Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - Winter 1991/1992
Dilwyn Roberts
Formerly considered as Britain's only indigenous native bird, now merely regarded as a sub-species L. l. scoticus of the more widely distributed Willow Grouse. Lagopus lagopus, which differs by adopting a winter-time white body plumage and has white primaries all the year round. Typically, Red Grouse inhabit treeless moorland where their main food plant, ling or heather flourishes, preferring young heather for food but needing older heather for cover and nesting. Cranberry and bilberry also provide a variable food source. Keepered grouse moors are normally managed to provide a patchwork of different-aged heathers by practising rotational burning.
Generally, over the last sixty years Red Grouse have progressively declined in numbers due to a multiplicity of factors, including a deterioration in heather quality to less management and chronic overgrazing by sheep (numbers per hectare have more than doubled since 1945), periodic epidemics of parasitic diseases and loss of moorland to forestry and agriculture.
In Carmarthenshire, the former strongholds of the species were the range of upland moors south of the Teifi valley, similar moors along the upper Cothi valley and the southern end of the Cambrian range dissected by the upper Tywi and its tributaries, and also Mynydd Du. Early references which affirm an apparent abundance of Red Grouse exist in a book for travellers, published in 1818 by T. Walford, whose notes for Llandybie includes, "Here is a good inn much frequented in the grouse-shooting season." William Davies, in a descriptive volume on Llandeilo and its neighbourhood, published in 1858, states that Red Grouse were, "common on the Black Mountain but not so plentiful as in former years". For their colloquial name he gives "Gieir Mynydd", literally "mountain hens", preserved in such place-names as Crugiau Ieir on Mynydd Llanllwni and Penrhiwiar, near Rhandirmwyn.
Barker (1905) merely notes their presence near Pencader, Llanfynydd and Bannau Sir Gar, while Ingram and Salmon (1954) states that there were still "moderate numbers" in the Teifi valley uplands but tentatively assumed their demise on Mynydd Du. My talks with two gamekeepers, Messrs Bellamy and Silcox, who keepered Rhos Penboyr in the 1950's and 1960's confirmed that the average bag for a day's shooting in the Maudsland area in those years was c.7 brace. Sadly, my last species record from the Moelfre - Rhos Penboyr - Blaen Duad moors is in 1969, although a few birds might have lingered on to the mid-70's when large tracts were ploughed for forestry or otherwise improved for grazing.
Despite the absence of keepers, the upland moors of Llanfihangel Rhosycorn - Llanllwni - Llanybydder - Pencarreg, due to their large expanses of common land beyond the reach of forestry interests, retained small numbers and still do so. Maximum autumn numbers of 24 and 30 have been seen in two years during the 1980's although their presence must be deemed as being precarious due to continual burning and grassing of remaining tracts of heather by graziers. Also here, as elsewhere in many upland parts of Wales, severe selective grazing by sheep is converting heather moors to acidic grassland, which is an unsuitable habitat for Red Grouse.
Although a pack of c60 was seen on Mynydd Mallaen in autumn 1972, subsequent sightings on the upper Tywi moorlands have only once exceeded double figures, 12 in 1983 and, apart from a family party of 6 in 1986, recent occasional sightings have not exceeded 2 birds.
0n Mynydd Du. a shooting party in August 1970 encountered total of 24 birds, one being shot. An R.S.P. B. Survey of Birds on Mynydd Du. conducted in 1978 only saw two birds. Subsequently the largest number seen together was in December, 1983. 0ccasional sightings of one or two birds, fresh droppings and feathers and the distinctive and far-carrying "go-bak, go-bak" call testify to a continued small relict presence despite Ingram and Salmon's gloomy assumptions that they had disappeared there.
References
Barker, T.W. (1905) A Handbook to the Natural History of Ca Carmarthenshire. W. Spurrel & Son, Carmarthen.
Davies, W. (1858) Llandeilo-Vawr and its Neighbourhood: Past A Present pp 153-164
Ingram, G.C.S. & Salmon, H. Morrey (1954) A Hand list of the Birds of Carmarthenshire. West Wales Field Society.
Walford, T. (1818) The Scientific Traveller through England, Wales & Scotland, Vol 2.
