The Spotted Flycatchers showed very well today at the Farm this afternoon.
This morning, it was Becky's turn in choosing where to go and she wanted to visit the town of Tenby, in the southern end of Pembrokeshire, some 25 miles away down on the south coast of Wales. True, I didn't expect much wildlife there for me to look at, although the obligatory Herring Gulls and Jackdaws were plentiful and I did see, believe it or not, a Coal Tit, Goldcrest and a Robin in the heart of the main shopping area by a Church garden as we had a Pasty & Coffee on a bench. There were quite a few Swallows flying over too, which is no surprise for this time of year.
Above, a distant view of Caldey Island from the South Beach and below, the Lighthouse on Caldey Island.
Though scenic by the sea, with lovely views of both the North & Sand Beach that is so popular for Holidaymakers and also Caldey Island in the distance along with its Lighthouse (my second Lighthouse this week!) and also Tenby Castle. We had a bite to eat earlier and the weather was overcast with a drop of rain now and then, but the whole area was swarming with Holidaymakers and their dogs (us included, I suppose) and really, though there were some nice shops, it really is not my type of holiday.
Above, Tenby Castle which was attracting the Holidaymakers and below, it also attracted the Herring Gulls.
We made our way back at around 2.30pm and got back to our Cottage roughly 45 minutes later. One thing we noticed was that the Fuel prices vary immensely from garage to garage and we even saw one Petrol Station selling unleaded fuel under £1.50 per litre; easily the cheapest I have known it for some time and there was a huge queue of traffic waiting to get in there! The weather greatly improved when we got back into Crymych, the sun shining and the tall hills in the distance looking green and lush.
From top to bottom: Chiffchaff in the garden, Spotted Flycatcher in the same place and bottom photo, a Blue Tit sharing the feeder with a female Chaffinch.
After dropping everything back into the car and making a coffee, I did another shift of birding around the Farm and came across some good numbers and a variety of birds. Around the bird feeders, which attracted Blue, Great and Coal Tits, House Sparrows and Chaffinches, while all around there were at least ten Chiffchaffs seen flitting around every bush and tree in the area; but what really got me excited was the amount of Spotted Flycatchers present. I counted at least 6 individuals, though there could have easily been more than this and some showed incredibly well, totally oblivious of me standing there watching. Will I eventually get lucky with a Pied Flycatcher?
From top to bottom: Jay, Spotted Flycatcher x 2, Chiffchaff.
Other notable sightings included a pair of Great Spotted Woodpecker in an Ash tree by the Horse Field. A single Common Buzzard drifted over, but too quick for me to grab a photo. A small flock of Meadow Pipits flew over as did another Siskin, though I never saw the latter, but I did see the Linnet flying over. A Jay was preening itself within a tree adjacent to the Horse Field. A nice hour birding in lovely weather.
Above, a Marmalade Hoverfly enjoying the sunshine as was this Speckled Wood butterfly below. There were also a few Red Admiral and Small White butterflies seen during that hour.
Some of the moths present this morning in my moth box: from left to right, Rosy Rustic, 2 Flame Shoulder, Large Yellow Underwing and Small Square-spot.
An overcast morning, though bright and mild to kick off the day here on the Farm. Grabbing my coffee, I made my way down to the moth box to see what goodies were in store for me this morning. In fact, nothing new at all among the 17 moths of 8 species. Again, there were many Dung Beetles within the moth box and other insects included a species of Ichneumon Wasp (not a moth's best friend either!) and a lot of Caddisflies of various sizes.
From top to bottom: Dung Beetles, Green Carpet moth, Snout moth and the micro moth, Celypha lacunana.
The following moths were present this morning:
1 Rosy Rustic
1 Lesser Yellow Underwing
2 Large Yellow Underwing
1 Square-spot Rustic
1 Snout
2 Flame Shoulder
4 Green Carpet
1 Small Square-spot
4 Celypha lacunana
As per usual, I do keep an eye and ear out for any birds while checking the moths and a Siskin was heard flying over somewhere in the distance. I was more fortunate with a Grey Wagtail seen flying over heading down towards the river and behind me, both Blackcap and a singing Chiffchaff were flitting about in the garden. A lone Mistle Thrush was ‘churring’ high up in the trees where I saw the Spotted Flycatcher yesterday.
