Cold weather arrivals, Saturday 16th December 2017

I helped out with the WEBS counts this morning on Cefn Sidan, between CE59 and Tywyn Point.

Although the tide was against us we managed to get decent coverage, best were       c3000 KNOT, c300 Sanderling, c350 WIGEON, and then a GREAT WHITE EGRET on the sands off Kidwelly Quay.

There were small skiens of BRENT GEESE moving in the estuary and COMMON SCOTER obvious offshore but not really countable from the beach probably c1000

Back at Pembrey a ringtail, HEN HARRIER put in the briefest of views as it scattered CURLEW, TEAL, SNIPE and LITTLE EGRETS out of the Swan drain.

The recent cold weather has resulted in an arrival of birds hopefully they will find the area to their liking and hang around for the rest of the winter.

The contractor work at Morfa Berwig LNR is finished just some tidying up to do, it's very muddy "offroad" which is to be expected, the tarmac paths will be swept in the next week or so.

Wigeon, Pembrey Burrows LNR - photo Colin Dalton.

Morfa Berwig Makeover! Thursday 14th December 2017

I went back to Morfa Berwig, in drier conditions than yesterday, to take photographs of the management work being carried out.

Now its a wetland site so any work at any time of year will be muddy, and current conditions are no exception.

With the entrance on the Berwig roundabout having received a makeover it looks a lot more inviting, when signage is in place it will look even better.

Berwig roundabout entrance, south west corner of reserve on A484

Management of the Willow and Gorse is essential as in short order they can both dominate the other vegetation, only about a third of each patch of scrub that needs controlling has been done and the result is open areas which will catch the sun allowing a richer diversity of plants and inverts' to colonise the areas until the scrub needs controlling again.

Brownfield area

Field 1

Yes it looks a mess and it's certainly muddy, but in  my opinion its a job well done, and in a few months you will not recognise the site.

Field 2

Afon Goch path

Field 3

Wednesday 13th December 2017, MORE SHORTIES

I couldn't resist, Colin Dalton has once again sent me a suite of SEO photographs, and the light is so good I know you would want to see them, however before that...

Contractors are on site at Morfa Berwig, carrying out fencing and path maintenance as well as habitat management in the brownfield area near the roundabout and in all of the grazing fields, and making the parking area at the roundabout entrance a bit more spacious, (if you see fly tipping here or anywhere else, please report it on 01267-234567).

A new "temporary" sign has gone in at the Berwig Road entrance.

The habitat management may look harsh but the vegetation will soon recover and the bare areas will provide consistently great habitat for invertebrates, allowing the vegetation to take over diminishes the value of the site for invertebrates, Morfa Berwig has a number of nationally and locally rare species.

Photos to follow...

Pembrey Saltmarsh, please do not wander out onto the marsh it just disturbs the wintering birds, we only go out there to carry out monthly counts and do so in an organised manner.

Now those Owls....

Never too many shorties, Sunday 10th December 2017

SNOW...., well a few flakes for a few minutes, still SNOW... mind you trying to hammer staples and handle barbed wire in this mornings cold was fun!

Still to brighten up a winters day here are a few more of Colin Daltons, Short-eared Owl photographs from Saturday evening.

Photographs are copyright of Colin Dalton

Listening and looking,

Chase on?, Skylark flushed

The two Sparrowhawks muscling in on the Shorties hunting

Owls and Cows (or more correctly cattle) Saturday 9th December 2017

A late afternoon visit to Pembrey Burrows was rewarded with great views of TWO Short-eared Owls, 

They had been seen earlier by Colin Dalton, who joined me in the hut to enjoy the birds hunting, displaying and chasing off a Sparrowhawk , one of two seen right outside the hut, one even landed on my water height post!

Photographs and videos were nigh on impossible for me this afternoon, I just couldn't get the birds in focus long enough to press the shutter, I'm sure Colin will share some of his photos in the next few days.

Colin casually mentioned two things, A MERLIN seen earlier and that he had seen the fence in F3 broken!, I had made a mental note that I hadn't seen the five bullocks on my way in.

I tore myself away from the owls to first bump into Ray Woods another photographer, then to discover the fence was in fact damaged with tell tale hoof prints and cow pats on the wrong side of the fence ! WHY WHY!

A climb to the top of a sand dune and I spied two of the escapees, a word with a couple of horse riders, who casually mentioned the cattle had been on the BEACH but had headed back onto the dunes, and all five appeared......

Some cattle wrangling driving a rattle of a bin bag and a hand from a passing member of the public saw the five eventually back in their field.

A full afternoon but great birds logged thanks to the visiting photographers, 
MERLIN, KESTREL, SPARROWHAWK, SEO, RAVEN.

Following doctors orders can be fun...........

Friday 8th December 2017

Well it's certainly feeling a lot colder, what "cold weather" movements will we see, I hope wildfowl put in an appearance as currently numbers are low to non-existent.

A few more Common Snipe would be nice, as would a harrier or two, not fussy about species but they are overdue compared to 2016.

Still we have the SHORT-EARED OWLS, now at least three possibly four but they are elusive which makes me think they are commuters between Glamorgan and Carmarthenshire.

A few birders and photographers have been out looking for them with varying success, Colin Dalton kindly me sent the following photos with permission to use them in the blog, Thanks Colin. Anyone willing to share their photographs please email them over, can't promise to use every one but it would be nice to use local photographs if I haven't got decent ones myself. (or you could club together to buy me a decent camera!)

All photographs are copyright of Colin Dalton

Magical, you can never have too many Short-eared Owls.

Sunday 3rd December 2017

What motivates you to get out and experience the coast and countryside?
Do you like the solitude, easy to find on the wide expanse of Cefn Sidan?
Do you prefer company and enjoy joining a group or partaking in a guided walk?

Why is he asking these questions you may be thinking, well it's planning time for the events for 2018, and whilst 132 people took part in last years events attendance at individual events was a bit sporadic. Maybe it was too focussed on Pembrey LNR?

In 2018 we intend to spread the events across as many of the local nature reserves/natural spaces in the county as possible. With a choice of six sites it makes sense to use them if we can.

Carmarthenshire Local Nature Reserves

West - East  Pembrey, Ashpits, Pwll Lagoon, North Dock, Morfa Berwig

and in the NE of the county Ynys Dawela Nature Park

There are currently 14 planned events spread over April to September (dates to be confirmed), with two programmes, April, May and June; and then July, August and September, with some planned to coincide with the school holidays.

If you have attended any of the events over the last two years do you have any suggestions for 2018?

Brave souls on a sea watch