Four ways to help birds
WOS Small Grants for 2019 - get your application in!
Applications are now open for small grants of up to £500 to support research into priority species in Wales. The closing date is Thursday 28th February 2019 and full details of the scheme, together with the application form can be found here.
New report finds a third of Welsh birds are declining
A new partnership report, State of Birds in Wales 2018, has shown that a third of our breeding and wintering bird species are declining significantly – emphasising the urgent conservation need to protect some of our most iconic species. The State of Birds in Wales 2018 report is a one-stop shop of results from annual, periodic and one-off bespoke surveys across Wales. It has been produced by The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Welsh Ornithological Society (WOS), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and RSPB Cymru. Most bird monitoring in Wales is undertaken by volunteers who contribute over 5,000 hours of their expertise every year in surveys utilised in this report. Citizen science plays a crucial role in saving Wales’ species from extinction and there are plenty of opportunities for people to get involved, helping with the science, through practical intervention or by showing support for wildlife across Wales. To find out more about how you can get involved, please visit the websites of the organisations behind the report. Please read the full report here.
Shooting of Greenland White-fronted geese will now be banned in Wales
WOS has welcomed the decision by Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn that the shooting of the endangered Greenland Whitefronted Goose is to be banned in Wales. Numbers of this rare sub-species have declined drastically over the last few years and the population wintering in Wales is restricted to two areas – the Dyfi Estuary and a small group on Anglesey. You can read details of the Minister’s decision here.
Scarce sightings during December 2018
The undoubted highlight was an American Royal Tern, discovered almost by chance on Anglesey on 11th and seen by many in two nearby locations over the subsequent twenty-four hours after which it was seen briefly in Pembrokeshire ten days later. It’s possible that this was the same bird that has frequented the Channel Islands since June 2017, as it was ringed and the plumage changes fitted. Black Redstarts were well represented and several long-staying rarities remained. You can read Robin Sandham’s full round-up here.
Interactive Map
Click on each county to discover more about birds and birdwatching
Icons designed by Wissawa Khamsriwath from Flaticon
Events for birdwatchers in Wales
A Talk by Chris Baker (NWWT Talk).
Meetings are in the ground floor Lecture Theatre of the University’s Brambell Building on Deiniol Road, Bangor and starts at 7.30 pm prompt. (The doors of the building are required to be closed at the start of the meeting at 7.30) Non-members £2 per meeting Annual subscription: £15; Concessions £12; Students £10 For further information
e mail:bangorbirdgroup@gmail.com
Location – Deiniol St, Bangor LL57 2AU, UK
Saturday 2nd February – Penarth & Cardiff Bay (F) 1 At Penarth Marina, we’ll look for Black Redstart, then on to the bay to check the gull roost. The incoming tide should push the gulls in to the bay. High tide 17:44.
Field Meetings – Contact John Wilson (info@glamorganbirds.org.uk) at least seven days before the due date. Bring packed lunch and suitable clothing/footwear. Participants may be expected to car share. The meeting place in Cardiff for many trips is St Margaret’s Road in Whitchurch, Cardiff – see the map opposite. We meet at the A4054 end.
Tuesday 5th February – Uganda – John Wilson. John will showcase his pictures of this East African jewel. No doubt, there’ll be gorillas.
Indoor Meetings – These are generally held on the first Tuesday of the month during the winter months. Start 7.45pm in the Kenfig National Nature Reserve’s Visitor Centre, Kenfig. Contact Paul Denning (01443 202607) for details.
A Talk by Ben Stammers (NWWT).
Meetings are in the ground floor Lecture Theatre of the University’s Brambell Building on Deiniol Road, Bangor and starts at 7.30 pm prompt. (The doors of the building are required to be closed at the start of the meeting at 7.30) Non-members £2 per meeting Annual subscription: £15; Concessions £12; Students £10 For further information
e mail:bangorbirdgroup@gmail.com
Location – Deiniol St, Bangor LL57 2AU, UK