Friday 27th: Skomer Trip

On Friday we spent the day on Skomer Island. We arrived on the island at 10:45am and left at 2:30pm. As soon as we got on the boat the birding began. Leaving Martin's Haven Guillemots were the first birds of note, but as we headed further out the Puffins and Razorbills came into view. A Manx Shearwater cruising of the water was a pleasant surprise. From North Haven (where the boat docks on Skomer) thousands of Guillemots, Razorbills and Puffins were flying constantly from sea to land.
First stop the Wick, the best place to see the Puffins up close, and it did not disappoint. Hundreds of Puffins were returning to their burrows with beaks full of sand eels and some with bunches of grass to build up the nest.
We had a quick lunch break at the farm before heading to North Valley in search of some owls. Walking to the valley I past a family of Sedge Warblers, 4+ singing Whitethroats and 2 Reed Buntings. Walking slightly further and a Little Owl flew up of the grass and into the bracken. There it stayed offering fairly good views. My next target was a Short-eared Owl. After thoroughly searching the valley I could not locate the owl. As I headed back to North haven a bird of prey caught my eye, it was flying over an area of reeds searching for food. Sure enough it was a Short-eared Owl! I watched it for the next 10 minutes as it foraged. With all birds planned to see ticked off it was time to head home.
A great day on Skomer!

 Guillemots 

Puffins

 Oystercatcher

Meadow Pipit

Razorbill

Marros Mountain: Finches, Warblers, Hirundines and more

I spent a few hours this afternoon doing my birdtrack count on Marros Mountain. 38 species were recorded in the time. The highlight was a Crossbill on the top of a spruce tree. Lots of recently fledged Blue and Coal Tits were recorded, but oddly no Great Tits. Other surprises for the area included a pair of Spotted Flycatcher, which have chosen quite an open place to nest, 3 Siskins doing their display flight around the trees, a Kestrel, 2 pairs of Whitethroat, a lone Swift, a Yellowhammer, 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull and a pair of Stonechats (the first I have ever seen here). The usuals showed well, plenty of Goldcrests, 5 Skylarks, 7+ Swallows, 3 House Martins, 4 Meadow Pipits, 3 Chiffchaffs, 4 Willow Warblers, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Blackcap. Linnet numbers have increase dramatically on the mountain, a flock of c30 was the most recorded at one time.
On the way down I watched the Spotted Flycatcher sitting in her rather open nest.

 Coal Tit

 Linnet

 Spotted Flycatcher sitting on her nest

End of exams and a trip to Canaston Woods

I did my last exam today so I celebrated with a trip to Canaston Woods later in the day. To start birdlife remained quiet with a Marsh Tit being the only bird on note. Later on the woods were filled with recent fledglings being fed by their parents. I found fledgling Robins, Wrens, Song Thrushes, Nuthatch, Coal Tits, Blue Tits and Great Tits. A male and female Blackcap frequented a bramble bush, a  Treecreeper crawled up an oak tree and a Garden Warbler was showing well from a low tree. Wood Warblers were in good numbers, 5 in all, including two singing males and an adult Wood Warbler was feeding two of its chicks in a oak tree.