West Coast Birdwatching

06/02/2025

2025 West Coast Pelagics now OPEN for booking!

The best opportunity to see seabirds and cetaceans off the Welsh coast. An 8-hour trip, out into the Celtic Deep, with almost guaranteed European Storm Petrel and Common Dolphin. Regular encounters with Wilson's Storm Petrel, Great Shearwater, and occasionally Cory's Shearwater. Both Minke and Fin Whale sighted in recent years.

Dates and details in the poster, more details at:

https://www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk/guided-trips/pelagics/

27/01/2025

All planned trips to Skomer Island are now SOLD OUT. Additional dates may be possible, please enquire for details.

26/01/2025

I have a couple of places available for my Pembrokeshire mainland tours next spring/summer:

7th June - 1 place
14th June - 2 places

More details: https://www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk/guided-trips/pembrokeshire-mainland/

I will be running just TWO spring-summer guided trips on the Pembrokeshire mainland in 2025. Details on the website:

https://www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk/guided-trips/pembrokeshire-mainland/

26/01/2025

Last chance to join me on a guided birdwatching tour of Skomer Island in 2025! I have 1-2 places remaining on Friday 13th June. Please e-mail [email protected] for more information or to book.

https://www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk/guided-trips/skomer-island/

26/01/2025

I was very lucky to be asked to co-lead a Wise Birding Holidays tour to Senegal this month, supporting our local guide Carlos. We had a lovely group of British birders, and our 8 days just flew by.

It was a bit of a baptism for me as I had not birded in Africa south of the Sahara! I just about coped with the onslaught of new birds, new bird families, and plenty of new sounds. It was a fascinating country to visit, with super friendly people and lots of fantastic birds - 247 species in total.

Here is a selection of my best bird photos from the tour (species are labelled).

23/01/2025

Worth being aware of this important update to the code, and where the opportunity arises bringing it to the attention of people whose awareness could do with raising a notch....

24/12/2024

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas, and very best wishes for 2025 😊

I just realised that I hadn't posted many photos from this year's Oman trips in October / November. Here are my favourite photos / birds from the second tour, which went north from Salalah to Muscat via the desert, Masirah Island, and the Al Hajar Mountains.

Please get in touch if you are interested in a future trip to Oman!

30/11/2024

23/11/2024

Last call for joining me on a guided birdwatching walk on the magical Skomer Island in 2025! Availability as follows:

6th June 6 spaces
13th June 2 spaces
20th June FULL
27th June FULL
4th July 6 spaces
11th July 4 spaces

More information: https://www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk/guided-trips/skomer-island/

Email [email protected] to book, deadline is this Wednesday 27th November.

27/10/2024

A great first 2 days in Oman in Muscat and the Al Hajar Mountains. Highlights have included Sooty Falcon, Red-billed Tropicbird, Omani Owl, Hume's Wheatear, Plain Leaf Warbler and Lappet-faced Vulture. Today we head south to Barr Al Hikman and Masirah Island.

23/10/2024

Setting off tomorrow for 2 back-to-back tours of Oman, the 1st leading for Wise Birding Holidays with Chris Townend, the 2nd one of my own tours. Cannot wait! Hope to see these 4 👇 and many more!

20/10/2024

I will be running just TWO spring-summer guided trips on the Pembrokeshire mainland in 2025. Details on the website:

https://www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk/guided-trips/pembrokeshire-mainland/

20/10/2024

Would you like to join me on a guided trip to Skomer Island in 2025? I will be leading a very limited number of day trips next year, and with the tickets going on public sale on 1st December, you will need to get in quick to secure a place!

Further details are on my website here:

https://www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk/guided-trips/skomer-island/

16/10/2024

Today was our last full day on North Ronaldsay, we fly early tomorrow morning to spend 4 days on Mainland near Stromness. We've loved exploring this beautiful island, and enjoyed some great birds along the way. Finished with a 1st-winter male American Robin this afternoon: the perfect sign off!

15/10/2024

We've had 4 full days now on North Ronaldsay, 2 more until we head back to mainland Orkney for 4 nights. See comments for more information 👇

10/10/2024

Day 1 on North Ronaldsay...Booted Warbler. Can't wait to explore the island further.

18/09/2024

That's another year of guided trips complete for The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales - WTSWW om Skomer Island, 10 years since we started in 2014!

A brilliant 3 days focusing on autumn migration and identification. 60 species seen including Common Rosefinch, 7 Spoonbills, Whinchat, Hobby, Merlin, Spotted Flycatcher and Garden Warbler.

The bird list and a few photos are here:

https://ebird.org/tripreport/272006

27/08/2024

We are now in to Manx Shearwater fledging season, when some of the 360,000 or so juveniles that will fledge from Skomer Island, Skokholm Island, Ramsey Island and Midland, get confused and head to the mainland rather than out to sea.

If you find one, and need help rescuing or releasing it, please refer to the poster below 👇

One was found near Marloes late evening on Friday, and successfully released at St Ann's Head on Saturday 😍