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.

Monday 19 December 2016

Great Northern Diver : Aberavon

Few pics of a Great Northern Diver found during a visit on Sun 18.Dec 2016......











Tuesday 13 December 2016

Nash point.

    One of two Fem/Imm Black redstarts around the lighthouse buildings on sunday.

Tuesday 6 December 2016

Black Redstart : Penarth Marina

A stunning male bird from a visit last Sunday, a female/juvenile type bird also seen briefly.....





Long-tailed Duck : Cardiff Bay

Few pics of the bird from a visit last Sunday........





Thursday 1 December 2016

Richard's Pipit at Nash

A couple of record shots from this afternoon. Cracking find by Paul Parsons.




Tuesday 29 November 2016

Water Pipit - Ogmore Estuary

This Water Pipit was with several Rock Pipits on the lower estuary saltmarsh (Vale side) late afternoon, but mainly keeping in the areas shaded from the sun.


Friday 25 November 2016

Thursday 17 November 2016

RGW & Foreshore

RGW: A Water Pipit with Meadow Pipits at high tide along the wharf. A Red-throated Diver D/C, an unusual species off the wharf. Jack Snipe flushed from grass & 2 fem/imm Common Scoter D/C. Also Grey Plover, Knot, Dunlin, Redshank, Curlew, Pintail, Wigeon, Teal & Little Egret.
Cardiff Foreshore: 2 Black Redstarts along path next to WTW. Seen on fence & feeding on beach. Good numbers of B-h Gulls.

Interesting Chough record

Andy Burns of Dinas Powys photographed a Chough at Lock's Common yesterday and got a good enough pic to read its colour rings. He sent the info off to Adrienne Stratford who is involved with ringing Chough on Angelsey. It turns out that Andy's bird is a young female and one of the Angelsey ones. Ringed on 9th Jun and seen with her siblings on 2nd Jul. This is double the previous max distance one has been seen away from Angelsey. The rings carrie are Lime/BTO on left leg and Green/ Blue "9U" on right leg. There's a photo on the South Wales Birding Facebook page.

Sunday 13 November 2016

Hume's Leaf Warbler at Middleton sound recording request

I've had a request from Eddie Hunter to ask if anyone who managed to connect the Hume's Leaf Warbler at Middleton a few weeks back could make contact with this blog if they managed to record the bird calling. The true identity of this bird still seems a topic for discussion for birders that have seen and heard it or viewed photos of it online. Analysis of recording of the bird's call will certainly allow more confidence in the bird's identification. Eddie has some recording of the bird, which he is confident do produce sonograms that match Hume's, but it will certainly help the bird's assessment if these can be backed up with further good recordings if possible.

Either GlamRC@gmail.com or markhipkin1@gmail.com or edhunterhere@yahoo.com can be used as a means of contact.

Those that are completely confident in the bird's identity should be encouraged to make formal submissions to BBRC for assessment. As county recorder for West Glamorgan it is good to be kept informed about these types of records and I politely request that I am able to have a copy of all submitted material for my and the Glamorgan Rarities Committee's records. Thank you!

Tuesday 8 November 2016

Aberthaw Grey Phal

I caught up with this bird this morning, so here's a couple of closer shots for use in circ if req'd.


Monday 7 November 2016

East Aberthaw

Just seen a post [and photo] on Facebook - Grey Phal at E. Aberthaw pool today. Have asked for permission to copy photo here - awaiting reply. Permission granted see below. Observer and finder was Maxine Levett.

Thursday 3 November 2016

Pallas's Warbler in Middleton lane.

Ed Hunter found a Pallas's Warbler at Middleton Lane this morning at 10:25. Luckily for me I work just down the road from there and by 10:40 was watching the bird feeding frantically in the Apple Tree and surrounding bushes. It was showing very well and called a few times before heading off with with a tit flock. Probably a different bird to the bird found by PP & PT last weekend, but difficult to be sure. Hopefully it will stick around so that a few more folk can catch up with it. My thanks goes to Ed for my latest Glamorgan tick.

Sunday 30 October 2016

Black Redstarts : Broughton Bay Caravan Park, Llangennith

Couple of pics from a visit today with Richard Smith after spending time at Middleton first......





Putative Hume's Leaf Warbler : Middleton, Gower

Few 'record' images of the bird from a visit today with Richard Smith, heard calling several times and call good for Hume's, responded several times to 'tape', general consensus of the birders present is that it looks good for a 1st winter Hume's, not an easy one......







Record shots of the Hume's leaf warbler at Middleton, Gower today. Found yesterday by Eddie Hunter.




                                    Overall duller than the Yellow browed warbler also present
                                    in the same spot. Both birds were heard and this bird made
                                    the distinctive call of a Hume's.

Pallas warbler, Rhossili today. PP, PT.




                               At 11:45 this morning at Vine lane leading down from
                               Middleton at approx SS414 877, Paul Tabor and I found
                               this Pallas warbler. It was working it's way north along the
                               hedge and we lost it near a green metal barn. It was very
                               mobile but I managed this short burst of shots before we
                               lost sight of it.

Tuesday 11 October 2016

Dotterel record shots from Nash a nice find for me!



dotterel in ploughed field near cwm nash


YBW Penarth

3 p.m. this afternoon I was out in the garden, when alerted by a high pitched strident call, heard only Sunday on the GBC Portland trip. Ran inside to get my bins and was soon on to a Yellow-browed Warbler feeding with Chiffchaff in the trees that overhang the old railway line which is now a public path. Didn't appear to stay long - I lost it in the canopy fairly quickly although the Chiffie was still around 30 mins later. Went searching with my camera but no luck. Will get something down on paper.

Monday 10 October 2016

YBW Cardiff

Had a phone call at around 6 p.m. - a GBC member had a YBW in his garden in Cyncoed this afternoon.