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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.
up at Castell Du today a smartcard looking Ruff
which size wise ,prob male . it was in a flock of Black-tailed Godwit (max 62) . Curlew numbers dropped off ( max 52 recently ) , just 6 today .
A fem Marsh harrier missing an outer primary on the right wing moved through and put most of the birds up .
Wildfowl dropping down : 132 Wigeon, 18 Teal , 2 Gadwall, 8 Mallard . Shelduck 10 . 6 Redshank, 1 Greenshank , 1Com Sand
On the 19th March a 1 year White Tailed Eagle was seen leaving its roost in the north of the county (EAH) at 7:50am originating from a nest on the Isle of Wight where it was ringed and sat tagged – I have no other details of its movements afterwards but it has been searched for extensively with no sign since the observation in our area. A WTE had been at Llangorse Lake then, later seen over a village heading toward Brecon on the 16th March. No info if this same bird but I would think very likely If you… Read more »
Apologies the date should read 19th Feb 25 and the LLangorse /Brecon sightings were 16th Feb 25
Two Rose-ringed Parakeet at Morriston Park.Looking for suitable nesting site.
Ring-necked !
This morning I heard the reeling song of an early migrant grasshopper warbler on land adjoining Langland golf course. I wasn’t able to observe it unfortunately.
Two ravens over Tycoch today, including tumbling display flights and kronking. First time I’ve seen ravens overhead here.
Gwarchodfa Cwm Clydach Reserve. Kingfisher,my first record in 36 years at this site.Also 6 Dippers between the car park and footbridge.Plenty of bird song/calls on this sunny morning.
A chance to nothing shot at trying to catch up with Barry’s outstanding Bonaparte’s Gull was sadly unsuccessful, this morning. I checked various gull gatherings at Upper Loughor, Loughor Bridge, Penclawdd Pill, Dalton’s Point, Salthouse Point, Selwyn’s, Wernffrwd and Wernffrwd outer hump. There weren’t many Black-headed Gulls but it was a lovely morning to be out birding. Some highlights below Penclawdd Pill – Female Merlin and 47 Golden Plover Dalton’s Point – 1 Whimbrel Salthouse Point – 1 Sand Martin, 1 Peregrine and lots of Brents Wernffrwd (At entrance to John Jones and Son) – 1 Firecrest bouncing around an… Read more »
Good try Mark and far from a total blank. Maybe you should have tried counting the Shelduck 😉
Gower Ringing Group Jackdaw as part of Richard Danns study…. on the grass outside Pennard Golf Club this morning
The Bonaparte’s Gull appeared in my field of view when I was counting Shelducks this morning, an nice unexpected surprise! There were also 2 Slavonian Grebe, 5 Red-breasted Merganser, plus 498 D-b Brents of note, though i never did get to complete the Shelduck count!
Reports today of a Bonaparte’s gull initially at Wernffrwd then off Crofty as the tide ebbed (Barry Stewart), and a spotted redshank at Weobley (Lukas le Grice)
I am told the Bonaparte’s was on the high tide period only between the church at Wernffrwd -then on around high tide – 500m toward crofty – before working back toward church with falling tide – so a chance tomorrow before the tides drop.
This Buzzard was showing well in Oxwich today…
Today 2 Cranes were a welcome surprise -circling together initially quite low over Skewen before gaining height at 13:40, its possible they were rising from the saltmash ( although I did check this yesterday at about 11). Also over the last 2 days 5 different singing Willow Tits located in the county so far and 8 Goosander on the river south of Glynneath.
i rather think i spotted a black redstart at bracelet bay this morning. do correct me if i’m wrong!
Jay and great spotted woodpecker Brynfield Road this morning. c15 magpies together in neighbour’s sycamores. I thought flocking was in the autumn.
Red Kite circling over West Cross this morning.
Green woodpecker in Langland garden this morning
Buzzard, kestrel, raven and 2 chough feeding on the cliffs between Southgate and Pwll Ddu yesterday a.m. Also singing male song thrush, dunnock and greenfinch.
Dear All As of 1 March we are officially in the breeding season (although some species are already breeding and / or have been engaged in territorial behaviour for some time). For Schedule 1 species we need to ensure that any sightings do not provide information that may lead to their disturbance at the nest, as this is not only not in their interest, but also an offence. Schedule 1 birds include cliff-nesting species such as Dartford warbler and chough which have been targeted by photographers (some of whom have used tape lures) in recent years, and species expanding their… Read more »
Dartford Warbler Rotherslade Cliff path
A Little Gull was the highlight of the larid ensemble off Loughor Yacht Club today, which comprised:
Greater Black-backed Gull 4
Lesser Black-backed Gull 48
Herring Gull 181
Common Gull 1
Mediterranean Gull 1
Black-headed Gull 103
The Little Gull spent some time feeding on the north side of Loughor Bridge as the tide pushed up, before eventually drifting up channel.
Little Grebe at Brynmill Park Lake. Midday Feb 26th
6 goosander 3m 3f on river tawe between plasmarl and morriston
Singing Dartford Warbler Limeslade – Rotherslade cliff path
Heard one yesterday pm also towards rotherslade
Lovely Goshawk yesterday about midday cruising fairly low from Kittle direction over the main road through fairwood common.