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 30 November 2014

Black Redstart : Penarth Marina

Few pics of the stunning male bird present this afternoon, unfortunately it rarely came down from the rooftops.......


Thursday 27 November 2014

Black-necked Grebe in Cardiff Bay

Black-necked Grebe
I went to see the Black Redstarts at Penarth marina and found this…

News

A Black-necked Grebe was found in Cardiff Bay [Penarth Marina/River Ely] and was last seen flying towards the Taff at the Grangetown flyover. [PD & GP]
A Firecrest was in the north pool bushes near the hide at Kenfig NNR. [ND]

Saturday 22 November 2014

Ogmore & Southerndown

A Water Pipit was on the lower Ogmore Estuary this morning. Not unusually it saw me before I saw it, flying off over the river and into a tree on the edge of the dunes, where it gave prolonged - if distant - views as it preened. A Bar-tailed Godwit (that thinks it's a Redshank) remains, unexpected here this time of year.

A brief stop at Southerndown saw the Snow Bunting still present.


Tuesday 18 November 2014

Red-throated Diver from Crymlyn Burrows

A Red-throated Diver was swimming fairly close to the beach at Crymlyn Burrows, this afternoon. Certainly much closer in than I've seen before, and this resulted in me dashing to the waters edge to get a record shot of it. A close in Kittiwake also passed the beach, which is also fairly unusual.
Otherwise on the sea 4 female Common Scoters, a drake Wigeon and 5 Guillemots (plus lots of distant Auk sp on the sea and in flight). The Great Crested Grebes are now 213+ on the Crymlyn Burrows side of Baglan Bay, with c100 off Aberavon Beach. However, conditions were a bit choppy and there are probably more out there.

Monday 17 November 2014

Porthcawl yesterday.

Swift sp photographed off Porthcawl seafront - https://twitter.com/matthewcobb/status/534105838894735360

                                                                     © M. Cobb

Sunday 16 November 2014

Snow Bunting at Southerndown

Here's a record shot - taken by David Ripley - of the male Snow Bunting present on the cliffs at Southerndown, late afternoon. This stretch of the coast has a good track record for the species, certainly by our meagre standards!


Friday 14 November 2014

News (Early November round-up)

Ring Ouzel still present at Pant Norton, Ogmore 12th [NPR]
                                                                     © NPR
Black Redstart 2 around Penarth Marina/Barrage most of month [multi obs]
                                                                    © D. Lack
Osprey over Kenfig Pool 10th [DGC]
Marsh Harrier at Llanrhidian Marsh 9th [JNE]
Water Pipit at Ogmore Est. 9th [NPR]
GND off Mumbles, still present 9th [OG]
                                                                  © D. Rouse
GND on Kenfig Pool 8th [DGC]
Brambling reported at Oxwich 8th [OG] & Rudry Common 7th [TF]
Lesser Scaup still at CBWR till 6th at least. [CJ]
Bittern at KNNR 6th [TM]
GGS north of Llwyn-on Res. 1st

Thanks to observers

Wednesday 5 November 2014

Kingfisher at Blackpill

© J. Garside

A Kingfisher was at Blackpill this afternoon. Also there 6 Dark-bellied Brent Geese briefly at 14:30 before flying off west and 2 Little Egrets, later flying off east.

News from James Garside

The Kingfisher appears to be a very nice sighting with only a couple site records on the database. 

Tuesday 4 November 2014

News

The YBW is still present at Pant Norton. Also 2 Ring Ouzels present there. [DCB]

A Velvet Scoter past Porthcawl mid afternoon on 3/11/14 [SR]