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I'm a little bit under the weather this week, hopefully normal service will resume in a few days, in the meantime get out and enjoy the autumn, looks like lots of birds are passing  through the area

Strandline Beetle Survey Wednesday 6th September 2017

Back in the swing....

After fixing a stile, and crecoting (the new safer version of creosote) the door to the shelter Veronica and I had lunch on the beach, after what seemed a never ending drive though soft sand!

I wanted to start the September round of Strandline Beetle surveys so we walked the most productive stretch of beach between CE51 and the end of grazing field 2.

We found five beetles along this stretch which I was pleased about as in August I hadn't recorded any along the beach in the survey area, (Barry Stewart during the survey for Natural Resources Wales in 2016 felt that they disappear at that time of year).

The Strandline Beetle

All five beetles we found were under plastic of one sort or another, despite there being some "ideal looking" pieces of driftwood lying on the beach. One beetle was found under a plastic barrel at the foot of a near vertical dune cliff, not apparently having read the literature which indicates they don't like that habitat.

Hopefully the beetles found will go on to breed in the next few weeks thus sustaining an already fragile population.

There's still another stretch of beach to survey which proved productive early in the season.

I'm back, Tuesday 5th September 2017

I'm back from a well earned break on the Spanish island of Majorca, it was unashamedly a "beach and chilling" holiday, although I did see a few nice birds, including, Eleonoras Falcon, Peregrine Falcon (with one of the hotels feral pigeons and I don't think they were off to the beach!!!) Audouins Gull, Cattle Egrets and Sardinian Warbler.

I also saw what is apparently the most expensive sailing yacht in the world built at a cost of-300 million euros!

Made of steel, 468ft long with the masts almost 300ft high!

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I'm taking a break,
normal service will be resumed soon.

P

Salt marsh plants, Saturday 26th August 2017

Today was a guided event day, with the topic being flowers of the salt marsh led by Simeon the conservation officer.

An overcast dawn turned into a warm sunny morning as we were joined by a small group, of mainly new people, to look at the specialists that inhabit the salt marsh at Pembrey Burrows LNR.

No matter what the title of an event it's impossible to ignore anything of interest and we were soon looking at a mix of dune and  marsh plants; too many to list them all but the special ones included:

Rock Sea Lavender, Sea Centuary, Sea Rush, Sea Aster, Sea Wormwood, Seablite, Common Lavender and Sea Purslane.

Sea Aster

Sea Centuary

Just from the names a clear theme develops, the plants have a close association with the coast.

Having just missed high water, we arrived at "the nose" while there were still good numbers of birds present including, Sandwich Tern (200+), Black headed Gull, Common Gull, Whimbrel, Mallard and Ringed Plover.

Another successful event.

The next event is on THURSDAY 31st AUGUST at 2pm, - Bumblebees

Upgrade Tuesday 22nd August 2017

Having held my C class ringing permit for several years, I've been thinking that I should get my backside in to gear and progress to the next level of an A class permit, my peers have been coaxing me for a while so I've finally given in.

This morning, in seemingly good conditions I went through the assessment process, it was tough being under the spotlight but seemingly I am capable enough to have been supported in my application to upgrade, the only downside was the overall lack of numbers of birds, although with 12 species of birds the assessor was able to see me handle, age and assess a good range of birds, then rain stopped play!

With Blackcap (11), plus numbers of Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Robins, Dunnocks, with Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Wren, Blackbird, Chiffchaff, and Willow Tit (1).

Willow Tit

The Willow Tit was the most interesting bird, as it was a "control",  having been ringed originally across the way at WWT Llanelli a few weeks ago as a juvenile (BTO code 3J).This is a good indication of dispersal, albeit a short distance, from its natal area and a good record for the reserve.

There are a few more hoops to jump through before I may be granted an A class ringing permit, so hold on....

Signs of nature Thursday 17th August 2017

Quite often it is possible to confirm the presence of elusive creatures by the signs they leave behind.

Today whilst doing a reptile survey I found some "scat" from a small mammal, can anyone identify it?

small mammal scat (poo)

Birds also leave behind evidence of their presence, I don't mean the splashes of poo on your clean car but signs in the form of "pellets", the undigested remains of their prey, any ideas which species of bird left this pellet?, clue its composed of beetle elytra, and seeds

bird pellet

Signs of the changing seasons are everywhere not least in the presence of migratory birds last seen on their spring arrival, Northern Wheatears were on the reserve this morning, this member of the Chat family is a summer visitor to our shores, nesting in a range of open habitats from offshore islands, dune systems (not Pembrey sadly) to mountain slopes, they have one of the longest migrations of any passerine with some birds passing through the UK to breed in artic Canada; before returning to sub-Saharan Africa.

Northern Wheatear, Juvenile/female type

map from wikipedia