Four ways to help birds
NATIONAL (UK) WILLOW TIT SURVEY 2019-2020
This two year survey is being organized by the RSPB and WOS is the main partner in Wales. This species is now considered very uncommon if not rare in some parts of Wales and is one of the Priority species identified by WOS as needing further survey work and so this project is very timely. The Welsh Coordinator is Anne Brenchley (annebrenchley@imsab.myzen.co.uk) and some local coordinators are in place notably across Anglesey (David Wright), Brecon (Andrew King), Caernarfonshire (Rhion Pritchard), Denbighshire and Flintshire (Anne Brenchley and Ian Spence), Glamorgan and the Gower (Wayne Morris and Daniel Jenkins-Jones) and Pembrokeshire (Bob Haycock). The survey unit is the tetrad and spreadsheets are available for each Vice County identifying which tetrads are Priority or Highly Desirable. If you would like further details or want to take part then please contact Anne in the first instance. ALL records of both Willow Tit and Marsh Tit are welcome and any photographs are an added bonus as these can aid identification if the recorders are themselves uncertain. The RSPB website has further information here.
WOS Small Grants for 2019 - closing date February 28th
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, so get your application in now! Full details of the scheme, together with the application form can be found here.
Welsh Bird Report 2017
The 2017 Welsh Bird Report, edited by Julian Hughes, has now been published. Copies have been sent to members and WOS members can download the text from the Journals page in the Members’ Section of this website.
Scarce sightings during January 2019
A relatively quiet month for scarce and rare sightings – as it was in most of the UK. Long-staying visitors included the Llandudno Rosy Starling, the Ynyslas queen King Eider and a Siberian Chiffchaff in Glamorgan. There were good numbers of Black Redstarts throughout the Principality and you can browse Robin Sandham’s 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
Sunday 17th February – Dryslwyn & Carms Coast. With luck Whooper Swan, Pink-feet, Tree Sparrow, and Red Kite will be at Dryslwyn. We hope for Long-tailed Duck and Red-breated Merganser on the coast. Afternoon high tide.
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.
Talk by Alex Jones (Local Birder).
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
A Talk by Richard Gallon (Spiderman) COFNOD (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
Tuesday 5th March – Birds of Costa Rica – Paul Bowden. A recent visit to Guanacaste, the Central Mountains and the Osa Peninsula. Expect many beautiful and colourful birds.
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.