Tuesday 8th November 2016

Pembrokeshire Dangler nearly spoils the morning...

Yesterday evening I gave a talk to the Llanelli Naturalists Society, on 102 years of ringing the audience was average for the society, about 10 souls who had nothing better to do, but I think the talk was well received.

This morning was forecast to be still and overcast with no sign of rain until lunchtime, so when I had finished opening the one net that I had planned at a new location on the reserve, I was a bit surprised to hear rain tapping on the van roof, luckily it didn't come to much and a small but interesting session was had.

At dawn the first two birds were singles of Redwing and Fieldfare, always great to trap but I had the feeling that they were the only Redwing and Fieldfare in the area!!

Fieldfare

Things picked up as the finch flocks started to appear, so I switched to playing Linnet and Greenfinch on the tape lures. In the end eight Greenfinch and two Linnet were caught whilst observations revealed around 45 Greenfinch (including a flock of 32) and maybe 30+ Linnet, and the same of Goldfinch.

Linnet

Greenfinches are always great to trap, not only are they a really smart bird but they have been through some rough times across the UK and these are the first I have seen for several months.

Greenfinch ♂,  (VH)

the "mess" around the upper mandible

is the sticky remains of Sea Buckthorn berries

Greenfinch ♂, note the yellow of the primaries reaches the shaft of the feather,

females do not show this obvious feature

After packing up I had a quick look around the reserve, flushing a Jack Snipe from the edge of one of the ponds.

The change in the weather has arrived as forecast with some welcome rain to freshen the ponds and dampen the marsh which is very dry.

Saturday 5th Novemebr 2016

Frost.......

A crisp morning with actual ice on the windscreen of the van, and frost on the ground on the reserve must mean its winter?

Arriving at just before 07:30hrs, to the sun just peeking over the horizon the first bird I saw as I drove across the reserve was the ♂ Merlin, typically the light was all wrong and despite the bird being very obliging it didn't wait for me to position the van properly.
This was the best of an in car photo I could muster.

Merlin ♂

The bird then flew and landed on the far side of the field sat on what is becoming a favourite post.

A quite uneventful walk out to the beach was followed by an equally uneventful walk east along the beach, although finding a James Bond style speed boat, albeit old battered and without an engine, was a surprise.

I guess it can't be allowed to stay there, or to float away on the next high tides, (its safe for now) so it becomes another job!!


For those of you with absolutely nothing better to do on Monday night (7th Nov), I'm giving a talk on Bird Ringing, at the Llanelli Naturalists Society meeting in Llanerch Community Hall, at 7:30pm, see Llanelli naturalists society website for directions.

Wednesday 2nd November

Winter is here, meteorologically speaking anyway..

A cool dawn with an  overcast sky saw me setting up a few nets in the Willow and Reed areas, after a quiet start the pace picked up with 13 Reed Buntings in the Reed net, along with last weeks Cetti's Warbler. The Willow bush net produced a single Chaffinch and a lonely Blue Tit.

There were several Water Rail calling in the reeds but none would react to the tape lure.

Three Red-breasted Mergansers flew over heading West

Its good to get a few reed Buntings ringed as there are a lot on site and they do move about the area.

Reed Bunting ♂

With today being volunteer day we set off on a few tasks, pot hole filling and putting up a few signs, well nothing is straight forward but suffice to say pot holes filled and a sign up before lunch, but not before being pleased to see a HEN HARRIER , quartering the lower and middle marsh, it was a "ringtail" which means it was either a female or an immature. species 138 for the year.

Of course the camera was in the car............................

Over lunch a ♂ Merlin came and sat on a fence post in very close range, then I noticed two large white birds heading from the NNW they were swans and as I said a quiet prayer they were indeed WHOOPER SWANS species 139 for the year.

Whooper Swans

(not todays photo, they were flying in the other direction!!)

This week is turning into something of a purple patch in terms of new birds appearing on or over the recording area, what will be number 140..???

Tuesday 1st November

Ups and downs, disappointments and surprises....

Every day that I turn up at Pembrey Burrows reserve, I wonder what I am going to find, something unusual, a surprise maybe a new bird or insect; in the back of my  mind is always the thought "what have the humans been up to...".

Yesterday was no exception so when I got to the information shelter and noticed the tide tables had been moved and the leaflet dispensers were mixed up I knew something odd had happened.

This thought was confirmed when I found some of the information signs had holes in them, made by air rifle pellets, then the bits of chipped wood lying on the floor confirmed that some git had been using the shelter for target practise......

Despite being disappointed I guess that I should be grateful that its the first incident in nearly twelve months, so I replaced the damaged signs and wait with anticipation.

Today a new day and a new month, a cooler feel and a light Easterly breeze soon found the reserve to be raptor heaven.

I noticed that the flocks of Starlings, & Goldfinches, along with the other birds on the marsh were "on edge", it soon became apparent as a male Peregrine swept over the top of the reeds, a Kestrel watching from a dead tree and a Buzzard floating by.

