Tuesday 8th August 2017

After a few odd jobs to do this morning it was off to lead a "beach hunt" event organised by Wales Wildlife Watch Llanelli.

In good weather conditions a crowd of 21 children and nine adults, including the organisers, wandered on to Cefn Sidan to explore the beach after the mornings high tide.

The first and striking creatures we saw were probably 100's of Barrel Jellyfish washed up on the strandline, not unusual for this stretch of coast.

The kids, (not sure if that's pc these days but eh oh), were soon collecting shells, seaweed, feathers and other items to be identified, we were using old "takeaway" containers these are ideal for the kids to carry their finds.

I was so pleased to find that some of the older kids were keen to learn and really quite knowledgeable about the items they were finding and were not at all phased by the dead Manx Shearwater one of them found, even when I pulled the head off to keep the skull.

Breeding on the offshore islands on the West and North coasts of the UK, these masters of the air spend their winters off the coast of South America

Story telling the life of the Manx Shearwater,

(I wish the photographer would tell me before taking a photo so that I can breath in and put my cap on properly LOL)

The good weather soon looked like it was going to turn very wet so we headed back to the cars earlier than planned which was just as well because no sooner had we made it back than it started to pour down.

Beach cleansing Friday 4th August 2017

After the strong WSW winds and the accompanying rain the Cefn Sidan beach looks remarkably clean with little exposed rubbish.

Not sure where the Strandline Beetles are at the moment as "refuges" on the beach are very few and far between.

A clean  Cefn Sidan

I found another dead Gannet plus quite a few Barrel Jellyfish, I'm often asked "what happens to them?" well from what I saw today a lot of them provide a huge meal for the various invertebrates on the beach such as sandhoppers, there were thousands of sandhoppers on the open beach this morning many of them apparently feeding on the jellyfish

The dune flora is, now, perhaps past its best although there are some interesting plants to be found including this thistle, which even when fresh looks dead, its the Carline Thistle.

Carline Thistle

In the brief morning sunshine I did see a Painted Lady butterfly, hopefully a spell of settled weather will arrive soon, then it will be a great time to be out on the reserve looking for late summer/autumn wildlife get out there and enjoy, we have an event on 26th August - Salt marsh flowers at 10am come along and bring a friend!!!

Wader migration Wednesday 2nd August 2017

The weather is stuck in a bit of a rut with a run of low pressures rolling in off the Atlantic, bringing wind and rain, this autumnal feeling weather fitted well with the obvious movement of waders on Cefn Sidan today.

Several species of waders, with c300 Sanderling, 100+ Dunlin, good numbers of Ringed Plover and two Turnstone were present with the Sanderling and Dunlin in a mix of summer and autumn/winter plumages while the Turnstone were looking bright in their colourful tones.

Turnstone, turning seaweed!

We drove most of the beach looking for reported bird corpses, as it was we only found two Gannet, one Great Black-backed Gull and an unidentified gull corpses, we checked for rings but none were found.

Gannet

A new sign at the entrance of the Pembrey reserve should make for easier reading.... and we also looked at the nest boxes for Morfa Berwig reserve so that they are fit for purpose.

Life and death Saturday 29th July 2017

An early morning phone call from a visitor reporting something not right in one of the grazing fields.

When I arrived I was told my another visitor of a dead Grey Seal on the beach, I put that one on hold, it was dead and not going anywhere - hold that thought.

Arriving at Field 1 I could see 14 cattle should be 16, at the same time the 15 cattle in Field 2 were being a bit boisterous and bellowing....

I climbed the gate (at the hinge end) to count the herd in F1 properly 16 plus a new born calf!!!! that shouldn't have happened, but yes there he was, a lovely Welsh Black calf, suckling from his mum.

After informing the grazier who was totally shocked I went off to investigate the dead seal, arriving on the beach at CE53 to see one of the park rangers trundling down the beach in a tractor  with the seal in the front loader to be buried out of sight, so I didn't get to see, measure or photograph it.

Nutkins feathers are ruffled, Wednesday 26th July 2017

July and a wet day, still a few jobs to do including checking the 44 bird nest boxes purchased from CJ Wildlife for a nest box project at Morfa Berwig LNR, the access to ring the pulli is a snug fit on some so a bit of sanding will be needed, plenty of time for that job as they are not going out until the end of autumn.

The Barn Owl box which last year had Honey Bees in residence needed a visit to check for occupancy, no owls but a squatter in the form of a Grey Squirrel had moved in, you had to be there to appreciate the funny side of events which went a bit like this:

Simeon went up the ladder to have a look for occupants, as there were no signs of Barn Owls he opened the access door,

"is that a squirrel nest" I asked,
"yes", came the reply,
"anyone in"
"yes its looking at me...."

Anyone in?

The next thing there's a bit of scratching and banging as the squirrel jumps over Simeon's shoulder, does a somersault and scampers off into the forest, leaving us somewhat amused!!

What the F'*#+, just happened!!!!

This little fella, a Field Vole, was out on the saltmarsh this afternoon

At last Morfa Berwig Saturday 22nd July 2017

All effort has been directed at preparing for the official launch of the Morfa Berwig Local Nature Reserve.

And so it was on what will probably be the wettest day of the summer 27 hardy souls gathered to hear short speeches and genuine thanks before a bit of pond dipping and a walk around the reserve.

The walk was quite interesting as two Water Shrews  (dead) and a Common Shrew (dead) were found and proved interesting to the young folk.

Water Shrew

Common Shrew in reality its half the size of the Water Shrew

Mothing Monday 17th July - Tuesday 18th July 2017

After an evening of bird ringing, I set the moth trap and the trail camera, well the trail camera revealed nothing but the moth trap came up with some goodies.

Some nice moths and a couple of beetles.

Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing

Pebble Prominent

Ruby Tiger

Ear moth species, will need dissecting to identify correctly

Common Dor Beetle (awaiting confirmation as its a "local" species

Nicrophorus vestigator, a "local" Sexton Beetle species