Monday 19th January

Pembrey Burrows & Saltings Local Nature Reserve

Ringing report & wildlife notes 2015

prepared by, Paul Aubrey :

January 2016

Overview

Ringing commenced at the Pembrey Burrows LNR in mid October 2015. It always take time to establish the best locations for setting mist nets at a new site; 2016 will bring consistency to the locations used.

Being a coastal site ringing is very dependent on the weather especially the strength of the wind and anything over 9 miles per hour effectively cancels any attempt at ringing.

In total 10 ringing sessions took place between October and December 2015 with a total of 105 birds ringed of 18 species.

There are three main areas where the mist nets are set,

·        The Willows/Reed Bed opposite the Welsh Water, treatment works.

·        The area of Sea Buckthorn along the hard track from the cattle pens to the first stile into field 2.

·        The area of Sea Buckthorn and Gorse around the observation hut at the end of the hard track. (these areas of scrub are grouped s one site for reporting purposes).

Additional ringing opportunities exist near each of the three artificial ponds as well as on the salt marsh and the high water mark on Cefn Sidan beach.

Ringing summaries by location

Place Totals Summary Sea Buckthorn &Scrub

                

                                                                                                    Retraps/

                                                             Full grown    Pulli   Recoveries     Total

2015

         Jack Snipe                                               1                0                 0                 1

          Tree Pipit                                                1                0                 0                 1

          Meadow Pipit                                     11                0                 0              11

          Wren                                                        4                0                 1                 5

          Dunnock                                                  8                0                 0                 8

          Robin                                                        9                0                 0                 9

          Blackbird                                                 8                0                 0                 8

          Song Thrush                                           4                0                 0                 4

          Redwing                                                  7                0                 0                 7

          Goldcrest                                                8                0                 3              11

          Firecrest                                                  1                0                 0                 1

          Blue Tit                                                  10                0                 0              10

          Great Tit                                                  3                0                 0                 3

          Chaffinch                                                 6                0                 0                 6

          Goldfinch                                                5                0                 0                 5

          Reed Bunting                                         5                0                 1                 6

         Total                                                        91                0                 5              96

                                                                                                                    

Place Totals Summary Willows and Reed Bed   

                                                                                                    Retraps/

                                                             Full grown    Pulli   Recoveries     Total

2015 Willows/Reed Bed

          Wren                                                        3                0                 0                 3

          Dunnock                                                  1                0                 0                 1

          Robin                                                        1                0                 0                 1

          Chiffchaff                                                2                0                 0                 2

          Goldcrest                                                1                0                 0                 1

          Blue Tit                                                    2                0                 0                 2

          Magpie                                                    1                0                 0                 1

          Chaffinch                                                 1                0                 0                 1

          Reed Bunting                                         2                0                 0                 2

         Total                                                        14                0                 0              14

                                                                          14                0                 0              14

 

           

Highlights of 2015

The undoubted highlights for a new ringing site were Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus, and Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla

Both these birds were unexpected and provide evidence of the wide variety of bird species which use the reserve.

Jack Snipe

A Reed Bunting "controlled" i.e. already ringed by another ringer and then caught at Pembrey LNR, was originally ringed at Oxwich Marsh NNR in September 2015.

The commencement of ringing at Pembrey LNR offers the opportunity for a long term ringing scheme to become established, although it will take several years of consistent ringing to provide a truly useful dataset, each year will bring  value by providing  factual, science based, data of the ornithological interest of the site which over time will provide valuable information to help structure the long term management of the reserve.

Ringing is a proven method for establishing, amongst others information on, population structure, site fidelity, and longevity, given the wide range of species already recorded in the three months that I have been involved in the reserve the scope to discover more is huge.

Having a "ringing station" at Pembrey LNR enhances the network of coastal ringing stations, from  Skokholm Island in the West to Cardiff Bay in the East.

Wildlife notes

As I am on site as the volunteer ranger at least three/four times a week, I am able to record my own observations as well as  gather information from visitors.

Notable bird records between September and December 2015:

Raptors and Owls

Buzzard, Red Kite (2), Hen Harrier, Common Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Merlin, Peregrine, Barn Owl and Short-eared Owl (2) [the SEO were a visitor record]

Maximum Counts of Wildfowl*

Teal (300+), Pintail (13), Wigeon (15), Shelduck (2),  and Red-breasted Merganser

Waders of note*

Common Snipe, 40+ flushed by Hen Harrier on 4th December 2015, Redshank 41, Curlew 28, Green Sandpiper 2 (on 28th November 2015).

*many more birds are probably out of sight in the creeks.

