Birding Factoids

576 species
in 56 families

1 of the 5 European
endemics are 
represented here. 
No national endemics
83 speciality species
2 endangered species

    Welsh
    Hotspots
Checklist of United Kingdom BirdsTours and GuidesLocal EventsRare Bird AlertsSpeciality BirdsMap and Country Information
....
For more general information on birding and birding organizations in the UK see the FatBirder's site
Also, check out images of Great Britain's Birds on Stamps
....
Welsh Specialities
Greater Black-backed Gull - Photo copyright Alan Spellman
Photo copyright Alan Spellman
     
    ....RSPB reserves in Wales - includes information on:
      • Conwy 
      • Lake Vyrnwy 
      • South Stack Cliffs 
      • Ynys-hir 
      • Cwm Clydach
      • Dinas
      • Dyffryn Wood
      • Mawddach Valley
      • Point of Air - Dee Estuary
      • Ramsey Island
      • Valley Lakes 
    ....The Clwyd Birds Web - A Guide to Birdwatching in Clwyd. Compiled by 
      Des Adams. The Day Trips from Clwyd section includes references to:Lake Vyrnwy, Delamere Forest, Isle of Anglesey, or Ynys Môn, Penmaenpool Reserve of the RSPB, Ynys Hir, Leighton Moss, Sandbach Meres, Cannock Chase, Tatton Park, Neumanns Flash, RSPB's Dinas Reserve.
    ....Top Birding Sites - from the Cambrian Ornithological Society. Includes
      information on: 
      • Cemlyn 
      • South Stack 
      • Newborough Warren and the Braint Estuary 
      • Point Lynas 
      • Conwy RSPB 
      • Traeth Lafan (Lavan Sands) 
      • Foryd Bay 
      • Porthmadog area 
      • Coed Garth Gell and the Mawddach estuary
      See also the BirdFinder for hints regarding locations of some of the the less common birds.
    ....Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust - Llanelli - operated by the Wildfowl &
      Wetlands Trust. These centres act as safe havens for thousands of internationally important wetland birds, forming a focus for WWT's unsurpassed scientific expertise.
    ....Good sites around Anglesey & North Gwynedd  - This new site aims to
      help people to go birding in our local area, with a site guide, latest local birding news, and a link to an excellent national (UK) rarity alert page.
    ....Sites Of Interest in Wales - from the Welsh Ornithological Society.
      Includes links to sites with information on:
      • Nercwys Mountain - A Forestry Owned site in Flintshire.
      • Birdwatching at Blackpill 
      • Marloes Mere 
      • Gwylad Y Barcud - Kite Country 
      • The Welsh Wildlife Centre 
      • Conwy - A developing reserve 
      • Llyn Coed Dinas
    ....A Birdwatching Guide to the Dee Estuary - The Dee Estuary straddles
      the border between North Wales and north-west England. Between the months of October and March it typically holds 100,000 waders (shore-birds) and 30,000 ducks. The estuary holds internationally important numbers of 11 species. Not only that, it is a fabulous place for birding as there is good access along nearly the whole shore, including Hilbre Island, out in the middle of the estuary which is also excellent for sea watching. On top of all that the estuary is surrounded by woodland and heathland both good for birds, and a couple of good fresh water marshes. Information provided by Richard Smith.
    ....Bird Sites in Wales - This site, part of the www.birding.uk.com/ website,
      offers site guides for 15 places to go birding in Wales.
    ....Birding Sites around Porthcawl - by Gruff Dodds. 
    ....Birding Guide to Anglesey, Caernarfon and Meirionnydd - From Dave
      Gosney's Birdguides site. Includes information on: Cemlyn, Conwy RSPB, South Stack, Porthmadog area, and Traeth Lafan (Lavan Sands).
    ....Birding with Bill Oddie - Wales in Midsummer - It's early June, and Bill
      makes a return trip to Wales, a place he first visited as a teenage birder:
