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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.
Reporting Schedule 1 Birds We are now in the breeding season. Please do not post information concerning nests or core territory locations which may lead to the disturbance of species listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offence to disturb these species (whether this is unintentional or not) at the nest. A full list of Schedule 1 species is here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/wildlife-and-the-law/wildlife-and-countryside-act/schedules/ For anyone who is not aware, the Schedule 1 species that breed in the Gower recording area include: chough, crossbill, goshawk, honey buzzard, barn owl, kingfisher, red kite, peregrine, little ringed plover,… Read more »
4 pairs Stonechats on Rhossili Down. Hummingbird Hawkmoth in Middleton garden today.
Hi all
An owl has been hooting during the day in Castle Road Mumbles intermittently over the last week or so. Just heard it now at 14:45pm. Is this unusual ? I can’t recall hearing one during daytime before.
I would say slightly unusual but not unheard of although in a fairly busy area a bit surprising. I’ve heard Tawny Owl calling during the day a few times but usual in quiet periods in remote locations. I seem to remember someone was doing research into this a few years ago and asking for records, I’m sure if you do a search you will find details on the net somewhere. For what it’s worth my thought is that it may be adults keeping in touch with newly fledged birds, a sort of reassurance if you like. I’ve heard Long eared… Read more »
Looks like Blackcaps are arriving in numbers now. 4 singing this morning in the copse to the east of Murton Green.
Highlights from my daily constitutionals. Yesterday on Barland Common – a singing blackcap serenading me in my solitude. Today on Pwlldu Head – choughs above my head and Draba Aizoides at my feet. Also, water pipit on the dew pond and peregrine flying towards the cliffs.
Briton ferry today two red kites ,buzzard, female goshawk and chiff chaff
Whilst we are stuck at home, why not send in butterfly records from your garden to Butterly Conservation via their wonderful app? It’s easy to use and fun, and can be downloaded at https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/irecord-butterflies
Good to see & hear Greenfinches again, minimum 7 on wires at edge of Fairwood Common. Plenty of Stonechats, Meadow Pipits displaying & Linnets. Green Woodpecker yaffling.
At Pwll Mawr, after extensive work on tree reduction, return of 3 Gadwall (2m), 2 Mallard & ! Canada.
Red Kite flying over and chiff chaff calling at Langland GC Sunday. Monday morning 100+ Golden Plover at Pwll y Froga.
Blackcap singing in the copse to the east of Murton Green this morning.
Sunday 22 March 2020 Oxwich Nature reserve. Found dead Water Rail on road opposite main reed bed. photo attached.
Also good views of Goshawk soaring over woods above Oxwich before swooping down directly towards where we were walking. Red Kites and Buzzard also in same area.
Male&Female Wheatear on rough ground adj. to Port Talbot railway station. 5+ Chiffchaffs singing around the docks. No sign of kumliens gull at the Afan Estuary. With Phil Routliff & Dave Cornish (at a safe distance) !!