Mammals

The following mammals have been observed,Red Fox, Badger, Weasel, Rabbit, Wood Mouse, Field Vole, Mole Common Shrew and Hare  ( a Leveret  about four months old was seen on 3rd November 2015, and an adult was seen by a visiting naturalist in mid December 2015). Otter: I found signs of feeding, (crab shells and limbs) on the bank of one of the salt marsh creeks in late November 2015, (and smudged foot prints in late December)  an adult has been seen in the harbour at Burry Port on a number of occasions. The scrubby areas provide ideal "lying up" habitat for these elusive mammals

Of interest

Of particular note were a juvenile Common Cuckoo on the late date of, 7th October 2015, and a Barn Swallow on the very late date of 30th November 2015. Late season butterflies were a  Comma seen on 1st November 2015 and a Red Admiral on 22nd November 2015;  contrasting with the wintering flock of some 2000+ Common Starlings feeding on the Salt Marsh.

in coming tide Pembrey Burrows & Saltings  Local Nature Reserve

Birds recorded October -December 2015.

1.       Mute Swan

2.       Brent Goose

3.       Common Shelduck

4.       Mallard

5.       Northern Pintail

6.       Eurasian Wigeon

7.       Eurasian Teal

8.       Red-Breasted Merganser

9.       Common Pheasant

10.   Great Crested Grebe

11.   Northern Gannet

12.   Great Cormorant

13.   Little Egret

14.   Grey Heron

15.   Red Kite*

16.   Hen Harrier*

17.   Common Buzzard

18.   Eurasian Sparrowhawk

19.   Common Kestrel

20.   Peregrine Falcon*

21.   Merlin*

22.   Water Rail

23.   Eurasian Oystercatcher

24.   Common Ringed Plover

25.   European Golden Plover

26.   Lapwing

27.   Red Knot

28.   Sanderling

29.   Ruddy Turnstone

30.   Dunlin

31.   Green Sandpiper*

32.   Common Redshank

33.   Common Greenshank

34.   Eurasian Curlew

35.   Whimbrel

36.   Common Snipe

37.   Jack Snipe

38.   Black-headed Gull

39.   Common Gull

40.   Mediterranean Gull

41.   European Herring Gull

42.   Great Black-backed Gull

43.   Lesser Black-backed Gull

44.   Little Tern

45.   Sandwich Tern

46.   Common Tern

47.   Wood Pigeon

48.   Common Cuckoo

49.   Short-eared Owl*

50.   Barn Owl

51.   Common Skylark

52.   Barn Swallow

53.   Meadow Pipit

54.   Tree Pipit*

55.   Pied Wagtail

56.   Dunnock

57.   Robin

58.   Northern Wheatear

59.   Whinchat

60.   Common Stonechat

61.   Song Thrush

62.   Mistle Thrush

63.   Redwing

64.   Fieldfare

65.   Common Blackbird

66.   Blackcap

67.   Common Chiffchaff

68.   Goldcrest

69.   Firecrest*

70.   Great Tit

71.   Blue Tit

72.   Wren

73.   Long-tailed Tit

74.   Common Magpie

75.   Western Jackdaw

76.   Rook

77.   Carrion Crow

78.   Common Raven                                                  

79.   European Goldfinch

80.   Common Starling                                                

81.   European Greenfinch

82.   Common Chaffinch                                                            

83.   Eurasian Siskin                     

84.   Common Linnet                                                  

85.   Common Reed Bunting

Sunday 17th January 2016

WeBS count Cefn Sidan beach

Today was a count of the wading birds, gulls and wildfowl on the beach, part of an ongoing national count strategy.

I joined Simeon at 09:30 and we headed off up the beach to count what birds we could find.

A summary looks like, Oystercatcher 3772, Sanderling 598, Dunlin 238, Curlew 140, Knot 20, Redshank 15,  Grey Plover 9, Bar-tailed Godwit 5, Turnstone 2. Pintail 81, Shelduck 30, Mallard 13, Great Black-backed Gull 10, Herring Gull 49 and Common Gull 161.

We also saw a female type Merlin and a 1st winter "white winged gull", probably an ICELAND GULL, judging by size comparisons with the Herring Gulls.

The count took around two and a half hours, the beach is one of the longest in the country.

a very dodgy cropped shot of Grey Plover, Oystercatcher and Sanderling

Some decent birds seen in a stunning setting, once you ignore the rubbish on the high water mark

Saturday 16th January 2016

Oxwich Marsh NNR ringing

Meeting at Oxwich for 07:45hrs this morning wads very civilised considering the state of the roads after the first real cold night of what, so far, has been a very wet winter.

The early clear skies had already started to fill in with cloud before sunrise, although as always that hour around dawn was perhaps the coldest?

With the nets efficiently set we waited for the first "round", (when we go around the nets to remove any birds).

The morning was filled with Blue Tits, a smattering of Great Tits, a couple of Coal Tits, plus the usual Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Greenfinches and a small party of Siskin.

Male Siskin

As the morning warmed a Chiffchaff was processed and found to be wearing a ring not belonging to the group! or so we think more details to follow. It's always exciting to "control" someone else's previous encounter with a bird. We will have to wait until the details have been entered in the system.

