Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - Winter 1992/1993
Rob Hunt
June
Sea-watching off Cefn Sidan revealed a maximum of 2920 Manx Shearwaters, 100 Gannets and 3000 Common Scoters, whilst twenty four Shelducklings were seen on the estuary off Penclacwydd and 4 broods of Goosanders on the Tywi between Llandovery and Llandeilo. A visiting Osprey was the "highlight of the month" at Penclacwydd.
A Spotted Crake was heard calling in the Tywi valley near Ffairfach in mid- month.
Forty pairs of Little-ringed Plovers were located in the Tywi Valley making it by far the most important Welsh river for this recent addition to the species breeding in the county.
At Penclacwydd, wader counts were 216 Redshanks, over 1000 Curlews and 49 Black-tailed Godwits; a yellow-legged Herring Gull was also seen there, coinciding with a large influx of Black-headed Gulls.
Small numbers of terns were seen, with up to 6 Sandwich Terns at Cefn Sidan, 3 at Llanelli and 4 at Morfa Bychan. A Common Tern was seen at Machynys and 8 "Commic" Terns at Cefn sidan. Other records from Cefn Sidan were 3 Kittiwakes and 3 Guillemots.
Probably the most exciting news of the month was the discovery of 6 male and 3 female Nightjars in three forestry areas in the north of the county (A.E.,J.F. et al). Until last summer when three males were found, the Nightjar was thought to be extinct as a breeding species in Carmarthenshire. With a lot of apparently suitable habitat available it is hoped that the species will increase in numbers in future summers. At Banc Cefn-garreg (Cwm Crychan), right in the NE of the county, Crossbills, Siskins and Redpolls were noted in the extensive conifer plantations early in June.
A count of Sand Martins revealed c.1260 nests between Llandovery and Abergwili, whilst a pair of Dabchicks was present at Llyn Llech Dwain.
July
Three female Common Scoters, (usually a maritime duck), were an unusual sight at the Upper Lliedi Reservoir and 2 broods of Tufted Ducks were seen at the Machynys Ponds.
An adult female Garganey and a maximum of 230 Mallard were counted at Penclacwydd. The Osprey, which arrived in June, remained there up to the 10th. Return wader passage began with a maximum of 14 Common Sandpipers at Cydweli Quay, up to 3 Green Sandpipers at Banc-y-Lord, 1 Greenshank at Cydweli Marsh and 55 Sanderlings on Cefn Sidan.
At Penclacwydd, wader numbers included maxima of 1525 Curlews, 596 Redshanks and 61 Black-tailed Godwits, a juvenile Little-ringed Plover was seen at this site early in the month.
However, the most interesting wader record of the month, was a breeding pair of Golden Plovers at an upland site in the north of the county - the first confirmed breeding for several years. In former years they have also nested on the Mynydd Du massif and in the NE of the county.
An adult Mediterranean Gull was seen at the Sandy Water Park mid-month and at Machynys in the Last week. Only small numbers of terns were recorded with a maximum of 12 Sandwich Terns at Burry Port.
Two Yellow Wagtails were seen at Penclacwydd in mid-month and the Centre's second-ever Garden Warbler (6th).
August
Up to 8 Great-crested Grebes were seen offshore from Penclacwydd and following strong gales, a single Manx Shearwater (28th). Several others were brought in on subsequent days.
Fifty-four fledged young Shelducks were counted on local estuaries. At Cefn Sidan there were 11,000 Common Scoter (60% of which were males), whilst over at Penclacwydd counts included: 350 Mallard, 150 Teal, 20 Shoveler and 5 Wigeon.
A Marsh Harrier was seen there late in the month; whilst a few days earlier a juvenile Peregrine was watched being mobbed by two young Buzzards over the derelict Morlais Colliery, Llangennech.
