Let me explain.... Sunday 15th July 2018

There can be no doubt that working outdoors, no matter what the weather, is a most rewarding occupation.

People often comment to me "what a great job you have", "you're so lucky" "what a great office", "driving around all day that's nice"; let me explain the reality

When you see me, or any of the Outdoor Recreation Team, rangers, park staff, maintenance ,and the managers driving around you can bet that we are not on a "jolly".

Granted when I'm on the reserves I can really enjoy the wildlife, spend an hour pottering around, making notes watching the wildlife yes its great; but it's not all roses so here is my (our) day today.

After checking the reserve and pottering around I went into Pembrey Country Park and met up with the duty manager.

We caught up with jobs that didn't get done on Saturday such as some bins (they fill up magically overnight!), patrolled the beach cleaning up more litter from last night, then off to CE53 to clear what is in essence fly tipping by the beach-goers. After a well deserved cuppa, although some of us had a breakfast roll - not me! we got on with other tasks, talking to visitors etc, 


Then: forgotten which order though......


A burst waste water pipe quickly resolved with appropriate procedures in place

Cover a colleagues' lunch break

Bins checked and emptied (I emptied one set of bins four times between 3pm and 8pm)

With BBQ's and fires still banned we kept patrolling the park and yes I found a family oblivious to the ban (despite signs and verbal instructions at the barrier) happily BBQing away, all sorted.

More patrolling, talking to visitors (one lovely couple from Kent plenty of locals)

Then a road traffic accident on the approach road, directing traffic as the Police had no spare officers!, I left my colleagues to it and went back in the park -----oh another family BBQing!

I think we had lunch at some point....

Then the RNLI needed help as the tide began to lap around their tyres with the battery in the 4x4 flat!!!

And then another issue which needed resolving but is not appropriate to blog about.

So yes its a great job, great team, great fun but easy it is not...…

I'm sure something else happened but for some reason I cannot remember what !

Forthcoming events, update Monday 9th July 2018

Some events in the nest few weeks:-

Carmarthenshire Local Nature Reserves


July 14th, The flora of Mynydd Mawr woodland park, a former coal site,  10am - 1pm.

August 11th a Saltmarsh tramp, Pembrey Burrows LNR 10am - 1pm

Environment and Biodiversity team 

Gwlyptiroedd Gwych
Taith gerdded i ymweld Pyllau Cochion a Mynydd Bach gael gwybod mwy am gynefinoedd cors arbennig hyn
Gorffennhaf 26fed 16:30
Wonderful Wetlands!
A walk to visit Pyllau Cochion and Mynydd Bach Commons to find out more about these special bog habitats
July 26th 16:30
• Byddwch yn ymweld â dwy gors allweddol ger Brechfa -sef tiroedd comin Pyllau Cochion a Mynydd Bach -yng nghwmni aelodau Prosiect Corsydd Sir Gaerfyrddin.
• Bydd cyfle i ddysgu pam y mae'r corsydd hyn yn helpu i gadw ein traed yn sych, ac i ryfeddu at eu bywyd gwyllt.
• Man ymgynnull -Pyllau Cochion SN498 268
• I gael rhagor o fanylion, cysylltwch â'r Swyddog Bioamrywiaeth: 01558 825390; Bioamrywiaeth@sirgar.gov.uk
• Cofiwch wisgo esgidiau glaw.
• Join members of the Carmarthenshire Bogs Project to visit two important bogs near Brechfa –Pyllau Cochion and Mynydd Bach Commons
• Find out more about why these wetlands help keep our feet dry and the fascinating wildlife that lives there.
• Meet at Pyllau Cochion SN498 268
• Contact Biodiversity Officer for more details: 01558 825390; Biodiversity@carmarthenshire.gov.uk.
• Please dress appropriately –boots/wellies essential!

And so the heat continues with mixed fortunes for our wildlife Sunday 8th July 2018

I spent a few early hours on the Pembrey Burrows LNR on Saturday and Sunday, and was pleased to see so many butterflies on the wing, especially along the track to the information hut.
Species included, SMALL SKIPPER, LARGE WHITE, MEADOW BROWN, GATEKEEPER, MARBLED WHITE, COMMON BLUE and GRAYLING, in fact at least 30 Grayling were along the track which is a huge improvement on last years poor showing.

Grayling

Again good numbers of SAND MARTIN were present across the marsh which is much earlier than usual, perhaps a sign of a good breeding season?

Despite being in the grip of a heatwave, autumn in the natural world is already underway and soon we should be getting sightings of Hirundines flocking to the reedbeds, sandpipers on the mud around Old Pembrey Harbour along with increasing numbers of Med' Gulls and Sandwich Terns, get out there and look..

Message in a bottle and the miracle of nature Wednesday 4th July 2017

An overcast morning was in sharp contrast to the last few weeks, slightly cooler and much more bearable.

Wednesday's are usually volunteer day, but with holidays and a lack of jobs there seemed little point in dragging the team out.

We have had two lads on work experience in the country park so I was asked to give them a tour of the Pembrey Burrows LNR, the plan was a reptile survey and then a Strandline Beetle survey.

