Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - March 2000 - No 65
Ian Morgan
Although this report covers the whole of 1999, it does not aim to be comprehensive - for the full review of 1999 please refer to the Carmarthenshire Birds 1999 to be . The following summary is based upon notes submitted by Nigel Williams (for Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Penclacwydd), Julian Friese (for Llandeilo and surrounding area), Dave Powell (Burry Port/Pembrey) and Ian Morgan for the Llanelli area.
January started off with some record counts at Penclacwydd where, for example, 1340 Pintail, 1250 Lapwing and 50 Gadwall were present. The latter figure represents the highest number recorded so far in the county and the species is now established as a breeder at Penclacwydd and the nearby Machynys Pond. The creation of water bodies and associated wetlands - such as the WWT Millennium Wetland and the golf course to the east should further favour Gadwall and other wildfowl. A gathering of 62 Ravens over the Iron Age hillfort at Garn Goch, Bethlehem on 24th January was noteworthy.
February brought a Jack Snipe to Penclacwydd and also an overwintering Chiffchaff, as well as 10 Goldeneye on the ponds. At least 25 Greylags were feeding around Machynys Pond during this period. Dave Powell also had similar numbers here during March, when he additionally noted 10 Greylags on the Gwendraeth.
In March, Machynys Pond provided interest with 14 Shoveler and an apparently territorial pair of Greylags. Water Rails called from adjacent swampy ground and a Kingfisher was perched at the smaller (roadside) eastern Machynys Pond. St. David's Day brought a surprise visitor to the garden of Gwen Smith at Pentre-felin near Llandeilo - a Great Grey Shrike! About 700 Golden Plovers - many in summer plumage - were on the Gwendraeth Estuary on 16th March. Five Goldeneyes were on Penrhyngwyn Pond, Machynys on 21st March.
Some summer visitors started to arrive during March - for example a Swallow flying past the ruins of Machynys House on the 26th and singing Chiffchaffs at Penybanc, Ammanford on 17th. Dave Powell, however, reports a bird on his front lawn at Tyle Teg, Burry Port on the earlier date of 8th March; the previous month he also had a male and female Blackcap overwintering at the same location. Three Common Sandpipers were on the Afon Llwchwr at Hendy on the 26th (an early record) and a Sandwich Tern was off Cefn Sidan. A Wheatear put in an appearance at Penclacwydd on the 12th and an early House Martin on 31st. A Short-eared Owl (which was to remain all summer) hunted over rough grassland at Machynys and Cetti's Warblers sung at Ffrwd Fen. A male Blackcap was singing at the Vicarage Gardens, Llandeilo on the 30th.
During April, interesting records still came from Penclacwydd, with a Hen Harrier, a male and 2 female Garganeys and the first of the Sedge and Reed Warblers, though the former had arrived the previous day at Machynys Pond. Whitethroats appeared on 22nd. At Penybanc, Llandeilo a male Hawfinch (later a pair) provided excitement, and a pair were also seen - for the third year running - at Pontynyswen in the Brechfa area. The first of several of the year's Osprey sightings were had on 18th, when M Nicholls saw one on Mynydd Llansadwrn - there were other 'mid-county' (Tywi etc) records in the autumn. The first Willow Warbler was singing at Llyn Pencarreg on 1st April, whilst at the other end of the month, Graham Motley had a male Ring Ouzel on Foel Fawr, Mynydd Du. Greylags provided a spate of interest in April, including confirmation that they now breed in the Lower Gwendraeth Valley. A pair were seen on several occasions at Coedbach Marsh, near Kidwelly and a deserted nest with broken eggs was found at a pond within Pembrey Forest. At the Moat Farm, Llandyry a bird was flushed from the pondside vegetation on 24th April, and the owners informed the gathered Llanelli Naturalists members of successful breeding in 1998, when 4 goslings were reared.
May at Penclacwydd brought its share of interest, with a Spoonbill (which stayed until August), a male Garganey and a Cetti's Warbler at the new 'Millennium Wetland' - which stayed for most of the year. A pair of Little Ringed Plovers bred at the latter site - in Carmarthenshire this is normally a species of shingle on the River Tywi, where an (incomplete) survey revealed at least 26 pairs. Five Lesser Whitethroats were singing in hedgerows around WWT Penclacwydd, with other records from Honey Cors Farm, near Laugharne (on 5th May), Erw-las, (Llwynhendy), Ashburnham Hotel (Burry Port) and the Tywi Valley. A Hobby was at Dryslwyn in mid-May. Cuckoos were calling at Mynydd y Garreg and Garreg-lwyd, Pembrey on 22 May.