Waders were slow in arriving: Greenshanks occurred along the coast and in the Tywi Valley, whilst a Ruff was seen at Cydweli and small numbers of Whimbrel were also present. Wader counts at Cefn Sidan included 450 Ringed Plovers, 300 Dunlin and 250 Sanderling. Counts at Penclacwydd were 78 Black-tailed Godwits and 11 Greenshanks on the scrapes and 400 Redshank and 1500 Curlew on the Burry Estuary.
Four yellow-legged Herring Gulls were seen at the North Dock and Mediterranean Gulls at Penclacwydd and Pembrey Harbour. Terns were scarce, but a Black Tern was seen at Ferryside.
September
The first Red-throated Divers of the autumn were 6 off Telpyn Point.
Eight pale-bellied Brent Geese were seen at Black Scar and 17 Greylag Geese at Coed Farm in the Tywi Estuary. There were an estimated 10,000 Common Scoters off Cefn Sidan.
At Penclacwydd numbers of wildfowl built up in the second half of the month with Teal and Mallard both reaching 300 and Wigeon 200. Also recorded at this site were two Garganeys, an adult male (9th) and another (27th-28th). Up to 50 Shovelers were seen on the high tides.
Wader passage was most disappointing. At Ferryside there were 3 Spotted Redshanks, 4 Knot, 5 Bar-tailed and 1 Black-tailed Godwits. Records of Greenshanks included 3 at Cydweli Quay, 2 at Ferryside and 2, with 2 Black-tailed Godwits, at Black Scar. A Ruff was seen near Ginst Point. Counts at Penclacwydd included maxima of 11 spotted Redshanks, S Greenshanks, 134 Black-tailed Godwits, 90 Knot, 300 Redshanks, 60 Snipe, 4 Green Sandpipers, a Ruff and a Little Stint.
Two adult yellow-legged Herring Gulls visited Machynys. Terns were recorded only in very small numbers with a maximum of 6 observed Sandwich Terns at Burry Port. A juvenile Arctic Tern was seen at the Sandy Water Park. Single Guillemots and Razorbills were at Cefn Sidan at the end of the month.
A Turtle Dove was seen at Penclacwydd (20th and 22nd); and not far to the east, at "Machynys Gross" roundabout, a Little Owl was flushed from an area of new tree plantings. 92 Coot and a pair of Dabchicks were present on the nearby Machynys Ponds.
Single Yellow Wagtails were seen at Pwll and inland near Llandeilo. Other passerine records included 3 Blackcaps and a Garden Warbler at Morfa Bychan and a Whinchat at Ginst Point.
October
Red-throated Divers were regular at coastal sites with 9 at Telpyn Point, 2 at Salmon Scar and 5 at Cefn Sidan.
Five Little Grebes were seen on the "Marsh Scrape" at Penclacwydd and a Whooper Swan was seen at Cydweli Marsh and 12 Red-breasted Mergansers on the Gwendraeth Estuary. A Shelduck at Ffairfach in mid-month was an unusual record for the Tywi Valley. Two Pintail were also recorded there. Maximum counts at Penclacwydd were: 491 Wigeon, 130 Pintail, 300 Mallard, 300 Teal, 93 Pochard and 2 Goldeneye.
Little Wader passage was noted. Records from Salmon Scar were 126 Ringed Plovers, 28 Knot and 95 Turnstones. Three Greenshanks were seen at St. Ishmael and Green Sandpipers included 2 at Cydweli Marsh and singles at two sites near Ffairfach.
Wader records from Penclacwydd included 9 Spotted Redshanks, 2 Little Stints, 1 Curlew Sandpiper, 55 Black-tailed Godwits and a Jack Snipe.
The best gull records were from the Sandy Water Park, Llanelli - an adult Mediterranean, adult Ring-billed and adult yellow-legged Herring Gulls. A wind-blown juvenile Kittiwake turned up at Penclacwydd (27th), but it died the following day.
Calm conditions in mid-month revealed the presence of auks with 3 Razorbills and a Puffin off Cefn Sidan and single Guillemots and Razorbills at Salmon Scar.
An adult Turtle Dove was seen at Penclacwydd early in the month followed by 2 juveniles mid-month.
