Birds of Neath and District

Whinchat by Dr Bryn Richards

The GOS 2011/12 Winter programme of events continues this evening with an illustrated talk by myself. Since my recent return to the birding scene over the last few years I've been reacquainting myself with the local area and the bird life found here. There have been some quite apparent changes since my early years of birding which stopped about 20 years ago. If you go further back Dr Bryn Richards, one of the founder members of G.O.S, produced a systematic list of bird records between 1952 to 1972 for the Neath and District area. Dr Richards’ systematic list includes a brief status of each species recorded during that period and it has been very interesting noting how bird life has changed over the last few decades locally as well as some obvious additions and losses from the area.

Using a systematic list to compare the birds recorded between 1952 to 1972 and 2009 to 2011 has shown some expected and unexpected trends and I will aim to highlight these. The talk will be illustrated using both Dr Richards’ and my own photographs, with a bit of video thrown in for good measure.

This talk is open to GOS members and non-members alike so if you’re interested and can make it please come along.

The meeting will be held in the Environment Centre, Pier Street, Swansea at 19.00 for a 19.30 start. Admission as usual £1.00 a head to cover venue costs.