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.

Friday 14 March 2014

Probable Two-barred Crossbill at Mynydd Marchywel

Rob Jones, Darren Coombs and me did a preliminary search for Great Grey Shrike at Mynydd Marchywel, today, ahead of the GOS field trip planned for Sunday. Around late morning Rob got a brief view of a Crossbill sp sitting on a Sitka Spruce with 3 or more Common Crossbills. Rob described the bird he saw as having bold white wing bars. However, he did not notice any white tips to the tertials on the bird before it flew. Neither Darren or I got views of the bird before it flew and it's flight took it directly away from us. None of us heard it's diagnostic call.
A further search of the area until dusk brought no further sign of the bird. Small groups of Common Crossbills were seen intermittently through the rest of the day in groups of 8, 5, 3, 3 & 2 plus some heard only birds. There is an area of Scott's Pine next to the forestry track at SN773044 and an area of  Larch 1km SW of it. Birds seemed to be commuting between the 2 areas.
This area is a bit of a hike but can be accessed via forestry tracks that join onto St Illtyd's Walk. The St Illtyd's Walk can be picked up just west of Crynant (SN78890455).

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