Morfa Berwig Fungi Friday 19th January 2017

A couple of regular visitors to Morfa Berwig kindly let me know about an Earthstar fungus they had found growing on the edge of the main hard surfaced route through the reserve.

With great directions I found it without really looking to hard, I took a photo to help id it at home, yes it was obviously an Earthstar. despite some decay, it was in a remarkably good condition considering it would have been fruiting in the autumn.

It's species identification was determined by the ever helpful Dr Philip Jones, or local fungus guru, as being the Collared Earthstar, Geastrum triplex, one of the commoner species of Earthstar to be found.

Collared Earthstar at Morfa Berwig

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photo of "fresh" Collared Earthstar

On the bird front the Willow Tit has reappeared after being absent for a few days, I apologise that the public cannot see the feeders, its a matter of keeping them safe, they are part of a ringing project and they need to be as secure as possible, however if you want a chance of hearing/seeing the Willow Tit walk along the main paved route onto the rough gravel path and stop at the first wooden seat, and look/listen to the northwest of the river.
There are at least five Water Rails calling across the reserve.

Habitat management Wednesday 17th January 2018

We are so fortunate, along the Llanelli coast, to have so many great habitats to explore, and many of the best are protected one way or another, either through legislation and ownership or just the sheer logistics of getting to the site.

There are many plants which are generally scarce through the UK, and one with a tenuous grasp on Carmarthenshire is the Small Flowered Catchfly, Silene gallica, which occurs naturally in one location in the county and that is around the walls of Burry Port Harbour.

Follow the link for a more detailed appraisal of the plant

https://www.plantlife.org.uk/application/files/4114/7913/4089/Silene_gallica__dossier.pdf

Silene gallica, Small flowered Catchfly, look for the plant from May onwards

The habitat at Burry Port has not been as closely managed as it could have been, with invasion by Couch Grass, Gorse and Radish.

before, no substrate visible for any seed to set,

Hopefully the small amount of work we have done today will go some way to maintaining, and improving the population of this plant 

after,

after, more substrate exposed

This afternoon was spent carrying out a Knotweed and Rhododendron survey at the Pwll Lagoon LNR, sadly we found far too much of both, however subject to funding being available it's the sort of job that contractors can safely tackle.

Pwll Lagoon doesn't have particularly easy access, which is a good thing!!, but if you visit the habitat is one of woodland carr with lots of Birch as well as a fen type habitat, more information via the link below.

http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/residents/your-community/biodiversity/nature-reserves/

WANT TO LEND A HAND? Tuesday 16th January 2018

LITTER, ESPECIALLY MARINE LITTER AND INPARTICULAR, PLASTIC, IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND HAS HIT THE HEADLINES ACROSS THE WORLD, DO YOU WANT TO DO YOUR BIT TO HELP LOCALLY...

There are a few opportunities coming up if anyone is keen to do some litter picking to impact on marine bourn litter.

The staff of  the councils Outdoor Recreation Team are giving their own time on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st, meet at the Pembrey country Park main beach entrance at 10:30, stay for as long or as short a  time as you can, max 2 hours, equipment provided.

Then on Monday 19th February a beach clean on the western part of Cefn Sidan, contact me for more details.