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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 Cettiās warbler.
The Black-necked Grebes were working the edge of the wall at Salthouse. The single picture is an adult in winter plumage who might be acquiring its summer steepened forehead. Of the two together, I think the right hand one is a young bird judging by the paler eye, duskier cheek and thin feather sticking out of the back.
Good day out in the Burry yesterday, makes up for all the quiet days.
Starting at Llanrhidian end of the Marsh road a Buzzard and femal type Marsh Harrier were busy stirring up allthe other birds. A ringtail Harrier was picked up exiting stage right at about 9ish.
Just to let you know the third Black-necked Grebe was also at Salthouse today, separate from the other 2. High tide is the best time to get them close, provided you tuck yourself down.
20 siskins in a Briton ferry garden this afternoon.
2 Black-necked Grebes v close in off Salthouse jetty now, drifted upstream. Photos later.
Two Red Kites circling over our Bishopston garden just now.
This afternoon at Ashlands, Port Tennant, not a lot but a flock of Siskin well over 100 feeding in the Alder and Birch trees on the railway siding. Long time since I’ve seen a flock of that size.
Thanks very much Barry, for leading us in the rain, and for your expert knowledge. I went round to Llanrhidian Marsh after the walk ended, as the weather eased a bit. Was rewarded with c150 Lapwing, 1 Marsh Harrier, 2 Red Kite, 1 Little Egret, 1 Green Woodpecker, 3 Hen Harriers (1 ringtail and 2 male, one of which appeared an immature), 1 Skylark, 1 Stonechat, 2 Great White Egret, 1 Peregrine, 35 Shelduck, 1 Rook and c30 Starling. There were also large (c500) aerial flocks in the distance of Lapwing and what were possibly Golden Plover, although the latter… Read more »
Nice one Stephen, great effort š sounds like Golden Plover – they typically spend ages wheeling around high up in a loose flock
Well done, the 24 brave souls who endured the persistent rain at Salthouse Point this morning. The two Black-necked Grebes that put in appearance made the session well worth the effort. The species was last reorded in the Burry Inlet in 2020, so a noteworthy observation. The weather otherwise hampered sightings of more regular fare, but everyone returned happy with the list of species recorded below (with estimates of numbers): Brent Goose (Dark-bellied) (Branta bernicla bernicla) 100 Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) 20 Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) 1 Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) 10 Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) 1 Common Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus)… Read more »
Well done indeed for everyone who braved that rain! Great find with the Black-necked Grebes and thanks for getting the news out. Lukas and I were really happy to catch up with them later when the rain had mainly stopped and I know at least 4 others that were happy to catch up with the Grebes. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any on the Gower Peninsular
Brilliant – well done Barry
Flock of about 20 siskins feeding on alder cones at Crymlyn Bog yesterday.
Dipper observed feeding this morning on the river to the rear of Three Cliffs beach, Gower. The attached picture was taken by a family member.
There’s a Ringtail hunting over Llanrhidian Marsh this morning and hundreds of Lapwing out on the Green beyond the reeds
At Castell du : the Baikel teal was showing nice feeding on the river bend opposite with a group of Mallard, the plumage developing nicely with both vertical breast line now obvious and also long straw scapular plumes on both sides. Also the white upper cres meets above the head at the rear like a Dotterel > Great to see. it definitely favours the mud opposite. Lower tides rather than high tide would seem best from where it likes to feed I would think. Also a Scandinavian Herring Gull of the yellow legged type – omissus was rather exciting to… Read more »
Male firecrest at Overton this afternoon
Oystermouth Cemetrey 2.30 yesterday. Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Song Thrush, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldfinch. Buzzard, Redwing, Black-headed Gull, Collared Dove, Dunnock, corvids and Red Fox.
Penclawdd pill this afternoon. Is this a Merlin?
Looks good for a Merlin.
Thanks Dewi
Three red kites soaring over Tycoch earlier, including whistling calls.
The Gower Ringing Group annual report for 2025 is now here: https://www.gowerbirds.org.uk/the-ringing-year-2025-gower-ringing-group/
This morning at Oxwich a jack snipe (caught and ringed)
I always enjoy reading these reports.Thank you for sharing.
Castell Ddu – The 1st winter male Baikal Teal appeared in the wigeon flock this pm at 13:45 then showed intermittently till at least 3.30pm. it spent a while on the bank opposite where views/lighting were much better and good scope views. In between it showed occasionally with the flock of wigeon in the channel and roosted on the Gower bank out of view. Its a cracking duck when you see it well plumage now developing more older features. Also 310 Lapwing , 370 wigeon, 45 Teal, 1 Pintail 7 GBB Gull, 2 Greenshank, 15 Redwing, 41 Pied Wag Daltons… Read more »
Redwing, Goldcrest, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit and Mallard alongside the old Llanmorlais railway line today.
Dalton Point, Penclawdd. 13.30 hrs today
Redshank , Greenshank x1, Curlew 20 +, Large amount of Oystercatchers, Widgeon, Shelduck x2 , Little Egret x 4 , Great Crested Grebe x 2, Greylag Geese x 8.
Overcast with rain showers, luckily my son lives directly opposite, so observed some birds from his house during the downpours.
Dipper and grey wagtail on Cwm Stream at the back of the Ashleigh Road playing fields. Also 50 oystercatcher and 30 curlew at 4.30pm today.
Two , possibly 3 marsh tit at Gelli Hir woodland this afternoon, along with good numbers of blue and great tits, nuthatches,redwings, g.s.woodpecker.
Just before dusk over Llanrhidian Marsh straight out from Staffal Haegr Male & Female Hen Harrier, Female Marsh Harrier and several hundred Lapwing all going to roost.