Wednesday16thJanuary 2008

“Hunt Upside Down”. Another of our club members (saves a fee), Rob Hunt, and a former County Recorder for a number of years, will give us an illustrated talk on a past visit to Australia. National Wetlands Centre 7.30pm. Tea/coffee biscuits £1.50pp.

Saturday February 16th

To Whitford Burrows. We venture back into the great outdoors with our annual visit to see Brent Geese, Slavonian Grebe, various waders and hopefully a couple of raptors. Meet at Cwm Ivy Car Park at 9.30am. High tide is at 13.50 hours. We will once again be joined by our friends from Gwent.O.S.

Wednesday March 12th

An Illustrated talk by Mr Nigel McCall of Towy Works, Carmarthen on "The Wonders of the Ross Sea". National Wetlands Centre. To commence at 7.30pm Tea/coffee biscuits £1.50.

Saturday April 26th

It’s time once again for our annual visit to R.S.P.B. Dinas, last year we were again fortunate to get Wood Warblers, Redstarts, Pied Flycatchers with bonus views of Goshawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker excavating a nest and Treecreepers back and fore to their nest. Should time allow after lunch we could return to Talley for a walk around the plantation which last year produced some good sightings.

Meet at Reserve Car Park at 9.30am. Contact Wendell if in doubt about the weather on 07912 577626

Saturday May 10th

Meet at Lliw Reservoir Car Park at 10am to visit top reservoir and the plantation beside. Hopefully there will be plenty of Warblers still singing. Other species could produce Raven, Peregrine and Red Kite.

Wendell would like to receive ideas from members for an event in June. Please note his new and only tel no. 07912 577626

The Club would like to express its thanks once more to Nigel Williams, Centre Manager of the National Wetlands Centre for allowing us the continued use of the Centre for our indoor meetings.

Subscriptions

A few members have not yet renewed their subscription and George Causley would be pleased to receive them soon before we send out the Bird Report in the New Year.

Report of Annual General Meeting

Forty two members attended the Annual General Meeting when Rob Hunt was confirmed as the Vice Chairman and two new members were elected to the committee. We would like to thank David Morris and Angela Lovegrove on their retirement.Our Chairman John Lloyd talked about the Tree Sparrows of the Towy Valley. He showed that they have specialized needs along a narrow band of the Towy flood plain and how his recording had helped to isolate their particular preferences of habitat and food. He showed the difference in breeding success within the preferred terrain and a short distance away. There was still

a great deal of work to be done to find out more.

The following is the text of the presentation given by Derek Moore at our meeting in November. Unfortunately it is without its presenter and the accompanying pictures and humorous asides. Imagine these as you read.

What Bird is that?

To achieve a much better set of bird records for Carmarthenshire we need:

To submit records in a good form

To be able to describe adequately scarce and rare species

In doing this the data will help to conserve our birds.

Try to go birding with at least one companion.

Take a field guide in your bag

Learn a simple drawn description of a birds main features

Above all a NOTEBOOK is essential.

What to write in your NOTEBOOK

Everything you see and where.

The date and time

Any unusual behaviour e.g. unusually large numbers or unusual interaction.

Direction the birds moving

Any other orders such as butterflies mammals and dragonflies

Try to get a photograph, digital if possible. Try digiscoping. Even a distant shot or silhouettes may make it possible to accept the record.

The I D Process

Is it a wader?Is it a duck? Is it a passerine?

When describing a species:First determine what family of birds it represents.

If a wader try to see its wing pattern in flight – does it have wing bars or a white rump? Listen for a call.

If a duck is it dabbling or diving? Check details in flight.

If a passerine does it walk, run, hop or sometimes more than one of these. Listen for calls, look for features in flight.

Compare with other common species nearby.

Dealing with a rarity

An example:You find a bird on a May morning in scrub near Burry Port Harbour. Obviously a warbler but which genus? A bit like acrocephalus warbler. Song unlike Reed or Sedge. Very fast warbling interspersed with sparrow-like chirrups. Long bill and peaked crown suggest hippolais. No pale wing panel so not Icterine and only other possibility Melodious. Note plumage details.

Know what you are looking for

Study the field guides in you spare time and note the subtle differences between the similar species.

Know the plumage details of both sexes and immatures.

Try to learn the differences in calls and songs. This will prove invaluable in the field because when you, for instance, meet a flock of waders you can eliminate the common species first and then pick out the less common quickly.

Try to learn the status of species found in the U.K.

Know which months are the best to find them. This will help when finding a scarcer bird because the time of year can give you a clue.

Know the preferred habitat of birds.

When finding a new or strange species look at it hard remembering important I D pointers.

Look for features already discussed which will lead to identification.

WRITE DOWN details in your NOTEBOOK.

Afterwards you can compare your notes with a field guide

Submitting Records

Putting your records on the Club Website is very helpful. It allows others to see what is about and the Recorder has a chance to chase up descriptions where necessary.

If you send in lists of records please arrange them in the ORDER shown in the CHECKLIST of the Annual Bird Report. Check whether any of your sightings are species on the BBRC, Welsh or Carmarthenshire rarity lists. If so provide a description.

When writing a DESCRIPTION

Be happy your identification is 100% correct. Be sure to describe Date Time Place Habitat. Briefly describe circumstances of finding.

Give your experience of the species or similar species.

Describe optical aids used and if photographed.

Be certain above all that you describe THE BIRD.

Be sure to estimate the size by comparing with common species

Compare with similar species and discuss reasons for eliminating them.

Ensure you describe plumage, bill, feet, and eye and leg colours if seen.

Describe motion and movement. Describe general behaviour.

Mention any other observers present who saw the bird Be convincing in you text.

Finally, DESCRIPTION FORMS for all categories of rarity will be available for download on the website. All rarity descriptions should in the first instance be sent to the County Recorder. The County Recorder will ensure that all observers are aware of the decisions of the various committees.

After all this – Remember it is just as necessary to record common species before they get onto the rarity lists! Don’t assume someone else will send in a description. Submit one yourself just in case.

It can be very exhausting but--------- Get it RIGHT and everybody is HAPPY!