Strumble Head Lighthouse. My first time I have ever been here and a superb time I had too.
I never put the moth box on overnight due to the inclement weather last night and although the rain had cleared by the morning, I can confirm there must of been a fall of migrant passerines around the farm we are staying at, as the area was literally alive with Chiffchaffs and other notable birds. I was still up around 7am anyway and checking outside, it was a lot brighter than yesterday. What had today in store for us?
Above, the Lighthouse sits high up overlooking the Irish Sea. The sea was calm today, but I bet it is exciting when the wind blows here. Below, there were good numbers of Gannets flying over the sea.
However, I was determined to go to Strumble Head Lighthouse today and I was very glad I did. I notched up three very good ‘year-ticks’ to my bird year list and a very good supporting cast of birds and wildlife too. The journey there only took around an hour to do the 24 miles and it was very scenic too, taking in the villages of Newport, Fishguard and Goodwick and then the single- lane windy road to the Lighthouse car parks. On the way out of the track from the farm to the main road, a couple of Wheatears popped up on the track and then perched on the hedge adjacent to the car park. There was also a female Reed Bunting among them, proving that there must have been a significant fall of birds here last night.
I had noticed a lot of Gannets sitting on the sea, which had me concerned. Bird Flu has hit Gannets really hard this year and to see them just sat on the sea begs the question if they were dying birds? Below, this adult Kittiwake flew close enough to grab some nice photos of the passing bird.
On reaching the car park overlooking the Lighthouse and the Irish Sea, we stretched Scruff's legs while I then walked down to the superb Sea-watching building below. This nicely built concrete building was erected during World War 2 to keep an eye out for enemy ships going through the Irish Sea and now gratefully used by the local ‘sea-watchers’ here and is fully protected by the weather, though the inside was a bit damp! The sea was very calm and it was mostly Gulls and Gannets passing over the sea, though I did spot a few Guillemots sitting on the water.
Above, quite a few Grey Seals were seen close in on the sea. Below, at least two Wheatears were seen near the car park, including this close juvenile bird.
I was really lucky to spot a Bonxie, my first of the year, flying south low over the sea, but I was now annoyed with not bringing my scope with me. There was a lot of interesting stuff flying low over the sea, but simply too distant for binoculars, despite my best efforts. An adult Kittiwake flew close in though, heading quite close southbound and several others were noted a little later.
Above, a large flock of Linnets were patrolling the top of the cliffs here. Below, a male Stonechat perched on the wires in front of the Lighthouse. There were at least two pairs seen here this morning.
My main quest here were the Choughs and while Becky was reading her book and Scruff slept in the back seat of the car, I headed off down to the smaller car park to check if any were there. Despite checking the grassy areas in the distance, all I could notch up were a good number of Meadow Pipits, Rock Pipits and at least two more Wheatears. A flock of Linnets settled briefly on the heather until flying off overhead as did a flock of Goldfinch and while I was checking out some Grey Seals down in the sea near the rocks, I then heard the distinctive call of the Choughs. A pair of birds flew up briefly and then disappeared again on an island just behind the Lighthouse. However, I did not have to wait long for them to show up again.
My first Chough's for many a year were eventually first heard then seen and eventually landed in a field behind the main car park. They have such a distinctive call and I was surprised on how large they actually were. Gorgeous birds.
The two birds were then, thankfully, flying towards me and literally flew right over my head and landed in the field behind the car park. I managed to grab a bit of video footage of the birds and several reasonable photos, but they did keep their distance. Soon, a Rook came in and flushed them off, but around twenty minutes later, they returned again. During that 20 minutes, I continued to check out the sea and I noticed large rafts of seabirds sitting on the sea. Obviously, there was a school of fish just below the water and this attracted large numbers of Gulls (Great Black-backed, Herring, Black-headed and a few Kittiwakes among them too) and Gannets and even several Dolphins that surfaced among them. It wasn't till I blew up my photos on my laptop of the seabird flock, that I noticed good numbers of Auks among them and this included both Guillemots and Razorbills. Better still, my first Black Guillemots of the year were also noted, though these were most definitely in winter plumage. That was totally unexpected. There were also a few unidentified seabirds among them, but it was too difficult to tell what they were. But they looked interesting though!
