Glamorgan Rarities Committee

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.

Monday, 10 October 2011

Porthcawl seawatch (10-1400hrs)

1 Leach's Petrel @ 1148hrs came in too close to the rocks and was set upon and killed by 5 Herring Gull. Other birds of note - 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Arctic Tern, 1 Common Tern, 12 Common Scoter, 2 Gannet and unusual sightings of imm Mute Swan going west (very rare here) and a Raven with a golf ball in its beak.

Wednesday, 5 October 2011

BB online

The first 99 volumes of British Birds are now online in a browsable and searchable archive at

http://www.britishbirds.co.uk.

Monday, 3 October 2011

Redhead in VC41

Bad news I'm afraid - well to all those who saw and ticked Redhead in Glamorgan, the BBRC have rejected all our records, spanning 2002-2007. There are now only two official records for this species in GB: Notts & Leics. Sorry guys but it is tippex time!
The BB Report states the Glamorgan bird showed anomalous features that meant that the potential for hybridisation influence could not be ruled out. BB intends to publish a fuller justification in due course, which will help explain the decision.
The Eastern Glamorgan list now stands at 308 [inc. Marsh Wbr. 2010]

Glossy Ibis Revisted

Took the opportunity to take a few digiscoped images of this great local patch bird this (Monday) morning, having been away for the weekend. As others have mentioned it is quite wary and not easily approachable, the best method seems to be to use the cover of the hedge.