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.

Thursday 28 April 2016

Blue-headed Wagtail

A Blue-headed Wagtail was on east pool shore, Kenfig Pool [ND]

Tuesday 26 April 2016

Cardiff Bay

A count of 20 white wagtails on the outer rocks of the barrage. Common tern still in the Bay.

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Iceland Gull, Cardiff Bay

A 2 cy Iceland Gull drifted southeast over the Wetland Reserve at about 07:45 this morning, no sign of it with other gulls in the Bay a short time later.

Also cracking male Yellow Wagtail along with several White Wagtails on the Barrage.

Saturday 16 April 2016

Cardiff Bay

An evening visit to Cardiff Bay: no sign of the little gull, 1 common tern and 1 arctic tern. After a good look I came to the conclusion that one of the birds was definitely arctic. Also 1 common sandpiper. No sign of the Iceland gull on the Marl.

Monday 11 April 2016

Cardiff Bay Wetland, Cardiff Bay and the Marl

Plenty bits and bobs around this evening. At CBWR 2 sedge warbler, 1 reed warbler, 3 snipe and 1 male redstart of note.

Cardiff Bay - 7 common tern, 1st sum little gull and 1st sum med gull, also leucistic black headed gull of note.

Whilst walking back home bumped into a 1st winter Iceland gull on the Marl playing fields. It settled briefly allowing me enough time to look at it through the scope. Sadly too many dog walkers to allow it to settle for long. Frustratingly I did not have my IPhone with me to take a record shot. All in all a good evening.

Sunday 10 April 2016

News

11th - Iceland Gull (juv) on the Marl playing fields -  from Channel View, south Cardiff [AGS]

11th - 2CY Little Gull & 6 Common Terns in Cardiff Bay - [PMH, JDW, AGS]

10th - Report of a drake Garganey at CBWR. [per JDW]

Osprey f/o Merthyr Mawr (9th) heading >W [DCB] & probably same bird 11th at Ogmore Est. [NPR]

Tuesday 5 April 2016

Bonaparte's Gull

I've just had a call [8:45 p.m.] from Peter Lansdown, who I met earlier in the day at Cosmeston. He was taking a couple of guys to sites around Cardiff. Whilst on the boardwalk at CBWR he had a full hooded Boney's Gull in the bay, looking towards Penarth, noticeable in addition to the usual features, in that it spent much more time in the air than the BHG's. I'll try & get down there tomorrow depending on family duties but others may want to check too. Poss best to look from the ice rink area as that's where the small gulls seem to be spending most of the time, or poss from the Penarth Marina road adj the mouth of the R. Ely.

Briefly seen again 19th Apr. (AB & MM)

Saturday 2 April 2016

Lost Gyr

Just in case some reports start to come in, I lifted this plea off the SW Birding Facebook page:

PLEASE HELP: (Day 6) LOST FALCON: (GLAMORGAN AREA SOUTH WALES ) Gyr / Per last seen in the area of Pyle and the A48 road towards Porthcawl. The bird snapped the creance and still has the swivel and 20ft of creance attached to her.

Please call 01656 864631 or 07771796510 if you see her...please share !!!!!!