Chiffchaff, the picture doesn't do the true colour any justice ,

the bird was a classis Colybitta type

Most Chiffchaffs are in the Mediterranean region or even further south in North Africa at this time of year, a few always winter in the UK and are regularly seen in association with tit flocks.

Its Webs count tomorrow so check out the blog for more news.......

Friday 15th January 2016

Catch up

The weather has, at last, settled down, with a frost on the reserve this morning ice on the puddles and a high tide there were plenty of birds about.

The best of the birds were the usual suspects being, Teal, Mallard, Wigeon, Redshank, Curlew and Snipe. Seven Shelduck were an addition to the list. Raptors were represented by Buzzard, Red Kite and Merlin.

Despite a high tide to day it was only 8.4m which isn't high enough for the marsh to flood so the actual numbers seen were low, in fact much lower than when the birds were disturbed by walkers when they leave the confines of the main inlet and creeks.

The cattle have had to be moved to field 1, after vandalism to the barbed wire fence in field 2, resulting in at least of the bullocks going on walkabout.

I have been working on the "hut", the viewing shelter at the end of the main track overlooking the saltmarsh, I really wish more birders/naturalists would visit the reserve, maybe they do but I never see them.

With snow on the hills in the distance it actually feels like winter at last.......

Redwing, a touch of winter?

Spain Thursday 7th January 2016

Flags, Rings, and Osprey....

Today dawned a glorious morning of clear blue skies and, I think a north westerly of about f2, with it being my last day to get out and about we took a taxi back to the Nature Reserve at Guadalmar.

The highlights today were Black Redstart, with +10 seen on the approach to the reserve entrance, Moustached Warbler again seemingly more plentiful than on my first visit, and a bird often misreported on Lesbos ( they are usually Sedge Warblers in the spring).

Butterflies were represented by flying too fast whites!, Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow,
there were also grasshoppers and hover flies around.

I'll have to identify this when I get home !

A flock of  WOODPIGEON (13), was new as were the following, Dunlin (3), Greenshank (5),BARN SWALLOW (1), WATER PIPIT (1) [ thanks to the chap from Scarborough for the heads up as it called, {sorry if it wasn't Scarborough}]OSPREY (1) [thanks], COMMON SCOTER (2) [I am only 90% confident but two non descript ducks flying out to see looked good for Scoter], CRESTED LARK (1), GREAT TIT (2), AND KENTISH PLOVER (13).

Kentish Plover

The Kentish Plover were a nice find especially as one bird was carrying coloured rings and flag, the combination appeared to be Left Leg, BLUE FLAG on tibia, YELLOW RING on tarsus, and  Right Leg, PALE BLUE FLAG on tibia and YELLOW RING on tarsus.

Kentish Plover  with Flags & Rings

Coincidently the beach has a large area sectioned off as it is a breeding site for Kentish Plover the nearby information board showed an increasing population trend  although the data is old.

The sign basically says, the authorities noticed a decline in Kentish Plover,

in 1997 and took action, 2011 had over 50 breeding pairs?

Without too  much effort I got to 60 Species, in three days of gentle birding, it would seem that some of the "to be expected" species are not around this year, such as Greater Flamingo, and Bluethroat.

I think we will definitely be back at sometime in the future, only 2.5hrs from the UK and easy to get about with decent weather and great wildlife

Spain 6th January 2016

Gibraltar and Apes....

This morning was another cool slightly overcast start but it turned into a day of almost unbroken sunshine when we were in Gibraltar.

The view to Morocco some 24kms away was a bit hazy but the mountains were visible if shielded by low cloud.

The mountains of Morocco North Africa

I had hoped for a few birds, but the best that I could muster were., White Wagtail, Robin, Black Redstart, Yellow Legged Gull and PEREGRINE.

A guided tour took in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, the home of the famous Barbary Macaques.

The Alpha male of one of the five troops on the Rock

It has been proven by DNA that the Macaques on Gibraltat today originated from the mountains of North Africa and are not a remnant population of the species that did once inhabit southern Europe.

Barbary Macaque

Spain 5th January 2016

Another long walk...

After overnight rain, the morning quickly improved to clear skies and sunshine, with the temperature topping 21' with a brisk westerly wind

We headed on foot along the sea front towards Benalmedena and the marina.

Given how busy with walkers it was there was little in the way of birds but we did pick up...

A classic 1st winter Yellow Legged Gull

Crag Martin (100+)Black Headed Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull (1000+), Yellow Legged Gull, Mediterranean Gull (2), along with Monk Parakeet, Spotless Starling and possible Rock Dove.

Monk Parakeet

A few of the L B B Gulls on the beach, the adult 2nd from the is wearing a blue darvic but it looks too worn to read any detail.

feral pigeon or 99% Rock Dove?

Crag Martin