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 2 March 2014

Beached Bird Survey around Baglan Bay

The recent winter storms that have brought such riches to our shores in the form have rare or scarce birds have also brought much less pleasurable sightings. It has been well documented on local blogs and other media that some of our much loved seabirds have not faired the stormy season well. Maybe this harsh example of natural selection leaves the surviving population with a stronger gene pool, and I'm sure many of us will be looking forward to the summer ahead being the start of a speedy recovery. Hopefully, some of our warden friends on the Pembrokeshire Islands will be able to feed back brighter news come the end of the breeding season.
In some ways this natural disaster couldn't have come at a better time of year. With the beached bird surveys organised by the RSPB, locally by rep Alistair Flannagan, comprehensive data should be readily available to analyse this event in greater depth. Furthermore, I hope that we will be informed of any findings in due course.
My own sightings came from Crymlyn Burrows yesterday, and Aberavon Beach, today, where I received the able support of Becky Sharp. The birds found stranded were as follows :-
Crymlyn Burrows (1/3/14) - Pheasant (1), Kittiwake (1), Guillemot (29) and Razorbill (13)
Aberavon beach (2/3/14) - Kittiwake (2), Guillemot (7), Razorbill (3) and Puffin (3)
Paul Griffiths sent in the photo above showing the remains of a Puffin at Oxwich Beach, today. Along with the Puffin, Paul found Guillemot (3) and Razorbill (3) also washed up dead.

1 comment:

David Carrington said...

Hi Mark - how can I get hold of Alistair to pass on Kenfig's survey data?

Ta. Dave