Sorry for the short notice. There’s an indoor meeting on Tues 5th Nov at Pencoed Rugby Club. Paul Bowden will be giving an illustrated talk entitled ‘Ecuador: Birding on the Equator”. Start time is, as usual, 7:30 p.m. Felindre Rd, Pencoed, Bridgend CF35 5PB.

Having been there I can vouch for the amazingly colourful bird life! JDW

Heads up – there’s the first talk of the autumn/winter programme on Tues 1st Oct. This is a live ‘in person’ talk at Pencoed Rugby Club, where we have already had a couple of AGMs and a talk. This one is by Peter Lansdown who will be taking us on a trip to Morocco in the winter. The talk starts at 7:30 p.m. The Club is on Velindre Road, Pencoed, CF35 5PB.

A quick reminder that our club Big Bird Count is approaching fast. Choose a place local to you – a walk or short drive away and list all (common and rare) bird species you see on any one of the four days. When you’re done – send the list to timadcock950@gmail.com and don’t forget to tell us where you did your count. It can take 10 minutes or 10 hours – up to you. If you want to do more than one patch, that’s great. Not forgetting the photographers – please send your photos in as well.
Can we have all the lists in by October 7th please?
We’ll publish the results – a complete club list, interesting species seen and other highlights, along with the best photos, best bird and best list as judged by the committee, in the January newsletter.

Good luck, enjoy the event. Many thanks.
Tim Adcock

As John Wilson is unavailable for this one, Alan is taking the reins. Note that this is a Saturday trip, not the usual Sunday..  High tide is around 10 a.m., so we’d need to be there ahead of this. Meet at Pembrey Harbour at 9.30ish. (Google maps estimates a travel time of 1 hr 30mins from Cardiff). The plan is to then de-camp to Kidwelly later in the day. Please let Alan know by email if you intend coming – alanrosney@gmail.com.

The postcode for Pembrey Harbour is SA16 0HD, which is the same as that for the nearby Shoreline Caravan Park that you drive past down to the dirt car park. There’s a pdf map below. To get to Burry Port first I think it’s best to come off the M4 at J.47 Penllegaer, then take the A483 down to the 1st roundabout then go right onto the A484 and follow that all the way along, over the Loughor Bridge. This avoids Gorseinon, which is all 20 mph. After the bridge, stay on the A484 until the Parc y Scarlets roundabout. Go over that then immediately at the next big roundabout take the B4304, which loops round to the south of Llanelli past Machynys and eventually takes you to the roundabout by Sandy Water Park, where you take the A484 again that goes through Pwll and on to Burry Port. You eventually have to come off the A484 onto the B4311 that goes into Burry Port. Follow that until the left turn into Derwydd Road which  is just after a bridge on a bend.

A reminder that our small grant scheme (of up to £250) is open for bids for local projects, designed to help conserve or record the bird life of East Glamorgan. Projects might include nest box schemes, planting berry-bearing trees, attending training courses and much more. The deadline for applications is 31st August. Go to the GBC website to access the form.
This link takes you to the correct page.

We’re pleased to be able to publish the minutes of the 2024 AGM which was held in April. We apologise that they have taken a while to go oline but both the writer and the webmaster have been away at crucial times.
They can be see by clicking this link.

We have planned our next ‘Walk For Women’ to be on Sunday 19th May  at Kenfig NNR. Meet by the centre at 10 a.m. We plan to be out for a couple of hours, but sometimes overrun – we don’t rush. Folk are welcome to leave anytime of course. There are toilets, the cafe is outside – so we’re hoping for a warm day! We have to pay for parking when we leave, card only. Dry (we hope) sandy paths. As with all GBC walks, we ask folk not to bring dogs. We can lend you binoculars if you need them. As always, let us know if you plan to come anytime up till the evening before, so that we know to wait for you – Jean Haslam – haslamj@talktalk.net : Strinda Davies – daviesstrinda@gmail.com

Thanks to everyone who attended last night’s AGM. Chair Jean reported in full, the active year we’ve had in all the projects and activities we’re involved with. We’re all now set for yet another year. We are fortunate that we now have a Treasurer to replace our retiring treasurer Ceri Jones, who has done a sterling job over the last 3 years – many thanks Ceri. He is replaced by club member Tim Adcock who has stepped up to the oche at the last minute, so for the moment he is co-opted onto the committee, as his offering his services came too late to be included as a nominee in the official AGM notice. Anyway many thanks Tim, and welcome! We also welcomed another member, John Duffy, who stepped forward to become a Trustee. Welcome John! Also we say adieu to retiring trustee John Western, so thanks John for your input and work whilst you were with us.
The evening was rounded off by an enjoyable quizz devised by Alan Rosney.

Interesting display in Pyle Library (managed by Awen Trust) for the next few weeks, raising awareness of Swifts with the aim of inspiring local people to help them. Created as part of GBC’s Glamorgan Swifts project, with considerable input from Porthcawl Swifts. 
As well as groups of local residents and a number of churches across east Glamorgan, GBC has the support of Bridgend Local Nature Partnership and Bridgend County Council’s Biodiversity team. We are working closely with Porthcawl Town Council  and Pyle Community Council (includes Kenfig Hill). Links are being developed with Bridgend Town Council, Cornelly and Laleston Community Councils. 
Get in touch with us (or ‘Strinda Davies or Alan Rosney‘) if you would like to help.

A request from your committee. Can you help GBC to function in 2024-2025 by taking on the essential role of Treasurer, as our current treasurer Ceri Jones, retires at the upcoming AGM. Both members and non-mebers are welcome. If it’s not for you perhaps you could spread the word, or put someone in touch if you know anybody with a financial background who would be willing. Ceri is obviously on hand to give guidance.

