Newsletter Issue, SEP - 2014

www.ecologycymru.co.uk

Dear Reader…

Welcome to our September newsletter. Our garden has gone a little quitter now bird wise now that the rush of the breeding season is over. We are still getting visitors mainly a few Greenfinches, Coal Tits and the usual group of House Sparrows. This is certainly a good time to ensure that your bird table is strong and ready for the autumn/winter weather. This is also an opportunity to give the hanging feeders a good clean. I always have two of each so that one will replace any that are having a good soak. The Coal Tits have been busy hiding sunflower seeds again and we have several growing in the garden in some unusual places.

Due to commitments I have had to stop my monthly count around Caerphilly Castle Moat so this site is open to a volunteer taking over from me. It only require about an hour or so one Sunday each month. Please see below the information you will need sent to me upon request from one of the co-ordinators. If you feel you could do this then please get in touch with Daniel – your help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

Neville

Front cover: European Shag, Cala san Vincente (ND).

Would you like to count the wetland birds at Caerphilly Castle Moat?

If you’ve always felt that you’d like to make a practical contribution to our knowledge of birds but didn’t know how, then taking part in the Wetland Birds Survey (WeBS) is an excellent place to begin.

And now, a vacancy has arisen for a WeBS counter to take over at Caerphilly Castle Moat. Thanks to people like Neville Davies and Marie Makepeace, the Moat has been counted for this survey almost continuously since 1991. That continuity of data is so valuable and it would be great if you could help ensure that counts are made there in the future too.

Can you help?

You don’t need to be an ‘expert’ birder to become a WeBS counter. Anyone can take part, even beginners to bird watching. Unlike many bird surveys, to carry out WeBS Counts you don’t have to know bird songs or calls, just the ability to identify common water birds.

What is required?

The survey involves visiting Caerphilly Castle Moat once a month throughout the winter and count the waterfowl there. Counts are welcome from all months of the year but the main period we ask our counters to concentrate on is September through to March.

For some more detailed background information about WeBS and for a no obligation chat please contact: DanielJenkinks-Jones WeBS organiser for East Glamorgan

02920 621394 (h) / 07828 093613 (m) / email: eastglamwebs@gmail.com

September Birding Highlights

The 6th along the Riverfront in Newport seen a male Goshawk passing through before circling high and flying towards Malpas. Goldcliff on the 8th seen 2 White Wagtails, 6 Little Stints, 24 Teal, 42 Shoveler, a Ruff, 8 Greenshanks (an impressive number) and a female Marsh Harrier overhead (0950hrs).

72 Black Tailed Godwits was an excellent count and Wigeon have returned for the winter (48 seen). A Cettis Warbler was heard and out on the mudflats were 75 Shelduck. Two Wheatears were by the manure plies with a further 4 seen from hide 3 along the fence line. At 1020hrs however I spotted a distant Osprey which was a lovely surprise slowly circling to gain height before moving away past the power station. What a brilliant visit.

Peterstone Gout on the 9th seen good movements of Chiffchaffs and a female Blackcap was also seen. Also of note were 2 Stock Doves and 20 Lapwing in the ploughed field and out on the mudflats was 113 Common Redshanks with 2 Dunlin mixed in, Teal and 34 Canada Geese amongst other species. The inlet had a Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher and Little Grebe feeding.

Draethen beech woods on the 11th seen a pair of Crossbill flying over and distant views of a pair of Goshawks. 60+ Siskins were feeding in the European Larches – start of the autumn arrivals perhaps?

Goldcliff on the 12th seen Swallows migrating in large numbers with several House Martins and a few Sand Martins mixed in. A male Peregrine had a go at a large group of Black-headed Gulls but soon gave up and moved on.

A Cettis Warbler was heard again and a female Stonechat was a nice surprise. Wader numbers included 4 Greenshanks, 9 Knot, 4 Ringed Plovers, 3 Little Stints, 67 Lapwing, 48 Avocet and 45 Black Tailed Godwits with a single Bar Tailed Godwit mixed in. A female Ruff showed well from the viewing platform.

One lucky observer watched a Wryneck feeding for several minutes on their lawn in the Penallt area on the 12th.

