CYMDEITHAS FRENHINOL ER GWARCHOD ADAR

The kestrel, most widespread and often most abundant of European birds of prey, is a familiar sight from trains and cars. It occupies a great range of habitats: coastal dunes, fresh-marshes, woodland, farmland and commons, saltings, airfields, road verges and even town centres; indeed anywhere it can find prey.

Ringing recoveries confirm that kestrels from the Low Countries, Scandinavia and even central Europe arrive here early each autumn.

Most favoured areas to see them are the sea walls and saltings along the east shore of The Wash where totals of 70 are on record. In turn, some kestrels born here emigrate southward to Spain for the winter. Its distinctive hunting has earned the kestrel the name of Windhover. No other hawk has so perfected the art of stationary flight.

It hangs at a height of 20 or 30 ft poised in the air with quivering wings and widespread depressed tail searching the ground below. Even in the face of a stiff gusty wind it can remain stationary in mid-air. If no prey is sighted the bird glides forward or circles a few times before hovering once more over new ground.

Most impressive action takes place on spotting quarry. The hunter rushes headlong with almost closed wings and checks itself close to the ground as if stopping for a second look. Then, with feet thrust forward it makes its final plunge seizing its victim before mounting again. Alternatively, a kestrel may perch on a post, telegraph pole or overhead cable watching for prey below. Once prey is sighted it is caught by a short, steep dive from the perch. High soaring flight is unusual; kestrels seldom move at a great height unless on migration.

Although the kestrel's main prey is small mammals, especially voles, the catalogue of birds taken is a lengthy one. Most observations relate to larks, pipits and finches but kestrels are capable of taking such quarry as fieldfares, turtle doves and lapwing.

Kestrels at Yarmouth have acquired an insatiable appetite for nestling little terns returning time and time again; a most unfortunate practice. Less controversial was another kestrel that flew repeatedly through cowsheds, snatching house sparrows from the rafters. Kestrels haunt throughout the hours of daylight and may at times continue searching for prey until dusk. Bats have featured in their diet and individuals have been seen hunting by moonlight.

Enlightened farmers are conserving kestrels by erecting nesting boxes on tail poles. One Fenland farmer, concerned at the lack of suitable nesting sites, has erected several boxes.

A most elaborate scheme has been undertaken in Holland where a plague of small mammals developed on newly reclaimed land. Over 100 boxes were erected on a new polder and a large proportion were occupied by kestrels in the first season.

No real nest is made by the adaptable kestrel. It accepts sites in church towers, old windmills and hollow trees. Deserted nests of other birds such as a crow or magpie are also used. In Broadland, nests have been known on the ground.

Kestrels at Halvergate Marshes once occupied an old cattle shed rearing young on the ground. Above them in a dark recess, barn owls also bred successfully. City kestrels often tolerate considerable disturbance. Nests have been known on railway bridges only a few feet below the tracks, in buildings near office blocks and on balconies of blocks of flats.

Article reprinted by kind permission of Eastern Counties Newspaper Group. Part of their publications includes an Internet web page called http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk . The author of this article about the Kestrel is Michael Seago.

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World Wide Web To date, we have had nearly 2000 visitors to our web site. The address has changed to http://www.westglam-rspb.org.uk. Articles and pictures welcome for publication. The web site is now owned by the West Glamorgan Group. So if you want changes, let me know.

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Environment Centre Since we have moved our indoor meeting place to the Environment Centre in Pier Street, our attendance numbers have increased to an average of 29.

Maggie, our indoor events organiser has collected £1 from everyone who has passed through the door, (in her own special way), and has slaved over the kettle and jammy dodger biscuit tin obtaining another 30p to cover costs.

What is noticeable, is that you all stay and chat after the meeting, whist coffee and biscuits are consumed, and as a result, we are all getting to know each other better.

If you have not yet been to a meeting in the centre, come along and enjoy the friendly atmosphere. Our next meeting there is on October 20^th.

