Storm Dennis update, Wednesday 19th February 2020

The effect of two storms in less than a week are now being seen along the coast.

Monday saw what appears to be a Short-beaked Common Dolphin, recently dead, washed up on the beach, [any marine mammal experts out there let me know if my ID is wrong] and nearby a Guillemot, this weekend one of our rangers, Oliver, will be carrying out the annual winter Beached-Bird Survey, if there is more to report I'll post in a blog.

Short Beaked Common Dolphin?

The occasional storm casualty is to be expected even amongst those animals designed for a life in the ocean as such death is part of the natural cycle of things.

Today however was a sight that I have not witnessed before, probably 100's of thousands of the Common Otter Shell,  Lutraria lutraria, either dead or dying washed up along Cefn Sidan. The empty shells of this large, up to 15cm long, marine bivalve (bivalve= a mollusc having a hinged double shell) are a common feature of the beach so where have all these fresh intact individuals appeared from.

The Common Otter Shell lives buried deep in the offshore sand banks, spending all of its adult life in spot attached to the substrate by a very weak foot, and is susceptible to being dislodged from its hole. It is very likely that the sandbanks have been damaged by the recent storms resulting in this mass stranding.

Common Otter Shell, showing extended siphon

The discovery of the vast amounts of ready meals on the beach as a result of the stranding has resulted in thousands of Herring, Lesser Black-backed, Great Black-backed, Common and Black-headed gulls descending on the beach to pick up a free meal.

Great Black-backed Gulls 

My personal advice is to avoid collecting and eating the shellfish yourselves, I'd rather leave it for the birds.

Elsewhere, there are signs that Spring is nearby, with Lesser Celandine flowering, it's usually one of the first true woodland flowers to appear, the Great Tits making a lot of noise plus my favourite the Song Thrush just getting it's voice back.

Outdoor Recreation Service, Who are we? part 1 Monday 17th February 2020

It occurs to me when I write the blog that perhaps many of the readers don't really know who I work for, all comments and opinions are my own of course, so as the title suggests todays blog is written to bring clarity and hopefully understanding to some of the previous blogs., I will look at Pembrey and Llyn Llech Owain Country Parks'

Our readily identifiable logo can be seen across all of the sites we manage

I work as the co-ordinator for volunteers & education for Carmarthenshire County Councils' Outdoor Recreation Service, part of Leisure Services within the Directorate for Communities. The service is responsible for the County owned and managed Country Parks, Green Spaces, Local Nature Reserves and the Pendine Outdoor Education Centre; my remit covers the Country Parks and Green Spaces.

The Country Parks are Pembrey, (PCP) and Llyn Llech Owain,(LLO) whilst the Green Spaces include Mynydd Mawr Woodland Park,(MW)  the Millennium Coastal Park (MCP) and Burry Port Harbour,(BPH), (although the management of the actual harbour is carried out by The Marine Group). The team is small and multi skilled with park rangers, maintenance, campsite, event and administration staff amongst the team. We are all based at Pembrey Country Park, this can give the impression of " a lot of staff at Pembrey" in fact on a day to day basis most of the team are out working at our other sites with a heavy workload covering everything from emptying litter bins, checking the playground equipment, dealing with enquiries and leading groups;  to making sure the coastal public rescue equipment from Lougher bridge to Pendine hasn't been vandalised!

Pembrey Country Park, ranked the 2nd most visited tourist destination in Wales, is at the heart of our work with its 500+ acres offering fantastic range of recreation facilities, children's play area, a 325 pitch campsite miles of peaceful walks, great wildlife and of course eight miles of beach including the first Blue Flag Beach in Wales. The beach and adjoining dunes are  very much a natural beach, being designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Area of Conservation and a European Marine Site; popular with locals and visitors has lifeguards in attendance through the peak season, with the ever important toilets and refreshments just a stones throw away from the sands. Dogs are not permitted on the one mile of Blue Flag beach from May1st until September 31st inclusive with fires and BBQ's not allowed at any time for public safety and to protect the wildlife interests on the beach.

Another popular feature of the beach are the many shipwrecks, discussed in a recent blog; with big tides it is advisable not to wander out on to the sandbanks, the rising tide comes in fast!

As a result of Storms Ciara & Dennis visitors are advised to only access the beach from the main beach access point in the country park; visitors will notice the sheer faces to miles of sand dunes again our advice is to walk at least 10m away from the base of the dunes.

Call into the visitor centre adjacent to the restaurant for maps and leaflets or chat to one of our team, follow the link to our website, www.pembreycountrypark.wales

Llyn Llech Owain Country Park, at Gorslas near Crosshands is a very different park, at just 180 acres with a mix of woodland and forest, bog, heath and of course its wonderful lake offers a different type of experience many of the paths have been surfaced to allow access for wheelchair users. Much of the park is designated a SSSI  and an SAC. Refreshments and a children's play area, can be found near the main car park

Common Crossbill

The wildlife in the park includes a range of interesting birds such as Siskin, Common Crossbill and Willow Tit, whilst on the mammal front Otters are occasional visitors

The attractive visitors centre has displays explaining more about this wonderful park, you can also find out more by going to:-                     http://www.pembreycountrypark.wales/things-to-do/llyn-llech-owain-country-park/


Part 2 will look at the Green Spaces we manage, but that will wait a little while as I plan another update on the storms.....

