A couple of rare Oenanthe would go on to define the first few days of November, including an ISABELLINE WHEATEAR at Uwchmynydd, Gwynedd, from 3rd and shown as the featured image – the county’s fourth but the first away from Bardsey Island. Gwent was the beneficiary of a female DESERT WHEATEAR at Goldcliff Pools NR on 18th, although this county second proved unfortunately brief. It is tempting to speculate that the female found at Pendennis Point, Cornwall, the following day relates to the same bird, although it would be impossible to say for certain.

The second OLIVE-BACKED PIPIT for Skokholm, Pembrokeshire, rounded of an impressive autumn for the island late on 13th, with a RICHARD’S PIPIT there from 15th. Another RICHARD’S PIPIT was at Great Orme, Conwy, on 3rd. A Great Grey Shrike skirted the Conwy-Clwyd border near Llyn Brenig, while another spent two days at Breakwater CP, Anglesey. Also on Anglesey was a RED-BACKED SHRIKE at Rhoscolyn on 1st. Yellow-browed Warblers comprised one at Newport, Gwent, and two at Hook, Pembrokeshire.

Following on from last month’s mega influx were four reports of unconfirmed Common/Pallid Swifts: two in Pembrokeshire and singles in both Gwent and Glamorgan. A GLOSSY IBIS was a brief visitor to Newport, Pembrokeshire, on 3rd, while one overflew Kenfig Pool, Glamorgan, on 19th.

Late seabird action produced two Grey Phalaropes – off Cemlyn Bay and Church Bay, Anglesey – and three SABINE’S GULLS – off Sker Point, Glamorgan, and Criccieth and Black Rock Sands, Gwynedd. Leach’s Storm Petrel counts peaked with four off Criccieth, Gwynedd, on 11th, with others off Ceredigion and Glamorgan. A young Long-tailed Skua flew past Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire, on 18th. An extraordinary inland occurrence saw a Pomarine Skua photographed at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Carmarthen, on 24th.

A first-winter BONAPARTE’S GULL roosted at Llys-y-Fran Reservoir, Pembrokeshire, alongside a trio of rare Laridae: Glaucous Gull, Iceland Gull and a Ring-billed × Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid. A second Iceland Gull was at Lower Town, Pembrokeshire.

RING-NECKED DUCKS totalled six birds at five sites. Three of these concerned returning birds – two at Lisvane Reservoir, Glamorgan, and one at Bala Lake, Gwynedd – with others in Gwent, Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire. SURF SCOTERS comprised two drakes off Llanddulas, Conwy, and a singleton off Criccieth, Gwynedd. Inland, a Velvet Scoter was at Llangorse Lake, Powys.

Velvet Scoter       Desert Wheatear

 Iceland Gull        Bonaparte’s Gull