A juvenile Hen Harrier was at "Gweunydd Cochion", Tumble (12th) (see elsewhere in the Newsletter), whilst at the very end of the month a visit to Llyn Taliaris revealed the presence of a female Goldeneye, a pair of Pochard, 3 or 4 Dabchicks and 8 Coot.
The first Redwings of the autumn were at Castle Woods and at Llandyfan (7th) and the first Bramblings were 2 at Dinefwr Ponds and 1 at Ffordd y Wagen (13th); the first Fieldfares were noted near Efailwen on the 29th. A Wheatear remained at Pembrey Harbour to 18th.
November
Great-crested Grebes were regular at coastal sites with 16 off Cefn Padrig,
3 at Pembrey harbour and 4 off Cefn Sidan. A Bittern visited Penclacwydd.
Three Bewick's Swans were at Coedbach Marsh (to the east of cydweli) and a Whooper Swan near Ffairfach. Three Brent Geese were seen at Pembrey Harbour and a female Goldeneye at the Upper Lliedi Reservoir. Counts of Common Scoters revealed 8000 off Pendine and 2000 off Cefn Sidan. Up to 15 Red-breasted Mergansers were seen on the Gwendraeth Estuary. Wildfowl counts at Penclacwydd included 474 Pintail, 50 Shoveler, 300 Mallard, 200 Wigeon and 180 Teal. A male Hen Harrier was seen there (13th).
Wader counts included 700 Sanderling and 500 Dunlin at Cefn Sidan; 330 Dunlin and a Ruff at Coed Farm; 500 Dunlin and 8 Bar-tailed Godwits at Ferryside and 69 Golden Plovers, 800 Lapwings, 160 Curlew and 80 Dunlin on the Gwendraeth Estuary. Five Greenshanks and 7 Grey Plovers were observed at Salmon Scar.
Numbers of Black-tailed Godwits at Penclacwydd dropped from 70 to 36, while Snipe and Lapwings increased to 45 and 251 respectively. A yellow-legged Herring Gull was seen at the Sandy Water Park.
The only notable counts of wintering thrushes were 80 Redwings at Pendine and 100 Fieldfares at Pembrey. Black Redstarts were recorded at Llandeilo Churchyard, Burry Port Power Station and Pembrey Saltings. Three Bearded Tits were seen at the Witchett Pool and a Brambling at Penclacwydd.
December
Up to 15 Bewick's Swans were noted in the Tywi Valley and at Dryslwyn 33 White-fronted Geese were present by the end of the month. A Whooper Swan was seen at Ffairfach and a Bewick's Swan and 17 Greylag Geese at Ginst Point. At Penclacwydd there were up to 182 Shovelers.
A female Merlin was regular at Penclacwydd and a male Hen Harrier appeared from (20th - B.St.). Numbers of Coots there increased to 143 during the cold spell.
Wintering Green Sandpipers included 3 at Ffairfach, 1 at Llandeilo and a Jack Snipe at the Upper Lliedi Reseryoir. Two Greenshanks were regular at Penclacwydd and 25 Black-tailed Godwits remained through the month. A Short-eared Owl was seen there regularly and also a Barn Owl (16th).
A Black Redstart was seen in the Old Castle area, Llanelli and up to 5 Chiffchaffs at Cydweli Quay.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish Mr Tony Richardson and family very success in his new position with the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Slimbridge. The superb centre at Penclacwydd is due in no small part to his efforts over the last five years. I would also like to welcome his successor Dr. Geoff Proffitt and family and feel sure that the centre will go from strength to strength in the future.
Thanks to all observers for submitting records.
Observers
G.J. Davies, P. Dutton, J.R. Ellis, A. Enoch, J. Friese, G. Harper, R.O. Hunt, F.B. Jenkins, C. Jones, T. Jones, S. Lewis, A. Lucas, N. Matthew, I.K. Morgan, K. Nicholas, D.M. Powell, A.E. Richardson, B. Stewart, M.H. Williams
