Gwent Wildlife Trust / New Gear! & New opportunities

I wouldn't usually publish my spending activity however, with a new Job and a broken Camera, I couldn't resist an upgrade so I've purchased a Canon 7D mk ii and coupled with a very anticepated lens, the 100-400 mk ii! I'm so excited as my Camera has been playing up for months hens why I haven't been posted up many photo's. The camera still works but all the images were coming out slanted to the right on quite a nasty gradient. With the new camera soon to be on its way, I'll be able to fix my 7D and then sell it on or even keep it as a spare. 
I am however selling my current 100-400mm lens for £800 with a neoprene cover if anyone is interested? lol. 

Today I had my first official volluntary work session with the Gwent Wildlife Trust where myself and Assitant Reserves Officer Chris Reed ventured out into Torfaen in search of some key locations that could do with some land management. I pointed out 4 sites that are close to my heart which would be amazing if the Gwent Wildlife Trust could look after and develop. 

Above are the 3 locations that I suggested first, two of which we actually visited and had a short look around to check what type of habitat needed to be managed/improved and also generally taking note of the amount of species there. The Tranch location was my patch for 15 or so years so that was easy to assess but the New Inn site was new to both of us and I was extremely suprised with how lovely it is! The council looked to have already started making a path that enters that land so I assume that they've either come to an agreement with who owns the land or they themselves own it. It backs up right next to what is probably the nicest section of the Avon Llywd for miles and it didn't take us long to spot a Dipper, Fox Poo and Great Spotted Wood Peckers. It has a nice field which looks to have been cut and an open woodland with plenty of sunlight getting to the ground making it a hot spot for new growth and flowers. Generally, it has a lot of potential so I hope something gets off the ground there. I certainly will be visiting again! 

Facebook Famous for the day

Turns out lots of my friends watched the program last night and I couldn't have had a better responce. Lots of friend requests and comments all of which were very supporting and I'm so glad after watching it myself that it came across well considering my nerves. 
Most importantly though i'm glad that the episode showed some of the best highlights of Pontypool Park and I hope that it has encouraged and brought awareness to the people of Pontypool of how lucky we really are to have all this on our doorstep. In other news i'm still having problems with my Camera/Lens so I won't have much photography to post unless I get it sorted which is proving to be an expensive issue to sort. I'll most likely have to completely replace them so I'll be saving up for a while..

Iolo's Great Welsh Parks Credits

Iolo's Great Welsh Parks - Pontypool - Episode 4

With Winterwatch over already, Iolo's Great Welsh Parks has been a great edition to my tv wildlife fix! Only 1 episode left after yesterdays superb program and it is fair to say that I'm super nervous about generally seeing myself on Tv. I hope that I don't come accross as nervous as I really was while filming with Iolo. It's the first time I've had camera's in my face like that but I know how to deal/cope with it now if I ever do get the opportunity again. In Tv, there isn't time for being nervous lol. In other news, I officially started a new Job today as a Web Developer for Evergreen Supplies. Only 3 days a week but that is just perfect as it also means I can carry on my voluntary work with Gwent Wildlife Trust and Project Nestbox Wales. 

Friday 30th Jan I'll be out with the GWT in search for new wildlife locations in Torfaen. 

I've also just secured more sponsorship for PN in the form a donation from a great company called 'Earthborn'. Earthborn boast some truly great paint products which are very environmentally friendly so would make a perfect paint for nest box's which spend all their time out in the environment.  

Aden Productions Film Crew
Myself and Iolo Williams

Voluntary Work

This morning I met up with Veronika Brannovic from Gwent Wildlife Trust at the Environmental Resource Centre in Ebbwvale to discuss some voluntary options for me this year. I'm planning on getting as much experience through voluntary work as possible this year in order to get a Job in conservation. I was shown around the reserve which in all honesty, didn't take long haha. It's very small there but still rich with wildlife. I was then taken onto the Silent Valley nature reserve where Assistant Reserves Officer Chris Reed showed me about a little. What a fabulous place! The outcome of it all was very promising and I hope to work closely with them in the future. 

On returning back to Pontypool though, myself, Richard and Ray (New volunteer for Project Nestbox) got straight to work in one of his woodlands close to his home in Newinn. We had a lot of messy work to do today! This woodland is always muddy at the best of times so with all this rain you an only imagine what it was like in there... We've had so much rain that some of the nest box's were actually full of water! We replaced many of the boxes and drilled holes in the bottom of some in order for them to dry out. 


In other news, it was great seeing a lovely full rainbow today along with the bluebells spouting up in the woodland.


Iolo's Great Welsh Parks

Tonight on BBC 1 Wales a new series starts called Iolo's Great Welsh Parks, of which I feature on the very last episode in our very own park of Pontypool. I'm pretty nervous to see what the program turned out like as I really was nervous on camera... For now I'll enjoy the 3 episodes before. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pw6xl

In other news, I've now got a part time Job as a Web Developer for Evergreen Supplies in Newinn. It's not my ideal Job that's for sure but I'm really greatful to have it none the less and hopefully this will bridge the gap for long enough until I get the Job that I really want in Conservation. I have a meeting with the Gwent Wildlife Trust on friday in order to start volunteering which will also help me get the Job that I so desperately want in life. 

Spring already?

I am already spotting signs that spring is on its way and that fills me with such excitement! The Daffodils are already shooting in my Garden and many more Birds are starting to sing while showing signs of mating and courtship. It would seem so far that the frost is behind us as this week is a lot milder! Very spring like temperatures. 

Take a listen to this beautiful Dunnock singing in response to a Robin today. 

Out of my bathroom window, very early signs of spring when the Dunnocks start singing along with the Robins. Robins regularly sing throughout the winter months but Dunnocks are less vocal so hearing this Dunnock sing back to a Robin today was a good sign that they are becoming more territorial.