Swallow

 Swallow over road near Mydroilyn yesterday afternoon, in a hurry due south.

Phil Baber

Presumed Argentatus Herring Gull

 Aberaeron 17.10

A real bruiser of a Herring Gull on the beach sports pitch this evening. Appreciably larger than all the other Herring Gulls, very little black in the primary tips and a slightly darker grey on the mantle. Very darkly streaked around head and upper neck, and a less rounded head - long sloping forehead, angled at the rear crown.

All the other Herring Gulls treated it with great respect, as it hogged a large food item. When first seen on a roof top in silhouette, its size and bulk made it look different to the other HGs.

Bit dull and distant for a photo tonight. But a bird worth a look at, if it sticks. Feedback welcomed.

Whether it's an Argentatus or not remains to be seen. But it certainly ticked the boxes.

Otherwise, it was high tide and the only waders pushed up, north along the beach, were around 30 Gurlews, 25+ Oystercatchers, 5 Turnstones and 2 Redshanks.

The sea, as usual, was peppered with Med Gulls.

Phil Baber & Pam Buckle

Coed y Bont NR, Pontrhydfendigaid

 I counted 370 Redwings earlier, over or in the reserve.

Ynyslas Great Skua

 Friday evening .Re the Great Skua post, there was a Great Skua on the edge of a gull feeding frenzy near the green channel buoy off the sand dunes at around 6pm. The gulls flew off first and later the Skua showing pale wing flashes. I was viewing with scope at the platform on top of the dunes. It flew off northwards, not harassing any gulls, towards the estuary mouth and river, then disappeared behind the dunes. I have no doubt it was a (the) Great Skua.

Andy Sims,  

Pembrokeshire birder on holiday

The Redwing influx continues

 Good numbers of Redwing and Starlings around our cottage just outside Llanddewi Brefi . Having stripped our  Rowan berries they will now start on the Hawthorn. Rather surprised  there were no other thrushes with the Redwing .

  Re Golden plovers in Aberaeron they appear to favor  roughly the same place every year and unless the sun is on them they are very difficult to see. I would like to know where they go at high water.

 David Price

The Golden Plovers that winter between Aberaeron and Llansantffraed can be quite mobile.  I remember years ago finding good numbers of them in the fields near Ty Gwyn Pools during a winter inland wader survey, just a short distance from that stretch of coast.

|A few more Redwings

 After getting back from the coast and before going off to football I sat out in the garden (Llangybi) and had about 250 Redwings heading SW over 30 minutes.

Redwings

 A flock of circa 50 Redwings flew over my house this morning. First I've seen from the house this autumn.

Martin Creasser.

Castle Point

 Very little movement out to sea this morning; just around 55 passing auks.  On the rocks were 14 Ringed Plovers and seven Turnstones.  A Small Tortoiseshell flew in off the sea at the point and landed on the ground just a few feet away from me.

Llanrhystud

 Hoped to see some passerine migration this morning but didn't. A smattering of commoner wader species present included 240 Golden Plovers among the rocks. 50 Gannets working not far offshore and 300 auks north over the course of an hour or so.

Great Skua?

 This picture was taken at Ynyslas yesterday evening, from the golf course car park. The bird was preening but seemed unsteady on its feet and didn't move off when people walked fairly close by. 

My best guess is a juvenile great skua, but it's not at all confident guess.

Rachael Davey

Anyone have any different ideas?