Brent Goose - 2019 WeBS

Brent geese were occasional visitors to Pembrokeshire before 1990, and only began to appear regularly on WeBS counts in1993-94 as shown below.

The highest numbers in any season are recorded between December and February

Almost all brent geese are seen on the Cleddau, especially at the Gann or at Angle Bay.  Just a handful are counted on the Nevern and Teifi.

As the birds commute - either in a flock, or in small groups - between the Gann and Angle Bay - it is possible that they can be double-counted at times.  However, an individual count of 77 at Angle Bay in December 2016, (and other individual counts - 68 at the Gann in 2012 and 62 at Angle Bay in 2017 - on non-WeBS days) that suggest the WeBS totals are reasonable.

Almost all birds are of the light-bellied race (hrota) - with just a handful of dark-bellied birds recorded.

Many ringed birds have been observed, and these prove movements between Ireland (main ringing station), Pembrokeshire and Brittany, and to north-east Canada (breeding grounds) via Iceland and Greenland.

AH

Pembrokeshire WeBS coordinator

Coot - 2015 WeBS

Maximum winter counts from all sites counted for the Wetland Bird Survey in Pembrokeshire.  Data after 2000 includes the Teifi Estuary.

Main wintering sites for this species are the Bosherston Lakes, South Hook Pools, Llys-y-fran and Rosebush Reservoirs and Pembroke Millponds.  Bicton Reservoirs was a major wintering site, but has not been used much by coot since 2000. 

The dramatic decline of the last four seasons reflects the trend across Wales, and Britain as a whole.

The Welsh Bird Report for 2014 suggests there are indications of a severe decline in breeding numbers in several western counties in recent years and wintering numbers have also declined at several sites.

Cormorant - 2015 WeBS

Maximum winter counts from all sites counted for the Wetland Bird Survey in Pembrokeshire.  Data after 2000 includes the Teifi Estuary.

Main wintering sites for this species are the Cleddau Estuary, Bosherston Lakes, and Llys-y-fran Reservoir. However, large numbers can occur elsewhere, for example 50-60 in Fishguard Harbour in early 2015.

 

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

Dunlin - 2020 WeBS

Peak counts of dunlin are erratic, but generally in the range of 2,500 to 5,000 birds.  Numbers were higher on average in the 1990s, including a peak of some 8,500 birds in 1996-97 which mirrored an influx seen across the whole UK in that year only.  Numbers have been lower since 2000-01.

To be of national importance for a species, a site must hold a five-year average count above the threshold level.  With numbers fluctuating widely, the Cleddau occasionally achieves this figure

Most of the dunlin on the Cleddau are found on the large open mudflats of Pembroke River, Carew-Cresswell and Hook-Sprinkle.  Decadal averages indicate that most of the decline has occurred on the Pembroke River and the Carew-Cresswell.

Very few dunlin are counted on other Pembrokeshire WeBS sites - usually around 200 on the Nevern and Teifi combined, occasionally nearer 300.

Monthly indices show that, throughout the UK, numbers are now generally lower all through most of the winter.  This is mirrored by a rise in the Netherlands, strongly suggesting that birds migrating from the northeast, and possibly northwest, are stopping on the Wadden Sea.  This may be a consequence of the milder weather of recent winter. Previously, in October, after moulting on the Wash & Waddensee, many birds moved westwards to areas of milder winter climate.  Between February and April, many birds move east again before migrating to breeding grounds.

Annie Haycock, WeBS Review 2020

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).

Gadwall - 1980s BTO winter atlas

The BTO winter atlas showed that Gadwalls were present in both estuarine and fresh water 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 23 birds.

Graham Rees 

Brent Goose - 1980s winter atlas

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

The light colour, of the10km squares represents 1-15 birds seen in a day, the most in Pembrokeshire being six.

Graham Rees 

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.

Green Sandpiper - status

Tringa achropus

Passage migrant and winter visitor.

The Green Sandpiper breeds across the northern Palearctic from Scandinavia to Siberia, wintering south of this range as far south as Africa and Asia.

From the late 1800’s to the present, the Green Sandpiper has predominantly been an autumn visitor to Pembrokeshire. Throughout this period some have over wintered and a small erratic spring passage has been detected. They have been seen around many small pools, both on the mainland and offshore islands, in the upper reaches of estuaries around the zone where fresh water runs into salt water and overflying land including habitations.

Overall it is likely that this species has been under recorded, inasmuch as it can occur on quite small ponds and streams which are seldom visited by observers.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2006).

Green Sandpiper - winter

Tringa achropus

In 1894 Mathew wrote of the Green Sandpiper, “not infrequently it occurs throughout the winter months”. Subsequently this was established as a regular feature. This has mostly involved single birds at any one locality but up to five have been seen at favoured sites. The most favoured places have been Westfield Pill, the Blackpool Mill / Minwear region of the Eastern Cleddau, Millin Pill, Carew / Milton and Cresswell Quay. Birds centred on these areas possibly account for occurrences at Rosemarket, Clerkenhill, Llawhaden, Little Milford, Broadley / Southern Pitts and Cosheston. Less regular winter records have come from Pentwd, Nevern Estuary, Sealyham, Heathfield, St David’s airfield, Wallis Moor, Scolton, Bicton, Herbrandston, Gann / Mullock, Monkton, Ludchurch, Norchard and Lydstep.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2006).

Sanderling - winter

Calidris alba

One to five birds at a time have been recorded during the winter period, December to March, initially in 1927 and 1929, then in 1961 and 1963, in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1991 and in every year from 1994 to 2006. Most records are for single dates but occasionally they have stayed for up to a month and in 1996 up to three were at Fishguard Harbour for six weeks and in 1997 up to three at the Gann for six weeks. Perhaps these were offshoots from the substantial winter population found at Cefn Sidan in neighbouring Carmarthenshire.

Graham Rees.

(Covers records up to and including 2006).