The job list is not getting any shorter........ Monday 13th March 2017

I was on site at Pembrey LNR at 05:30hrs for a ringing session, it was a cold slightly frosty morning with sunrise at 06:40hrs, I was concerned that with, limited opportunity to ring in 2017 due to bird flu restrictions and poor weather, that my numbers would be significantly adrift to 2016. How the memory fades it was as tough at the beginning of 2016 as it has been in 2017 and I'm only 10 birds down.

Reed Bunting ♂

Quite a lot going on today, sign boards to be weatherproofed, "wildlife breeding season" advisory signs going up, continued improvements to the information shelter, the cattle being taken off by the grazier for TB testing and new  Herp' refugia to put out around the edge of the marsh.

Ready for the off

An impromptu meeting with "the boss" and the job list grew.......great to share ideas and be on a similar wavelength.

What was a decent enough afternoon, weather wise, gradually turned cold and very foggy; however while the sun was out a found the first Common Lizard adult of the year on top of one of the refugia

Common Lizard

Lingering winterers Thursday 9th March 2017

On a day which has been the most "spring like" so far it was interesting to record a trio of wintering birds in evidence at Pembrey Burrows LNR.

A Male Merlin which sat on a post for c1hr on the edge of the marsh, bizarrely surrounded by Meadow Pipits, not mobbing it at all and seemingly oblivious to its presence.

Merlin, distant and cropped

Then A Short-eared Owl flushed from the foredunes at the eastern end of the reserve, the bird made it's way across the estuary towards the Gower accompanied by a couple of mobbing Herring Gulls, there was a Spring record in 2016.

Short-eared Owl, record shot

This afternoon with the fine weather continuing and high water at around 16:00hrs a short sea-watch produced a Long-tailed Duck and c2000 gulls, mostly Common Gulls loafing on the sea.

The much hoped for early Hirundine did not appear neither did a Northern Wheatear, patience patience.............

Also on the incoming tide was a bouy with a great colony of Goose barnacles attached.

Goose Barancles spp?

More signs of Spring Tuesday 7th March 2017

A very early morning visit to Pembrey Burrows was uneventful, although I did catch a Reed Bunting and a Dunnock! the first birds I have ringed at Pembrey in 2017 due to a combination of Bird Flu restrictions and the weather. A Greenshank, in the Swan Drain, reported by Adam Dare, never appear too far into the marsh.

An afternoon visit to Morfa Berwig was no more exciting however some Primroses (possibly of dubious origin judging by the size) and Hazel catkins did make it feel spring like.

The scourge that is off road vehicles is making an appearance at Morfa Berwig, with tyre marks across the site I suspect that they were there at some point over the weekend.

Hazel catkins

Honest mr ranger, I was just walking my dogs! Saturday 4th March 2017

When I arrived on site this morning I  noticed a red Land-rover Defender which I had not seen before and thought mmmm!

A well intended member of the public stopped me about an hour later and told me that they had seen two men in camouflage jackets, with two Lurchers and two terriers, acting suspiciously.

Sure enough after a bit of searching I could see the Lurchers hunting around the dunes and the two men. Although I never saw them actually chase any Rabbit or Hare I had seen enough to think they were up to no good.

I drove over to them and sat in the van waiting for them to walk to me which they did, I've heard all the excuses before but they were reasonable guys and when told to put all the dogs on leads they did.

They were not happy being "hassled" but didn't argue, I always try and engage people first let them know why the conversation is taking place, then if appropriate educate them, so the education this morning was

"its a nature reserve, with a  zero tolerance policy on hunting and shooting, its not about hunting as a sport, its about hunting on a nature reserve...don't do it if you don't want hassle".

There was no need for enforcement as they left, oh plus I have their vehicle registration number it was the red Land-rover!

On a different note I was at Morfa Berwig yesterday to meet Simeon on site, the contractors have been in clearing the ditches, WOW what a job they've done.

It looks drastic but it has improved the drainage to alleviate flooding further down the water course as well as opening up areas for invertebrates and of course the Water Vole will have more range to expand. In a few months time the vegetation will have recovered and it will be looking good.

Fresh look & Events 2017

With Spring around the corner, (that's proper Spring) it seemed like a good idea to "refresh" the information in the shelter.

 The entrance noticeboard will be "made over" next week.

With a bit of handiwork, and crafting the result is fresher, the photo's may not do it justice.

Simeon and I have completed the programme of guided events for April - September 2017 and I've detailed them below, I hope to see some of you on the events.

The last winter event is on Sunday 19th March at 10:00

April 11th, Carmarthenshire Wildlife Walks, Marsh, Beach & Dunes Joint walk 10:00am**

April 22nd, Beach walk and spring migration 10:00am**

May 20th, Ramble with a ranger 10:00am**

June 11th, Creepy crawlies and bug hunt  10:00am**

June 24th Summer flowers 10:00am**

July 6th Bat walk Sandy Water Park, meet at 9:15pm in the main car park, bring a torch. [please note this event is at Sandy Water Park]

July 15th,  Ramble with a ranger 10:00am**

August 26th Salt-marsh flowers 10:00am **

August 31st Bumblebee walk with Bumblebee Conservation Trust

this walk starts at 2pm

September 9th Creepy crawlies and bug hunt 10:00am**

September 23rd, Sea watch autumn migration 8:00am**

**Events start from the reserve entrance near the car park at CE53, the events are approximately 2 - 3 hrs duration, for details call 07984788218

Wind in the willows, what happened to Peter Rabbit Thursday 2nd March 2017

I spent a few hours at the Morfa Berwig LNR this morning, with blue skies and sunshine, and a bit of a breeze.

The flower buds on this Willow were just pushing out and blowing in the breeze

After the recent rains the site is wetter than usual, with all of the ponds looking in great condition.

With a couple of conservation grazing ponies on site I enjoyed checking out the ponds, disappointingly though no sign of any frog or toad activity.

There were a good variety of birds around with 17 species seen or heard, the best of which were Kingfisher, Water Rail and Cettis Warbler.

European Kingfisher

Signs of mammal activity were confined to a Short-tailed Field Vole under one of the refugia, and signs of a Rabbit nest having been dug out and the occupant eaten.

More interestingly was it eaten by a Fox or an Otter?

Rabbit nest dug out by a predator

Mixed day Wednesday 1st March 2017

With a 9.0m tide at around 08:00hrs there was only one place to be this morning, stood on top of a sand dune looking out onto Carmarthen Bay.

After a stormy day yesterday, this morning was much calmer and despite there not being a huge movement of birds, Three Red-throated Diver a few hundred Common Scoter and flocks of Golden Plover, Dunlin, Sanderling and Ringed Plover made for a decent sea watch.

A quick dash around to the information shelter with the marsh in full flood gave up Teal c50, Wigeon c10, Mallard c15, Shelduck 13 Curlew c6 plus Snipe, Redshank and distant Oystercatchers and a lone male Pintail.

Idyllic

Then it was off to do a radio interview for BBC Radio Wales, on the Strandline Beetle, and clean beaches. The broadcast was only about 30 seconds long and they edited out the important bit about leaving driftwood on the beach, but they did emphasise the importance of leaving large pieces of plastic/old tyres on the beach as habitat for the beetle.

Then I met up with the Wednesday gang and started the final phase of Dormouse Box construction.....

Dormouse box Production line and finished ? box