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Guidelines for Reporting Rarities and Submission of Annual Records
Detailed records of nationally or locally rare species (guidance on these is
here) should be sent to the County Recorder Eddie Hunter (
goweros23@gmail.com) as soon as possible after the sighting. An appropriate description should be provided of the species, your previous experience of it (and similar species), the circumstances and weather conditions in which the sighting occurred and any other pertinent information (such as photos). He will then circulate to the local or national records committee as relevant.
Day to day observations, including of nest sites, flocks of birds and species of local interest, should be collated in the Annual Record Form and sent to Eddie as an email attachment following each calendar year. Receiving these by the end of January is ideal as an early start can then be made on compiling the annual report.
PLEASE NOTE
Please could we ask that detailed locational information that may lead to the disturbance of the nest sites of species listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981) is omitted from any posts. This may otherwise lead to an offence being committed.
Schedule 1 species that regularly breed in the recording area are Dartford warbler, chough, honey buzzard, crossbill, goshawk, kingfisher, hobby, red kite, barn owl, peregrine, little ringed plover and Cetti’s warbler.
A flock of 8 Yellowhammers just south of Scurlage today. Also a flock of 16 Stock Doves south of Pilton Green, with more seen near Middleton.
First Swallow of the year for me by the River Tawe, Ynystawe. Also, singing Willow Warbler at Swansea Vale, one of my earliest ever records at this location.
Penllergare Valley Woods walk today: 25 turned out for a good morning’s walk. 33 species found. Thanks again to Rob Taylor for his expertise…
Grey Wagtail Dipper Kingfisher Canada Goose Little Grebe Coot Cormorant Mallard Moorhen Song Thrush Mistle Thrush Blue Tit Coal Tit Great Tit Great Spotted Woodpecker Blackbird Chaffinch Chiffchaff Dunnock Goldcrest Goldfinch Nuthatch Robin Siskin Treecreeper Wren Carrion Crow Jackdaw Jay Magpie Wood Pigeon Buzzard Lesser Black Backed Gull
Wintering male blackcap is still around my Tycoch garden, although less reliant and bossy with the bird feeders recently.
Just watched a Ringtail go down in Llanrhidian Marsh and not come back up, so I assume she is roosting.
Interesting. I was regularly following hen harriers at Llanrhidian Marsh a few years ago. Typically 2, 3, or 4 birds coming in to roost at dusk, usually communally in slightly raised bramble area beyond Llanrhidian village. They do a typical half-corkscrew thing as they drop down to roost. I was talking to birder at Llanrhidian Marsh recently who said they no longer roost at Llanrhidian Marsh – more over Llangennith / Broughton way. There would also be 1, 2, up to 3 birds coming in to roost at Oxwich Marsh. Without being at different roost sites at the same, difficult… Read more »
Mewslade to Rhossili Coastguards.
In the valley, 2 Red Kite, 2 Buzzard, Kestrel, Chiffchaff
On walk over, lots of Linnets, Dunnock and Stonechat.
1 Dartford Warbler, 2 Chough, Raven.1 Wheatear in Fall Bay on coast grass strip
No Fulmars on usual cliff nesting site.
There is a male HH on the ground out on Llanrhidian Marsh preening right now
Sorry the great video wouldn’t load . Male Sparrow Hawk was terrorising small birds in a bush near our bird feeder for about 15 minutes
Persistence pays off .. this was one of 4 attempts !! He eventually flushed out a Coal Tit.
Spotted curlews 20 to 30 and oystercatcher on ashleigh Road swansea
Oxwich Bay: 1 red-throated diver, a few great crested grebe and the flock of (several hundred) common scoter off Southgate this morning. Waders on the foreshore limited to a few oystercatchers.
Firecrest currently at River Tawe, Ynystawe. Half way along the cycle path between the M4 bridge and the bridge near Ynystawe Park.
Enjoyable trip out to Whiteford today. Highlights included: great crested grebe, little egret, brent goose, shelduck, eider, red-breasted merganser, oystercatcher, curlew, stonechat, wheatear, chiffchaff (loads!), raven, greenfinch. Unfortunately no Slavonian grebes, summer plumage or otherwise.
The Kittiwakes have begun to return to the pier. 35 there this morning.
Pair of Stonechats, 2 singing Chiff chaffs and Meadow pipit in Crynant this morning SN7904
There’s a HH out on Llanrhidian Marsh. I’m not sure if it’s a juvenile or a ringtail
3 Sand Martin at Swansea Vale this afternoon.
Also Ring necked Parakeet recently seen at Morriston Park, which is proving a reliable site for this species, especially the woodland at the lower end of the park adjacent to Clasemont Road.
There is a female Marsh Harrier on Llanrhidian Marsh right now being harassed by Ravens
I’m quite surprised that the male blackcap – which been around my Tycoch garden all winter – is still here, and hasn’t migrated back to central Europe yet (where apparently all our wintering blackcaps originate from). I’m sure it’s still the same bird, as so daily familiar with my garden feeders.
I’m surprised they are still here as well. We have had 2 females and 3 males as regular visiters to the garden all winter. On Friday there were 2 females on the back feeder and 2 males on the front all at the same time.
Still pretty cold in the east and only a short(ish) journey so maybe still plenty of time to get a jump on their neighbours that are further south.
Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler in Cwm Ivy this morning
Any thoughts on this one? Kestrel? Still trying to learn!
Common Buzzard.. 👍👍
👍Appreciated!
GOS field trip to Crofty this morning, lead by Barry Stewart: 29 of us turned out and we found a total of 55 species. Highlights were Slavonian Grebe in full summer plumage, Spoonbill, Green Sandpiper and Whimbrel. It was not till we were on our way home that we saw the only raptor of the day: a Red Kite. Our thanks, again to Barry for his expert guidance. Spoonbill Little Egret Mute Swan Great Crested Grebe Slavonian Grebe Red Breasted Merganser Shelduck Mallard Teal Cormorant Shoveler Wigeon Canada Goose Brent Goose Greylag Goose Black Tailed Godwit Bar Tailed Godwit Grey Plover Common Sandpiper… Read more »
Woodland above Brandy Cove. Heard and spotted first ChiffChaff of the year. A welcome sight! Midday, Friday 15th March.
Is it possible I had a pair of Firecrest in my garden, (Tonna : Neath) early evening working their way through my rhododendrons and holly trees. Consulted my birding book and the bold white eyebrow, bold eye stripe was quite distinctive as well as the golden crest.. They were very active and did not stop still for any length of time.
It is possible Roy – they move back through in March and I see them at this time of year in Langland. Suggest you drop Eddie Hunter an email so that he can get the record logged. His details on contact us page.