West Coast Birdwatching
@westcoastbirds.bsky.social
AKA Dave Astins. I am a Pembrokeshire (Wales) based birder, bird tour leader and occasional surveyor. Lead several overseas trips each year, Oman a speciality. I'm on here for birds, nature and the environment generally. www.westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk.
Skomer Island guided birdwatching trips 2026, an update!
Anticipating that boat/landing tickets will go on sale on 1st December, if you'd like to book a place on one of my day trips you need to get in touch soon. Availability on scheduled dates as follows:
Anticipating that boat/landing tickets will go on sale on 1st December, if you'd like to book a place on one of my day trips you need to get in touch soon. Availability on scheduled dates as follows:
November 14, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Skomer Island guided birdwatching trips 2026, an update!
Anticipating that boat/landing tickets will go on sale on 1st December, if you'd like to book a place on one of my day trips you need to get in touch soon. Availability on scheduled dates as follows:
Anticipating that boat/landing tickets will go on sale on 1st December, if you'd like to book a place on one of my day trips you need to get in touch soon. Availability on scheduled dates as follows:
Reposted by West Coast Birdwatching
We were saddened to hear the news that Mike Alexander has died aged 77, after lifetime dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places in Wales. Mike will be missed by many at the Trust, but his incredible legacy will live on.
Read more: champ.ly/7M2Z8TbO
Read more: champ.ly/7M2Z8TbO
November 12, 2025 at 6:00 PM
We were saddened to hear the news that Mike Alexander has died aged 77, after lifetime dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places in Wales. Mike will be missed by many at the Trust, but his incredible legacy will live on.
Read more: champ.ly/7M2Z8TbO
Read more: champ.ly/7M2Z8TbO
Reposted by West Coast Birdwatching
The impacts of avian influenza are profound and far reaching. Hopefully 🇮🇸 Gyrfalcons will recover in time but this is near catastrophic #RaptorResearch 🌎 🪶
Avian flu taking a severe toll on Iceland’s falcon population
icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/20...
Avian flu taking a severe toll on Iceland’s falcon population
icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/20...
Avian flu taking a severe toll on Iceland’s falcon population
The Icelandic gyrfalcon population has been hit hard by the ongoing wave of avian influenza in recent years. Once numbering around 2,000 birds, the population has now collapsed to roughly 500 individu...
icelandmonitor.mbl.is
November 12, 2025 at 12:38 PM
The impacts of avian influenza are profound and far reaching. Hopefully 🇮🇸 Gyrfalcons will recover in time but this is near catastrophic #RaptorResearch 🌎 🪶
Avian flu taking a severe toll on Iceland’s falcon population
icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/20...
Avian flu taking a severe toll on Iceland’s falcon population
icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/20...
2nd day of a 3-day Norfolk long weekender, another enjoyable one. Finished with Dusky Warbler (pic) and Yellow-browed Warbler at North Point Pools, Wells-next-the-sea #RareBirdsUK @norfolkbirds.bsky.social
November 8, 2025 at 7:38 PM
2nd day of a 3-day Norfolk long weekender, another enjoyable one. Finished with Dusky Warbler (pic) and Yellow-browed Warbler at North Point Pools, Wells-next-the-sea #RareBirdsUK @norfolkbirds.bsky.social
Cracking views of this Pallas's Warbler at Beachy Head this afternoon. Also great to catch up with @dungenessowen.bsky.social and @stephenmessage.bsky.social on a brief visit to Dungeness this morning. #RareBirdsUK
November 6, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Cracking views of this Pallas's Warbler at Beachy Head this afternoon. Also great to catch up with @dungenessowen.bsky.social and @stephenmessage.bsky.social on a brief visit to Dungeness this morning. #RareBirdsUK
Reposted by West Coast Birdwatching
My highlights on Dungeness today included
Catching up and having a chat with @westcoastbirds.bsky.social
after decades
Enjoying Martin’s Crimson Speckled behind The Sanctuary
First sarnie of the autumn on the bonfire…
Catching up and having a chat with @westcoastbirds.bsky.social
after decades
Enjoying Martin’s Crimson Speckled behind The Sanctuary
First sarnie of the autumn on the bonfire…
November 6, 2025 at 3:46 PM
My highlights on Dungeness today included
Catching up and having a chat with @westcoastbirds.bsky.social
after decades
Enjoying Martin’s Crimson Speckled behind The Sanctuary
First sarnie of the autumn on the bonfire…
Catching up and having a chat with @westcoastbirds.bsky.social
after decades
Enjoying Martin’s Crimson Speckled behind The Sanctuary
First sarnie of the autumn on the bonfire…
It was great to track this ringed Firecrest at St Brides, Pembrokeshire, back to @skokholmisland.bsky.social. A first-winter female, she was ringed there on 1st October. #BirdingWales
October 31, 2025 at 5:02 PM
It was great to track this ringed Firecrest at St Brides, Pembrokeshire, back to @skokholmisland.bsky.social. A first-winter female, she was ringed there on 1st October. #BirdingWales
2026 guided trips to @skomerisland.bsky.social are now available for booking!