VIP Wednesday, 12th February 2020

Many followers will know that Wednesday has become our traditional volunteering day, so today I was joined by one of our VIP's, (volunteer in parks) another Paul.

The volunteers have a project to refurbish the entrance to Pembrey Country Park complimenting the soon to be installed new entrance sign, and in doing so improve the ground flora to benefit pollinators.

The area either side of the barrier has looked neglected for sometime so it was with some determination that the two of us set about tackling the "easy" right hand side.

The idea is to open up the approaching vista, get more light to the ground under the mature trees and generally just make the entrance more welcoming. 

Armed with our new tools funded by Welsh Government via the Local Nature Partnership we set about making light work of the task !!!!

Before

VIP Paul in action

We soon discovered that the majority of the saplings were already dead, with the remainder suffering from natural dieback. In around three hours we had cleared all the saplings achieving part one of the plan. We are left with three piles of timber which will either be chipped or used as a  "dead hedge" elsewhere in the park; a dead hedge is exactly what it says a hedge made up of dead timber through which other vegetation can grow forming a useful barrier.

Part two of the plan will see the area in front of the low wall covered with topsoil and chipped bark ready for planting with pollinator plants- which brings me to another point, as this is a volunteer project would any readers like to volunteer some plants to be used in this area? if you are feeling generous then get in touch....

After!

The slate sign will be repainted and the slate oiled

Compare the first photograph and see that

Stage 1 is completed, next landscaping then plants

If anyone fancies some banter and physical exercise or perhaps is good with an artists paint brush get in touch, always room for one or two more.

The left hand side of the entrance will be seeing the same work with the addition of the removal of the wooden fence, but that's for another day!

Storm Ciara update Tuesday 11th February

Memorable for all the wrong reasons storm Ciara slammed into the UK over the weekend, with coastal communities along the West coast being battered with high winds and rain.

Image from Met Eireann

At Pembrey the storm has left an interesting trail of damage, with the RAF Pembrey Sands weather station recording sustained wind speeds of 45mph and gusts of around 62mph. Combined with the tide at the peak of the monthly cycle with high tides of 9.0m there were bound to be consequences.

The line of dunes from Tywyn Point at the Western edge of Cefn Sidan  to The Nose at the Eastern edge has borne the brunt of both wind and tide with tonnes of sand being eroded from the dunes leaving high flat dune faces, which has resulted in advice not to access the beach from either CE54 or CE 55. With plenty of winter weather still to go it is likely that there will be further erosion of the dunes.

The benches at the main beach entrance! (photo L Walters)

Dramatic dunes and seascape (L Walters)

Remembering that all of this is the natural cycle of the coast is sometimes hard to appreciate, nonetheless it is natural, albeit now happening on a more regular basis. The sand will not have gone far and we will in all probability see accretion (that's the technical term for the sand being deposited) further along the coast and/or just offshore forming higher sandbanks.

The effect of the wind on objects on the beach can be seen in these "shell sculptures"

As devastating as this erosion appears nature has a remarkable way of repairing or compensating for such events, it may take years to see the outcomes of these events. Driftwood in all it's guises helps in the protection of the dunes, not least by providing a structure against which sand can build up, a good reason not to remove or burn driftwood on the beach. 

Considerable quantities of marine litter have been washed ashore as well as much marine life in the form of seaweeds such as Kelps, Thongweed, an assortment of Wracks, along with a great array of the remains of crabs, and a myriad of empty shells and cases such as this near perfect Sea Potato, a Sea Urchin which lives buried in the sand

Anyone with any interest in beachcombing could do a lot worse than investing in a personal favourite of mine  "The Essential guide to Beachcombing and the Strandline" by Steve Trewhella and Julie Hatcher.

The woodland areas of the park did not escape unscathed with trees toppled in  a number of places, a salutory reminder that when the "keep out of the woodlands" signs go up they go up to protect visitors!

With another named storm "Dennis" due this weekend winter is not yet done.....

Breeding Birds & Heronries Survey Carmarthenshire; Tuesday 4th February 2020

Wearing a different hat, as the regional representative for the BTO, I am putting out a plea for volunteers to carry out Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS) and/or Heronry surveys.

Having contacted registered BTO members across the county I have had a very positive response to the email I sent, with possibly two new heronries identified already.