I blew these two photos up on the laptop and came across good numbers of Auks among the throng of seabirds present which also included some winter-plumage Black Guillemots! There were also some interesting birds I could not identify. What do you think?
Other birds noted over the sea included a drake Common Scoter flying low heading south and more Kittiwakes going through. Again, if only I had brought my scope along. The Chough's returned again and showed very well feeding on the soft turf, until heading off again in the direction of the Lighthouse. These were my first Chough's for many years; I think that last ones I saw were at The Lizard in Cornwall, though I read that 3 birds had taken up residence at East Prawle last week! A lot of Swallows were seen over the cliffs and fields and I even spotted a late Swift high over the sea heading south.
Above, a male Stonechat perched in the heather and below, one of its cousins, a juvenile Wheatear with a Meadow Pipit for a companion in the field behind the car park.
So, after a superb couple of hours here, we made our way back into Fishguard for something to eat and then back home after finding a Petrol Station with the cheapest unleaded fuel by some distance: £1.56! As we drove down the track to the Farm, I caught sight of a Wheatear flying ahead of me, with its white rump flashing until it settled on the hedgerow. Better still, were two Whinchats close by on the opposite hedge and also the female Reed Bunting was present. It was very warm when we got back to the Cottage and I noticed a lot of birds flitting about by the Pond and so told Becky, I was going to spend a little while checking this lot out.
Above, and its good bye from the Chough's. Below, the Sea-watching Hide at Strumble Head. I think the Selsey Bill Birders would love something like this?
Giving the Pond area a thorough search, I counted at least 20+ Chiffchaff, of which one individual I am convinced was a juvenile Wood Warbler. I did think that the white underparts, yellowish throat and lime green back could be a bit more of a vagrant leaf Warbler, but studying the one decent photo I managed to grab of the bird (for it never called), I am in no doubt it was a Wood Warbler. I got a lot of views of the bird, but getting a photo was so difficult as it would not keep still.
Above, the putative Wood Warbler. This was the best photo I could get of this flighty bird. Below, one of 20+ Chiffchaffs around the small pond vegetation.
The farm owners have recently topped up all their bird feeders by the pond and this in turn attracted a lot of birds including a healthy number of House Sparrows, a Nuthatch, several Coal, Blue & Great Tits and the occasional Goldcrest dropped in too. However, it was the multitude of Chiffchaffs that kept me busy as I went in search of that Wood Warbler that occasionally popped out to tease me.
Top photo: a pair of Spotted Flycatchers were in the trees at the back field behind the Cottage. Middle photo, a female Sparrowhawk circled above me, much to the dislike of the local Swallows. Bottom photo: the recently topped up bird feeders attracted this Nuthatch.
After a while, and getting away from one of the kittens here that kept climbing up my leg, I decided to check the field behind our Cottage. From here, there were at least two Spotted Flycatchers perched high in the leafless branches in the nearby trees. Overhead, both a female Sparrowhawk and a Common Buzzard were seen soaring above me. Way in the distance, over the hills, I could see two Red Kites circling over the countryside, but they always remained distant. Checking the hedgerows by the Horse Field, another Spotted Flycatcher was seen along with more Chiffchaffs. A lone Linnet flew high overhead heading west.
Top photo: a Common Buzzard soared high over the Farm. Middle photo: Common Darter dragonflies were abundant. Bottom photo: this showy Wren burst into song nearby where I stood overlooking the scrubby field.
A few insects were on the wing including Small White, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral butterflies and I noted a lot of Common Darter dragonflies on the wing too. I took a stroll around the back of the Farm and came across a Great Spotted Woodpecker perched up on a small tree behind the farm, but not too much else of note apart from the local Farmyard Goose here! I could not believe how warm it was and I could have stayed out a little longer, but then there was a rain shower and so I decided to go inside to update my blog. I took an awful lot of photos, so bare with me on this! The moth box should be back on tonight, which I am really looking forward to.
Above: The local Farmyard Goose! Below, the Great Spotted Woodpecker behind the Farm.
On a sad note, I have learnt of the sad passing of a lovely guy who used to run the Portsmouth Cemeteries, Gerry. I did not know his surname, for we always were on a first name basis when I met him. He was a lovely Irish guy who always had time for a chat and made you feel welcome while carrying out your duties. He literally only retired recently and my condolences go out to all his family.
