Heathland Training @ Blaenavon

Today after work I attended the second meeting of the heather training course lead by Gwent Wildlife Trust and Chris Hatch in the hope to educate a group of volunteers to conduct surveys that will hopefully give us a better understanding of the health of our heathland. On our first visit we learned how to identify several upland species of plant that are of particular interest/concern and sporting some new equipment we are now setting off on our own to conduct these surveys within given areas separated into 'polygons'. I'm not sure what area i'll be working in yet but I hope that I find enough time to get as much done as possible. The idea of all this is to collate data so that the area can be properly managed accordingly so that we can maintain/improve our heathland for its inhabitants. Red Grouse are the key species that we have in mind but also Birds of Prey like Short Eared Owl and Hen Harriers that use Heather to nest in. There are lots of factors that make a good healthy heathland but age diversity seems to be the key with old mature heather for nesting and young heather for food. Bracken management is also key so we will be documenting the area's that need management so that we can tackle the problem accordingly. 

Vandilsed Wildflowers @ Cwmbran Drive

Absolutely disgusted to see these pictures shared by Torfaen Council this morning. It was just the other day that I complimented on how amazing the wild flowers looked this year and how great of a Job they've done on managing it. Where is the incentive to do something like this? This person could have killed someone driving so dangerously over roundabouts and for what? If they think they can get away with such behaviour, they better think again. I've already reported a suspicious car today and hope that Gwent Police find who did this and slap them with a huge fine and even put them in jail for reckless driving and vandalism.

Patching again in South Sebastopol

Yet another Small Copper in Sebastopol: This time in a different meadow altogether. Fred the Terrapin was out on one of his favourite logs and yet another Kingfisher making an appearance on the typical perch on this stretch of water. I'll be setting up a little hide soon behind this perch in the woodland behind. Who knows, I may get lucky!

Llandegfedd

It was only yesterday that I spoke of the Kingfisher in Sebastopol Canal and today I get to see another fishing well at Llandegfedd from the Greenpool Hide. It's always great observing Kingfishers and the activity from them at Llandegfedd is always the same, the come into the pool like they own the place and then use the tall willow trees to perch high up before diving for a fish and then perching on the tree stump in the middle to eat the fish. It would seem that the tree stump in the middle is too short for them to get enough 'thrust' in their dive. On this occasion the male kingfisher managed to catch a reasonably sized perch to which it really struggle to swallow. 

Reproduction

After yesterdays successful session on the Canal, I had to try it again. No sign of that Grasshopper Warbler but on the Butterfly count, the patch produced yet again! I had 2 sightings at different times and slightly different area's of Small Copper, for which the most part is pretty rare these days in Gwent.. To see 2 in one day is pretty good and an indicator that the sight may be good for that butterfly for whatever reasons..(right temperature, right food plants/habitat etc). All this is in vein however because these fields will be completely extinct and replaced with houses. My Terrapin Friend 'Fred' was out in the Sun again today and actually allowed me to get pretty darn close today! I could reach out and grab him if I wanted to! (perhaps I should have)?...I kind of like his presence now if I'm honest, I know it's sad but I welcome seeing him on the Canal. If only they didn't cause so much damage to our ecosystem. A Kingfisher made a short appearance on the Canal which seemed to be using the wall as a perch, which is all it really has. I'm going to use that lack of perch and put my own there so that it has something to use and who knows, maybe one day i'll be well hidden enough for it to not notice me and I'll get that shot I'm still waiting for. Our local Sparrowhawks and Buzzards both managed to fledge their chicks today also! The Sparrowhawk chicks (2) were flying around the tree tops and making a hell of a racket. The buzzard chick (1) was doing similar things while practising landing on thin branches. 

South Sebastopol Patch produces!

Not for lack of trying! But I failed to get a photograph of a Grasshopper warbler on my patch! It's probably just passing thru so not confirmed breeding record but this general area has been untouched by birders including myself since I've moved here, so you never know! The habitat looked really good for Grasshopper Warbler with the Canal pretty close for water and plenty of scrubland. This so happens to be the only meadow in the area that hasn't been cut yet this year and clearly it is producing the goods. Also had Common Blue, Holly Blue, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Speckled Wood and a couple 5 Spot Burnet Moths. A lot of movement today from the Swifts and House Martins and Swallows which are already starting to move south. I've heard that a few Swallows are already starting their second brood though so I'm sure we'll have a few sticking around right into August, maybe even September for a select late few. 

Killer Seagulls!! or, cleaners?

I haven't managed to get out of the house yet this week but arriving home today after work I noticed a few birds including 2 Lesser black-backed Gulls taking interest in what looked to be road kill, just a couple doors up from my house. Looking closer at the kill and it appeared to be a Brown Rat. While all this was going on, our local street cat was chasing everything that moved.. (a sight that I've had to get used to on my street as it is always chasing something..) All this made me think as very recently in the papers and the news, Gulls have had some really bad press. I don't think for one minute however that Gulls deserve this bad press and I'll tell you why. Gulls remain very good cleaners on our streets! They eat left over food that we drop, the filter through rubbish so that nothing is wasted and they also clean up dead or injured animals off our streets. In this case, the Rat was clearly killed by either the Cat, or by a car. I have also watched something simular at Llandegfedd Reservoir when an injured Blackbird with a broken neck tried flying out over the water. It infotunetly landed in the water and would have died a slow, painful death, if it wasn't for a huge Greater Black-backed Gull that caught the bird, killed it and swallowed it whole. Though this might sound crule to some people, it is a vital part of the system which keeps everything in balance. The weak will die off so that the strong healthy birds survive and pass on there genes. Natural Selection in action. 

Lesser Black-backed Gull eating Rat

Yat Rock, Magor Marsh & Llandegfedd

Last couple of days have been on and off regarding the weather but lucky for me, today was beautiful and so happened to also be my birthday so I spent it with my partner in crime at the scenic Yat Rock observing the Peregrines and Goshawks: An unbeatable location for observing raptors in flight. We stopped off at Magor Marsh in Newport before going for some food and by then, the sun had gone but a single ringed Grasshopper warbler showed briefly before heading off south. I only wished at that point that I had my new recording gear because it was singing so close to me!

SEWBRec

It is so very important, no matter how big or small, to submit your records/sightings to SEWBRec. There is still so much to learn about our land and the species that live within it. We need to know exactly what is living where so that we can broaden our knowledge and protect our landscape from various threats such as development, invasive plant/animals species and habitat loss. Knowledge must come first so that we can manage our county in accordance to Everything that lives there, not just ourselves. Habitat loss can be prevented, submit your records and you may just save your local green spaces for your grandchildren to enjoy in everything that is great about Wales/UK.

Dragonfly Week

Safe to say, today was probably the best day I've had for Dragonflies this year so far. I found my first Keeled Skimmer on my home patch, and what a beautiful Dragonfly they are! This particular individual was very kind and allowed me to get very close from all angles.. Golden-ringed still present in this area along with the typical, Emperor, Broad-bodied, Black-tailed and Common Hawker. I look forward to seeing what this site produces into August. Also in this location, lots and lots of Grayling Butterflies.