FUN GAZETTEER

The Cardiff Bird Club have decided to design a fun gazetteer and make it available for all.
Observers names are only used in [initials], something of a rarity these days, as we don’t want to hurt too may feelings.
This gazetteer has been set up to help readers who need to know more about the birders, places and general slang in their county.

A
Acme Thunderer: Whistle found on Meriwether’s lanyard. Excellent for calling Portly Leader back from walkabout.
Amy the Good: (AH), Former County Recorder and rarities panel member, (deceased).
Arthur Morgan Hide: Bird hide at KNNR also known as south pool hide, named after local naturalist Arthur Morgan (deceased).
Austral Roller: Name given to Portly Leader in Argentina after slight accident on Tierra del Fuego.
Avalon: Track by Roxy Music traditionally played as F Troop were entering Norfolk, usually after midnight and well stoned.

B
Big Bobby Mitch: (RM), GBC Founder member, artist, local birder who’s patch is the Heliport.
Bins: binoculars.
Birders in Boxers: A relaxed blog site set up by a few nice birdwatchers. Too fluffy for some.
Blind Bob: (JRS), Former Mid Glamorgan bird recorder. (Deceased).
Blogmeister: Someone who runs and edits a blog site.
Bogey: Mid Wales birder form Newtown. Hon. member of CBC. Known for his drinking prowess and cool nerve - Little Whimbrel was found in Norfolk and he went window shopping!
Boo-Boys: CBC’s Randel & Slaphead.
Brains: (WMS), CBC member, former Treasurer of GBC, local area Cosmeston CP and the Lavernock Parish.
Bugle of Truth: The GBC Newsletter.

C
Cape Heliport: Cardiff’s best seawatching site.
Cardiff Bastards: Name given to Cardiff birders by (?) in an intercepted email, now affectionately used by CBC members, Re: Fellow B’s.
Cardiff New Year’s Day Birdrace: Once annual birdrace, last race was in 2005.
CBC: Cardiff Bird Club.
CBC1: Cardiff Bird Club Blog-site which is open to all.
CBC2: Cardiff Bird Club Members Lounge, for approved and trusted members only.
CBT: Celtic Bird Tours: Local bird tour company.
CBWR: Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve.
Chuffers Carpark: On the Wenallt by the BT Masts.
Clive Gow: (TW), Pseudonym for a militant Maestegi. Has on-going feud with Sidart the Black.
Condom Gully: Area of Cardiff Foreshore. Basically the stream which runs down the middle of Heliport bay.
Cookie: (LC), Swindon birder,,CBC tourist,philatelist and Scilly regular.Sadly missed by all his Cardiff friends.
CNS: Cardiff Naturalists’ Society
Cruft’s Parade Ring: Llanishen/Lisvane Reservoirs.
Crunchy gate:Scandalous ecological appraisal of the 'all Wales' coastal footpath along the Cardiff foreshore by the self styled conservation expert,crunchy gravel supremo, radio 4 listings guru and goat fornication fan,theFairwater goat herder (PMS)
Crunchy Gravel: The sort that PMS doesn’t like walking on whilst bird-spotting.
Cwm Dimbath: woodland and home to the disappearing nest boxes controversy.

D
Dan-Dan the nerdy man: (DF). GBC Webmaster, local area Pontypridd.
Day Lister: Someone who tries to see as many species in one day as possible.
Dip (To): A birder that has missed the bird. Also Dipped or Dipper.
Dog Shit Alley: The concrete path alongside Aberthaw Power Station.
Dude: Someone who pretends to be a birder, has all the kit, but just hasn’t got it. Limited ID skills.


E
Eddie Bunter: (EAH), West Glamorgan birder, formally lived and birded in Cardiff.
EGBR: Eastern Glamorgan Bird Report.
EGRC: Eastern Glamorgan Rarities Committee.
Eggy Nun: Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir.
Ethel: Head cook at 'Nancy's' Cley-next-the-Sea,North Norfolk in the 80's,famed for her 'Ethel burgers',sadly missed.

F
F Troop: Name given to the Cardiff twitching crew of the 1980s comprising of Lover Boy, Slaphead, Little Richard & Meriwether.
Fairly Vile: Birders name for Fair Isle.
Fairwater goat herder: (PMS),GBC Cardiff representative,GBC's legal Eagle,self styled campaigner for the rights of the fly-tipping menace.Author of the crunchy gravel letter and self styled crunchy gravel expert.
Fat Controller: (CJ), Former GBC webmaster. Resigned.
Fellow B: see Cardiff Bastards.
Flat Holm: Island in the Bristol Channel, part of Cardiff UA. Excellent for moths and good for birds, especially in autumn.
FHP: Flat Holm Project.


