First Newts!

A couple of Palmate Newts seen in our pond at Martin's Haven yesterday. It feels pretty early (especially how cold it was inland at Llandeilo last night) but, checking my records, around here we generally see the first newts by the end of January: they are really very hardy!

Butterfly and Moth Records

I would like to thank everybody who have sent me their Butterfly and Moth records for 2011. All the records are entered into Pembrokeshires database which goes on to make up the National database.
If you can help with any records from past years or for this year please contact me on Paul.warren@rocketmail.com

Paul Warren, County Lepidoptera Recorder for Pembrokeshire

There have been some early butterflies on the wing in 2012 with 1 Red Admiral at Monk Haven 0n 8-1-2112 and 1 Small Tortoiseshell flying around Valero Refinery on 11-1-2012.

Paul Warren

Moth Identification Course

Norman Lowe and Dave Grundy are thinking of running a moth identification course in Pembrokeshire, in April or early May. The course would offer a joint event that would start with an overnight moth trapping session (not officially part of the course but very enjoyable) followed next morning by a presentation on moths for beginners and finishing with an afternoon practical course including identification of the moths trapped the night before. They will have to make a small charge for the course to cover their costs. If anyone is interested please contact me on
paul.warren@rocketmail.com

Bosherston Otter and Eel

Flat calm lake, only ripples caused by this otter with his eel

Bosherston otters

The otter family at Bosherston was very confiding this morning, particularly in the vicinity of Grassy Bridge.

Starlings at Mabesgate

More starling related japes and scrapes from another part of Pembrokeshire can be found on you tube under: "Starlings at Mabesgate"

More winter flowers

Among the wild flowers seen yesterday were Heath Milkwort Polygala serpyllyfolia (pictured) at Tresinwen, Wild Angelica Angelica sylvestris (the fourth species of umbellifer seen flowering in the last two weeks) at Dowrog Common and, almost but not quite, Three-lobed Crowfoot Ranunculus tripartitus - which had a flower that was yet to open.

Flowering of Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium is both widespread and common this winter.

Starlings at Hayscastle

I have been trying to upload a video of the starlings at Hayscastle but it has taken nearly 2 hours and not finished.
If you would like to see it, it can be found at

http://youtu.be/bmb9MZvamvM

just copy the line and paste into the search bar

I hope the link works and sorry about our chat - just turn the volume down.

Strumble, Fishguard area and Dowrog

An interesting day in the Fishguard area began with an imm Iceland Gull drifting SW past Strumble Head with a flock of Herring Gulls at 09:30 - last seen heading towards Pwllderi. Otherwise Strumble was pretty quiet, with on 3 Red-throated Divers, 2 Diver sp., 11 Shelduck flying W, 2 adult Gannets, a small number of Fulmar (sadly no blue phase), and relatively small numbers of Guillemot, Razorbill and Kittiwake.

Another Red-throated Diver was in the bay at Cwm yr Eglwys, while a visit to Fishguard Harbour proved to be time well spent - with two Great Northern Diver closely associating with each other, 5+ Shags, a winter plumage Guillemot and, the highlight, a Bonxie - which targeted the gulls that were feeding in the wake of the ferry as it left on its afternoon sailing.

The remainder hour or so of daylight was spent at Dowrog, where the only birds of note were a Peregrine and a single ring-tail Harrier.

Sad demise of the "Last of the Unique Hens" ....

Sad to report foxy is fatter and our last of the Unique hens is no more , tossed off theis mortal coil.. deceased gone to a better place etc etc...

New Years Day flowers

Lesser celandine Ranunculus ficaria and smooth sowthistle Sonchus oleraceus flowering at Orielton yesterday, and Primrose Primula veris flowering in both Maidenwells and Dale, though ithese plants were in the vicinity of houses, so might not be truly wild.

celandine

Jan 2nd.......& not in a sunny spot, sheltered from the south - open to the north!