Our field trips and walks are listed below. They’re all given a ‘rating’ which gives an indication of each events degree of difficulty as listed below. Obviously, some visits may involve more than one of these. The rating is given after each trip title.
Ratings: Easy with level paths [1]; Uneven surfaces [2]; Stiles and gates [3]; Some steep slopes, moderately challenging [4]; Quite challenging [5]
Monthly Walks at Kenfig National Nature Reserve (2-3)
These take place on the third Saturday of each month and are listed below and in the trips schedule. Meet at the Reserve Centre at 9.00am and usually last about 3 hrs The leader will normally be David Carrington (07779978738). Pay as you leave car parking charges apply – card only, no cash. Attendees can see the many changes there throughout the seasons. Difficulty levels will vary by season e.g. waterlogged ground etc. A visit to the east shore will involve going over stiles.
2024 Dates : Saturday 20th April, 18th May, 15th June, 20th July, 17th August, 21st September, 19th October, 16th November, 20th December (Pies in the hide event)
Birding walks for women
Seasonal walks for women birders have been added to the annual Field Trips and Monthly Walks programme, aimed in particular at those who might not feel confident enough in their birding knowledge and experience to go on the club’s mixed company field trips. Led by Jean Haslam and Strinda Davies they take in well known birding locations within east Glamorgan such as Parc Slip, Cosmeston and Bryngarw Country Parks. Walks are planned with easy access to facilities, distance covered, walk duration and pace of walking in mind. If you would like to join us contact Jean Haslam: haslamj@talktalk.net. Those planned are included in the main programme which follows.
2024 programme
Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Walks for Women are planned, all dates to be confirmed in due course.
Sat 13th April – Kidwelly Quay & Burry Port (1) – Kidwelly Quay provides an opportunity for studying waders. Greenshank, Redshank and Dunlin often gather near the railway bridge. Also Curlew and Whimbrel should be on the salt marsh. Once again migrants should be coming in. (HT 10:15)
Sat 20th April – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Sun 28th April – Llantrisant Common (2) – A first Club visit to this particular area. With a mix of habitats ranging from grassland, woodland, scrub and boggy areas, we hope to see Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Linnet etc. It will probably be a little early (late May-early June is best) but there has been a lot of work done here on the re-introduction of Marsh Fritillary butterflies and their associated food plants.
Sunday May 12th – Castell Nos & the Rhondda Fach ❸
Led by inveterate mountain walker, Ceri Jones, we shall pay a return visit to this glorious upland site. Last year we recorded no less than six Cuckoos, plus species such as Whinchat, Crossbill, Tree Pipit and Redpoll. Of interest last year was a pair of Redstarts that were breeding in coniferous woodland – a very unusual occurrence.
Saturday 18th May – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Sunday 19th May – Walk for Women – Kenfig NNR (2-3)
Meet at reserve centre 10 a.m. – the walk will last approx 2 hours maybe sightly more. Click here for more detail.
Sunday May 26th – Dinas RSPB ❸
A lovely reserve that hosts most of the Welsh upland woodland specialists, such as Pied Flycatcher, Redstart and Wood Warbler. Past visits have also yielded Yellowhammer, Marsh Tit, Garden Warbler Whinchat and Spotted Flycatcher.
Wednesday 12th June – Llanwonno ❷
Our annual evening visit to try for Nightjars. Cold weather meant that the birds weren’t very active last year, so let’s hope for better this summer. Other possibilities are Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler and Tawny Owl.
Saturday 15th June – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Sunday June 23rd – Ham Wall RSPB ❶
Over the border to this cracking reedbed reserve. Bittern, Hobby and Marsh Harrier are undoubtedly the stars of the show but there is plenty more on offer.
Saturday 20th July – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Tuesday 23rd July – Goldcliff & Newport Wetlands ❷ High tide approx 9 a.m.
Many of the waders should have completed their breeding by July. Let’s hope for more success this summer, especially with the Avocets. Expect Ringed and Little Ringed Plovers. Return passage should just be getting underway, so anything could turn up.
Sunday 11th August – The Ely Floodplain ❷-❸
A walk along the Ely floodplain near Pendoylan. Passage Green Sandpipers often appear in good numbers in August. This site is great for watching Sand Martins. Other birds might include Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher, Stock Dove and hopefully more.
Saturday 17th August – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Saturday 7th September – Kidwelly Quay & Burry Port ❶ High tide approx 10 a.m.
A return visit to this site, this time hoping for terns, Burry Port often hosts a good number. Expect Mediterranean Gull on this trip as well.
Saturday 21st September – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Sunday 29th September – Southerndown & Dunraven walled garden ❷
Late September is probably the best time to catch up with passage migrants. The walled garden can hold good numbers of migrants, feeding up prior to beginning their long journey south.
Friday 4th – Sunday 6th October – Portland Obs w/e ❷-❸ NB this trip is now fully booked
Our ever popular weekend trip to the Portland Bird Observatory. The last two years have provided some cracking rarities. Who knows what might turn up this year? The Club operates a first come, first served system, so book early, as there are limited spaces available. You MUST book by email to John Wilson [johndw1948@gmail.com] so that a fair first come, first served system can be observed. Please do not text, WhatsApp, FB Messenger, phone, X pm etc etc. Thank you.
Saturday 19th October – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Thursday 14th November – Bryngarw CP ❷
Bryngarw has a mix of mature woodland, riverside habitat plus more formal gardens that can attract a good variety of bird species.
Saturday 16th November – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3)
Tuesday 10th December – Rest Bay to Sker ❶-❷ High tide approx midday
We’ll follow the coast from Rest Bay round to Sker Point and back. The going is fairly easy with a boardwalk and short coastal turf. Expect Mediterranean and Common Gulls in Rest Bay and species such as Curlew, Ringed and Golden Plover, plus Sanderling at Sker. Will the Purple Sandpipers be back? A Peregrine has been spotted on our last two winter visits to this site.
Saturday 21st December – Kenfig NNR monthly walk (2-3) – ‘pies in the hide’ event
2025 schedule: We are not in a position to advertise the 2025 dates yet, as the 2025 tide tables have not yet been published. Such information is critical at certain locations. We’ll let you know once they appear.
Bring a packed lunch and suitable clothing and footwear. Car sharing is encouraged where possible. If people are happy to car share, the meeting place is St Margaret’s Road in Whitchurch, Cardiff (see map below). We meet at the A4054 end. In line with our Climate Emergency Policy we ask participants in field trips to consider making a voluntary £1 per head ‘green offset’ donation for each trip they attend. Funds accumulated will be used for tree planting etc. An example of a recent donation was of £250 to the Lost Peatlands Project in South Wales. The policy document can be seen here.
Trips run roughly in parallel with our financial year which is from 1st April to 31st March. Full details of each field trip are emailed out to the GBC email news group and are also posted on this website in the ‘News’ blog, on our Facebook page, on our X feed, and if not too lengthy, added to the relevant listing in the above schedule. There is no formal booking procedure, but it is useful if the leader can be informed in advance if you intend to participate. Some locations [such as Portland Bird Observatory], may call for a limit on numbers and if this is the case it will be made clear that in that instance prior booking is essential and it will be first come first served. John Wilson is more often than not, the leader, but if it is to be someone else, their email address will be given. The email news group referred to above is an option that members can choose to be included in, when joining the Club, or if you are already a member and not on it, you can ask to be added by John Wilson.
We have health & safety guidelines for walks and field trips:
Glamorgan Bird Club 