GRC Blog


Welcome to the GRC Recorders pages. This blog provides details on all the relevant news of Glamorgan’s scarcer birds, plus all BBRC & WRP decisions that affect us locally. It will also be used to document the status and occurrence of these scarcer species and we welcome contributions from anyone with photographs, artwork or documentation of rarities past, present and future. The GRC also welcomes all seawatching news from around Glamorgan and news of passage migrants in spring & autumn, uncommon birds in our area and unusual behaviour.


All visitors are welcome. You must first register by sending an email to GlamRC@gmail.com before you can contribute. An invite will be sent to your email address. Blog content will be strictly moderated. Access to pages and downloads are available to everyone. All photographs on this blog remain the property of the originator.
If you would like to use photos, please arrange permission beforehand.


The Glamorgan Rarities Committee, in conjunction with the Glamorgan Bird Club & Gower Wildlife , have agreed to co-operate with the Welsh Ornithological Society in the sharing of bird records & photographs in the interest of keeping accurate records and to promote birdwatching in North, Mid & South Wales.

Sunday 30 September 2012

Late news - Lapland Buntings

Weobley Saltmarsh

1) probable 16/9/12 (CDB)
2) probable 16/9/12 (MB)
3) 2 with pipit flock 22/9/12 (EAH)

Mewslade Valley

1) probable over 16/9/12 (MB)

Thursday 27 September 2012

Wryneck in Caerphilly

Late News: Received a description from Sue Johnston of a Wryneck in her back garden on 9th Sept.

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Wryneck in Central Cardiff

A rather distant camera phone record shot from David & Mary Webb of the Wryneck in Cathays Park earlier this month.

Late News

One of two male Bearded Tits trapped at a site in Glamorgan this spring. The species was seen in this area during April-July and breeding was suspected but unfortunately not proved. This species breeds in Gwent and is probably expanding its range, albeit very slowly. Lets hope they do re-establish themselves in Glamorgan, as they did have a small colony at Oxwich from 1972-1992.

Saturday 22 September 2012

Wryneck:Ogmore-by-Sea

Few distant "record" shots of Wryneck near Ogmore sewage works today.
Initially found by Peter Morgan at approx 3.45pm and then refound at approx 6.10pm by Peter and myself,both times in hedgerow of field south of entrance into sewage works.
Bird very flighty and mobile.

Wryneck at Ogmore Estuary


Thursday 20 September 2012

Important New Taxonomic Changes

The BOU have announced some taxonomic changes to the British List.
Those changes which directly effect us here in Glamorgan are:



Generic changes (note the new generic names)

Ruff is now Calidris pugnax


Buff-breasted Sandpiper is now Calidris subruficollis
This group also contained the species below, although not on the VC41 list, it has the potential to turn up here.
Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus


Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea to be treated as three species:
• Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris borealis (Category A)
• Scopoli’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea (Category A)
• Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii (extralimital)

Cory's Shearwater has occurred seven times in Glamorgan, four of which are in Eastern Glamorgan, the last being in August 2011. The species is a Welsh rarity and not adjudicated locally, so I don't know how this will effect us in Glamorgan as yet. Records committees could choose to approach this sympathetically and say all those records of Calonectris sp. seen previously will remain as such (the old Cory's Shearwater) and all new records now seen off our waters will now have to eliminate the other two before being considered to exact species, which I'm afraid may prove very difficult indeed, given the fact that all our records have been recorded by seawatching, usually during or just after bad weather, at distance and in indifferent light conditions.

For more information on this article please go to [copy & paste]:
http://www.bou.org.uk/british-list/recent-announcements/tsc8-announcement/


Wednesday 12 September 2012

Great White

G.W. Egret elusive around Llanrhidian, but eventually caught up with it today (first seen by M. Piercey on the 9th).

Cardiff Wrynecks (11/9/12)

2 Wrynecks found in the Cardiff area, yesterday.

1) Heliport Bay in the morning. No further news.

2) Cathays Park. No sign of this bird during an early morning search, today.

Thursday 6 September 2012

Garganey at RGW

A Garganey was the highlight from RGW this morning. Also a notable passage of commoner migrants. (DRWG)

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Wryneck at Kenfig Saltmarsh

Wryneck found this morning at Kenfig Saltmarsh at 10:00 by Colin Gittins
Flew from bank of the adjacent tip, below 2 JCB's, to bushes within the saltmarsh

Recent news

Wryneck in private garden in Bridgend, S. Lewis (3/9/12)

Great Skua past Tutt Head , M. Hunter (30/8/12)



(c) Sian Lewis Williams
Grey Phalarope along Aberavon beach per G. Lewis (30/8/12)