Raptor fans… assemble

Red Kite (Adrian Foster)

A sell-out audience met in Aberystwyth at the weekend for the first Wales Raptor Convention, organised by BTO Cymru. Last spring, almost 400 sites were visited by 263 volunteers participating in Cudyll Cymru, setting the baseline for future monitoring of four species of bird of prey and Raven, which is ecologically similar.

Walking into the event, it was evident that the project, funded by Welsh Government’s Nature Network Fund, attracted a wide range of people: from teenagers to pensioners, women and men in equal number. The BTO hopes that the high profile of raptors will be a gateway for a broader community to contribute to its citizen science. A quarter of Cudyll Cymru volunteers had no prior experience of wildlife surveys.

Alongside presentations from ornithologist Keith Offord, who has studied Hen Harriers and Merlins in North Wales for several decades, and Sophie-Lee Williams on plans to restore White-tailed Eagles to Wales, were talks by Rock ‘n’ Roll Birder Matt Spracklen and BTO Youth’s Liliana Tarrent Sneddon reflecting on ways to bring new audiences into birdwatching.

The first year indicates that regional-level monitoring of Buzzard, Red Kite and Raven will be feasible in North Wales, but more participants are needed to track the fortunes of declining Kestrel and Sparrowhawk. West Anglesey and Eifionnydd are two areas that need more volunteers, with the BTO also keen to involve farmers across the region.

Birders this week watched Yellow-browed Warbler and Green-winged Teal at Morfa Madryn, Velvet Scoters off Kinmel Bay and Abermenai Point, and Lesser Yellowlegs on the Clwyd estuary. The Scaup count at Llyn Llygeirian increased to an impressive eight birds, while seven Ruff were found at RSPB Cors Ddyga and a reedbed survey at RSPB Conwy revealed 23 Water Rails. A Smew remains on Llyn Alaw, Surf Scoters off Old Colwyn and a single Snow Bunting at Gronant. Long-tailed Ducks were off Benllech and on the Inland Sea, and a Firecrest fed outside a Rhyl supermarket.