The 2025 season may only recently be over, but it's already time to plan ahead for 2026. Expecting the tickets to go on sale on 1st December, I have set my dates for guided day trips as follows:
The 2025 season may only recently be over, but it's already time to plan ahead for 2026. Expecting the tickets to go on sale on 1st December, I have set my dates for guided day trips as follows:
October 31, 2025 at 1:34 PM
2026 guided trips to @skomerisland.bsky.social are now available for booking!
The 2025 season may only recently be over, but it's already time to plan ahead for 2026. Expecting the tickets to go on sale on 1st December, I have set my dates for guided day trips as follows:
The 2025 season may only recently be over, but it's already time to plan ahead for 2026. Expecting the tickets to go on sale on 1st December, I have set my dates for guided day trips as follows:
Stonking views of the Mullock (Pembrokeshire) Glossy Ibis today #BirdingWales
October 26, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Stonking views of the Mullock (Pembrokeshire) Glossy Ibis today #BirdingWales
Wonderful to see this family party of 6 Whooper Swans at Sandy Haven today, all the way from Iceland #BirdingWales
October 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Wonderful to see this family party of 6 Whooper Swans at Sandy Haven today, all the way from Iceland #BirdingWales
Glossy Ibis still today in fields at Mullock, near Marloes #BirdingWales
October 25, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Glossy Ibis still today in fields at Mullock, near Marloes #BirdingWales
A excellent 2.5 hours at Strumble Head this morning. Lots of large shearwaters too far out to ID (for me, anyway) but of the closer shearwaters 91 Greats, 1 Corys, 5 Sooties and a handful of Manxies. Also an adult Little Gull and 2 Whooper Swans. #BirdingWales
October 24, 2025 at 1:38 PM
A excellent 2.5 hours at Strumble Head this morning. Lots of large shearwaters too far out to ID (for me, anyway) but of the closer shearwaters 91 Greats, 1 Corys, 5 Sooties and a handful of Manxies. Also an adult Little Gull and 2 Whooper Swans. #BirdingWales
Seeing a Turtle Dove in the UK is always a treat, although checking for leg rings from half-arsed reintroductions tempers the thrill slightly... This bird at St Brides, Pembrokeshire, today thankfully seemed to be ringless #BirdingWales
October 21, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Seeing a Turtle Dove in the UK is always a treat, although checking for leg rings from half-arsed reintroductions tempers the thrill slightly... This bird at St Brides, Pembrokeshire, today thankfully seemed to be ringless #BirdingWales
A good few hours in the field today around Dale, highlight was this smashing Firecrest in the village #BirdingWales
October 20, 2025 at 7:51 PM
A good few hours in the field today around Dale, highlight was this smashing Firecrest in the village #BirdingWales
A fantastic week's holiday in the far west of Cornwall. As well as the birds, always nice to catch up with friends, which included Paul St Pierre, @juddhunt.bsky.social, @philb609.bsky.social & Alex Bevan. Today it was the turn of Pete and @debalmer.bsky.social, great to share a coffee with them 😀
October 18, 2025 at 6:24 PM
A fantastic week's holiday in the far west of Cornwall. As well as the birds, always nice to catch up with friends, which included Paul St Pierre, @juddhunt.bsky.social, @philb609.bsky.social & Alex Bevan. Today it was the turn of Pete and @debalmer.bsky.social, great to share a coffee with them 😀
A fairly ropey handheld phone 'scoped pic of today's Brown Shrike. Great find by @peninsulabirds.bsky.social, a new bird for Wales and, by default, Pembrokeshire. #BirdingWales #RareBirdsUK
October 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM
A fairly ropey handheld phone 'scoped pic of today's Brown Shrike. Great find by @peninsulabirds.bsky.social, a new bird for Wales and, by default, Pembrokeshire. #BirdingWales #RareBirdsUK
Reposted by West Coast Birdwatching
The Brown Shrike at St Davids today - a belter and a bit of a show off. Found it whilst driving down to Porthclais to look for Yellow-browed Warblers. First for Wales if accepted. Hope it sticks around. #birdingWales
October 9, 2025 at 6:38 PM
