Snow and Snowdrops in Ceredigion
What with Christmas and the weather we didn’t get out onto the reserves much 
in December and the beginning of January, but one volunteer and Wildlife Trust Officer, Emily, did brave it all and made it to Rhos Pil Bach to clear some willows at the beginning of January. The reserve looked beautiful and it was great to be out in the lovely, powdery snow. There were even a couple of snipe. In contrast, our last session before Christmas was a beautiful sunny day and we were joined by six volunteers to clear a big area of scrub. Thanks to everyone that helped.
We held a joint work party at the end of January to do some coppicing at Cors Ian, and got lots done ready for building the new fence. We started this task last week and will continue for the next few- anyone fancy bashing in fence posts? We’ve also done some scrub clearance and thinned the woodland some more at Coed Maidie and had a good day hedgelaying at Caeau Llety Cybi.
The Snow drops at Coed Penglanowen are looking great at the moment.
(If you’d like to join us contact Em on 07980932332 or e.foot@welshwildlife.org).
As I’m sure you all noticed November was a very wet and windy month but it didn’t stop us getting out on the reserves and working hard! We’ve cleared brambles and gorse from grasslands across the county at Rhos Fullbrook, Rhos Pil Bach, Coed Maidie and Rhos Glyn Yr Helyg, conifers and birch scrub from Pennar Fawr (the Christmas tree at the Wildlife Centre came from here), helped with pathwork in Carmarthenshire and thinned some of the wood at Coed Maidie. I’ve had a few new volunteers this month which is great news, we can get so much more done with a few more people! (If you’d like to join us contact Em on 07980932332 or e.foot@welshwildlife.org) A group of Conservation Volunteers (Natureforce) from Warwickshire Wildlife Trust also came to visit and spent a very stormy day experiencing working on Pennar Fawr- a very different habitat from Warwickshire. Thank you to everyone that has braved the elements this month.
On Tuesday 8th December, following a recent sighting, about 20 volunteers from Ceredigion and further afield took part in a Pine Marten survey in the Rheidol Valley lead by the Vincent Wildlife Trust. The weather held off and lots of scats were collected for DNA analysis. We now have to wait for the results…
If you are in Aberystwyth over the next few months head for the pier at dusk to see the starlings flocking and creating amazing patterns in the sky.
I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and I hope to see you in 2010!
October has seen us working, and getting wet, on our most northerly and southerly reserves- Cwm Clettwr and Coed Maidie B Goddard respectively, and a good spread in between.
At Cwm Clettwr we began the day in an area of the reserve we rarely work in- the south side of the river, to clear the path of brambles and stray branches. We then crossed the river and continued upstream on the north side. The route between the two long meadows at Coed Maidie B Goddard was opened up in preparation for further works in the woodland strip and several stray bramble patches were removed from the meadows. The grassland at Caeau Llety Cybi is also looking much better after our blackthorn and bramble removal and the following grazing by the cattle.
We had a muddy time at Cors Ian removing birch and willow scrub from the bog- definitely a welly day! Another was at Pennar Fawr where we began the scrub removal, with Carmarthenshire volunteers, to stop the spread of seedlings into the grassland along with some highland cattle mustering: they’ve done a great job on Rhos Pil Bach so now it’s time to work their magic on Pennar Fawr.
Thanks very much to everyone who has helped this month. The good work will continue next month so if you are interested in helping out on our reserves in Ceredigion please contact Em Foot: e.foot@welshwildlife.org or 07980932332.
September has been a month of path clearance and cutting and raking!
We managed to cut the whole of the butterfly meadow in Coed Maidie thanks to the help of Paul (WTO on the Gower) driving the quad and flail followed by two days of extremely tiring raking. Usually we only manage to do half per year using a brush cutter. This should help improve the quality of the meadow and reduce the amount of bramble. We also finished cutting the glade at Coed Penglanowen and topped the rushes at Rhos Glandenys- a process that seems to working well to reduce their extent in one of the fields. Lots of invading, small bramble patches were also removed from the middle of the grassland.
Several paths were cleared of summer growth: Coed Simdde Lwyd- you can now get to the view point and enjoy the spectacular view of the Rheidol Valley and Penderi Cliffs. A damaged boardwalk was removed from Coed Penglanowen (hopefully to be replaced in the near future when funding has been found).
The great scrub clearance has now begun! We’ve already hit Caeau Llety Cybi removing blackthorn and brambles, and Rhos Glandenys, several other reserves will be visited in the next few months.
Also if you want to know a little more about birds in Ceredigion then please go to www.ceredigionbirds33.blogspot.com where you will find out information about local sightings and ways to get involved. John Davis compiles the Ceredigion Bird Report which is available from the Welsh Wildlife Centre and Lockley Lodge, all profits go to support the work of the trust.
Thanks to everyone who has helped out. If you are interested in helping out on our reserves in Ceredigion please contact Em Foot: e.foot@welshwildlife.org or 07980932332.
Highland cattle at Rhos Pil Bach a Pennar Fawr
I recently had a pleasant surprise whilst on a routine visit to Rhos Pil Bach- as I walked down the entrance track thinking “we’ll need to come and clear this soon” the entrance gate came into view and behind it the rusty brown colour of a herd of about fifteen highland cattle- a wonderful sight. (I should point out I did expect cattle to be there but didn’t know they would be Highlands!) They were pretty shy animals, staying on the far side of the field as I walked through but watching my every step.
Both the males and females have large horns that generally extend sidewards from their heads and then turn up at the tips. There were several young (without horns) amongst the herd, or fold as a group of Highlands should be called.
Highland cattle are ideal for grazing our reserves as they are exceptionally hardy and can cope with high annual rainfall and the harsher conditions that Rhos (wet) grassland throws at them. They are less fussy eaters than many breeds so graze more of the vegetation and have “a natural and unique ability to convert poor grazing efficiently”1.
“They are remarkable for their longevity: many Highland cows continue to breed to ages in excess of eighteen years having borne fifteen calves. They are great mothers.”2 Highlands usually calf outside and rarely need to be brought inside.
“Highland Beef is healthy and nutritious with lower levels of fat and cholesterol and a higher protein and iron content than other beef.”3 It has a distinct flavour and can reach a higher premium when sold, especially at specialist butchers, making it a viable alternative.
If you would like to visit the reserve and see the Highlands parking is available on the road opposite the entrance track to Rhos Pil Bach a Pennar Fawr SSSI, near Plwmp at SN 369527. The cattle graze the whole of Rhos Pil Bach and Pennar Fawr so could be anywhere within either, conditions underfoot are wet and uneven- wellies are a necessity. Please leave gates as you find them as this controls the grazing and keep dogs on a lead and under strict control at all times.
1,2,3Highland Cattle Society Website