A special effort was made to survey Tree Sparrows in the Tywi Valley, as well as the provision of nestboxes (which were occupied by at least 6 pairs); 50 birds were counted later in the autumn at Pentre-parr. Still in the Tywi Valley, Julian Friese reported Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers at Broad Oak and Glan-ddu - for interested readers the current issue of Carmarthenshire Birds 7, (1998) holds a detailed summary of this species in the county.
Dave Powell censussed Cetti's Warblers in the Burry Port - Pwll area, with singing birds near Pwll Park, Ashpits Pond, Dyfatty Marsh (3), near Gorse Bridge, Furnace, behind the Ashburnham Hotel, Banc-y-Lord, Pontnewydd, Ffrwd Fen (3 or 4) and near Lock Cottage, Pinged - an admirable total of 14 or 15 singing males.
June and July were still eventful months, with Ruddy Ducks (male and female) and up to 5 Mediterranean Gulls at Penclacwydd, where a Little Stint, male Garganey and 5 Ruff were also present. Shoveler bred, albeit unsuccessfully, on the new wetlands at this site, with perhaps a current lack of adequate marginal vegetation on the new ponds explaining this failure. Shoveler also bred in 1998 at Penclacwydd (but again failed). These are probably the first confirmed breeding records since J F Thomas found several pairs nesting near or at the Witchett Pool on Laugharne Burrows in May 1950. At Machynys Pond, both Gadwall and Pochard bred successfully, whilst two very agitated pairs of Redshanks at Penrhyngwyn Pond suggested the presence of young.
Black Grouse (two records of an adult and a young bird) were reported from the Brechfa - Abergorlech area - this must now be one of the county's rarest birds and any records would be appreciated. In contrast, the Goshawk is seemingly doing well, with many pairs reported from the afforested inland parts of the county. A pair was also reported in the lower Tywi Valley and single birds have been seen in the Gwendraeth Fawr Valley and a November bird was watched chasing a magpie in Stradey Woods by Paul Aston. February - March are good times to locate soaring birds, on warm, sunny days. A Hobby was at Ty Gwyn near Llandeilo on 11 July. A brood of 10 Goosanders were on the Tywi at Ty Picca on 11 July and a party of 4 or 5 were on the Teifi near Maesycrugiau. Late summer stubble fields, with an abundance of spilled grain or weed seeds, proved their value for birds with over 250 Greenfinches and 18 Stock Doves at Hafod Neddyn, Broad Oak.
An Aquatic Warbler at Penclacwydd was the August highlight, whilst Little Egret numbers reached an amazing 56 birds (a Welsh record). Other highlights included a Wood Sandpiper and two Curlew Sandpipers. On 8th August, many Manx Shearwaters and one Arctic Skua were observed off Cefn Sidan and a pair of Ringed Plovers had young at Ginst Point. Penclacwydd continued to excel in September, with Arctic Skua, Llittle Tern, Black-necked Grebe, Little Stint, 55 Little Egrets, 61 Greenshank and 91 Black-tailed Godwits. Early October saw the arrival of Redwings - flying overhead at Bigyn, Llanelli and also Hendy on the 15th; both Redwings and Fieldfares were heard on the 17th. A Hobby gave close views at Penrhyngwyn during this period and video footage was taken of the bird (Paul Aston).
November at Penclacwydd produced an adult Spoonbill on the Marsh Scrapes, and other record counts included 1755 Pintail and at least 14 Water Rails (the latter mostly in the Wetlands area). Six Spotted Redshanks, 4 Whooper Swans, 38 Gadwall and 195 Brent Geese on or near the Centre were also noteworthy. Penrhyngwyn Pond, at the tip of the Machynys Peninsula is proving a magnet for grebes, with November - December records including a Black-necked Grebe, Red-necked Grebe and up to 23 Dabchicks. Goldeneye are also now regular here. This water body is markedly saline and is perhaps best regarded as a seawater lagoon.
A (live) Black-headed Gull, with a large, black ring with white capital 'MKR' at Sandy Water Park on 8th November was traced to Les Huttes d'Oye, Pas-de-Calais, France where it was ringed as a 'poussin' on 10 June 1998. A Great Grey Shrike was observed on two occasions by John Lloyd at Cynnant (near Cynghordy) during November.
Almost daily sightings of up to 3 Short-eared Owls, 2 Peregrines and 2 Barn Owls were December highlights at Penclacwydd. Less regular were a Hen Harrier, 2 Merlins and a female 'redhead' Smew. A female Merlin was at Machynys on 27th December.