In the meantime we have a Neath centred meeting with the unforgettable Derek Thomas, talking appropriately on the Birds in the Neath Valley

Blackpill SSSI Centre.

The lifeguard hut at Blackpill has been offered to the RSPB, Gower Ornithological Society and the British Trust for Ornithology as a centre for the Site of Special Scientific Interest. Blackpill is an important feeding site for migratory and resident birds, including Dunlin, Ringed plover, Sanderling, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Curlew to name but a few.

To date, we have negotiated with the City and County of Swansea to have the use of the hut from October through to April each year. The West Glamorgan RSPB Members Group is applying to the 'Small grants celebrating the Millennium Festival in Wales' to equip and print literature for the centre. The centre will be fitted out with display panels. It will hopefully show results of bird counts made by Gower Ornithological Society, and will carry both British Trust for Ornithology and RSPB leaflets on bird and conservation subjects.

In October last year, we held the RSPB's World Wide Birdwatch there, and attracted some 200 visitors through the door. These visitors, some from USA, Japan and many Swansea residents, signed our petition against the extension of the French shooting season, donated a few pennies to our robin, bought pin badges, and took away leaflets.

It was with thanks to many of our groups members that that day was an enormous success, which we hope to repeat at Blackpill in the coming autumn, winter and spring. We will need members to open the centre for three or four hours on a Saturday or Sunday morning, during our season. The hut will be staffed by two members together, who are prepared to answer questions, and perhaps offer pin badges and our leaflets.

The October event was very rewarding, I hope we can help to educate and involve the general public, in what is a very special site for wildlife, and biodiversity.

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Did you Know? Of all the work carried out by the RSPB, 40% is done by volunteers. 9000 volunteers put in 700,000 working hours a year. That’s an average of 90 minutes work a week.

Did you Know? There are 170 members groups, who have recruited more than 5,500 new members, and raised £ 1.5million for conservation,

Makes you proud to be in the group

Can you spare 90 minutes a week for the future of birds and conservation?

Contact Mark Johnson 01792-882146 or Olwen Jones 01792-232113

Russell Evans 01792-208038 or Pauline Adams 01792-896073

Pat & Brian Messent 01639-768015 or Martin Humphreys 01792-842927

Molly Dawson 01639-885888 or Maggie Cornelius 01792-229244

Jenny Morgan 01792-229574

And many thanks to all members who have given time to help the group and the RSPB

A Birdwatchers Code

The amateur birdwatcher can be a powerful force in the conservation of nature and wildlife in our modern world. The total number of people like us, interested in birds and sympathetic towards conservation, is continually rising and it is vital that we should be aware of our responsibility to avoid harm to birds, the places in which they live, and the enjoyment of other birdwatchers. It is also important that we should present a responsible image to those non-birdwatchers who may be affected by our activities and on whose sympathy and support the future of birds may largely rest. Three guidelines are below.

Habitats must be protected

All land is owned

Help to avoid disturbance

Sparrowhawk by Roger King

Watching a Sparrowhawk devour its prey, from a distance of about 30ft and through a telescope, may not be everyone 's cup of tea but how often do you get to watch such a sight in your own garden?

When we moved house to a bungalow with a garden backing on to the natural mature woodland of Clyne Valley, just two and a half years ago, the variety of birds visiting our garden feeders rose dramatically. I'm a believer in all year around feeding, although I provide only a basic mesh nut feeder in summer months, to ensure that the tits remain familiar with the garden. This does of course have its own drawbacks namely grey squirrels. I believe they can smell a peanut at a couple of hundred yards. They have managed to destroy all but the specialist squirrel proof feeders These may seem expensive at first but when balanced against the cost of frequent replacement of plastic feeders, plus half a pound of nuts disappearing inside a single squirrel in half an hour, then believe me they are worth their weight in gold.

