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.

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Savi's Warbler at RSPB Newport Wetlands

 Having timed a short trip to Norfolk to coincide with the county's spring mini-break from rare bird activity it was a bonus to call in on the Savi's Warbler at Newport Wetlands on the way back, yesterday afternoon. A terrific find by Mathew Meehan who was able to join up with a small gathering of birders paying their respects. The bird behaved very well and delighted us all with it's song, calls and periodic elusiveness that made the times is showed well all the more special!
A single record of this species from Glamorgan came when David G Davies found a male at Oxwich on 13th May 1987. That bird went on to stay until the 20th May 1987 and was seen and heard daily in-between. Looking through the database courtesy of Birdguides this truly is a mega for Wales with 4 other previous records in addition to the Oxwich bird; other accepted records include Pembrokeshire (1968 & 1983), Powys (1994) and Anglesey (1999). The Gwent Savi's Warbler really is a cracking bird and it might be a long time before another one is quite so obliging here in Wales - if you haven't already seen the bird and you get a chance to make a visit it's well worth making the effort. Of course the same can be said about Norfolk and the general scenery and land management together with the selection of excellent reserves means that a trip there to see their specialist breeders is more than enough to make the trip very enjoyable.

4 comments:

AJ ( WestCross) said...

Mr. Hipkin. A born blogger.. I love your prose and enthusiasm . Long may it continue

Rob T said...

I was lucky enough to catch and ring the Powys Savi's warbler! (Llangorse Lake 1994); one of my best birding moments ever -finding it upside down in a mist net, seeing its pink legs and knowing it was going to be something unbelievable!!!

Phil B said...

Ahh...the Oxwich Savi's....remember it well, saw it the same day as connecting with a Quail at Rhosili.

DRWG said...

Not the one we whistled out!