Video footage of the superb Chough's at Strumble Head this morning.
Two of the three Common Snipe that flew low overhead by the Cottage.
I knew the weather was closing in this afternoon, drizzle and blustery conditions rolled in eventually and both Becky and I decided to simply chill out this afternoon and watch some films. After chatting to Dot the proprietor of the estate we were staying on, she told me where the footpath was that took us down to the River Nevern nearby and after negotiating my way through the herd of Angora Goats, off I went.
Another few photos of the Common Snipe over the field by the Cottage.
Beforehand, I was really surprised to see a small flock of three Common Snipe circling low overhead (see photos) and seeing they were going to land in the marshy area in the field behind the Cottage, only one settled while the other two flew off over the fields. Trying to find the bird on the ground was near impossible as they can simply vanish once settled. The wind was up though and with overcast skies, I didn't really think that I was going to be seeing all that much.
Above, there were not many birds on my walk, but this Robin showed well. Below, Hedge Woundwort grows abundantly in the field below the Cottage.
Working my way through the overgrown footpath and getting my walking shoes quite sodden, I eventually got to the gate by the trees. From here, I followed the very poor footpath that had fallen trees or low branches across it, down to the small sodden bridge that crossed the small river. From here, I looked up and down, but there was no wildlife of note seen here whatsoever. A few Long-tailed Tits and Robins were heard calling only. Apparently, the footpath opposite had been created by the owner of a nearby Cottage further up the hill, but I think very few people have ever come across this area apart from the owners.
Above, a few Red Campion plants were growing along the track leading past the fields and below, the small bridge crossing the River Nevern.
I made my way back up the hill as carefully as possible, but little of note was seen and I was glad the Goats were friendly too. I am sure those horns of theirs could do some physical damage! Not finished yet, I made my way past the owner's house and up to the Horse field. Apart from the Horse, there was nothing here and so made my way further up the drive. I checked some neighbouring fields and from here, I could feel the rain in the air now. A Chiffchaff was seen and heard briefly in one of the hedgerows and a Chaffinch flew overhead, while a pair of Jays called loudly in the trees back near the Farm. Apart from a rather scruffy looking Robin, all was very quiet. So back to the Cottage for a very lazy afternoon.
The River Nevern that I crossed this morning. True, not the mightiest of rivers, but it does make a noise from where we are staying!
A gorgeous sunrise this morning, with the sun reflecting on the clouds giving it such a fiery look. Yesterday evening, I stood outside looking down the hill into the wooded valley, watching the last of the sun's ray fizzle out as dusk approached, enjoying the last of the songs of the birds and watching the bats coming out of their roost and head off over the fields to the woods below. What species they are is anyone's guess, but they were all around Pipestrelle sized.
Above, my first Frosted Orange moth of the year. Below, a Small Square-spot.
Getting cold, I eventually made my way indoors for dinner and went out to check the moth box, just once, around 9pm. Already, there was a Flame Shoulder moth (only my second this year) and a Rosy Rustic perched up on the wall behind the box, which was a good start. It looked as though it was going to be a cold night too, so my prospects of lots of moths in the morning looked slim. A small micro flew into the Cottage and I quickly potted it to have a go identifying it in the morning.
Above, only my second Flame Shoulder of the year. Below, a new micro moth for my life list, Agonopterix hericliana, that flew into the Cottage last night.
There were 17 moths of 11 species recorded this morning along with several Caddis Flies and plenty of those Dung Beetles! Among the moths included my first Frosted Orange of the year, a really stunning moth and also only my second Small Square-spot moth of the year (the last being in Andy Fisher’s garden). The interesting micro I potted last night was also another species new to my Life List, Agonopterix heracliana (with the horrible vernacular name of Common Flat-body). Although it does closely resemble Agonopterix cilliela, I am opting for the former for arguments sake!
I always make use of what I can find and so the Ironing Board became very useful and saved me bending down on the ground while checking the moth box!
A few Bats were making their way back to their roost in the nearby trees when I went outside and I could hear a few birds in the distance including Chiffchaffs, Nuthatch and Treecreeper in the nearby woods. Hopefully, another good day out in the field. The moths present this morning included the following:
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