    ....Where to Watch Birds in Eastern Glamorgan - from the Glamorgan 
      Bird Club. Most birdwatchers have a local patch that they visit regularly and know intimately, and our members are no exception. We decided to tap this fund of knowledge by asking some of them to write about their favourite sites in eastern Glamorgan (the former counties of Mid and South Glamorgan). Here are a few of those guides. See also Dave Gosney's site.
    ....Glamorgan Nature Reserves - managed by the Glamorgan Wildlife
      Trust.
    ....Gwent Nature Reserves - managed by the Gwent Wildlife Trust.
    ....Montgomeryshire Nature Reserves - managed by the Mongomeryshire
      Wildlife Trust. Includes information on: Glaslyn, Llyn Coed y Dinas, Pwll,  Penarth, and Roundton Hill. 
    ....The Great Orme - by Alan Davies. The Great Orme is an impressive
      limestone headland immediately North of Llandudno on the Gwynedd coastline. Nearly two miles long and almost a mile wide, the Orme rises to 207 metres. For birders there will always be a special fascination with headlands as they make ideal locations for observing passerine migrants and for seawatching. The Great Orme is no exception but, unlike most migration watch points, it is grossly underwatched and thus gives the visiting birder a real chance of finding his or her own birds.
    ....Bardsey Island - by Simon Walker. Ynys Enlli - better known to English
      birders as Bardsey Island - is a 450 acre National Nature Reserve situated 3 km off the tip of the Lleyn Peninsula in Gwynedd. Nearly 3 km from North to South, the island is divided into two main blocks of land divided by a narrow neck.
    ....Aberdaron - by Allen Davies. Aberdaron at the west end of the Lleyn
      Peninsula is ideally situated to receive arrivals of migrant birds. A quick look at some of the birds that have occurred at Bardsey Bird Observatory - only 2km across the sound - shows the potential.
    ....Nature Reserves in Wales - this site provides an index to all of the
      nature reserves in Wales. Many of the sites reference the birdlife on that particular reserve.
    ....Natural History of Anglesley - Anglesey abounds with areas where
      interesting birds, plants and other wildlife can be seen and enjoyed. Being an island it has over 100 miles of coastline with varied habitats, such as sea cliffs, dunes  and beaches, salt marshes and mud flats.
    ....Skokholm Island Web Site - Skokholm is a small island nature reserve
      off the south west coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales. Along with the neighbouring islands of Skomer and Grassholm, it forms one of the most important seabird breeding sites in Europe.
    ....Ynys-hir RSPB Nature Reserve - Ynys-hir Nature Reserve lies just 
      off the main road between Aberystwyth and Machynlleth. It covers 427 hectares (1,056 acres), and provides a range of exciting habitats.
    ....Ynys Hir RSPB Nature Reserve - on John and Christine's Bird Page, 
      there is a great description of this reserve. 
    ....Holy Island - by Ken Croft. Holy Island is the western extremity of
      Anglesey and is joined to the mainland by the Stanley Embankment (A5) in the North and at Four Mile Bridge in the South. There are a number of good birding spots on the island and here is a brief guide to the best of them.
    ....Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust Reserves -
      includes links to:
      • Glaslyn
      • Llyn Coed y Dinas
      • Pwll Penarth
      • Roundton Hill
    ....Lake Vyrnwy RSPB
    ....Trip Reports from Around Wales - by Mark Hancock.
    ....Trip Report: Northwest England, Wales & Dorset, July 22 - 
      August 12, 1998 (or Birding in Britain, a Texas perspective) - by Helen Baines. A wonderful itinerary for a few weeks in England focused on finding birds not commonly found in North America. 

