HAPPY NEW YEAR, Carmarthenshire Local Nature Reserves

Hello 2018, Pembrey LNR was very busy yesterday, certainly for the short time I was there, I couldn't wait to get away, but I'll come back to that.

Disappointedly the New Year started with reports of poachers on the reserve, they were duly intercepted and the error of their ways pointed out to them, to be fair they were both very reasonable guys and I had a good chat with them about the reserve the issues we face and the wider countryside in general.

All the cattle looked well and were in the right places, but I've spotted a couple of potential problems which will hopefully be resolved tomorrow.

After  being growled at by a rather unruly dog and its companions running loose AGAIN! I thought it time to go for lunch, great idea I had not taken into account the total arrogance of a particular visitor who had blocked the barrier (appropriately the owner of said dogs!), with the help of more considerate visitors I managed to weave my way passed, but of course the Toyota pickup, an ambulance or coastguard vehicle would not have managed.

Well that was yesterday, so today it was Morfa Berwig reserve and a spell of road sweeping and ditch clearing... don't worry Wednesday gang there's still plenty to do.

I did not see a soul but found time to watch, a WILLOW TIT, and GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER as well as the usual assemblage of birds along the Afon Goch.

Great Spotted woodpecker

End of the year 31st December 2017

Another year draws to a close, it's worrying how quickly the years seem to pass when you reach a certain point in life, that's why you need to make the most of every day.

After a wild night (weather wise of course) it was Morfa Berwig this morning, to be greeted with a late Christmas present in the form of an old fridge!

THANKS !!

Still a walk around the reserve soon cheered me up with good numbers of birds present in the mild conditions:
WATER RAIL, MOORHEN, MALLARD, WILLOW TIT, BLUE & GREAT TITS, LONG-TAILED TITS, SONG THRUSH, JAY, BLACKBIRD, LITTLE EGRET, and fly over HERRING GULLS

Along the tarmac track there's an Ivy plant growing over some trees with the most incredible colours, very festive....

Ivy, spp

Well until 2018 take care everyone and God bless.

Frosty Thursday PART TWO

My plan was to "go for the owls" again this afternoon, so at I rocked up to the info' hut to find a small crowd of five people looking for the Short-eared Owls great, NO SIGN of them so far apparently.

Well one duly appeared and soon there were three hunting the dunes and marsh, the photographers , Ray and a mate of his, clicked away and I'm sure they had some decent shots, myself well nothing I would put on the blog!

Ray and his mate left and I sat in the van drinking coffee from my new flask (which I've already dropped!)

As I sat catching up on my "tweets" out of the corner of my eye no more than 50feet away a SHORT EARED OWL perched on a fence post. what a bit of luck, shame it was behind a branch which the camera kept focussing on... still here is a video or two and a photo of my own. In the second video you can make out the "ears" which are modified feathers., it was watching an approaching dog.

Frosty Thursday 28th December 2017

Quite a decent frost this morning, saw me at the Morfa Berwig reserve to retrieve the trail camera which I set yesterday evening......

Two very regular visitors to the reserve reported seeing an OTTER in the Afon Goch, we know Otters visit the reserve but to have a sighting is great. I have been talking about putting the camera out as there have been signs of Otters for a few weeks with the information received it seemed like a good idea.

Disappointedly there were no otters caught on camera, in fact nothing stirred during the night to set the camera off, this morning I had to break the ice from the post the camera was on to get it out of the river which was frozen with a decent layer of ice. So all I've got are the sounds of the birds flying over!

Ignore the time, it was actually 15:35

Frosty Camera!

As I was leaving the reserve I stopped to make a phone call and noticed the lightening blue of a KINGFISHER perched over one of the ditches, I took a record shot through the misty windscreen before attempting to open the van door which was just as well as the bird immediately took flight.

through the window Kingfisher

WATER RAILS were evident near the ringing rides as was a single WILLOW TIT 

Two more sleeps, Saturday 23rd December 2017

A damp mizzly sort of morning, but with the right clothing nothing to stop a decent walk around the Pembrey Reserve.

Nothing of note just good numbers of the common birds, with BULLFINCH, ROBIN, SONG THRUSH, FIELDFARE, BALCKBIRD SKYLARK AND STONECHAT all present.

A GREAT CRESTED GREBE off shore and 21 CORMORANTS, 29 RINGED PLOVER, 8 SANDERLING and c2000 OYSTERCATCHERS around CE51.

Clearly the excitement was yesterday when Jean Dovey was on site, armed with her camera she managed to capture some lovely shots of two SHORT-EARED OWLS, in what were clearly poor light conditions.

Its great to see that the owls have stayed around the area, although catching up with them is a bit of trial and error.

SEASONS GREETING TO ALL BLOG READERS.....

Ynys Dawela Nature Park Wednesday 20th December 2017

It's Wednesday, regular readers know that means it's volunteer day.

Today we journeyed to the NE corner of the county to the Ynys Dawela Nature Park.

In typical December weather of light rain and mist we tackled a few jobs, including removing some fencing - seems we always remove fences- the usual litter pick and a   Knotweed survey ready for dealing with in 2018, there was very little Knotweed found.

Just how deep is this pond?

It is a wonderful location and the recent management work on the dipping pond, the "meadows" and areas of woodland will enhance the respective habitats for the Marsh Fritillary and allow light to the woodland floor to enrich the flora.

Mown meadow

There were good sized mixed flocks of birds moving through the woods with TREECREEPER, NUTHATCH, BLUE, GREAT AND LONG-TAILED TITS, a few JAYS moving through and the ubiquitous GREY SQUIRREL.

The photo doesn't do the actual scene justice, ..all was calm and still.....

I saw most of the birds when I stopped to catch my breath on this flight of steps!!!!!!!!

 

Billy no mates, Morfa Berwig Tuesday 19th December 2017

I was expecting help in the form of a volunteer group this morning, unfortunately they cancelled at the last minute, these things happen.....

Being the OCD organised person I am I had already prepped a lot of work which needed to be finished, (I'd made such a mess I couldn't leave it)

The Berwig roundabout entrance is getting there, it was a bit muddy after the alterations, but now there is space for at least eight carefully parked cars enough for any events we hold there.

Interesting birds today, using the winter feeding station I've been given permission to set up, and already I can confirm the presence of WILLOW TIT, and a gang of COAL TITS.

Willow Tits are RED listed which means they are of the highest conservation concern in the UK, Carmarthenshire has a reasonable population of these very fussy birds.

    Willow Tit