The reptile survey was disappointing, even at 09:30 I think it was too warm and most reptiles had warmed up and were already on the move, we did however find a GRASS SNAKE about 40cm long, and a WOOD MOUSE.

The survey for the Strandline Beetle was even more unproductive with none seen, this is the second unproductive survey this season.

We did however find a genuine "message in a bottle", with a bit of trouble including a finger well and truly stuck we managed to retrieve and read the rather sad message, a little too sad to publish on the blog.

On a brighter note we noticed a good number of the daytime flying, SIX SPOT BURNET MOTHS on the wing as well as a caterpillar starting to spin a cocoon, the photos illustrate the sequence of events.

Caterpillar starting to spin a cocoon 

A fresh cocoon 

An older, faded cocoon, from which an adult moth has emerged,

 see the two black "horns"

Adult Six-spot Burnet Moth

Don't be fooled, FIRE... Sunday 1st July

Well what a run of dry sunny weather, reminds me of 1976, yes I am old enough to remember!!!

The butterflies on all the reserves seem to be having a good season, maybe the cold winter played a part in this? It's worth getting out early to enjoy the cooler hours but stay long enough for the butterflies to get going.

Of course one downside to the hot weather is of course that much of the vegetation is "going over" sooner than perhaps it would during a "normal" summer, however the Common Sea Lavender is in bloom as is our speciality Rock Sea Lavender.

The warm weather has brought out the crowds, who in the main, have been well behaved, however no matter how well behaved people are mistakes, and, avoidable accidents do happen, and so it was on Sunday, when despite the small amount of rain, a small fire started in Pembrey Forest just outside the Country Park.

 It appears that an illegal campfire had been lit but despite the efforts of the person(s) responsible to put the campfire out they under estimated the ground conditions so the fire burned deep and reignited a few metres away....

Fortunately some passing dog walkers called the Fire Service however they were unable to provide a precise location, however after some thought and exploration we found the site of the fire.

The nature of the fire meant that water was required, no mean feat in the middle of Pembrey Forest, but the fire fighters soon had that sorted and the fire site thoroughly soaked with around 1000l of water

The few showers we had on Sunday have not reduced the fire risk at all it is still HIGH.

NO FIRES OR BBQ's ON THE DUNES, BEACH OR IN ANY WOODLAND, and ONLY BBQ IN THE COUNTRY PARK AT APPROVED SITES, KEEP DISPOSABLE BBQ's OFF THE GROUND

Fritillaries galore, Wednesday 27th June

The morning started with myself and stalwart Veronica clearing the parking areas of visitor induced litter...amongst which was a large and very pungent bag of animal bones, you just never know what the day will bring.

Many of you who know Pembrey Burrows LNR will be familiar with the ongoing work to eradicate sea Buckthorn from the reserve, its a slow process and today saw myself, Veronica and another stalwart,Neil surveying areas, [which have already had some work carried out], for regrowth and further management in the coming months.

The eradication work that has been carried out is already proving successful for the flora and a wide range of invertebrates.

Even in the soaring temperatures it wasn't too onerous a task as we were accompanied by a good range and quantity of butterflies in all of the grazing areas, although I did call a halt at 13:30 when the temperature was approach 26'.

On the butterfly front DARK GREEN FRITILLARIES were present in high numbers with around 100 individuals observed across the reserve, one area alone holding around 50 or so individuals; MARBLED WHITES, MEADOW BROWN, and SMALL SKIPPERS were also present in very good numbers, this year looks like being a better one than many previous years especially at a local level.

Dark Green Fritillary

Meadow Brown

One disappointment today was the lack of any MARSH HELLEBORINES at the two sites checked, where last year there were over 100 flower spikes, a cyclical or weather related issue?

With the continuing dry conditions showing no real sign of letting up, the whole of the coastal plain is tinder dry, please be vigilant and let myself or my colleagues in Outdoor Recreation (via the country park) know of any signs of camp fires/BBQ's etc  on the reserves or in the coastal park that may pose a threat.

Morfa Berwig guided walk Saturday 23rd June 2018

In lovely summer sunshine a small group met with Dr Simeon Jones for a guided walk looking at the flora of the Morfa Berwig LNR, a site with a chequered past, from coastal marsh to refuse tip to overflow car park...

Immediately we set off we can across some of the typical plants of the site in the from of Rushes, with Hard, Soft and Compact and Round Fruited Rush all growing in close proximity to one of the seasonal pools.

Hard Rush

Teasel

A little more showy were the Southern Marsh Orchids, now past their best but still identifiable, Marsh Bedstraw, Water Forget-me-Not, Teasel, Meadow Vetchling Nipplewort, Oxeye Daisy, Creeping Jenny and Greater Birds Foot Trefoil were amongst a good range of plants Simeon showed us.

Nipplewort

We also saw Southern Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer dragonflies, Small Skipper and Meadow Brown butterflies were widespread, feeding on Hogweed we found the aptly named Black and yellow Long Horned Beetle.

Southern Hawker

Black and yellow Long Horned Beetle

The next Carmarthenshire Local nature Reserves event will be at Mynydd Mawr Woodland park Nr Tumble, on 14th July, looking at the range of flora that has colonised this former coal producing site.