Ceredigion Bird Report 2017 0 Front cover image of Cattle Egret by Kev Joynes 1 CEREDIGION BIRD REPORT 2017 Contents Editorial and submission of records, Arfon Williams page 3 Systematic list, Russell Jones 7 Earliest and last dates of migrants, Arfon Williams 58 Caspian Gull – a first for Ceredigion, Edward O’Connor 59 King Eider – a first for Ceredigion, Liz Snell 60 Big Garden Birdwatch 2017 – UK & Ceredigion results 61 The Ceredigion bird ringing report, Mark Cutts 63 Colour-ring projects in Ceredigion, Wendy James, Teifi Ringing Group 67 Greenland White-fronted Goose – Dyfi satellite tagging project, Tom Kistruck 70 The Ceredigion Bird Race, 30th May 2018, Edward O’Connor 72 Printed in September 2018 by Print Services – University of Wales Trinity Saint David www.uwtsd.ac.uk Typesetting, layout and design by the editor. County Recorder and Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) Organiser: Russell Jones, Bron-y-gan, Talybont, Ceredigion, SY24 5ER Email: [email protected] British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Representative: Moira Convery, 41 Danycoed, Aberystwyth, SY23 2HD Tel: 01970 612998 Price £5.00 2 Editorial A total of 221 species were seen in Ceredigion in 2017, a higher than average figure. Highlights included two new county firsts – a long anticipated Caspian Gull at Llanrhystud found by Edward O’Connor and a completely unexpected King Eider off the sea front at Aberaeron found by Liz Snell. Finder’s accounts for both birds are included in this report. Other rarities were a female Ring-necked Duck kicking the year off on the 1st January, the county’s second Red-footed Falcon in almost the same place the first turned up in 1988, the first Great Snipe since 1947 (if accepted by the BBRC), a Spotted Crake, Temminck’s Stint, Hoopoe, Wryneck and a Bluethroat, which was trapped for ringing at the Teifi Marshes. Egrets continue to appear in increasing numbers, mainly within the Dyfi estuary, with at least 10 Greats and 8 Cattles recorded. This included a flock of 6 stunning summer plumage Cattle Egrets present around Ynyslas/Borth in May and June. One of the year’s undoubted highlights was the immature Sabines Gull that spent three days in September on a flooded field at Llanrhystud and provided a great opportunity for local birders to get fantastic close-up views of this super little gull. The high number of species seen this year almost certainly helped in establishing two new records for Ceredigion. On the 30th May Mark Hughes, Russell Jones, Edward O’Connor and Arfon Williams set a new record for the number of species seen in one day. A total of 124, which included all three species of egrets, a Ring-billed Gull and the Great Snipe. A full account of this mad dash around the county is included at the end of this report. The second record was set jointly by Russell Jones and Arfon Williams who both saw 201 species in 2017. Whilst some species are appearing more frequently several once widespread breeding birds appear to be undergoing a continued decline such as Kestrel, Green Woodpecker and Yellow Hammer. It would be extremely helpful if more observers submitted records of species of conservation concern to assess their status in the county. More on this ‘ask’ from Russel Jones, our County Recorder, in the following Submission of Records section. The ongoing decline in wintering Greenland White-fronted Geese is a major conservation concern and in 2016 fourteen were ringed and collar marked and two of them fitted with satellite tags in the hope that this would provide valuable information to aid the conservation of this species in both its wintering and breeding grounds. An article included in this report by Tom Kistruck, one of the RSPB wardens at Ynys-hir, provides an update on this work and a fascinating glimpse into the lives of these striking geese. Ringers operating in the county continue to make an important contribution to the BTO’s ringing scheme and were responsible for ringing over 25% of all the Dunlin and Turnstone and 50% of all Whimbrel ringed in the UK in 2017. Increased effort to catch Linnets in the south of the county resulted in an incredible 587 being ringed compared to 41 (in Ceredigion) between 1991 and 2016. The ringing report, provided by Mark Cutts, highlights some of the valuable information this amazing effort provides including Dunlins ringed at Ynyslas turning up in France, Iceland, Spain, Mauritania and Sweden. Marking birds with colour-rings is a particularly effective way of gathering information on their movements and longevity. An article by Wendy James of the Teifi Ringing Groups explains this in more detail, describes the projects being undertaken in Ceredigion and how to report any colour-ringed birds seen. 3 The Ceredigion Bird Blog (www.ceredigion33.blogspot.com) continues to be a valuable and well supported means of communicating local bird news and a special thanks to Harry Pepper for managing this site. The recently created Ceredigion Birds and Wildlife Facebook page, run by Shane Jones is going from strength to strength and provides another popular means of communicating about the county’s birds and nature. Monthly bird walks, organised by Elaine Izett, continued throughout 2017 and details of future walks can be found on the Ceredigion Bird Blog. Many people contribute to this Report and make it possible. I would like to thank the following who have not yet been mentioned: Our Advertiser ‘NatureQuest’ – Affordable optics and wildlife observation. The following photographers who have allowed us to use their excellent images including Brian Snell, Tom Kistruck, Shane Jones, John Davis, Viv Evans, Kev Joynes, Janet Baxter, Jeremy Moore, Waine Foster, Colin Dalton, Silke Einschuetz, Al Jones, Ivor Poole and Emma Brooke (plus some of my own). Finally, I would like to thank local artist Becky Thorley-Fox for allowing us to include some of the wonderful wildlife art she has painted in Ceredigion. More of Becky’s work can be seen on her website www.beckythorley-fox.co.uk some of which are available either as originals or prints. Anyone interested can contact her on [email protected] I hope you enjoy this report. Arfon Williams, October 2018 Amongst the Redshanks Beckey Thorley-fox 4 Submission of records The following contributed the 2017 records and where included in the systematic list are generally acknowledged by their initials. Without their efforts there would be no Report: Tony Allenby, Abigail Amos, David Anning, Mike Bailey (MB), the late Roy Bamford, Mark Baptiste, Peter Barnes, Nigel Barratt, Janet Baxter, Bernie Beck, Paul Bennett, Chris Bird (CB), Nigel Bird, Rhodri Blakeway, Ian Boyle, Keith Burdett, Ian Burgess, David Campion, Steffi Carter, Arthur O Chater, Ray Collins, Lis Collison, Edward O’Connor (EOC), Moira Convery, Simon Cox, Tony Cross (AVC), Mark Cutts, Andrew Dally, Steve Davies, John A Davis (JAD), Peter E Davis, Naomi Davis, Phil Dennis, Aline Denton, Richard Dobbins, Tom Doidge, Jasmine Donahaye, Diana Dorrell, Silke Einschuetz, Philip Ellis, Dr Viv Evans, Kendall Evans, Lyn Evans, Tommy Evans. Gerald Fordham, Chris Forster-Brown, Wayne Foster, Lyn Gander, Chris Goding, John Gorman, Mick Green, Jon Green, Karen Gregory, Ian Harrison, Mike D Hayward, Helen Herbert, Alan Hill, Terry Hobson, Geraint Hughes, Marc Hughes, Jenni and Peter Hyatt, Elaine Izett, Andy James, Wendy James, Chris Jones, Pat and Gary Jones, Russell Jones, Shane Jones, Judith Johnston, Nigel Johnston, Kev Joynes, Len Kersley, Brian Kington, Tom Kistruck, Red Liford (RGL), Mervyn Lloyd, Lyndon Lomax, Alan Lyne, Paul Mahiques, André Marsh (AJM), Roger Matthews, Kevin McGee, Elliott Monteith, Jeremy Moore, Ian J Morris (IJM), Lisa Morris, André Morgan (AM), Brian O’Shea, John O’Sullivan, Carlton Parry, Ewan Parry, David Parsons, Barry Penney, Harry Pepper (ASP), Andy Polkey (AP), Angey Polkey, Matthew Potter, David Price, Liz Probert, Dave Purdon, Sue & Terry Reeves, Bob Relph (RR), Ian Scott, Pete Scott, Liz Snell (ES), Dick Squires (RS), David Taylor, Teifi Ringing Group (TRG), Rhys Thatcher, Dave Thomas, Ian Thompson, Jon Turner, John Valentine. Graham Walker, Mike Waller, Arfon Williams (HAW), Brian Wiley, Paul Wilkins, Colin Williams, Marc Williams, Richard Williams, Annette Williamson, Peter Wilmott, John Woodruff, David Wooley, Laurie Wright, Andy Young. Apologies to anyone whose name has inadvertently been left out. Wildfowl counts (WeBS/Wetland Bird Survey) were carried out at the Dyfi estuary by RSPB staff and volunteers, at the Teifi estuary by Wendy James and at Cors Caron by Andy Polkey. Some observers may be uncertain as to what records to submit to the County Recorder. Hopefully a look at this Bird Report will give some idea as to what is recorded in the archive, but here are some basic guidelines: • Scarce and rare migrants/visitors (see list below). • Breeding records of scarce and rare birds. • First arrival dates of summer migrants or winter visitors and departure dates. • Visible migration, cold weather movements. Counts of winter or passage wildfowl and waders. • Counts of seabirds or other colonial nesters e.g. Sand Martin. • Counts of finch and bunting flocks. If in doubt, please submit sightings to Russell Jones (County Recorder and Wetland Bird Survey Organiser) who also notes the contributions to the Ceredigion Bird Blog: Russell Jones, Bron-y-gan, Talybont, Ceredigion. SY24 5ER. Email: [email protected] Records of national rarities are considered by the British Birds Rarities Committee. (See their web site (www.bbrc.org.uk) for a list of species.)