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

There are a profusion of yellow coloured flowers on show along the coast at the moment, this particular bank of "weeds" was particularly interesting. Hoary Mustard With Ragwort, Hoary Mustard, Wild Parsnip, Evening Primrose, Great Mullein, and Autumn Hawksbit in  the mix. Great Mullein flower close up Ragwort and Cinnabar Moth caterpillars The Ragwort had a few Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars, just one of the 87 or so invertebrates which rely on the plant for survival; whilst the Great Mullein showed some signs of being attacked by the Mullein moth caterpillar. Plenty of other wildlife about with Holly Blue, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and Large White Butterflies all on the wing, and recently born Viviparous (common) Lizards on the wooden wall near the main access to the beach at Pembrey Country Park, a few adults were also on show, this lizard has a highly variable pattern of markings making for quite a show. Also on the wall was a very nice Rob

Not so fast some may think, however in the natural world the signs of the changing seasons are all around, not least along the coastline. An hour on Cefn Sidan showed just what is happening with waders breeding in the sub-Arctic regions already back on the beach, with 170 Sanderling and c30 Dunlin, many moulting from summer plumage into the drab winter plumage. Sanderling Juvenile Black-headed, Herring, Lesser Black-back and Greater Black-backed gulls forming large mixed flocks with a few Mediterranean Gulls in the mix. The recent unsettled weather with well timed high water has, as usual brought Gannets and Manx Shearwaters in close. While all this is going on second brood Holly Blue butterflies are around Pembrey Country Park along with Dark Green Fritillaries. Most flowers are "going over" however look closely and there are plenty still to be found, Yarrow in both white and pink forms is plentiful, with Common Mallow, Restharrow, Wild Carrot being some of the m

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