Just to whet peoples appetite here is a list of the known heronries in Carmarthenshire, if anyone wants to express interest in visiting and confirming breeding this year please get in touch, also see links to the BTO Heronries and BBS pages.

https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/heronries-census

https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/bbs

HERONRIES, (some duplicates)

CARM	SN794126	Ystradgynlais, Giedd Forest	SN7912
CARM	SN778112	Upper Cwm-twrch (Palleg) (Brynhenllys)	SN7711
CARM	SN753309	Allt Cwar Mawr, Llandovery (or Allt Trefenty, Llwyn y wermwd Park) (GR=SN773322?)	SN7530
CARM	SN25.08.	Llanmilo, Pendine	SN2508
CARM	SN573212	Wern Wood, Allt y Gaer, Dryslwyn (ex Dynevor Park SN6122 & Golden Grove, Aberglasney 580216)	SN5721
CARM	SN750413	Neuadd-Fawr, Cilycwm, Llandovery	SN7541
CARM	SN267205	Castell Gorfod, Meidrim	SN2620
CARM	SN76.34.	Ystrad, Llandovery	SN7634
CARM	SN656384	Allt Pen-y-coed/Ynysau, Crugybar (Glan yr Annell)	SN6538
CARM	SN48.21.	Cwm Farm, Nantgaredig (GR uncertain)	SN4821
CARM	SN512425	Gwargraig, Llanybydder	SN5142
CARM	SN322100	Craig Ddu, Laques-fawr, Llansteffan	SN3210
CARM	SN33.14.	Cwm, Llangynog (GR approx)	SN3314
CARM	SN336209	Berthlwyd, Llanllwch (Banc y felin)	SN3320
CARM	SN441117	Gwempa Wood, Pontantwn, near Kidwelly	SN4411
CARM	SN397136	Pentrecwm (Coed Farm, Ferryside)	SN3913
CARM	SN768287	Near Cefn-gwrych, Myddfai, Llandovery	SN7628
CARM	SN562322	Bryn Cothi, Abergorlech, near Glan Rhyd-y-Gwial, Brechfa Forest	SN5632
CARM	SN492012	Coed y Strade, Llanelli (Stradey Castle Woods) (prev at 489014)	SN4901
CARM	SN621124	Tirydail, Ammanford	SN6212
CARM	SN383255	Carmarthen Reservoir, Cwm Tawel, Cynwyl Elfed (Rock & Fountain Inn)	SN3825
CARM	SN588461	Cwm Talfoel, Tanlan, Cwmann, Lampeter (?= 044030)	SN5846
CARM	SN523453	Maes-isaf, Pencarreg, Lampeter	SN5245
CARM	SN383045	Pembrey Forest, Llanelli	SN3804
CARM	SN229245	Cwmfelin Mynach, Llanboidy, Whitland	SN2224
CARM	SN498148	White Hall, Cwmisfael, Porthyrhyd (from 044014?)	SN4914
CARM	SN530317	Lletty'r Deryn, Gwernogle, Brechfa Forest, Llandeilo	SN5331
CARM	SN679258	Crwel, Bethlehem, Llandeilo (= 044035?) (Coed Mawr, Manordeilo)	SN6725
CARM	SN300228	Castell Bron-niwl, Meidrim	SN3022
CARM	SN656384	Allt Pen-y-coed/Ynysau, Crugybar (use 044008)	SN6538
CARM	SN578466	Allt Tanlan, Cwmann, Lampeter (?= 044021)	SN5746
CARM	SN42.06.	Morfa Cydweli (GR uncertain)	SN4206
CARM	SN679429	Trebeddau, Cwrt-y-cadno, Llanwrda	SN6742
CARM	SN464399	Allt Pantyfen, Llanfihangel-ar-arth, Llandyssul (VC46) (= 460403)	SN4639
CARM	SN578078	Ystlys y Coed Uchaf, Pont Abraham, Fforest, Pontardulais	SN5707
CARM	SN675256	Coed Mawr, Maenor Deilo (= 044027?)	SN6725
CARM	SN43.37.	Banc Scythlyn, Pencader	SN4337
CARM	SN651298	Goitre, Taliaris	SN6529
CARM	SN764413	Penfedw Fawr, Cilycwm	SN7641
CARM	SN567017	Morfa Llangennech	SN5601
CARM	SN515135	Gors, Mynydd-cerrig	SN5113
CARM	SN406267	Crychdu, Llanpumsaint (GR wrong?)	SN4026
CARM	SN199289	Aber Elwyn, Glandwr	SN1928
CARM	SN412252	Allt Troed-y-rhiw-Fawr, Cwmdwyfran	SN4125
CARM	SN518309	Felin Marlais, Brechfa	SN5130
CARM	SN455294	Alltyllan, Llanllawddog	SN4529
CARM	SN166237	Fronhaul, Login	SN1623
CARM	SN694293	Allt y Fron, Llangadog	SN6929
CARM	SN757408	Cae'r Beili, Cilycwm (moved from 044038)	SN7540
CARM	SN670263	Glanbrydan, Manordeilo (moved from 044035?)	SN6726
CARM	SN795376	Tan-y-pal, Cynghordy	SN7937
CARM	SN766336	Alltdingat, Llandovery (?= 044007)	SN7633
CARM	SN453213	Allt Bryn-Myrddin, White Mill	SN4521
CARM	SN726311	Cwmcowddu, opposite Llanwrda	SN7231
CARM	SN44.36.	New Inn, Pencader (appeared mid 1990s)	SN4436
CARD	SN508432	Moor Wood, Highmead, Rhuddlan	SN5043
CARM	SN567499	Falcondale, near Lampeter	SN5649
CARM	SN420384	Allt Pen-pistyl, near Talgoed, Llandysul	SN4238