Goldlciff on the 15th was quiet but waders seen included 5 Little Stints, 1 Dunlin, 6 Greenshanks, 95 Avocet, 33 Black Tailed Godwits, 18 Knot and 35 Common Redshanks.

A Kingfisher was nice to see in the first reen and a male Blackcap and a male Common Redstart were feeding by the car park.

Llandegfedd Reservoir was quiet and misty on the 16th but Cormorant numbers were impressive with 124 counted. There were three pairs of Great Crested Grebes present one pair with 1 juv and another with 2 almost fully grown juvs.

The 19th over Ystrad Mynach at 0820hrs seen a small passage of Skylark migrating high up and calling as they went.

The 20th to the 27th seen some interesting birds including Hoopoe (6), Kentish Plovers, Black Vulture, Firecrest and Golden Oriole. Yes you’ve probably realised now these are not local birds. We just had a week on the Balearic island of Mallorca to rekkie a few sites amongst other things (more on this next month) and highlights included those above plus some more delights including 2 Bee Eaters, Red Kites, Yellow Legged Gulls, Blue Rock Thrush, Eleanora’s Falcons, Purple Heron, Marsh and Hen harriers, Booted Eagle (light phase), Crag Martins, Firecrest, Purple Gallinule, Green Sandpiper and a Nightingale – not bad going! Also seen in the Pine forests were countless Crossbills of the sub-species Balearica. They are known by the name of Trencanpynions, which translates in Catalan as ‘pine nut cracker’.

See some of the photos below and at the end of the newsletter.

Finally to end the month, Goldcliff on the afternoon of the 29th seen a flyover Yellow Wagtail and from the hides and viewing platforms 65 Shoveler, 66 Lapwing, 8 Greenshanks, 7 Ruff, 1 Black Tailed Godwit, 1 Little Stint, 8 Common Snipe and the star of the visit – a Pectoral Sandpiper.

Audouins Gull taken at the entrance of the Parc Naturel Albufereta Reserve. One of the world’s rarest gulls! Brilliant.

Cattle Egret along one of the back roads of Alcudia.

A lovely close view of a Nightingale at Lluc Monastery in the north of the island.

Latest News and Updates

Remember Bob? He could still do with your votes.

You can see the details at www.voteforbob.co.uk

Remember the 2015 Crickhowell Walking Festival is between February 28th and March 8th with a large selection of walks and events to choose from. Information and a walks brochure can be source by emailing cwf@visitcrickhowell.co.uk....

The Glamorgan Fungus Group is holding its next fungi foray at Oldcastle Down in the Vale Of Glamorgan (nr Bridgend) on Sunday5th October.

August Nature Quiz Answers

Picture 1. Tutsan showing the brilliant berries. This is a common plant of woodlands and forestry.

Picture 2. This is Butterbur – a carnivorous plant common alongside mountain Moorland Rivers which in some places can form dense carpets.

Picture 3. The delightful Cotton Grass which can also form dense carpets where the white seed heads gently move to and fro with the winds.

Picture 4. The Pond Skater – a very common insect found anywhere where there is water, including garden ponds.

September Nature Quiz Pictures

This month’s quiz pictures are going to have a Mediterranean theme to them this month – fitting as we have just been to the Balearics. So keep that in mind when trying to identify the shots. Your only clue is that they were taken on the island of Mallorca…. Answers in the October issue. Good luck…

Fruits from which popular tree seen all over the island?

SEPTEMBER ARTICLE

The New viewing platform

Well this month’s article is a bit different as it is not for a specific bird species but rather for numerous ones – and certainly worthy of an article - the new viewing platform at the Goldcliff Lagoons. Initially I expressed an interest to take part in the volunteering building program, but work commitments elsewhere put paid to that and apologies had to be given. On this occasion it was not to be but the fine folk in this picture did a sterling job and my thanks go out personally to all who were involved.

This is the group (above) that has been working tirelessly on erecting the new viewing platform (just past the existing ones) now with commanding views along both sides of the tall reeds towards the top left corner of the lagoons. I have already stopped here and the views are excellent over the water, particularly for watching the black tailed godwits and avocets that frequent this part of the lagoons and normally just tucked out of view. There are also good views along the water’s edge for potential waders to feed and all in all the platform is perfectly situated and makes a fine compliment to an already excellent reserve.