The main feeder is a large steelwire ball, about 12 inches in diameter, which contains a mesh nut feeder and also a plastic tray where whole nuts or seed can be placed. The outer ball has gaps large enough for the normal range of small birds i.e. tits, nuthatch and finches etc, to pass through with ease, but the squirrels have no chance. This now brings me back to the sparrowhawk.

Numerous small birds congregating to feed will obviously be a great draw to predators, in this case sparrowhawks. Some of my neighbours have questioned the policy of continued garden feeding after seeing small birds taken by a sparrowhawk, but this is nature's way, if there were not enough small birds around the sparrowhawk could not survive. Last year I recorded 19 sparrowhawk attacks in my own garden, but on only three of these occasions were small birds taken. There must have been many more attacks that I didn't see, and more birds taken, but the average success rate probably remained about one success in six attempts.

The speed of the sparrowhawk's arrival is truly astonishing. It hurtles into the garden, usually at a low level no more than a foot or so from the ground - before rising and (if successful), taking a bird off the side of the nut feeder. The direction of attack varies, sometimes from the woods or from the top of a tree-top of the garden, on one occasion down the side of the bungalow and through the vertical bars of the six foot high metal gate. Sometimes it crashes through the bushes when chasing the birds then drops down onto the lawn or perches on top of the bird house afterwards, to straighten its ruffled feathers when unsuccessful, or pluck a few feathers

from the breast of its kill, when successful.

Our visitor is usually a male bird, the white nape patch at the back of the head being quite distinctive when it plucks at a victim. It is not impressed by us mere mortals. The presence of my wife or myself in the garden does not distract it from its task. If it has been unsuccessful it will glare ferociously at us while it rearranges its flight feathers, before lazily departing into the woods.

On this latest occasion we were having Sunday lunch when it struck, carrying his victim straight onto the garden fence, where it immediately began to feed. I quickly set up the telescope and took in all the gory details. My wife, although fascinated, could only take the occasional look

With the aid of the telescope and with confirmation from the feathers afterwards, I was able to identify this latest victim, our local robin!

Warden's Note. The Sparrowhawk is a real conservation success story. Populations are completing their recovery from artificially low levels caused by pesticide poisoning in the late 1950's and 1960's. and human persecution. Public concern that the increasing sparrowhawk numbers are causing declines in songbirds is unjustified.

With a relatively specialised predator, like the sparrowhawk, which preys almost entirely on songbirds, it is the number of prey that determines predator numbers, not vice versa. Hence, the sparrowhawks will not increase indefinitely, but will inevitably stabilse at a level usually determined by the availability of food. As it is at the top of the food chain, the presence of the sparrowhawk indicates good numbers of songbirds. Hence sparrowhawks are excellent indicators of environmental health, like the canary in a coalmine.

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Beached Bird Survey 2000 26^th -28^th February 2000.

62 kilometres of coastline were covered by 18 volunteers

Fresh oil came ashore the week before, and was visible at Rhossili and Port Eynon

10 dead birds were recovered

No oil was found on any of the dead birds.

Birds found this year included 3 Fulmars, 2 Blackheaded gulls, 2 Gulls, 1 Razorbill, 1 Oystercatcher, and 1 Gannet. In 1999, 8 dead birds were found, and 1998, 41 dead birds were found.

Help Needed

LAPWINGS IN DANGER

Lapwing numbers breeding in West Glamorgan are at an all time low. Every pair is important, and help is needed to identify where they are.

Any sightings of birds between April and June inclusive, will correspond with birds attempting to nest, and this information is needed by Martin Humphreys, the Cwm Clydach warden. He is coordinating the results. Anyone seeing this delightful bird, please make a note of its location, and approximate numbers, then ring Martin at 01792-842927 to report your findings. Next newsletter will publish the findings.

Many thanks, Martin Humphreys

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The results of the 1999 House Martin Survey.

Reports to the RSPB in early spring of 1998 suggested that house martins were not returning form the African wintering grounds in their usual numbers. The consequent emergency survey produced an excellent response. The RSPB Conservation Science department was keen to build on this success and repeat the exercise in 1999.

