Birdwatching Holidays In West Wales
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Nests in many coastal locations. Like Herring Gull but dark grey back/upper wings and very yellow legs. Wingtips darker than rest of wing. Inner two thirds of trailing edge of upperwing is white. Bill yellow with orange spot. Red ring around yellow eye. Roosts on reservoirs and lakes.
Linnet
Carduelis. Likes open heath and cliff scrub. Perches on bushes or wires. Male: rosy breast in summer; tawny brown on top with dark wings showing white streaks in flight. Tail black and white with deep fork. Feeds on seeds on ground, often flocking with finches and sparrows in winter. Chi-chi chiu plus warbling.
Little Egret
A recent arrival in the area, this is an elegant bright white bird very similar to but much smaller than a heron. When it flies, it tucks its neck in and sticks its legs out to the rear.
Little Grebe
Small and round with almost no tail. Bobs around and dives suddenly. Chestnut face with darker cap and rump. Flanks rusty when puffed out. Short bill straight and pointed. Chunky head.
Long-tailed Tit
Crown white edged with black. Body pinkish with dark V shape from base of neck to rump. White bib. Very long tail black edged with white. Rounded wings. They like swampy copses and hedgerows, form small groups, and will sometimes visit gardens with other types of Tits.
Mallard
The duck everyone knows. Male with dark green head, grey and brown body with patches of dark blue. He goes much duller in the summer though. Female is dull brown with patches of purple blue on back of wing when in flight. The only duck which utters a loud ‘QUACK’
Manx Shearwater
Pelagic. Skomer, Skokholm and Ramsey It flies low over water with wings held stiffly. Dark upper and white under. It is a summer visitor and you only see it at night when coming back to nesting burrows. Legs not adapted for land so it can hardly walk.
Marsh Tit
Very difficult to differentiate from Willow Tit but more visible; visits bird tables. Both have strong black cap and bib. Rest of face white with buff underside. Marsh is less chunky than Willow, cap shiny, call like sharp whistle: ‘pi-tchoo’ and song is loud, repeated chip-chip.
Meadow Pipit
Walks around on open moors and marshes and flocks on fields in winter. Pale grey or brown above with dark streaks and prominent white-edged black ‘frill’ at top of wing when at rest. Very streaky breast – cream or pale orangish buff. It flutters about jerkily doing squeaky chirps.
Merlin
Farmland and coast. Flies low. Male: small – size of dove; grey/blue above; black tail tip; buff with orangey tinge underneath. Very speckled. Female much bigger; dark brown upper with cream underparts streaked brown. Wings sharply tapered. Tail blunt or spread in broad fan.
Moorhen
Dark plumage. Bright red bill has yellow tip. White flank line and white patch under each side of cocked tail. Raises tail when on water or walking and has nervous, springy walk and often flicks tail. Babies are little black pompoms.
Mute Swan
The most common swan. White plumage and reddish orange bill with black patch above it. Some birds stay in their territories all year; some move short distances to form winter flocks.