A new Pembrokeshire tradition began on November 1 with the first ever group farewell celebration for Manx Shearwaters!

Local residents joined volunteers from the community-led Manx Shearwater Rescue project, for a short celebratory gathering at Newgale beach. The event marked the end of the breeding season for this enigmatic seabird which makes the Pembrokeshire Islands its home.

The Manx Shearwater Rescue project is a wonderful example of Pembrokeshire communities coming together to protect our natural world.

Volunteers, members of the public and local businesses have been working together since the Manx Shearwater fledging season began in late August.

The group takes calls from members of the public who have found a stranded Manx Shearwater and then arrange for the bird’s collection and safe release at a suitable coastal location.

The rescued birds are given a second chance to begin the long journey to the South Atlantic, where this species spends its winter off the coast of Argentina.

2025 was the busiest season on record, with 1,147 birds being rescued by the group thanks to an amazing community response. In fact, around 500 people have been involved this year, from rescue to release.

Half of the birds rescued were washed into St Brides Bay, mainly Newgale, during two mass stranding events on 31st August and 1st September, and 15th and 16th September when the fledging period coincided with gale force south-westerly winds.

The other half were collected at numerous locations around Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and further afield in Wales and even in England, where seven birds were found across the Midlands from Wolverhampton east to Cambridgeshire.

97% of the stranded birds were fit and healthy and released successfully.

“It’s been a really busy season for the rescue volunteers, and gathering together at Newgale was a lovely way to signify the end of the breeding season and wish the birds well on their long journey,” said Ali Griffith, one of the rescue co-ordinators based in Roch.

“We took inspiration from a small community in New Zealand who rescue another species of shearwater and celebrate the end of the season in a similar way.”

Part of this new farewell celebration included two poems written by the Children’s Laureate Wales, award winning author and zoologist, Nicola Davies.

Nicola’s poems, Farewell Manxies and Postcard from Argentina, were both inspired by the words of volunteers who expressed their feelings on being involved in the project and in contact with the birds.

Nicola said: “I was delighted to be involved with the Manxie farewell because these birds are very special and Wales is home to half of their whole species. They should be our national bird!”

The celebration on the beach finished with a group cheer of ‘Good luck and farewell Manxies’ in Welsh and English, followed by hot drinks in Sands Cafe Newgale and a gorgeous cake.

The project aims to continue to raise awareness of these iconic birds amongst local communities and especially through schools, whilst learning from this season and preparing for autumn 2026.