A total of 2447 forms were returned by people who took part in last year's survey (60% return) A further 1130 completed forms were received from new participants.

Location	Nests in 97	Nests in 98	Nests in 99	change form 97-99
Central England	947	948	1064	+12.4%
East Anglia	774	762	868	+12.1%
Northern England	336	366	427	+16.7%
Northwest England	943	1010	936	-0.7%
South east England	689	679	752	+9.1%
South west England	2072	2188	2214	+6.9%
Northern Ireland	91	87	85	-6.6%
Scotland	426	416	457	+7.3%
Wales	585	569	574	-1.9%
UK Total	2006	7027	7380	+7.0%

Any members who would like to take part in the survey, or distribute survey cards in their area, contact any committee member for details and forms.

Film Show 2000 October 16^th at the Taliesin Theatre

The Secret Reeds. With plenty of reed beds in West Glamorgan, bearded tits, Cetti's Warblers and bitterns will be on the want to see list after this film.

After the Harvest. Winter is a testing time for insectivorous birds. The film shows us how they survive.

Home from the Sea. Marvelous views of Britain's rugged coastline, showing the return of seabirds to the shore for the breeding season. Not always a happy tale though, with over fishing depleting their food supplies.

BRING A FRIEND AND FAMILY, AND THEIR FAMILY AS WELL

Fforestfach Tesco On Friday 31^st March, and Saturday 1^st of April this year, we held a recruitment drive at Tesco. Neil Renwick from Sandy brought his kit and set up in the foyer. Brian Morrey, Maggie Cornelius, Marlay John, Molly Dawson, Pat and Brian Messent, Jenny Morgan and Mark Johnson all spent time with Neil asking hurried shoppers what their perceptions of RSPB and conservation were. After 2 hard day'swork, we recruited 9 individual members, and obtained 127 names and addresses of interested people. Neil said that this was the 2^nd highest number he has ever achieved. Tesco deserve a credit for allowing the use of their premises and for selling RSPB bird food products. Neil will be doing another drive at Tesco Llamsamlet between October 12^th and 14^th. All help appreciated, to make this venue the highest score for Neil and West Glamorgan.

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Gower Heritage Centre at Parkmill have given us the opportunity to fundraise and recruit. At their "eggucation centre", which doubles up as a hide, we have a large collection robin, and leaflets about birds, conservation and the RSPB. We are also holding walks and talks there, starting this April, which will allow us to talk to holiday makers from all over Britain as well as local heritage centre members. The heart of the centre is a mill, going back to the 13^th century. Well worth a visit.

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RSPB Pin Badges Many thanks to Bob Rigdon at Uplands Garden & Pet store, and Ester Thingy at the Pyle Garden Fence centre, who have trays of pin badges on their shop counters. A steady flow of income for the group and RSPB is being received from these retail outlets.

The RSPB has now minted a new set of badges, including a bullfinch, goldfinch and a millenium skylark!

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Don't Forget The AGM is held at the Environment Centre on November 17^th. We are continually looking for new committee members, so this is your opportunity to nominate people who you think deserve a place on or leading the groups committee. A nomination form is enclosed, all forms must be sent to the secretary Olwen Jones, and be received a week before the meeting. Make sure you have your nominated person's agreement!

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RSPB Membership It may seem like preaching to the converted by including this paragraph, but I am asking all members to seek out friends and relatives that may want to join the RSPB. By joining locally, there are some 'free' gifts available to the joining member. A choice from a BBC-RSPB Videogiude to British garden birds by David Attenborough, a Birdwatchers Pocket Guide, or the excellent 'Complete Book of British Birds' jointly published by the RSPB & AA. If you join nationally, there is a 15 month membership for the cost of 12 offer.

Contact Mark Johnson at 16 Pantyfelin Road, Pontarddulais, Swansea. SA4 1PZ Tel 01792-882146

mark@westglam-rspb.org.uk