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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.
One of Thursday’s Nightjars
14 Swift seen fairly low above the river at Wychtree roundabout this evening.
At least 2 Nightjars showing on Kilvey Hill Thursday evening, just after 10:30pm. A third could be heard.
40+ starlings by neath castle today lots of juvs among them looks like a good breeding season.
4th July a red kite low over milland road neath upsetting the local gulls, in the Brunel tidal dock 1 common sandpiper,in the reedbed dock a little grebe.
Oxwich Marsh: fledged kingfisher.
A few grey wagtails moving over early morning. Breeding season appears to have been good locally for reed and Cetti’s warbler, with plenty of young of both species in the reedbed.
11 swifts in group flying over plasmarl
Still struggling to id Wagtail sub species! This one of a pair in Mewslade car park this week. From previous comments from Dewi in February, dark underwing shadow suggests a juvenile Pied. Alternatively, could it be a White Wagtail?
3 Swifts at 4.30 and 1 at 5.30 at West Cross on 1st July
Yesterday evening there was remarkable total of 27 Little Ringed Plover at Castell-du, with just one juvenile among them. Hopefully there will be plenty to come that are currently still in breeding areas, but the large number of adults suggests there has been a high failure rate this year. Also 6 Common Sandpiper and ca.100 Sand Martin.
This evening, first big-ish flock of swifts I’ve seen over Tycoch this summer – difficult to count accurately but around 15 birds. Parties of about 3, 4, 5 overhead most other days. I’ve noticed before that flock numbers can increase here as the summer goes on, perhaps boosted by juveniles.
Also a family group of stonechats (adult male with several immatures) at Crymlyn Bog this morning. In fact various fledglings seemed to be everywhere, including mistle thrush. Reed warbler, sedge warbler and chiffchaff also still singing. Willow warblers seem to have gone quiet now, although still seen.
At this time of year Common Swift numbers are also boosted by “bangers” theses are second calendar year birds that fly around looking for potential nest sites for next year.
A very young Common Redstart was an interesting bird to capture and ring in my garden on Pennard Cliffs this morning. It’s a new species for the site and appears to have likely originated from a relatively local nest site judging by its age.
Counts from the mudflats south-west of Loughor Bridge this evening: Greylag 7, Shelduck 97, Heron 4, Little Egret 3, Great White Egret 2, Oystercatcher ca.2000, Curlew 98, Whimbrel 1, Bar-wit 4, Black-wit 42, Black-headed Gull 408 (incl. a scattering of fledged juvs), Med. Gull 5, Common Gull 1, Great B-b Gull 2, Lesser B-b Gull 40, Herring Gull 356, Carrion Crow 17 & Swallow 40+
Walk from Rhosili to Fall Bay and back; flock of 15 Chough near the coast watch; family of 5 Wheatears by the sheep field overlooking Fall Bay and a single Swift over the path by the NT shop.
At junction of B4271 and road to Ilston a swallows’ nest with two young showing in the bee bus stop shelter. Plus a Grasshopper Warbler reeling Sunday evening at 1800.
Last Saturdays Nightjar field trip in the Neath valley went very well, a great turn out of 20 folk and the birds showed , we had various churring males , flight views and several birds on tracks -catching moths including a female on the walk down jumping up for the moths…….. other birds were not too much in song – a breeding Garden Warbler was the best briefly alarm calling and male in song . Great to see new people on this trip.
the start of adult waders moving south was in show at Castell Du with a big count of 21 LR plover , 5 Common sand , 3 redshank , 2 curlew plus the resident pair of Oystecatber . gulls were black headed , herring , LBB and Great black backed
amazing count on LRP, likely county record!
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At 1830 this evening we had three green woodpeckers in the garden together, all feeding on ants: an adult female and her offspring.
24 mallard in the small basin by castle quay in neath
Sorry for the question rather than a sighting. Just wondering if GOS has been involved in report for application for Skyline development on kilvey hilll. And if any objection raised re impact on breeding nightjars ?
Rhossili Head and Mewslade area yesterday 9-11 Choughs inc 1 or 2 pairs then, a pair with a single juvenile and another family of 2 adults and 2 juveniles. 300 Manx Shearwaters were moving ahead of a rain front with a handful of Gannets. 1 Yellowhammer was singing in Mewslade was lovely to hear. 1 male Goshawk was seen gaining great height with prey and powered off. 1 Juv Kestrel was still being fed by an adult with another juvenile seen 1km away so unclear if from same nest. Only 2 Fulmar could be found still on ledges. Over 15… Read more »
forgot the most surprising bird , a Curlew flying above Mewslade -low down calling then followed the coast toward the Coastguards. Cannot remember seeing one here before never mind in June.
Flying ant day between neath and Briton Ferry 100s of gulls joining the feast this evening.
Group of 20 swifts screaming high over mumbles for about 5 minutes at 4pm – oystermouth castle allotments area
Regularly been 2 adults daily over area but this was a large group . Seems early for fledged group . Maybe just good feeding