G
Ganja Wagon: Name given to Meriwether’s van which was used for twitching trips across Britain.
Geriatric Birder: (MC), aka Maurice Mellons. Former CNS committee member, GBC Founder member now local birder at Hendre Lake & area.
Glamorgan Birdrace: Usually done in a day in May. Not attempted for many years.
GMRG: Glamorgan Moth Recording Group.
GLB: Greatest Living Birder see The Spagmeister.
Gout (The): Inlet at Peterstone often used by Cardiff birders in happier times.
Gower Peninsula: Fantastic habitat but very much under-recorded, has had some excellent birds with the Roller being the latest offering.
Gower Pub: The CBC’s local, where ale is quaffed and plots are hatched.
Green Point: The last stop in VC41 at the Rhymney Estuary.
Grapevine: Circulation of rumours and info on local birds.
Grip (To): A birder who has seen a rare bird when others have not and brags about it.
Grip-a-gram: A letter, postcard, email or text message with bird species in the text that have not been seen by the recipient.
Grockle: A member of the public.
Gwent: Formerly Monmouthshire VC35, home of the fluffy bunny website and Cardiff’s Loss - Goldcliff.

H
Harold Greyhair: (HEG), GOS member, former recorder for West Glamorgan, staunch anti Cardiff and anti-reunification of a whole Glamorgan bird report.
Harsh Nasal Chack: (MSC), aka HNC for short, local birder and moth’er, local area KNNR.
Haul Road: Former road running from Sker to Kenfig river mouth, made famous for the Greater Short-toed lark recently found there.
Hole-in-the-Head Gang: Gang of four blaggards from various sites in the Llynfi Valley (excluding PP & MH).
Holy Waters: The pool at Kenfig said to give special powers to find rare birds.
Hoganavich: (MTH), Merthyr naturalist, GMRG member and Gower drinker, also house-sits for Meriwether.
Huge Parrot (HRH): Former local now lives on Shetland where he operates a bird tour company. Mate of Seymour Tweets.
Hurf: (CH), Co-author of Birds of Glamorgan V 1995, GBC Founder member, Cardiffian now living in VC45, working for CCW.

I
ID Suspect: (IDS), Former warden at Cosmeston CP, Gwent Odonata recorder and famous for saying ‘Med Gull Jill’.
Initials: Listed in there hundreds in the EGBR before the purge of 2005. Now only given for significant records only.
Ivory Towers: Cardiff UA offices at Atlantic Wharf.



J
Jack: Someone coming from Swansea. In Cardiff usually accompanied with the word ‘bastard’.
Jackland: Swansea area.
Jan:(JS) GBC founder member,former twitcher.Often seen with 'Old Jim'.
Jim: (SJE), aka Old Jim, GBC Founder member, former twitcher, oldest living Cardiff birder, seen regularly dining out at Tesco’s Pengam Green.
Johnny de Testicle: (JAB), GBC Founder member, Cardiff birder now off the scene, formally big twitcher and regular Scilly visitor.
Johnny Buzzard:(JPM), BBRC committee member , hon.CBC member, CBC tourist & all round naturalist.Stoke City supporter living in the Bristol area.

K
Ken: (KRL), CNS & GBC atlas co-ordinator, committee member and CNS day-trip leader. Mentor to many Cardiff birders. Much loved and sadly missed. (Deceased).
KNNR: Kenfig National Nature Reserve.


L
Lamby Lake: Local Cardiff name for Parc Tredelerch at Rumney.
Lansdown: (PGL), Former BBRC Chairman, former Glamorgan bird recorder, GBC Founder member, co-author of Birds of Glamorgan V 1995, local birder.
Lavernock: Excellent area in SE Glamorgan for passage migrants and seawatching.
Little Richard: (RB)Former Cardiff birder and F Troop member now living in New Zealand.
Llancadle wader: (SPH), CBC founder member,photographer and tourist,local area Aberthaw/Gileston.
LMoK: (SJM), sometimes ‘elmok‘. Lord Moon of Kenfig, GBC & GMRG Founder member, Local birding bigwig, Middle Earther, former warden at KNNR now ecologist with Bridgend UA. Has county’s biggest bird list although the Rhiwbina Sheppard will disagree.

