Icelandic visitor? Friday 17th November 2017

I've said the following so often, "in what looked like perfect conditions..." well this morning was no exception, but no one told the birds! Which is typical when you have a visitor, sorry Julie.

Still Morfa Berwig looked great at 06:00 this morning as I sloshed my way through flooded ringing rides carrying all the kit laden like a donkey... no comments or thoughts please.

A very modest session but always worth it especially when one of the two Redwings was a monster of a bird, well it was certainly different, I knew that because my helper originally identified it as a Blackbird - sorry couldn't resist.

Based on the comments from Mr Svensson the Redwing with its much buffier face, and breast/ sides and darker mantle and wing of 124mm placed it as a likely candidate for the Icelandic race corbuni, it only weighed in at 61.6gms and no fat.

The second Redwing was much more the "norm"  iliacus, a paler bird with whiter, face, breast and sides with a wing of 119mm but a weight of 72.2 and a fat score of 2.

The photographs below, despite the light, hopefully show the obvious plumage differences.

Redwing, corbuni ?

Redwing, iliacus ?

A Cettis Warbler was "controlled", the ring was not easily read, took ten minutes plus some "macro" photos to read it properly, I'm guessing its one of Heathers birds from WWT Llanelli.
The ringing data will be duly submitted to the BTO,
[however local enquiries have established the bird was ringed on 16th October 2017 at OXWICH MARSH, as a bird hatched in 2017 (age code 3)]
A movement 12.3km NNE

 One of the Blackbirds, a female was on the chubby side with a wing of 129mm and a weight of 117gms and a very heavily scalloped breast of grey feathers, - continental type? - no I didn't take a photo!

The oddest things happen, Morfa Berwig Wednesday 15th November 2017

Wednesday, volunteer day, Morfa Berwig.

As usual a few odd jobs, including a Japanese Knotweed survey, we recorded carefully the known patches of this troublesome plant, its not a huge problem but needs nipping in the bud.

A litter pick, as usual it was the A484 roundabout that needed attention, at least the fly tipping I reported last week has gone.

Linseed oil on some of the on-site "furniture" and the last of the nest-boxes were put up plus one donated by Veronica

It was during the Knotweed survey that whilst wandering around F3 that I was startled, by a small mouse jumping across my path, on size alone it was a Harvest Mouse but then I noticed a ball of woven grasses in the rushes, a Harvest Mouse nest.

Harvest Mouse nest

Harvest Mouse (Wikipedia library)

A great record, which has been submitted to WWBIC.

Returning to the same area later I was surprised to see a Wood Mouse jump out of the back of the nest which had now been "ragged" about, was that why the Harvest Mouse had jumped across my path earlier?

What a load of rubbish Monday 13th November 2017

Monday morning, the first sub zero morning of the autumn with ice on the puddles and the need to really scrape the ice off the van.

Today the Wales Wildlife Walks Litter Pickers made Pembrey the focus of their attention, and badly needed it is.

After the stormy weather in October, followed by calm spring tides a huge amount of marine bourn litter has been dropped on Cefn Sidan.

With 12 eager volunteers, plus the regular MENCAP gang and assistance from KWT and CCC, it was a case of divide and conquer, three hours later and a great deal had been picked but really barely scratching the surface of what is a huge problem, not only on Cefn Sidan but any beach in any part of the UK.

only a small pile of the total amount picked today

Still smiling!!!!

A huge thank you to everyone who gave their time and effort today.