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.


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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.

Saturday 4 January 2014

Putative Thayer's Gull at Burry Holms, Llangennith



Barry Stewart has just has just sent some video grabs of a very good candidate for juvenile Thayer's Gull. Seen briefly on Spaniard Rocks with masses of Herring Gulls before being forced from the rocks by a breaking wave. The bird flew North towards Whiteford before being lost from view.

Some noticeable features include the silvery underside to the primaries, deep pink legs, friendly looking head shape. The plumage is brown with no black in the tail or wing. I can't quite make out the extent of the white arrow heads on the primaries of the resting bird but Barry said this feature was striking in the field.

4 comments:

Dave A said...

I have to agree it looks really good from these grabs. Nice one Barry, but frustrating I expect! Stacks of gulls in St. Bride's Bay at the moment, 2 Glaucs so far, but got to be something better in there...

Barry Stewart said...

Cheers Dave, Chris Gibbins likes it too though has a query about the scaps possibly looking replaced, which would suggest dark Kumlien's. These looked uniformly juvvy in field to me, so I'm quite happy, but it may mean it does not tick every box. In which case yes that would be frustrating, but still enjoyed the thrill of seeing it fly in and thinking 'fcuk me that looks like a Thayer's!!!'

Barry Stewart said...

PS. You had far too many rares in Pembs last year - we want some this end this year ;-)

Dave A said...

Still think it looks good. Yes Pembs has had a giod year...but confidence breeds confidence so watch out!