Paul's Blog - All comments and views are my own,

More than sand..... This afternoon I ventured to a part of the reserve that I haven't paid much attention too in the past the Northern edge of the upper marsh. Its quite interesting out on this part not least because navigating across it needs some thought, a bit of jumping and wellies!!! One of the creeks which criss cross the marsh The Reed bed get inundated on a very high tide, as demonstrated by the amount of sea borne rubbish along the edge of the reeds, but is fed by fresh water seepage as demonstrated by the water running off into the creeks (the tide hasn't reached the reeds for a few weeks). It is here that one of the specialities of the reserve may? be found its a snail about 3mm high one of the "Whorl" snails, Vertigo angustior, there's no photo not because its rare, but because, its VERY RARE and is specially protected. I suspect that there are Harvest Mice using the reed bed and I'll look into that in the next few weeks. The

Signs of Spring..... The weather today was a vast improvement on yesterday, which saw wind, rain, sleet and a little snow. Although a chilly WNW breeze it amounted to very little and the overcast skies cleared to make it feel very nice out of the breeze. On the beach the recent tides have covered over a lot of the "rubbish" as well as lots and lots of shells, the wind in the past few days has been in a North to North West direction which seems to have been perfect to create "sand sculptures" a few centimetres high; here come the arty photos. A "strandline Safari" to look for signs of spring revealed a few specialist creatures including a large ground beetle called, the Strand-line Burrower, Broscus cephalotes ( see photo) as well as the Sand Hopper Talitrus saltator , (no photo sorry!) The Strand-line Burrower On the Dunes themselves the Skylarks were in full song with lots of territorial disputes going on, I hadn't

Metrological Spring....still looking like Winter... The first day of March, and the first day of the metrological spring, I prefer to wait for the equinox before getting too excited about spring. What it does mean is that its the day to update things like the tide times and wildlife sightings boards in the information shelter; with that job done a quick look around the reserve turned up a few birds who clearly have spring very much in mind. Skylarks singing in the rain, Robins, Dunnocks all singing away. There is quite a decent mixed flock of finches feeding on the Sea Buckthorn berries, they are actually after the hard seed inside the orange flesh. Greenfinches A good mix of Greenfinch, Chaffinch and Brambling, along with Blue Tits and Goldcrest these were looking for insects and spiders. Brambling (heavily cropped photo sorry) There are still Teal around they favour the deeper creeks to rest in when the marsh is not flooded, I couldn

Winters end..... With February drawing to a close the weather seems to have settled down a bit and today, although overcast was dry and cold with the wind not as strong or as bitter as forecast. I spent five hours walking around the reserve and it was magical... 73 Common Snipe and 2 Jack Snipe off the upper marsh were the best records of the day. On the beach was the first dead sea bird that I have found which was a Gannet it appears to be an adult, not long dead although the left foot was missing? Gannet, I've just realised how dreadful the picture looks The powerful bill says it all for this master fisher Despite all the storms so far this winter its remarkable that this is the first bird I've found, the rough weather will have had a negative affect on the feeding abilities of the Auk family amongst other. This afternoon I put out some traps at home and ringed two Starling and two Robins. Then I returned to Pembrey to sit out hoping to see s

Felt like Spring had arrived.... A great morning out in almost unbroken sunshine, until midday when it became overcast and cooler. I had to check the entire length of the fence in one of the grazing fields this morning, but not before a quick sea watch which produced few birds but real quality in the form of 50+ common Scoter and three Great Northern Divers.... I never said they were close, although this one was feeding in the surf The fence was fine and I continued along the beach in total isolation except for the continuous sound of Skylarks singing, along with Dunnocks, Robins and Reed Buntings all feeling the urge. Skylark, this one just kept on singing The reserve is important for many different groups of animals and plants so there is always something to see I cannot always name the individuals at the time as I cannot carry a book for each and every subject, sometimes its a case of looking information up at home. Badger latrine, the badgers

Fences and corpses.... A glorious morning turned into a glorious day, there was little frost with temperatures at the reserve around 0', the sand was solid but the frost soon lifted. A quick sea-watch from CE53 on a high tide revealed Red-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver in the estuary but a long way off,  with lots of gulls feeding on the falling tide. A walk around the cattle ponds turned up a male Brambling with the flock of Chaffinches, I suspect there are more Brambling in the flock. The Skylarks were in full song, at one point there were five or six just flying around as we sat and had lunch, (we because on a Wednesday the stalwart volunteers turn up to work on projects in the coastal park, mainly on the reserves) We were fixing the vandalised fencing ready for more cattle to be brought onto the reserve A visitor had told me that there was a fish or something with teeth was washed up on the beach, further investigation revealed a decomposing sea mam

Frost and Rainbows ..... The overnight forecast indicated a frost and a bright sunny day, so when I stepped outside what did I find, well it was raining!. not a lot but any frost had long disappeared. The drive over North Gower towards Oxwich on the South side did not make the weather improve. When I arrived Keith and Emma had already set the one net that we would use, (NRW have ponies grazing on the marsh). The overcast skies looked as though they would clear but not before a light shower wetted the table, the books and equipment, the double rainbow did make us smile though. The morning produced about forty birds, a mixture of new and retrapped individuals. Male Siskin Siskins stole the early rounds with a smattering of Chaffinches and Goldfinches, with surprisingly few tits! Male Chaffinch, this brute of a specimen may be a continental bird This is the wing of the above bird and had a length of 93mm making me think it is a continental visitor