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.

Monday 6 January 2014

Thayer's update

Hardly surprisingly given the forecast, it appears that no one looked for the gull(s) today, but with the weather set to improve, thought it was worth clarifying where to park and walk. The map below shows the two options for walking out from the car park at SS416925. Also shown is the area where the bird was seen to roost on the falling tide on the weekend (NB: HT at 10:30am on Tues & 11:25 on Weds), so expected time at the roost would be after these times based on Saturday and Sunday's observations. It may of course be there on the rising tide? The bird was also seen on the beach either side of Burry Holms, which for those who don't know is cut off at High Tide. The west end of the island is worth a look as birds feed in the turbulent waters providing excellent flight views.

It is also worth looking out for any American Herring Gull types (there are at least two good ones), which will require good photos of the wings and tail as well as general body shots if there's any chance of one being accepted. Dark Herring Gulls can look pretty much identical so the id of these birds is far from resolved. Ed Hunter has also sent me a pic of what looks like a cracking Nelson's Gull so more photos of this and any other interesting gulls would be very helpful.

Finally don't forget the scoters offshore as the Surfy is probably still out there somewhere, though the swell and distance will make it very tricky to pick up unless the flocks move closer than they were on Saturday.

Good luck

cold and sodden gull watchers with smiley faces

4 comments:

Paul Roberts said...

Rare Bird Network are reporting both gulls as present today.

Unknown said...

Bird Guides have the rather cryptic message "still no sign of the juvenile {Thayer's} in the area by this afternoon but Glaucous x Herring Gull still" Anyone know where this has come from?

Mark Hipkin said...

There's no implication that they are the same bird Dave. Unfortunately for me, I've only seen the Glau x Herring Gull well enough to be 'Happy' about it.
Lots of good eyes on Burry Holms today were not rewarded for their efforts. Let's hope the Thayer's Gull is not far away. PWC?

Paul tabor said...

http://www.tertial.us/gulls/thay1.htm this is a good link explaining the gulls key points