Extended lunch break as Sandra desperately wanted to see the Thayer’s Gull. No sign amongst the 280+ Herring Gulls on the island when we arrived at 12:00, but at 12:30 just as the rain started I found it perched on top of the island. Lord Nelson was also there but no sign of any American Herring Gull lookalikes. Scoters much closer today, but no time to check them. Weather looking very good for the weekend – let’s hope it sticks.

In the same way I’ve seen Merlin follow Hen Harrier to take advantage of birds spooked by the harrier, today I watched a Little Egret shadowing a Cormorant to catch the fish it disturbed. A case of kleptoparasitism? Anyone else seen this before? Certainly the first time I’ve noticed this behaviour. I would post the video showing this but I’ve already used up my Vimeo allowance for this week! Couple of grabs give an idea of the action which repeatedly proved successful for the egret. Video available now HERE (poor quality but shows behaviour)

Information for those intending to look for the Thayer’s and other gulls at Burry Holms will hopefully find the information HERE of use.

Black Brant seen on the morning tide between Landimore and Weobley along with fabulous numbers of other waders and waterfowl, 6 Greenshank perhaps being the most noteworthy (BS & JNE, shortly joined by CB). Best viewpoint to look for this bird is Bove Hill (SS46509336). The Thayer’s Gull and p.American Herring Gull have showed on and off all day around Burry Holms. Well done to all the hardy souls who braved the elements, especially those who managed to get photographs that will help the assessment of these records. Hanging my bins up to dry tomorrow!

Pics and videos of the p.Thayer’s and an American Herring Gull lookalike here.

Fulmars at Spaniard Rocks https://vimeo.com/83386863

Off Spaniard Rocks in addition to the above which were on the eastern-most rocks of Burry Holms, other birds seen were 5,280 Common Scoter (too distant to see anything rarer among them), 60+ Kittiwakes and continual procession of gulls (2,000+) flying north along the coast, only a few stopping off to rest on the island. Broughton Bay held loads of gulls as the tide dropped, with hundreds of both Herrings and Commons plus other odds and sods.

Impressive tide but nothing of great note bird wise. Counts between Gowerton and Llanrhidian included 239 Shelduck, 168 Teal, 500+ Pintail, 291 Dark-bellied Brent, 1 Pale-bellied Brent, 39 Great Black-backed Gull and a juvenile Kittiwake at the Gowerton end the only surprise. 

I arrived as Owain and Rhian were leaving. I managed to see 10 of the 16 Purple Sands & the 2 Chough made a brief appearance. Additional birds included a 2cy Little Gull just off the point along with Kittiwakes 86 (mostly loitering), 14+ Med Gulls, 12 Guillemots (sadly none of the Black persuasion), 1 Red-throated Diver, 9 female Common Scoter loafing just of the point and 1 Fulmar.

Elsewhere Owen Leyshon saw a G.N.Diver, 3 Slavonian Grebes & 52 Eiders at Whiteford and 2 Velvets among the distant flock of 1300+ Common Scoters in Rhossili Bay.

The adult male Surf Scoter and female Velvet Scoter were in with 1060-strong flock of Commons off Rhossili this morning. With 2000+ Herring Gulls on the beach feeding on an abundance of moribund shellfish it seems the storm has stirred up the seabed making good foraging. Maybe more storms will bring in more birds? At approximately SS3989 the scoter flock is pretty distant, so don’t expect good views if you go looking for the Surfy. The light this morning was bright and crisp making it pretty easy to to pick out.

Very little! 18 Red-throated Divers and 108 auks, all west, during a ~20min watch from the point. Still a few hundred Common Scoters in the bay, but always distant. Nice views of a Marsh Tit in the woods and nice to hear plenty Goldcrests this winter. On the marsh there were 27 Gadwall, 15 Wigeon and 13 Teal on the north pond.

1 Red-necked Grebe (west side of Whiteford), 4 Slavonian Grebes (east side) and a female Merlin (at the point) were the highlights this morning during a fruitless search for crossbills. Other noteworthy species included 3 Red-throated Divers, 19 Eiders, 3 Stock Doves and counts of 52 Grey Plover and 143 Turnstone. 1000’s of Oycs but not counted.

Last minute reminder about the AGM tonight at the Environment Centre , Swansea (7:30), followed by a review of 2013 (birds and other wildlife). All welcome.

3 Woodcock returning to roost just before dawn this morning.

Details of the colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit I reported a week or two back can be found HERE

In yesterday’s gale a juv Pom/Arctic Skua was off Port Eynon Point yesterday along with a trickle of Gannets, Kittiwakes and larger numbers of Guillemots. 15 Common Scoter were feeding off the point in stupid conditions! A scan of the estuary between Crofty and Loughor this morning failed to pick up strays in the aftermath of the storm, the only thing of real note being a colour-ringed Black-wit among the 285-strong flock.

A few odds and sods of note on the morning tide included a Pale-bellied Brent off Dalton’s Point with 40 Dark-bellied counterparts. At Wernffrwd an Arctic Tern and a Sandwich Tern were milling around; also there another 133 D-b Brents, Red-breasted Merganser, Green Sandpiper, 2 Peregrines making the ducks and waders difficult to count, though numbers appeared relatively low. 20 Fieldfare over my first of the ears.

Photographed 29 years ago by Ian Tew – click HERE for the answer. 

Yesterday on the ridge above Morfa Glas, 70 Golden Plovers were roosting on disturbed ground, a Peregrine keeping them on their toes. Also 2 Jack Snipe along with 9 Common Snipe on a patch boggy ground.

OK last one…

This one should make you think a little harder!

Which species is this the distribution map of?