New title photograph

I'll change the title image each month so please send in your images (max 800 pixels).

Thanks

Andy

Mini beasts in north Pembs

Stone Fly on the prowl

Today was time for the quarterly invertebrate monitoring on the river Cneifa and Pedran, both tributaries of the river Cych in Cwm Cych. By carrying out regular kick sampling and monitoring the number of invertebrates found it is hoped to build up a picture of the health of the streams and rivers in the area. Both streams were found to have a good population of stonflies, olives and caddis (cased and caseless), although the Cneifa seemed to have more than its share of midge larvae. A bit rather cold on the hands but a great way to spend a sunday morning with the kids.

Swans

Spotted 3 swans on the sea at St Justinians this afternoon which I thought was rather unusual. They were happily drifting about in the sunshine...

Preparing for the Big Garden Bird Watch tomorrow- anyone else doing their bit too?

Westfield Pill

Another great location for viewing birds at close quarters is the bridge at the top of Westfield Pill. I was there shortly after Christmas when I suddenly realised that the branches of the trees around me were filling up with birds! I was hardly camouflaged in a bright red coat!!

I didn't have a camera with me but returned a few days ago and nothing out of the ordinary happened. I spent some time photographing the birds coming to the feeder including the smart nuthatch in the picture. It was only when a met a woman in a red coat who explained that she fed the birds on a regular basis did the penny drop!

Amazing wildlife experience at Bosherston

It was a privilege to have blue-tits, robins and great tits feeding from the hand down at the Grassy Bridge. This also provides superb photographic opportunities to capture these stunning birds at close quarters.

Funghi at Stackpole

I came across a large group of funghi at Stackpole just past the Hidden Bridge.

Sea Hares

I saw the post about sea hares and remembered seeing adults of this species (3) on the Gann Flats on 20th of January. They migrate up the shore in spring for breeding, but this is the earliest I've ever seen them in the inter-tidal.

Skomer 18th Jan

Over 100 seals hauled-out on the beach in North Haven with plenty of fulmars pairing-up on the cliffs. Guillemots also returning in numbers.

Snowdrops now in flower

The green shoots that started to show last week are now producing the first snowdrop flowers of the year.

Westfield Pill

A walk at daybreak this morning at Westfield Pill produced the usual Otter, 50+Siskins and a very confiding Water Rail. In recent days also Redpoll and a female Mandarin..
          
At Llanstadwell yesterday,a fine adult Mediterranean Gull in almost full summer plumage,a Greenshank,and at low tide 60 Black tail Godwit,with a single Bar Tailed.

Regards

Allan

Bittern at Bosherston

Bittern at Stackpole NNR. It was found in the reedbed near the beach. Lovely photograph by Richard Stonier.

Sea Hares 2011

Found some tiny sea hares in a low tide rockpool this afternoon- my first of 2011! Great tides for getting out and exploring at the moment, though rather cold on the hands!

Goosander

Fantastic picture of goosander taken by Clive H at Bosherston, Friday 21st January.

These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and then since 1970 it has spread across N England into wales, reaching SW England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. It is gregarious, forming into flocks of several thousand in some parts of Europe.

urban badger

Whilst walking my dog last Saturday evening I saw a badger on the side of the main road in Abercych, it was foraging around under a street light, I watched it for about 5min before leaving it in piece, it seemed oblivious to traffic or my presence. I spoke to someone the following day and they said that they had seen a badger just a few yards away earlier in the day, it must of been the same animal and was probably unwell and desperate for food, I've not seen it since.

 

Regards

 

Rob Wilson

Estuarine Fox

Whilst doing my monthly count for the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) I noticed one, then a second, fox asleep out on the saltmarsh at the mouth of Sprinkle Pill this afternoon. One had made a good attempt at concealing itself, the other less so....I severely doubt that the location of the foxes so close to c.2,000 ducks & waders as the tide was rising was purely coincidence!

Elegug Stack

Thousands of guileemots present on and around Stack Rocks today, all in breeding plumage. A few Shags and Fulmars also in the vicinity.

Otter

Otter spotted on west side of the LNG terminal just bellow the gun port on the cliff face.

Ed Male

Rare dragonfly

Jon B found a female Vagrant Emperor (A. ephippiger) on the coast path near St Davids. This is a very rare dragonfly in UK. Comes from North Africa/Med.

The lack of blue on segment 2 is because from the anal appendages shows it is a female.

Goosanders at Bosherston

A great photo of goosanders in flight by Richard Crossen.

Red Kite

Red kite spotted on the Haverfordwest to Dale road at Picking Corner on Friday afternoon.

Deer Park Seals

Two seals spotted off Wooltack this afternoon. Still a pup each on Jeffreys and Pebbly.

Wildlife puzzle

I've attached a photo of damage which we have very recently noticed on two gateposts at the end of our drive in Llanteg. We have been trying to work out what might have caused this very strange damage to the wood, and wondered if you could help us, or refer us to someone who could do so.

The posts are old and the exposed internal wood is fairly soft and easily be picked or pecked once the harder outer material has been penetrated. Strips of the material removed can be seen at the base of the post, and there is more damage in the lower half of the posts than higher up. Many of the areas gouged out are centred on circular holes in the wood like large wormholes.

Other harder fence posts and rails close by have not been touched. We've not seen any birds or animals near the posts, but they are not visible from our house.

Birds seem the obvious suspect but most damage has been done close to the ground, which might rule out GS Woodpeckers which I see regularly. We have many Rooks and Crows in the fields around the garden. Are Rooks boring in after grubs?   

Best Regards

Andy Webb

Tawny owls in Solva

The sound of hooting and screeching Tawny owls echoed around our little estate in upper Solva last night. The air was so still and windless that it was quite eerie, though rather beautiful. I managed to catch a glimpse of one on the wing gliding between trees.

We saw 2 red kites at Sandy Hill by the chapel on December 31st

Seal pups on the Deer Park

We saw two seal pups on Jeffrey's and Pebbley this lunchtime, both with pure white coats and still being fed by their mums. There may have been two more pups as there were more cows in the water.

Teilo

Red Kite

The moth trap has been empty for 2 days but the Red Kite seen between St Ishmaels and Sandy Haven was a welcome sight this morning!

Orca off St Anne's

At around 1pm this afternoon a brief view of an Orca about half way between St Anne's Head and Skokholm. Probably a young male given the shape and size of the fin and luckily two of us saw it but was not seen again.