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.

Wednesday 30 September 2015

Cattle Egret at Kenfig

 Record shots of the Cattle Egret at Kenfig this afternoon and evening. Great find by Neil Donaghy and my efforts to see it this afternoon made much easier by Graham Powell's earlier hard graft tracking the bird down and staying with it. The bird stayed with the flock of sheep west of the pool until 5pm when it flew to the pool. It stayed on the east pool shore with the gulls, Pintail, Teal and Wigeon until 6:15pm when it flew off high north. It was difficult to judge how far it went but it flew strongly for well over a minute. It started gliding and descending while still in view from the east pool shore and my best guess is that it came down to roost in trees along the Kenfig River just behind the Kenfig Industrial Estate.


VC41 round-up

A Cattle Egret at KNNR this am found by ND, also a Hobby there.

Excellent vis-mig at the moment with very good numbers of Swallows still moving and a noted passage of Crossbills and Siskins at coastal locations. 3 Red Kites were at Lavernock today, another very good record following on from the f/o Glossy Ibis there yesterday. A Ring Ouzel was seen over the Cardiff Bay Barrage. Full details in the GRC Monthly Round-up, to be done shortly.

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Glossy Ibis over Lavernock


The original photo and cropped version of the Glossy Ibis over Lavernock Point today taken by Lol Middleton. The bird was moving north over the point towards Cosmeston. Could be worth checking Cog & Sully Moors tomorrow morning. 

Monday 21 September 2015

Wryneck in Bridgend

This was seen on 2 days (12th & 14th Sept.) in the Bridgend garden of Adrian Reed, who managed to get a few records shots.

Wednesday 16 September 2015

Grey Phalarope on Broad Pool (15/09/15)

Record shot taken yesterday afternoon of the juv -> 1st W Grey Phalarope on Broad Pool. A popular bird attracting visiting birders throughout the day having been found smartly early morning by Chris Brewer. While at Broad Pool a Green Sandpiper made a brief and noisy fly-by appearance, and decent numbers of hirundines in the area too.

Tuesday 15 September 2015

Glamorgan round-up

A good morning's birding after rain & strong winds in the Severn Estuary.
Highlights:
Storm Petrels past Crymlyn Burrows [MHi] & Southerndown [NPR]
Red-throated Diver past Southerndown [NPR]
Ruff at Sker Point [ND] & Kenfig Pool [RM]
Grey Phalarope at Broad Pool on Gower [CDB]
Arctic Skua past Crymlyn Burrows [MHi] & Kenfig Sands [IT]
Black Terns [2] at Kenfig Pool [ND] & Caerphilly Castle Moat [GW]
Raptors:
Osprey over Kenfig Pool [RM]
Hobby over Pontyclun [AHu]

Update 16/09/2015
2 Black Terns at Lisvane Res., Cardiff [GRC]
An estimated count of over 44,000 Swallows moving over the Barrage & Cardiff Bay this morning. [PMH] Possibly the Irish population moving east?
OOC - Grey Phalarope at Ynys-y-Fro Res. (showing well)

Thursday 10 September 2015

Roath Park

Marsh tit briefly in trees next to Roath Park Conservatory this afternoon. It been a long while since I have seen one here.

Sunday 6 September 2015

Report

Via BirdGuides: A Black Kite over Radyr, Cardiff at 15.00hrs 5th Sept. Can anyone shed any light on this report!?
Reported at Radyr 5th & 6th (BirdGuides) and Tonyrefail 8th. I have observers for the latter site. Any info on who saw it on 5th?

Wednesday 2 September 2015

Tuesday 1 September 2015

Marsh Harrier at Lavernock

Marsh Harrier over Lavernock Point 31st Aug. found by L. Middleton & A. Burns. Photo by A. Burns. This constitutes the first record for the site.