Paul's Blog - All comments and views are my own,

In lovely summer sunshine a small group met with Dr Simeon Jones for a guided walk looking at the flora of the Morfa Berwig LNR, a site with a chequered past, from coastal marsh to refuse tip to overflow car park... Immediately we set off we can across some of the typical plants of the site in the from of Rushes, with Hard, Soft and Compact and Round Fruited Rush all growing in close proximity to one of the seasonal pools. Hard Rush Teasel A little more showy were the Southern Marsh Orchids, now past their best but still identifiable, Marsh Bedstraw, Water Forget-me-Not, Teasel, Meadow Vetchling Nipplewort, Oxeye Daisy, Creeping Jenny and Greater Birds Foot Trefoil were amongst a good range of plants Simeon showed us. Nipplewort We also saw Southern Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies, Small Skipper and Meadow Brown butterflies were widespread, feeding on Hogweed we found the aptly named Black and yellow Long Horned Beetle. Southern Hawker Black

So its that time of year, the Summer solstice, all down hill from here then... well actually not now we have the "seasonal lag" where temperatures will probably continue to rise to make our summer, well summer. Sat taking payment at the entrance to the Pembrey Country Park has it's upside, there's just so  much birdlife in and around the entrance area, a family of Blackcaps kept me amused for most of yesterday as did the antics of the Song Thrushes. Today I took my camera and managed a short piece of video of the snail eating specialists, who needs snail and slug pellets if you've got these in the garden. Thrush versus snail  poised and ready

This afternoon I found out the ringing details of the Cormorant recovered on Cefn Sidan on Sunday. The bird was originally ringed on 10th June 2015 on St Margaret's Island Pembrokeshire, by the Pembrokeshire Ringing Group, (some are followers of this blog so if you can tell us more about St Margaret's island please leave a comment). A REMINDER of a flower walk at MORFA BERWIG LNR with Dr Simeon Jones on Saturday 23rd June at 10am, the reserve is looking good at the moment come and find out more... Ragged Robin

I'm really enjoying my paid job with the Outdoor Recreation Service (ORS) not quite as nature focussed as my volunteer role but still---- a job is what you make of it... This afternoon I was eating my lunch at the beach entrance in the country park when a visitor approached and let me know that there was a "Heron" on the beach that couldn't fly. A rescue to brighten an otherwise very quiet day... I called on Oliver the duty ranger while I set off on foot westwards along the beach, ignoring the black rucksac on the beach (I'll come back to that) Oliver duly arrived along with Mandy from the campsite in search of the "Heron" nothing to be found so we headed back, as w e approached the black rucksac it moved or rather lifted its head... our Heron was in fact a Cormorant. a quick chase, (yes I chased it along the beach) and it was caught. Cleary not in the best condition we took it into care, the first thing I noticed was that it was ringed with a Britis