M
Maestegi: Someone coming from Maesteg or the upper Llynfi Valley.
Martyn von Bosch: (MH), Aka ' Highlander',Maestegi, Llynfi Valley report editor, moth’er, local area the Llynfi Valley.
Markus of Cwmbach: (ME), Aberdare naturalist, GMRG committee member.
Max: (SRG), GBC Founder member, CBC tourist, moth’er & former Secretary of GMRG, birder and bon viveur. (Deceased). Sadly missed by all in Cardiff.
Members Lounge: CBC inner sanctum. Many wish membership just to get the key!
Meriwether: (DRWG), CBC member, GBC Founder member, GMRG Founder member & former moth recorder for Eastern Glamorgan, author, philatelist and member of the CBC writer’s guild, CBC tourist & No.2 driver, local area Cardiff/Lavernock.
Metropolis: Cardiff and environs.
Mickey Pointless: (MJP), Former GBC committee man, Bedwas birder.
Middle Earth: Central Glamorgan, principally the Kenfig/Bridgend/Ogmore area.
Middle Earther: Someone coming from the above.
M&SG: former Mid & South Glamorgan, area known between 1974 to 1996, with own report from 1985 to 1996.
Moth’er: Someone interested in recording and trapping moths.
Morrey the Great: (Col. HM-S), CNS recorder, photographer and editorial bird chairman. A man of many talents spanning ¾ of a century. (Deceased).
MVB: Mercury Vapour Bulb used for moth trapping.

N
Nancy's Cafe: B&B and cafe at Cley-next-the-Sea in north Norfolk. Old haunt, fondly remembered by many Cardiff birders in the early 1980s. A favourite with the lads was egg on beans on toast with two rashers of bacon and a mug of tea. Sadly no more.
Nick Grey: (SNGH), Local Rumney lad, now living at Point Reyes BO California. Author of the Birds of Mexico. Famous for his dope cakes and crapping out of a moving van.
Numpty: General term for someone, usually a dog walker, that spoils your birding.

O
Oddman: (NO), GBC Founder member, Cardiffian now living in East Anglia.
Optics: Usually referring to binoculars and telescopes.
Oxpecker: (MJW), aka nuthatch or nest box, CBC tourist, Cardiff birder and Gower (pub) local.

P
Paul the Good: (NPR), Current member of EGRC, Local birder - Middle Earther, CBT guide, local area Ogmore/Llanilid and Norton Wood.
Phisshing: Noise given to encourage the bird to show itself from cover. Sometimes works well.
Picture of the month: (POM) monthly photographic competition of little or no interest until a controversial image was displayed.Later sabotaged by 'HarryHawfinch'.
Politburo: The GBC committee.
Portly Leader: (MCP), aka Percy Pecker & Maple Pancake. Former CNS rarities panel member, Odonata Recorder for Glamorgan, GBC & GMRG Founder member, member-elect to WRP, CBC & CBC writer’s guild member, philatelist, CBC tour leader and organiser and No.1 driver. Local area GB.
Porthcressa loafer (St. Mary's, Scilly): Birder who just hangs out in the cafe within earshot of the radio waiting for someone else to find a rarity.
Pygmy Nev: (NJD), Self-styled publicist and author of The Birds of the Caerphilly Basin.


Q
Quail in the Vale: The usual Llanmaes site where this species is almost annual.

R
Randel M. Snowdrop: (NPF), aka ATM or Wogan from Cogan, CBC member, CBC Boo-Boy also CBC writer’s guild. Has hate/hate relationship with GBC, currently banned, local area Cardiff region.
Ravey Davy: (DGC), Warden at KNNR, originally from SE England.
Rave Dull: (DAB), Ringer, northerner who rings at CBWR.
Red House: Old viewing point over the Taff/Ely est. (Cardiff Bay) now demolished.
Red Sonja: (LEP), aka Valley’s Lass, naturalist, works with the Twat from Green Ginger in Cardiff.
RGW: Rumney Great Wharf.
Rhiwbina Sheppard (The): (DCP), aka DDD = Dave Don’t Dip or Disney Dave, GBC Founder member, reportedly has Glamorgan’s biggest bird list (?). First Cardiffian to 400 & 500 for GB, first Cardiffian to 300 for Wales. Possibly is the leading mammal lister for GB.
Ricardo: (RA), Bristol birder,webmaster of the Chew Valley lake birding,Hon CBC member and regular CBC tourist,bird photographer and moth'er.
Richy Collins: Pseudonym for a militant Maestegi, thought to be Skunky?
Robert, Earl of Blackpill: (RJH), GOS member, staunch anti Cardiff and anti-reunification of a whole Glamorgan bird report.
Rumble at Strumble (The): After several hours of rather boring seawatching at Strumble Head one autumn, the Cardiff crew cracked and went for the famous huge fry-up in Goodwick led by Max.
Russ: (RE), Former Leckwith birder now living in Plymouth, big mates with AB & SPH.

