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

Five years ago this week I moved from the Cotswolds to the Llanelli area, somewhere I had sworn I would never come to live, how wrong I was, whilst I very much miss the great friends I had in the Cotswolds with so much to do within easy reach, I feel quite settled here. Having "retired" I went back to work and what a job I have, well it's what you make of it I suppose. Anyway observations, this blog is more about the dead than the living but sometimes the dead can tell us so much. In the past few weeks there have been two Short-beaked Common Dolphins washed up along with very young Harbour Porpoise. Short-beaked Common Dolphin, the gulls had been feeding Young Harbour Porpoise Sea Gooseberry and Moon Jellyfish have also come ashore in bigger than usual numbers. Sea Gooseberries Sea Gooseberry, a "Comb Jelly" with tentacles, these are almost always lost when beached Moon Jellyfish, these have a mild venom An update on the Long

So much has happened so quickly. Firstly a reliable sightings report of a PINE MARTEN in the Pembrey Forest was long overdue, spotted by one of our rangers, Oliver, a brownish, heavy mammal much larger than a Grey Squirrel weighing down the branch in a Sycamore tree, so what were the options, Stoats are known to climb trees but are no bigger than a Grey Squirrel, unlikely to weigh down a branch as described, and there we run out of options.  Pine Marten , (Wikipedia free to use) Historically it would seem likely that Pine Marten's have kept a toe-hold in the county for many years and now bolstered by the programme of planned releases in Mid and North Wales, perhaps there is some consolidation of their status, Work by local naturalist Ian Morgan highlights the history of this enigmatic mammal in Wales. https://eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.llanellinaturalists.org.uk%2Findex.php%2FWinter-1992%2F1993%2Finterim-notes-on-the-status-of-the-pine-ma

It's not over yet, yes restrictions have been eased very slightly but the overall message remains, Stay At Home. For those venturing out to exercise keep safe, to those venturing out to be stupid, well you need to think about what you are doing and how it affects other peoples enjoyment of the freedom to be outdoors. You will remember the recent blog about the fire in Pembrey Forest over the days of 29th, 30th and 31st May, and the lack of significant rain, (well until the last few days).  The fire was declared out! well in reality the fire had not gone out properly, yes there were no flames but it had moved underground burning slowly in the humus under the trees, so it was little surprise to be called to investigate smoke discovered  by some walkers on 8th June, they had managed to pour their drinking water on the smouldering ground. We also went and checked again on the 9th June and found another smouldering patch, now luckily these patches were !in the black" that

And so it continues...….. What were the chances of a global pandemic, affecting the UK, more specifically Wales, coinciding with a long run of mostly amazing spring weather; I wouldn't have taken bets on it. My thoughts go out to those personally affected by the Coronavirus, and to those who are struggling to come to terms with what may become the "new norm". Nature has certainly taken advantage of this brief respite from human activity, with normally timid animals becoming much more confiding, there are some Greater Spotted Woodpeckers in one of our Country Parks which have taken very much to feeding on the rotting wooden bollards around the car parks with not so much as a by your leave when I drive slowly passed. A pair of Grey Heron have set up home on an island in the lake at Pembrey Country Park which must be as a direct of there being next to nothing in the way of disturbance from dogs. If you have been able to exercise in the Millennium Coastal Park you w

COVID-19; Is this nature's revenge for the ruthless negligence we, the intelligent ape, have inflicted on the only world we have? I would never describe myself as an "eco warrior", a "nature lover", I'm not the "tree hugger" type, I eat meat and vegetables, (I've often wondered about vegetarianism, veganism, each to their own and I'm sure there is some merit in each chosen lifestyle) I would say that I have a considered and intellectual approach to our environment and the natural world, I've seen the good and the bad approaches to nature conservation; we all have differing views! My point, well it is abundantly clear that an unintended, (or was it?), effect of the Covid-19 virus across the world is one of self repair, nature is proving that given the opportunity it will repair the damage inflicted, in the main, by us the intelligent race. Of course the human cost in all of this cannot be ignored, and my heart goes out to those

And so it continues, no more to be said really. Nature seems to be taking full advantage of the relative quietness in the countryside generally, roadside verges looking as they should, resplendent in a covering of wildflowers. Of course the weather has played a part with settled conditions and no rain making for an easier start for many breeding birds and animals, what we don't need now is a spell of cold wet weather. Apple blossom is out in a few locations in the woodlands, mostly the result of discarded apple cores, nevertheless this blossom provides another nectar source for pollinators. I stumbled across a rather aggressive Hornet, I usually find Hornets to be quite docile so I can only assume that it was distressed, I moved it off the roadway and put it in a safe spot. Checking one of our picnic areas today I was disappointed to find the mess as shown in the photograph, if you're wondering there were 29 mixed beer and cider cans, 1 wine bottle and 4 water

I sincerely hope that wherever you are reading my Blog, and thank you, you are keeping safe and making the most of this challenging and strange time. Apart from noticing that there are very few people out and about, compared to normal, I have noticed another quite remarkable aspect to thie lockdown. The outdoors smells different, when I noticed this a few days ago I thought no, too much time indoors, so I never mentioned it then out of the blue a colleague said, "don't you think the air smells different", and it certainly does, cleaner maybe I can't quite say why it's different, but it is. On the wildlife front the summer migrants are arriving fast, with numbers of Whimbrel increasing daily, and the woods full of the song of Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, of course own own local birds are in full song also follow the link for a short burst of Even-Song I spotted some Cowslips yesterday looking magnificent. As sunset appro