two localities.  Observations at Stumble head confirm the September peak which is also reflected in counts from the Cleddau, Teifi and Nevern estuaries.

The main winter arrival occurs in November and December and is nocturnal.  The principal areas of the Cleddau Estuary used are between Hook and Llangwm, Carew/Cressell Rivers, Llandstadwell, Pembroke River and Angle Bay.

On average about 80 dunlin winter on the Teifi Estuary and 20-30 on the Nevern Estuary.  They are scarce and irregular elsewhere. 

Departure takes place in March, is rapid and thought to be nocturnal.  Ringing has shown that some winter birds arrive via Scandinavia; for example, on ringed on 31 August 1952 at Ottenby in Sweden was recovered at Milford Haven on 10 December.

Small numbers pass through Pembrokeshire from April to mid-June, pausing briefly on the offshore islands, the Gann and the Nevern and Teifi estuaries, with a rapid turnover of individual.  They can sometimes be seen departing northwards on calm evenings from places such as Angle Bay and the Gann, when they rise from the flats and circled in tight groups, calling incessantly, sudddinly falling quiet as they set off on a bearing.

Donovan J.W. & Rees G.H (1994), Birds of Pembrokeshire

Jack Snipe: 1980s winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Jack Snipes were present in a third of Pembrokeshire 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 4 birds recorded per day.

Probably under recorded as usually not discovered until almost trodden on.

Graham Rees 

Snipe - 1980s winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Snipes were present 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 37 birds, up to 200 were recorded in some squares in the county.

Graham Rees 

Greenshank - 1980s winter atlas

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

The darkest colour represents over 6 birds seen a day. It is likely that the birds concerned were Scottish breeders.

Graham Rees 

Green Sandpiper - 1980s winter atlas

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

The colour represents single birds seen a day. The UK is at the northern extremity of the winter range of this species.

Graham Rees