S
Scillonian III: aka Sickonian the turd. The name of the boat, or the tub as many birders called it, that carried you to and from the Isles of Scilly.
Scumermen: General term used by birders for fishermen.
Secret Squirrel: (PB), aka I.D. Duff. BBRC Wales rep. WRP member, former M&SG recorder, GBC Founder member, CBC tourist, CBC member, local area Llanishen/Lisvane Res. member of CBC writer’s guild.
Seymour Tweets: (JPH). Aka Lover Boy or Isaac, CBC member, GBC Founder member, local area Barry.
Sid: (PP) Sidart the Black of the Maestegi. CBC member, local artist, GBC telephone director, GMRG member.
Silent Bob: (RHAT), West Glamorgan County Bird Recorder, GOS member, local area Swansea/Gower.
Skunky: (MST), End of the world valley boy, suspect in Cwm Dimbath nest box theft (unproven). GBC antagonist currently banned from website. Local patch Garw Valley and hilltops.
Slaphead: (NA),aka Bob Bank & Alan Partridge, CBC member, GBC Founder member, CBC Blogmeister, CBC Boo-boy, local area north Cardiff & Tongwynlais.
Spagmeister (The): (ND), aka GLB, Local birder - Hon. Middle Earther (although born in Cardiff), CBT tour operator (good accommodation) and self styled leader of the keep Glamorgan Happy brigade.
Spas (to): To make a decision or initial identification on a bird species, only to find it incorrect or corrected by others.
Smudger: (RGS), GBC Founder member, GBC Photographic Editor, Current member of EGRC, Former County Recorder, bird photographer, local area Glamorgan.
Snipe (The): (JDW), GBC Chairman, GBC website moderator, EGBR report editor. GBC Day-trip leader. Local area Cardiff/Lavernock.
Stringer: Someone who claims to have seen birds, usually rare or scarce species, and then fabricates their description.
String-and-win: Motto of some unscrupulous day listers.
Suppressor: Someone who deliberately withholds information on rare/scarce birds.
Sven Barrage: (DCB),Current member of EGRC, Local birder - Middle Earther, local area Kenfig/Ogmore/Nash or where the Glamorgan tick is. Part time ringer on Gower.

T
Tiger Woodhead: (CWW), GBC Founder member, warden for Coed-y-Bedw NR, bluff northerner.
Tightwad: (AB), GBC Founder member, CBC member and CBC writer’s guild member, CBC tourist, photographer, local area Glamorgan.
Timmy No Mates: (TH): Not a member of the CBC and against secession, hence the name.
Tinman: (GFT), Eastern Glamorgan County Bird Recorder, GBC committee, CBT guide, local area Caerphilly/Merthyr.
Track 34: Famous path at KNNR which leads from the south pool to the Haul road.
Tump (The): Famous Cardiff landmark at the heliport, used for seawatching.
Twat from Green Ginger: (VG), Cardiff’s County Ecologist.
Twitcher: A person devoted to seeing new or rare birds.

U
Uncle Fester: (ASR), GBC Membership Secretary, GBC committee, local area Nantgarw.

V
Vale of Glamorgan: Local Unitary Authority part of old county of Glamorgan.
Valleys: Where our northern brothers birdwatch, aka butties and boyos.
Van der Clogg:(JR), Dutch birder living in Cardiff,birding chum of the TFGG,CBC1 member,local area Cardiff Bay.
Vegetarian (The): (BS), West Glamorgan rarities panel member, GMRG Moth VC41 Recorder, Butterfly Recorder for VC41, artist & photographer. Sunderland supporter, local area Swansea/Gower.

W
Walks-on: (RGH), GBC Founder member, local birder who found many good birds along the Cardiff Foreshore. Now rings with Rave Dull.
Webmaster: Someone who controls and edit’s a website.
Wolfey: (PW), GBC Founder member, local birder who’s local area is north Cardiff.

X
X Factor: Something all Cardiff birders have or think they have.

Y
Year Lister: Someone who tries to see as many species in a given year, in a given area, as is possible.
Young: (SFY): Former county bird recorder, author of various titles concerning local birds. Local area Leckwith & Canton.

Z
Zombie: The feeling after a long day list effort.