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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.
Siskins are occasional visitors to our garden in Tycoch. Today we saw our 3rd of the year – this time a juvenile. Interesting to note that it had a metal ring on its right leg.
Busy on the bird feeders in our garden in Manselfield yesterday. Adult and young Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Nuthatch. House Sparrows too who were bullied by the 5 young Goldfinches!
Further to my recent posts about Red Kites on Gower, there was another sighting of one over Murton again today.
From Jeremy Douglas-Jones
This Yellowhammer is a regular visitor to a bird-table in Reynoldston.
Martin Agg has sent in photos taken on last weekend’s walk in Colbren woods. A female Crossbill, a siskin apparently being mobbed by midges and did I mention we saw a Red Deer stag?
Further to the Red Kite over Murton yesterday, today there was one over Pennard church, and a few minutes later one over Penmaen. Probably the same bird involved, but much more interesting if not!
Looks like the Swansea City Centre peregrines have fledged.. what appears to be one chick perched close to the nest site this lunchtime… Nice to see
I completed the second visit to my Breeding Bird Survey square SN8003 today. 17 species were recorded including Wood warbler, Willow warbler, Chiff chaff, Blackcap, Garden warbler, Bullfinch, Lesser redpoll and Siskin as well as the usual woodland birds such as Wren and Robin. On my way down the track after the survey, there was a Tree pipit in display flight and Jay.
Red Kite over Murton today.
First “garden tick” swift of 2021 yesterday evening .. West Cross.. the normal flock of 6 to 8 birds haven’t returned this year . Also the big flock in Mumbles hasn’t returned.. very sad
Lurking with intent.With a flock of over 40 House Sparrow in the garden(Clydach,Swansea) it’s no wonder that this Sparrowhawk was showing interest. He caused only panic this time but I’m sure I’ll be seeing more of him over the next weeks
Watching Wood Warbler, Colbren Woods
The GOS field trip to Colbren to look for Nightjars last night was a great success. 32 was the number of the evening: 32 people turned out to look for the elusive Nightjars and we recorded 32 species, if you count the Red Kite I saw at Morriston on the way to the meeting. We met in the village of Colbren, where Siskins were seen on a feeder and then went in a convoy of 14 cars into the forest to start our walk. Ed Hunter quickly found us Wood Warbler which were calling and then showing well, Redstart and… Read more »
Sounds brilliant Jeremy. Thanks to Ed for leading.
Latest news from Gower Ringing Group is here: https://www.gowerbirds.org.uk/2948-2/
Oxwich Marsh: fledged whitethroat, chiffchaff, great spotted woodpecker and blue tit. Grasshopper warbler and sparrowhawk also seen.
After poor spring, pleased to see 3 juv Blue Tits being fed by adult on fat balls & aphids today in Upper Killay garden. Also family group of min 5 Nuthatches visiting feeders frequently and GSW juv (only 1 seen at a time, may be more) with adult male or female. Cuckoo heard from Fairwood Common very early this morning & several times in recent days.
Mill Wood, Penrice. Family party of nuthatches (adults provisioning young) proving breeding, marsh tit.
Parc le Breos. Spotted flycatcher pair NE of Green Cwm Cottage. Brown hare on the track to Llethrid Bridge. Marsh tit, bullfinch, green woodpecker, stock dove (2).
Pair of Yellowhammers at Mewslade. On cliff walk, 7 Fulmar, 2 Chough, Large numbers of Linnets and Goldfinch
Parc le Breos: cuckoo heard calling from Cefn Bryn and near Cillibion. Either a very mobile bird or two males present. A mixed flock of goldfinch and linnet (the latter unexpected), both species provisioning juveniles and foraging in hazel. Fledgling blue tits and numerous young song thrush. Marsh tit. No sign of spotted flycatcher near Green Cwm Cottage; a male held territory there for approx 10 days in May.
Latest news from Gower Ringing Group is here: https://www.gowerbirds.org.uk/2917-2/
4 yellowhammer ,2 male singing , 2 females close by. 6 whitethroat , fem cuckoo heard calling , willow warbler , garden warbler , blackcap , 3 song thrush, 4 skylark . Topped off with one Brown Hare in fields near by . On a walk from Hangman’s Cross towards Port Eynon
Also , one Lesser Whitethroat , male singing at Pwll y Froga , Wernffrwd
This Wheatear was spotted between Limeslade and Rotherslade this week by GOS member John Pile.
Regular sightings of Whitethroat and Stonechats can be enjoyed on the footpath between Limeslade and Rotherslade, 3 seals were viewed yesterday in the same location. Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Dunnock also in plentiful supply.
John Pile took this photo of Linnet on the Cliff path this week.