Within a few minutes order was restored, but not for long as a very large very dark raptor appeared to the alarm calls of the Magpies and Carrion Crows, a look at the bird confirmed a long overdue MARSH HARRIER, judging by the very dark plumage an immature bird which  quickly disappeared into the reeds. Of course I didn't have my camera to hand, so an interent photo for those of you unfamiliar with this great bird.

Marsh harrier, the bird seen today was darker than this individual with a smart cream crown

(photo,  internet unnamed source )

As if that wasn't enough four Red Kites drifted in from the estuary and after a few minutes continued inland to the North.

A real raptor fest!!!!

Wednesday 26th October 2016

Winter raptors.....

With autumn marching towards winter there has been a noticeable increase in the avian predators on the reserve.

Whilst we don't get big numbers of raptors we do have a nice range of species using the reserve and already the following can be found with a bit of time

Kestrel, at least two different individuals.

Sparrowhawk, the "big" female is back and quite often a smaller male and female can be encountered.

Common Buzzard, one or two usually seen around the first cattle enclosure to the north of the track.

Merlin, a nicely marked immature male has been around for a few days and showed well this evening.

Immature ♂ Merlin,

(heavily cropped photo; donations towards a decent camera welcome!)

Peregrine Falcon, a couple of regular birds, especially at high tide when they hunt the wader flock

Red Kites should reappear soon, as well as Goshawk and Hen Harrier, just keep looking...

Barn Owl, check near the Dwr Cymru treatment plant at dusk

Short-eared Owl one individual seen this week keep checking at dusk.

Tuesday 25th October 2016

A mix of Summer and Winter.....

I made a late afternoon visit to the reserve, as it was my first opportunity for a few days, the light was quite nice with a mix of dark heavy clouds inland and crisp clear blue skies out in the bay.

I made a quick stop at pond 2 and was pleased to find, at last, Four Northern Shoveler, the first record for 2016 on the reserve making them species number 136, they were all female and didn't hang around long but only flew to the pond in the next enclosure. there were also five Teal, and two Pintail nice numbers of nice duck on what is almost a puddle sized pond.

I walked out to the eastern edge of the dunes and was pleased to find that the seasonal brackish pools have retained a lot of water after the high tides, it is clear that birds, probably ducks and waders, are using the pools (lots of preened feathers).

its a long walk to get to this area :-)

Making my way back to the information shelter two Barn Swallow flew overhead and headed East, the last of the year??

When I had unlocked the entrance barrier, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a large white bird flying towards me, at the same time I caught the tail end of a large brown bird fly across my line of sight.

Having established that the white bird was a very well built adult Herring Gull my attention turned to what I hoped had been a Short-eared Owl, IT WAS....

Short-eared Owl

The owl was actively hunting the rough grass to the north of the entrance and made a couple of apparently unsuccessful dives into the grass. These birds are incredibly beautiful and my "bridge camera" photographs do it no justice at all, however I am happy to have been able to record the bird myself.

Short-eared Owl

One of the regular and, on side, dog walkers told me she had seen it at the same time yesterday evening....

There was some nice interaction with a male Sparrowhawk before the owl made its way towards the country park.

There has been an increase in avian predators in the last few weeks, and judging by the number of small mammals , (voles and mice particularly) I've noticed there should be enough for all this winter...........

Pure magic, I just need to get better photos before the end of the year

Wednesday 19th - Saturday 22nd October

Catching up.....

For most of my adult life I've managed perfectly well with out "internet", so why is it that four days without "broadband" and I feel in disarray?

Well it seems that all is working again so time for a catch up.

Wednesday is volunteer day and this week we were at Morfa Berwig LNR, our mission to put some metal gates up to replace the wooden structures presently leading to the grazing fields.

Having completed a small task clearing some rank vegetation we proceeded to the grazing field to be met by these!

Gently does it....., a nifty pincer and we've got them

At first I thought someone was taking the Donkeys for a walk, then realised they were escapees!!!
An interesting few minutes ensued while we rounded the way ward Donkeys up and put them back in the field, ultimately we never actually completed the main task of putting a gate up, but that's another story.....

On Friday I had a ringing session and was pleased to catch the first CETTIS WARBLER for the site, I had only first heard them a few days previously so to find one in the net was a surprise, more expected though where the first Redwing of the season....

Redwing

Cettis Warbler, a juvenile of this year

I caught a couple of Robins, one had a much greyer forehead than usual, it is likely to be a "continental" bird, but I didn't take a photograph! It is noticeable that there are quite a few Robins around this week

Saturday was another guided walk, "Beach Wildlife", despite the late start 10:30, I arrived at 08:45 and met up with Bernie Beck who had walked in for the walk, he went off to do a sea watch and I had a quick look at the route of the walk. I joined Bernie at about 09:45, by which time he had already seen a Bonxie, A Harbour Porpoise and a Grey Seal!!!!

Of course by the time everyone had arrived there was little to see, undaunted we had a nice walk and managed to pick up Teal, Common Snipe and a couple of Pintail....its all in the timing.