The Brown Shrike at St Davids today - a belter and a bit of a show off. Found it whilst driving down to Porthclais to look for Yellow-browed Warblers. First for Wales if accepted. Hope it sticks around. #birdingWales
Fantastic to find 2 American Golden Plovers on Dale Airfield, Pembrokeshire, this afternoon. Such an elegant wader. #BirdingWales #RareBirdsUK
October 2, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Fantastic to find 2 American Golden Plovers on Dale Airfield, Pembrokeshire, this afternoon. Such an elegant wader. #BirdingWales #RareBirdsUK
Reposted by West Coast Birdwatching
August 27, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by West Coast Birdwatching
Excellent pelagic to the Celtic Deep with @westcoastbirds.bsky.social yesterday. Highlights were of course the 10+ European Storm Petrels and Manxies, but also saw Arctic, Common & Sandwich Terns, Gannets and had regular Common Dolphin encounters. Tad choppy so only took a few photos! #birdingWales
August 26, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Excellent pelagic to the Celtic Deep with @westcoastbirds.bsky.social yesterday. Highlights were of course the 10+ European Storm Petrels and Manxies, but also saw Arctic, Common & Sandwich Terns, Gannets and had regular Common Dolphin encounters. Tad choppy so only took a few photos! #birdingWales
Reposted by West Coast Birdwatching
We kicked off our events schedule this week with a fantastic few days in partnership with @officialblack2nature, with 14 young people joining us for three nights.
We're so proud of everything they learnt and for throwing themselves so enthusiastically into the events.
We're so proud of everything they learnt and for throwing themselves so enthusiastically into the events.
August 17, 2025 at 11:37 AM
We kicked off our events schedule this week with a fantastic few days in partnership with @officialblack2nature, with 14 young people joining us for three nights.
We're so proud of everything they learnt and for throwing themselves so enthusiastically into the events.
We're so proud of everything they learnt and for throwing themselves so enthusiastically into the events.
I am privileged to be able to land on RSPB Grassholm Island to undertake fieldwork with Northern Gannets. Very occasionally this necessitates an overnight stay, leading to the opportunity to see the sun set there if the weather plays ball. Magic! #BirdingWales
July 31, 2025 at 8:15 AM
I am privileged to be able to land on RSPB Grassholm Island to undertake fieldwork with Northern Gannets. Very occasionally this necessitates an overnight stay, leading to the opportunity to see the sun set there if the weather plays ball. Magic! #BirdingWales
First pelagic trip of 2025 off the Pembrokeshire coast today, a really enjoyable day with the highlight being this Wilson's Storm Petrel (thanks to @markhipkin.bsky.social for the excellent photos). #BirdingWales
July 23, 2025 at 8:12 PM
First pelagic trip of 2025 off the Pembrokeshire coast today, a really enjoyable day with the highlight being this Wilson's Storm Petrel (thanks to @markhipkin.bsky.social for the excellent photos). #BirdingWales
Thrilled to see this juvenile Eurasian Curlew on @skomerisland.bsky.social today. At the same time sad that this is the only place that Curlew breed in Pembrokeshire (4 pairs this year). Not a single pair across the whole of the mainland... #BirdingWales
June 27, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Thrilled to see this juvenile Eurasian Curlew on @skomerisland.bsky.social today. At the same time sad that this is the only place that Curlew breed in Pembrokeshire (4 pairs this year). Not a single pair across the whole of the mainland... #BirdingWales
All trips now fully booked. To be added to the waiting list, please email info@westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk.
Now just one place remaining on the final trip of the season on 14th September 👇 #BirdingWales
Just one pelagic trip to the Celtic Deep with places remaining this year. Surely 14th September gives us the best chance of large shearwaters, if recent years are anything to go by? #BirdingWales
June 25, 2025 at 4:06 PM
All trips now fully booked. To be added to the waiting list, please email info@westcoastbirdwatching.co.uk.