22 February 2014

Beached Bird Survey 2014

If anyone is planning to go birding/walking along Rhossili Beach between now and 2nd March, and would be willing to help with the Beached Bird Survey along this stretch, would you please let me know.
It involves looking for signs of dead seabirds (full corpses or parts e.g. wings), noting the numbers and identity of the bird(s) and whether there are signs of oiling on the birds and/or the beach.


We are clearly looking at a record year this year (in the wrong sense unfortunately), certainly since I took on the role of coordinating this survey in our area.  16 birds were found in Broughton Bay and 4 between Oxwich and Great Tor.  In addition I have received an independent report of 11 birds from part of Swansea Bay.  With no oiling reported so far is this an aftermath of the recent severe weather?


Thanks
Alastair Flannagan
alastair.flannagan@ntlworld.com

10 comments:

Simon said...

Hi Alastair
I had an eye witness report of 30+ birds washed up at Pwll du/Brandy Cove this morning, a mix of razorbills and guillemots.

Unknown said...

My freind found at least 50 dead seabirds on Cefn Sidan beach today.

Barry Stewart said...

NT picked up over 200 birds on Rhossili a couple of days ago, which they will send details of, so be interesting to see how many new birds come ashore...

Nicole said...

walking beach port eynon on wed 26th feb saw many dead birds. At least 50. I think they were razorbills but different sizes.

Paul Whatley said...

Sat 1st March walk on Rhossili found 17 dead Razorbills & 2 Guilemots in a less than 100 yards on section near temporary / diverted beach access due to cliff fall.

xleah couchx said...

hello done a beached survey on aberavon beach from the end of the prom down to the river along sanddunes did not do other half of beach due to tide coming in and i encountered a number of 23 dead seabirds :( 5 first year puffins, 1 fulmar, 1 unknown gull, 5 razorbills and 10 gullimonts there was one strange thing i noticed about the dead birds that they were all intact except that most of their legs had been cut off and there were 3 birds with there heads and legs cut clean off which i found quite stange didnt look like animal contact most birds eyes were still visiable there was one bird which was a razorbill that was ringed metal ring from brit museum M77 212 looked as if it was just ringed no scrapes or sings of age such a sad time

Simon said...

Hi xleah
Have you reported the ring number to the BTO?

xleah couchx said...

yea i have reported it i have had no email back yet tho

Simon said...

Hi xleah

It can take between four and six weeks.

xleah couchx said...

ok no worries thank you x x