Thursday 3rd March 2016

Signs of Spring.....

The weather today was a vast improvement on yesterday, which saw wind, rain, sleet and a little snow.

Although a chilly WNW breeze it amounted to very little and the overcast skies cleared to make it feel very nice out of the breeze.

On the beach the recent tides have covered over a lot of the "rubbish" as well as lots and lots of shells, the wind in the past few days has been in a North to North West direction which seems to have been perfect to create "sand sculptures" a few centimetres high; here come the arty photos.

A "strandline Safari" to look for signs of spring revealed a few specialist creatures including a large ground beetle called, the Strand-line Burrower, Broscus cephalotes (see photo) as well as the Sand Hopper Talitrus saltator, (no photo sorry!)

The Strand-line Burrower

On the Dunes themselves the Skylarks were in full song with lots of territorial disputes going on, I hadn't realised how much time they spend singing from fence posts!!!

Skylark ...belting it out

Tuesday 1st March 2016

Metrological Spring....still looking like Winter...

The first day of March, and the first day of the metrological spring, I prefer to wait for the equinox before getting too excited about spring.

What it does mean is that its the day to update things like the tide times and wildlife sightings boards in the information shelter; with that job done a quick look around the reserve turned up a few birds who clearly have spring very much in mind.

Skylarks singing in the rain, Robins, Dunnocks all singing away.

There is quite a decent mixed flock of finches feeding on the Sea Buckthorn berries, they are actually after the hard seed inside the orange flesh.

Greenfinches

A good mix of Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Brambling, along with Blue Tits and Goldcrest these were looking for insects and spiders.

Brambling (heavily cropped photo sorry)

There are still Teal around they favour the deeper creeks to rest in when the marsh is not flooded, I couldn't get a count today but saw a few.

Saturday 27th February

Winters end.....

With February drawing to a close the weather seems to have settled down a bit and today, although overcast was dry and cold with the wind not as strong or as bitter as forecast.

I spent five hours walking around the reserve and it was magical...

73 Common Snipe and 2 Jack Snipe off the upper marsh were the best records of the day.

On the beach was the first dead sea bird that I have found which was a Gannet it appears to be an adult, not long dead although the left foot was missing?

Gannet, I've just realised how dreadful the picture looks

The powerful bill says it all for this master fisher

Despite all the storms so far this winter its remarkable that this is the first bird I've found, the rough weather will have had a negative affect on the feeding abilities of the Auk family amongst other.

This afternoon I put out some traps at home and ringed two Starling and two Robins.

Then I returned to Pembrey to sit out hoping to see some nocturnal wildlife, the result was two Foxes, and One Badger as well as the expected Rabbits.

Thursday 25th February 2016

Felt like Spring had arrived....

A great morning out in almost unbroken sunshine, until midday when it became overcast and cooler.

I had to check the entire length of the fence in one of the grazing fields this morning, but not before a quick sea watch which produced few birds but real quality in the form of 50+ common Scoter and three Great Northern Divers....

I never said they were close, although this one was feeding in the surf

The fence was fine and I continued along the beach in total isolation except for the continuous sound of Skylarks singing, along with Dunnocks, Robins and Reed Buntings all feeling the urge.

Skylark, this one just kept on singing

The reserve is important for many different groups of animals and plants so there is always something to see I cannot always name the individuals at the time as I cannot carry a book for each and every subject, sometimes its a case of looking information up at home.

Badger latrine, the badgers are very active at the moment,

they will have very young cubs in the sett

an assemblage of Lichens, but no idea which ones yet!!

The weather this week is a "false start", its turning colder and more unsettled, but it won't stop the ducks from getting on with breeding.

Mallard, I think she's not quacking to him!

We are hoping to give the ground nesting birds a bit of a better chance this year, but I can't go into too  much until our approach is confirmed, but fingers crossed....

Wednesday 24th February 2016

Fences and corpses....

A glorious morning turned into a glorious day, there was little frost with temperatures at the reserve around 0', the sand was solid but the frost soon lifted.

A quick sea-watch from CE53 on a high tide revealed Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver in the estuary but a long way off,  with lots of gulls feeding on the falling tide.

A walk around the cattle ponds turned up a male Brambling with the flock of Chaffinches, I suspect there are more Brambling in the flock.

The Skylarks were in full song, at one point there were five or six just flying around as we sat and had lunch, (we because on a Wednesday the stalwart volunteers turn up to work on projects in the coastal park, mainly on the reserves) We were fixing the vandalised fencing ready for more cattle to be brought onto the reserve

A visitor had told me that there was a fish or something with teeth was washed up on the beach, further investigation revealed a decomposing sea mammal possibly either a Common Dolphin or Harbour Porpoise

Decomposing nicely a 2m long marine mammal

The flipper was down to the bone and you can make out the teeth

The crows and a Greater Black-backed Gull were tucking into the free meal, but flew off as I approached, there were also two Red Kites circling nearby I'm not sure if they would feed on this carcass?

Also washed up on the high water mark was this Brittlestar, a relative of the Starfish.

Brittlestar, two of the arms have broken off

I also learned of a female Otter being killed, on the main road near a Wildlife Trust reserve about a mile from Pembrey, yesterday, bad enough but she was lactating which means she has at least one probably two cubs nearby, volunteers were going out today to listen for them calling and hopefully rescue them.

Tuesday 23rd February 2016

Frost and Rainbows.....

The overnight forecast indicated a frost and a bright sunny day, so when I stepped outside what did I find, well it was raining!. not a lot but any frost had long disappeared. The drive over North Gower towards Oxwich on the South side did not make the weather improve.

When I arrived Keith and Emma had already set the one net that we would use, (NRW have ponies grazing on the marsh).

The overcast skies looked as though they would clear but not before a light shower wetted the table, the books and equipment, the double rainbow did make us smile though.

The morning produced about forty birds, a mixture of new and retrapped individuals.

Male Siskin

Siskins stole the early rounds with a smattering of Chaffinches and Goldfinches, with surprisingly few tits!

Male Chaffinch, this brute of a specimen may be a continental bird

This is the wing of the above bird and had a length of 93mm

making me think it is a continental visitor

A Great Spotted Woodpecker also put in an appearance in the net, although the circling Common Buzzard stayed away.

Distant Common Buzzard

Thursday 18th February

Frost and sunshine....

At last some decent weather and the chance to put some nets up to have go at ringing..

With all the puddles frozen and the saltmarsh feeling crispy underfoot it felt like ideal conditions to have a go.

Frosted Gorse

With hopes set high it was disappointing that there were no stupid Skylarks tempted to enter the net set on the marsh, yet there were plenty singing.

Another quiet session, but all new birds with just five ringed, Wren 2, Dunnock 2, Robin 1, Blackbird 1.

Still a great morning to be out, Adam Dare a local birder popped by and showed me a photo of a BRAMBLING he had seen on the reserve boundary!!!!!, this brings the year total species so far to 75. Great record thanks Adam.

Sea Buckthorn in frosty coat

Gorse Flower shrouded in frost