Saturday 4th June 2016

Birds, Bees and Flowers.....

Today sees the start of a week of, Carmarthenshire based, events for Wales Biodiversity Week 2016,.

This morning we were at our newest Local nature Reserve, Morfa Berwig to look at Bees with  Bumble Conservation, we managed to see several species of Bumblebee including Early Bumblebee, Common Carder, Buff/white -tailed Bumble Bee, Garden Bumblebee, Red-tailed Bumblebee and most exciting the scarce Brown Banded Carder Bee. No photos sorry as they just would not sit still long enough...... next time...

We also had fleeting views of Grass Snake, Common Lizard , as well as  Four spotted chaser, Broad-bodied chaser dragonflies and  Blue tailed, Azure Bluet, and Common Bluet damselflies, along with Common Blue butterflies.

The afternoon was a flora feast with a walk led by Richard and Kath Pryce the county botanical recorders, we were treated to the identification of at least 10 rushes and Sedges as well as Early Marsh Orchid, Southern Marsh Orchid and a new record for the site Bee Orchid.

Early Marsh Orchid

Celery-leaved Buttercup

Bee Orchid

One of the most interesting Buttercups we saw was Celery-leaved Buttercup., we also saw Common Water Plantain, Lesser Spearwort and Hedgerow Cranesbill another new plant for the reserve.

Hedgerow Cranesbill

Saturday 28th May 2016

Ramble with a ranger.....

Today was the second in the series of guided walks at Pembrey but the fourth event (two other events were combined with the Llanelli naturalists Society).

Attendance was low, in fact it was more of a staff meeting as I was joined by Veronica. We had a great walk though with plenty to look at with Birds, Butterflies, Beetles and Flies as well as a range of plants.

A couple of  "to be determined later" were a fly and a beetle, as well as confirming a few of the plants, ( [post script] with the great network of naturalists in the area my initial identification has been confirmed)

Chrysotoxum cautum no common name

Female Swollen-thighed Beetle Oedemera nobilis

On the beach there were at least six stranded/dead Barrel Jellyfish all at least 60cm across as well as quite a few tiny Jellyfish types the Comb jellies, I think Beroe cucumis

Barrel Jellyfish

Comb jellies Beroe cucumis

You never know what you may find and the carcass of a Swan spp was most unexpected...

Here are some enlarged photos of the beetle and the fly.....

Wednesday 25th May 2016

7000 visitors can't be wrong?

My blog has received over 7000 hits since I started which is pretty good.

Things have been a bit quiet of late with most birds getting on with breeding and the ups and downs of the weather making getting out unpleasant.

Signs of breeding are all about and today I found a Skylarks nest with four "warm" eggs, and a Redshank egg which I hope had hatched as opposed to having been predated. Stonechats seem to be feeding young with at least six pairs on the reserve, and when I was cutting the ringing rides in the reed bed a Grasshopper Warbler was "reeling" from nearby scrub.

Common Redshank ? egg

Skylark nest

The Green Winged Orchids are past their best now but still make a lovely show the next round of Orchids are beginning to push up their leaves with Common Spotted and Southern Marsh the next in line.

Southern Marsh Orchid basal leaves

Common Spotted Orchid basal leaves

Reptiles seem to be doing ok with more young Slow worms seen today as well as a few young Common Lizards.

Slow Worm

There's a guided walk this Saturday (28th May) if you would like to find out more about this great reserve.

Monday 16th May 2016

and a deep breath....

After quite a busy weekend around the local nature reserves, talking to lots of visitors including the local anglers, today was more of my time.

I popped into Pembrey reserve late in the afternoon and strolled onto Cefn Sidan beach where the steady breeze was whipping up the dry sand but I had the whole place to myself, again.

Signs of bird migration are slowing down but the mix of waders on the beach showed that some have yet to reach their breeding grounds in the high Artic yet, including a few colourful Sanderling, Dunlin and a group of eight Bar-tailed Godwits two of which were in full summer plumage.

Dunlin resting before the evening onward flight perhaps?

Dunlin (L) and Sanderling (R)

Bar-tailed Godwit and Oysctercatchers (honest!)

On the home front the Starling RAS project continues, slowly.....

Saturday 14th May 2016

Pembrey Burrows LNR Orchids...and more

With an overcast morning the light was less harsh so hopefully my attempts to capture the vista of the Green Winged Orchids will be an improvement on Thursday's attempt.

The orchid comes in several colour forms, from the standard deep purple through pink and then white, this is common in flowers which have blue or purple flowers.

Green winged Orchid with white form

The buttercup in the photographs is Bulbous Buttercup, quite a dainty variety compared to, say Creeping Buttercup.

Green winged orchid with Bulbous Buttercup

Green winged Orchid

There are plenty of other flowers coming into bloom including  Common Vetch, Rue leaved Saxifrage and the Early Dog Violet below.

The next few weeks will see the reserve burst into bloom..

Thursday 12th May 2016

Pembrey Burrows guided walk... Spring Migrants!

Today was the second of the summer series of guided walks at the Pembrey Burrows & Saltings Local Nature Reserve; there wasn't a great turnout but nevertheless we had a really interesting walk.

Starting at the entrance to the reserve, well you would wouldn't you, we ambled through the first grazing fields, now devoid of the bullocks who have been munching away for five months, they seem to have made an impression as we found swarms of Green Winged Orchid, in amongst Bulbous Buttercup and Cowslips. My photos do not do the image any justice at all.

My photo doesn't do justice to the incredible vista of the Green-Winged Orchids

We continued on out onto the edge of the salt marsh where a change of vegetation was very noticeable with Thrift, Scurvy Grass, and the first signs of one of the site specialities Rock Sea Lavender, (not yet in flower so photo to follow) found at a selected few sites across the country.

Thrift

After pausing at the shelter were more seasonal information has been added, we continued out towards the sea as high water was due.

Here the estuary was like a mill pond, a Northern gannet was just in the county as it dived for fish and most definitely on the reserve were a large flock of Oystercatchers, with an accompanying group of smaller waders including, Dunlin, Sanderling and Knot also in the group was a lonesome Bar-tailed Godwit, bringing the bird list for 2016 to 100 species.

The weather had improved to sunny and quite warm (my fleece was surplus to requirements) which brought out the butterflies including Small Blue, Common Blue Small Copper, Green-veined white, Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak.

Green Hairstreak

Small Blue

Small Copper

                                  Thanks to Adam Dare for the butterfly images

The walk took around two and a half hours long enough to sample the diversity of the site.

Tuesday 10th May 2016

Back to the routine...

Well not yet I have been back a day, which has been all about getting a new car for myself, that's sorted with a Suzuki Jimny sitting on the drive....

My project on Starlings, called a RAS, (resighting adults for survival) has at last started, after difficulty in getting the correct plastic rings then the disappearance of the Starlings from the area I finally got started this morning with four adult birds ringed and colour ringed (darvics), I would like to ring 50+ this season

So keep your eyes peeled you never know where they may turn up.

Starling KAA keep an eye out for her...