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Tours and Guides

See DISCLAIMER
...
birdingpal.com...>> A Birding Pal is not a paid guide, but someone who likes to help out of town visitors. You can become a Birding Pal today! Help someone to enjoy your local birding spots and find a pal to help you when you travel. Click here for Welsh Birding Pals, or join to be a Birding Pal!
    ....Shearwater Coastal Cruises - Many of our guests have been keen 
      birders who have found our trips to be most interestingWe operate from Pwllheli and conduct our cruises in association with the North Wales Tourism.  We do twice daily trips for the Tourist Board, but also take direct bookings from associations/groups etc.
    ....Coastal Voyages - Aberaeron - You are likely to see Puffins, Guillemots, 
      Razorbills, Dolphins, Porpoises, Seals, Gulls, Terns, Gannets and various seasonal visitors to local nesting sites.  The skipper will get you unobtrusively into their world allowing you to observe them at close quarters, in among the rocks, beaches and coves that are inaccessible from land. 

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Local Birding Events

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Rare Bird Alert

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European Endemics and Specialities

in the United Kingdom

Information on endemics and specialities is derived from Sibley & Monroe checklists and bird distribution lists in Thayer's Birder's Diary - Version 2.5. Speciality birds, while not endemic, are those that can only be found in three or less countries of Europe. Species printed in bold italic have only been found in the United Kingdom. Information on endangered birds is derived from the IUCN Red List, Birdlife International, and supporting data bases developed by Ian Patton, of Merlin Species Watcher.  The endemic, endangered and speciality birds may be uncommon, extremely rare vagrants, may be extirpated in the country now or may only be present in migration. However, documented sightings of each species noted below have been made in the United Kingdom. 

 
European Endemics in the United Kingdom - No national Endemics

___ Red-legged Partridge
Endangered Birds in the United Kingdom

Breeding Birds

Non-Breeding Birds

___ Corn Crake  ___ Aquatic Warbler

Other Speciality Birds in the United Kingdom

___ Asian Brown Flycatcher
___ Aleutian Tern
___ American Kestrel
___ American Redstart
___ Ancient Murrelet
___ Bald Eagle
___ Black-and-White Warbler
___ Black-capped Petrel
___ Blackburnian Warbler
___ Blackpoll Warbler
___ Brown Shrike
___ Brown Thrasher
___ Brown-headed Cowbird
___ Cape May Warbler
___ Cedar Waxwing
___ Chestnut-sided Warbler
___ Chimney Swift
___ Cliff Swallow
___ Common Nighthawk
___ Common Yellowthroat
___ Double-crested Cormorant
___ Eastern Phoebe
___ Eastern Towhee
___ Eskimo Curlew
___ Evening Grosbeak
___ Fea's Petrel
___ Fork-tailed Swift
___ Fox Sparrow
___ Golden-winged Warbler
___ Green Heron
___ Grey Catbird
___ Grey-tailed Tattler
___ Hermit Thrush
___ Hooded Merganser
___ Hooded Warbler
___ House Crow
___ Hudsonian Godwit
___ Indigo Bunting
___ Lark Sparrow
___ Least Bittern
___ Little Curlew
___ Long-toed Stint
___ Magnolia Warbler
___ Mandarin Duck
___ Mourning Dove
___ Moussier's Redstart
___ Mugimaki Flycatcher
___ Northern Bobwhite
___ Northern Mockingbird
___ Northern Waterthrush
___ Northern Parula
___ Oriental Pratincole
___ Ovenbird
___ Pallas's Bunting
___ Palm Warbler
___ Philadelphia Vireo
___ Pied-billed Grebe
___ Red-breasted Nuthatch
___ Savannah Sparrow
___ Scarlet Tanager
___ Semipalmated Plover
___ Siberian Blue Robin
___ Song Sparrow
___ Sora
___ South Polar Skua
___ Summer Tanager
___ Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel
___ Tennessee Warbler
___ Thick-billed Warbler
___ Tree Swallow
___ Varied Thrush
___ Veery
___ White-crowned Sparrow
___ White-faced Storm-Petrel
___ White-tailed Wheatear
___ Wild Turkey
___ Wilson's Warbler
___ Wood Thrush
___ Yellow Warbler
___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
___ Yellow-headed Blackbird
___ Yellow-rumped Warbler
___ Yellow-throated Vireo

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