Welcome to the December Newsletter. Please make a note of the club events and if you have anything to include in the next newsletter or suggestions for events they would be very welcome. Our 4th A.G.M. was held on Wed 18th October with 37 members present to hear Derek Moore’s account of the exciting birds on his French patch. We thank our retiring chairman and secretary. Our new Committee members are Chairman-John Lloyd. Vice Chairman-Rob Hunt. Secretary-Owen Harris. Two reminders. First a few members have not yet renewed their subscriptions, send to George Causley please. Secondly if anyone can help with information to update the Birding Sites of Carmarthenshire please let Ian Hainsworth have this .

Club meetings and events

Saturday 13th January 2007 - Winter birds at Whitford. The trip out to Whitford Point is now an annual event which always brings some surprise sightings. An invitation to join us on this trip has been extended to our friends in the Gwent Ornithological Society. Meet at the Cwm Ivy car park for a 9:30 am start. High tide is around lunch time so conditions should be good for wader-watching. If the weather is bad ring Wendell on 07840 881254 before you set off.

Wednesday 7th February 2007 - “Birds of Goa” - An illustrated talk by Ian Tew.

7:30 p.m. at the reserve centre, Penclacwydd. Tea or coffee and biscuits to finish the evening £1-50.

Wednesday 7th March 2007 - “Birds of Lesbos” - A talk on the birds of the Greek Island of Lesbos by Gary Harper. Lesbos has some of the best bird-watching sites in Europe so this should be an interesting evening. 7:30 p.m. at the reserve centre, Penclacwydd. Tea or coffee and biscuits to finish the evening £1-50.

Saturday 28th April 2007 - A field trip to the RSPB reserve at Dinas. Meet at the reserve car park at 09:30 a.m. This will be an opportunity to see recently-arrived migrants such as Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler and Redstart. In the afternoon we can visit nearby Troed y rhiw. If the weather is bad or if you need travel directions, ring Wendell on 07840 881254.

Saturday 19th May 2007 - Talley Lakes. Turn left from the A40 onto the B4302, ½ mile north of Llandeilo. Follow the road to Talley. There is parking at the abbey and at the start of the forest walk which is a little further along the road. Meet at the abbey car park at 10:00 a.m. This Wildlife Trust reserve has wet woodland and reedbed and is of interest to botanists as well as birders. Access has recently been improved with a boardwalk and a hide. We may be able to visit one of the woodland sites at Llandeilo after lunch. If the weather is bad ring Wendell on 07840 881254 before you set out.

A Walk Along The Estuary.

On Saturday 4th November on a sunny crisp morning, 15 club members set off from the Wetland Centre, at low tide, to walk along the sea wall towards Loughor. Altogether we saw 56 species. Among them the highlight was a late Hobby near Loughor Bridge but we also saw Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Cetti’s Warbler in the sheltered hedges along the track .On the estuary we were disappointed not to see Goldeneye, Merganser or Grey Plover, however we had views of Black-tailed Godwit Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Greenshank and Redshank. Butterflies were enjoying the warmth of the sun, Red Admiral and two Clouded Yellow.

We strolled back in time for some members to pursue their second passion and watch Wales play rugby. A very enjoyable outing. Thankyou Wendell.

COEDBACH

During September/October this year Coedbach has come into its own. The highlights are as follows:

• Black-winged Stilt
• 6 Curlew Sandpiper
• Pectoral Sandpiper
• American Golden Plover
• Two Ruff
• Snipe
• Dunlin
• Up to 20 Little Stint.

There were between 800/1400 Golden Plover at times with about 600 Lapwing. On the wildfowl front there were 265 Greylag and one Barnacle Goose.

TROSERCH WOODS

Troserch woods are now back in public ownership. This neck of ancient woodland, up the Morlais River from Llangennech, was first acquired for the nation by the Forestry Commission in the 1950s, then stripped of its native trees and replanted with softwood conifers. In the early 1990s it was sold off to private investors, partially felled, and then reopened to the public in return for grants. Early in 2006, with the 10-year access agreement coming to an end, the woods were up for sale again. On September 29th after a six month campaign and thanks to a grant from Cyd Coed the woods were bought back for the community. Troserch Woodlands Society, set up in April 2006 now has well over 200 members.

The Morlais has good populations of Dipper and Grey Wagtail and the occasional Kingfisher whilst the woods themselves host wintering Woodcock and in the spring are alive with warblers, mostly Chiffchaff and Blackcaps but also Willow and Wood Warblers. We have also had a small number of Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers drumming in the woods plus a regular community of Yellowhammer on the approach roads. Why not pay us a visit? More information on the society’s website at www.troserchwoods.co.uk

A Happy Christmas to all members and Good Birding in 2007.