Being a nature reserve it was welcoming to see that disturbance to the birds was minimal and their welfare was taken into consideration and adhered to at all times. Similarly there was no disturbance to visiting birders and feedback from others has been positive towards the location and structure of the viewing platform.

Mike Pointon (front right in the picture) – a very experienced and regular birder to the lagoons gave me the below update on the history behind the new viewing platform.

‘The Friends of the Lagoons was set up to improve communications between Natural Resource Wales (NRW) and Birdwatchers at the lagoons. A meeting was held with Tom Dalrymple (Reserve Manager), following an idea of Jackie’s (my wife), that we form a friends group. Tom was keen on having a friends group and it was here that the idea of a viewing platform was proposed. I agreed to act as coordinator and signs were posted in each hide inviting people to join. Following this Tom made enquiries to obtain permission after which there was site meetings to sort out the logistics and in August this year work began. Prior to this the Friends Of Goldcliff Lagoons (FoGL) helped clear the seawall of litter following the winter storms and also helped with an important Bearded Tit census at Uskmouth (Newport Wetlands Reserve).

The viewing platform was erected by the NRW staff, their volunteers and members of FoGL. Work began on 18th August 2014 and the official opening was 11thSeptember 2014. Those volunteering their services on behalf of The Friends of Goldcliff Lagoons were Mark Hebden, Alan Rosney, John Marsh, John Bennett and Mike Pointon. (I hope I have not missed anyone out)’…

To elaborate on what Mike says, after the storms there was an immense amount of sea bourne rubbish that cleared the sea wall at the top of the reserve and literally carpeted the top end of – not only unsightly but a potential hazard to birds and wildlife respectively.

Again volunteers worked effortlessly to clear the rubbish thus returning the reserve back to its former litter free glory. As you can see from Mike’s write up, there was a lot of planning, logistical work and behind the scenes discussions which led to the platform becoming a reality. I remember when Mike first mentioned it to me and I thought brilliant. For me and I’m sure others feel the same, this has completed a complete coverage of the site. One can stop off at hide 1 with excellent views over the lagoon, then move on to a viewing platform followed by a second hide then another platform and then the new one – all ideally spaced out to cover the whole of the lagoons from varying angles too. Coupled with this, a walk up to the sea wall is followed by a short walk to a third hide which allows excellent views over the top of the lagoons.

All in all this site is now complete and offers the visitor a fantastic variety of species all year round.

Again well done to all of you who were involved in making this happen – you should feel very proud of your individual efforts. Below are a few more pictures from the reserve (ND).

Nev Davies…

8 Week Mindfulness Course

The SAMYE Foundation Wales is offering the following excellent course in Cardiff. Please see the details below.

Day: Monday 27th October 2014

Time: 1.30pm – 3.30pm OR 6.15pm – 8.15pm

Venue: KSD Centre 116-118 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF11 9DX

Want to live in the present moment and not be stressed? Then try our 8-week compassion-based mindfulness course which teaches you to be less distracted and anxious and kinder to yourself.

Cost: £180 if paid in full in advance or £200 if paying in instalments (we require a non-refundable deposit of £50 with your booking)

Cost includes: weekly course notes, 2 CDs and a full day retreat

Karen Davey on Tel: 02920 860054 or admin@mindfulnesswales.org.uk

www.mindfulnesswales.org.uk

Mindfulness Wales is a project under Copyright of Samye Foundation Wales

Registered Charity No: 1122144 & Registered Co. No: 05901855

Congratulations to Gavin and Lucia on the birth of their baby girl Milana Servina.

We are pleased to support Gavin of Orange Drop

.

02920 862563 / 07792 295576 / SKYPE orangedropdesign

Some more shots from Mallorca.

En-route to Cap de Formentor and the distant fields of Cases Velles – a migration hot spot.

The hairpin bends of the Formentor road and the stunning view overlooking the amazing Cuber reservoir 5000ft above sea level.

And finally !

Thank you for your continued support and take care.

Nicola and Neville