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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.
Jan 22. 98 Brent geese feeding west side of Porteynon beach nr Sedger’s Bank. 4 great northern divers between Overton and Longhole cliff.
That’s a big flock for that site, excellent observation. Did you note which race they were as that site often attracts Pale-bellied Brent, which are much scarcer in our area?
mostly black-bellied, but lighting was dreadful. I took some long range photos but doubt they’ll be much use.
Oxwich hide this morning, only 1 heron, 6 teal, 1 little grebe, and a stonechat out on the pond.
Yesterday near Pobbles: 3 chough, and about 45 scoter far out. (2+ porpoise.) At Three Cliffs valley 1 little egret, 2 lapwing over.
A great morning’s field trip today when Barry Stewart led us at Crofty Salthouse Point and we found 49 species as listed below. The weather was cloudy but mild and still, with no wind to blow the birds away or freeze us. For the first time ever, the number of people attending the walk was greater than the number of species seen. We were 52 and is a sign of the huge growth in interest in birds and the walks the Society is now arranging. Thanks to everyone who joined in and in particular to Barry for his kind and instructive commentary. Blackbird,… Read more »
Female brambling with siskins and large numbers of goldfinch at Oxwich Marsh today.
Goshawk and peregrine also noted.
Evening: 18+ woodcock in fields in Upper Killay. Also snipe and tawny owl
100+ Greylag geese at Berthlwyd at 11:00 am a few hundred yards east of the Rake and Riddle.
Quite a collection of winter thrushes on Upper Killay Rugby Field at 2pm this afternoon – 25 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, 2 Mistle Thrush and 1 Song Thrush. Also 41 starlings.
Past 2 mornings there have been a pair of “tame” chough foraging around Pennard GC 4th green (Bottom of Sandy Lane).. also seen a further flock of 5 on 17th fairway..
Overhead the biggest buzzard I have ever seen.. very dark bird and huge.. dwarfing the lone herring gull attempting to mob it
Red throated diver between Rotherslade and Rams Tor this morning
The annual ringing summary from the Watch House, Pennard Cliffs is here: https://www.gowerbirds.org.uk/the-watch-house-2021-ringing-report/
Some really interesting captures and some good data sets building
Just witnessed a great display by a male Sparrowhawk; chasing a Bluetit around the bird feeder and garden landing a metre away form our conservatory window in Manselfield before flying off into the field behind. I think the Bluetit got away!
Pair of dippers busily working the Tawe at its confluence with the Giedd river in Ystradgynlais. Also yellow wagtail. On Sat 15th pair of goosander (m+f) on Tawe behind Liberty stadium.
10 Chough at Rhossilli, just above Helvetia wreck. Alarm calling with Female Sparrowhawk above.