Water Shrew

On 13th May about 25m above the stream at Castle Beach was this (dead) water shrew.  I've neither seen nor heard of one being found there before.

The new title picture is by Guy Hageman who had a memorable 40 minute encounter with the Bosherston otters on the Western Arm a couple of weeks ago.

An odd place to find sandhoppers

Located near the entrance to Point Farm on the Dale Fort Road is a manhole containing the water meter for Dale Fort. While checking this the other day I disturbed a rock and to my great surprise several sandhoppers (Talitrus saltator) hopped out from underneath.  I've read of these creatures living high above the sea in caves and crevices on very exposed shores (subject to a lot of salty spray) but never in what I'd consider a purely terrestrial habitat.  Given the location I suppose there's a strong maritime influence.  Nevertheless, the site is about 30m vertically from the sea above what is a very sheltered shore.

Polecats

Not one but two!! I saw a polecat disappearing into the woodland at St. Brides Castle last night at 10.30 and then another a minute later along the road up to Windmill Farm.

A group from Tasker Milward School were lucky to see an adder on their Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award practice expedition on the Preselis. It was seen at Bwlch Pennant on 31st March.

Flowers everywhere

I can't remember a time when it seems that all the flowers are out at the same time! The woodland at St. Brides Castle is already in full swing with a great display of bluebells and red campion. There is even the odd one out on Skomer although the ground is looking really parched, just like last year. It looks like the sea campion and thrift are going to struggle again. It seems that this event was triggered by the warm spell we had a few weeks ago.

Foxes galore

After not having seen any foxes for a while, I have seen 3 foxes in the last two days - one crossing the field behind our house in full sunshine at 5:30 pm, one at a similar time of day on the coast path below Waterston and one freshly dead by the road near Blackbridge. I don't know much about the timing of fox breeding but these all looked like rather scruffy females who were out and about as they were desperate for something to eat having been stuck in the den feeding hungry cubs. I see Derek also saw one in daylight eyeing the Glossy Ibises at Marloes Mere yesterday.
Rosemary

Garden Weasel

This was our first ever garden weasel - I was alerted to its presence by the most awful (ie something being killed) noise down by the shed. I investigated and saw some movement, then a weasel popped up on top of a pile of paving slabs, looked at me for a few seconds, then disappeared. I waited to see if it would re-appear and amazingly it did - back up on to the paving slabs, only about 4 feet away, and it looked straight through me at something very interesting behind me. I kept quite still and it jumped down off the slabs, ran straight between my legs and under some big sheets of blue plastic behind me. What a sighting - brilliant! No camera to hand, of course.
Perhaps the presence of weasels explains why our rat population seems to have diminished and rabbits never seem to get a foothold?
Rosemary

Spring at Bosherston

Although dull and cool at Bosherston this morning there was plenty to show that spring is with us. Apart from the birdlife (see Pembrokeshire Birds) Primroses line the path along the ponds. Wild Garlic is starting to flower, Violets are out in some numbers and the Orchid in the photo (I presume an Early Purple) capped them all.
Two Otters showed up at the Grassy Bridge seeming a little nervous.

Adders - anyone spotted one yet?

With all this early season warm weather I have been searching high and low for an adder to film. The last time I saw one was by accident when I nearly set my tripod leg on top of one curled up. However it slithered away pretty rapidly!!
So if anyone has seen one recently and can pin point a location where they have seen one regularly I would be most grateful if they could let me know. (tel/text 07713637126)