Re the AGM, watch out for the notice with full details, which will be published here and linked to from Facebook and ‘X’.

There’s a live indoor meeting on Tuesday next week, 5th March at 7:30  p.m. Club member & trustee Paul Denning will be giving an illustrated talk on “The Wildlife of Crete”. Paul’s wildlife interests are broad so this will cover a lot more than just birds.
The venue is Pencoed Rugby Club which is in Felindre Road on the left shortly after turning left at the first roundabout on the A473 after leaving the M4 northbound from J.35. The post code is CF35 5PB.

There’s good news to share about the breeding Swift colonies of Pyle & Kenfig Hill and Porthcawl and for local residents who want to help them. GBC Trustees, a club member and a local swift champion have been working with Pyle Community and Porthcawl Town Councils for the past couple of years, resulting in each of them declaring their communities and the town “swift friendly”.
With support from Bridgend Local Nature Partnership, and particularly Bridgend County Borough Council’s Biodiversity team, funding from Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature scheme has been secured. This means anyone living in Pyle, Kenfig Hill or Porthcawl (in the streets where swifts are known to breed) can have a swift nest box and its installation, at no cost.
If you, or anyone you know, lives in the above areas and might be interested in this offer, get in touch with the rCouncil Clerk named on each leaflet dispoayed below. If you wish to download a copy click this link. Then you’ll be on your first step to helping swifts (unless you already are!).
Maybe you can spare some time to help out either of these projects, especially if you live in or near Pyle, Kenfig Hill or Porthcawl. Why wait any longer? Get in touch with Strinda Davies and you’ll be given a warm welcome.
Advice on how to make your community ‘swift friendly’ (if you are fortunate to have them, as they’re not to be found everywhere) is on offer from the club. Strinda Davies and Mary Gallagher have recently started helping a Bridgend town resident conserve the swifts breeding along the river. Could you be next?”
PS click the image below to display a larger view.

There’s a field trip to Forest of Dean next week, on Thurs 29th Feb. Meet 10 a.m. in the New Fancy View car park north of Parkend. Follow the B4231 up from Lydney then head north to where indicated on the map. The car park is on the right about 500m after you turn left off the road that runs up from Parkend.
As usual, please let me know if you intend coming. I am unlikely to do any pickups from St Margaret’s Road due to traffic between Penarth and there. John Wilson – johndw1948 at gmail dot com

As usual we hope for Goshawk & Hawfinch, Marsh Tit, Mandarin and dare I say Lesser Spotted Woodpecker? Haven’t had one there for years……

Tomorrow’s trip to Newton Pt. Just a heads up if you were thinking of coming and not let me know [or indeed even if you have], in view of the dire forecast for tomorrow, we’ve decided to cancel the trip. John W

There’s a local field trip on Thursday 15th next week, to Newton Point near Porthcawl, the main aim to see roosting waders, hopefully including Purple Sandpipers.
High tide is either side of 10 a.m. so I suggest meeting up at 9, or as close to that as traffic allows. The meet point is on Beach Road, which starts at the green in the middle of Newton village. The double yellow lines do not have effect in winter so you can park all the way along to the far end, away from the houses. I don’t envisage this being an all day trip. Please let me know if you intend coming. johndw1948 at gmail dot com

We have a live indoor meeting on Tuesday next week, 6th Feb, at Pencoed Rugby Club starting at 7:30 p.m. Club Member Paul Bowden will be givng an illustrated talk entitled “Birding in Colombia: Eastern Andes & Magdalena Valley“. Given the huge variety of bird life in the neotropics, it should be a good one.
If you haven’t been to the venue before, it’s in Felindre Road, Pencoed, just up from the roundabout on the A473. Leave M4 at J.35, head north and take the 1st exit at the first roundabout. It’s then a short way along on your left.

Due to several failures on my part, the meet time and place were never specified. Meet 2:30 p.m. at the spot circled in red on the map below. I know it’s very 11th hour but if you intend coming please let me know – johndw1948 at gmail dot com.
NB note the amended meet time of 2:30 p.m.

John Wilson here: before I depart for a week in Norfolk on Weds there are TWO upcoming GBC events to notify members of so plse read the whole of this post:
1. Sat 6th Jan – a field trip to Whiteford Point on Gower, for sea ducks, geese poss diver[s] and grebe[s]. High tide is from approx 12:30 to 2 so meet at the Cwm Ivy car park at 10:00 for a slow walk out. As I am away Alan Rosney has kindly agreed to lead this one but he will need a co-leader so he’ll be looking for s/o to volunteer on the day. Please let Alan know if you intend coming – he’s on alanrosney at gmail dot com. Plse don’t email me. The usual follow on visit to Llanridian has been postponed to 28th Jan due to a clash with GOS and the limited parking on Marsh Rd. Also given the tide time at Whiteford we’d be pushing it to get to Llanridian in good time. The walk out to Whiteford is likely to be very muddy.
2. On Tues 9th Jan there’s an ‘in person’ i.e. ‘live’ indoor meeting which will be a review of the highlights of 2023 given by Club member Tate Lloyd. It’s at 7:30 p.m. at Pencoed Rugby club which is just off J.35 of the M4, in Felindre Road, CF35 5PB. Alan has devised a devilish quizz.
NB plse note an edit in the above – Llanridian is now 28th rather than 21st as 21st is the date for the BTO WinGS winter gull roost survey whiich some members have signed up for.

Thanks to Dave Carrington who has sent me the Kenfig Ringing Group report for 2022, compiled and authored mainly by Colin Baker. It summarises ringing activities at KNNR itself, Ty’n-y-Caeau Farm near Monkton and also Dave’s Nottage – Porthcawl garden. Altogether fifteen folk were involved. Click here to see a pdf of the report [opens in new tab].