Enjoyed my walk today, made my way toward Mucky Woods via the huge collery spoil tip and Aberbargoed Grasslands SAC (one of the best places in Europe to see Marsh Frits). As it was Mothers day i was hoping there would be few people around, wrong!!!

 There are 63 seasonal ponds all together across these sites. Most of which are small around 2m, and many are rapidly disappering through succession. Hopefully the new grazing to the Grasslands will favour those ponds found there. Did get to see 3 Mallard take off one of the larger ponds and an Heron. I think the Heron left with an empty stomach, for there were no signs of Frog or spawn. 

  Came across a new species to me Vitrina pellucida (a snail), it was under a large stone tucked away with female Toad. I always get nervous when replacing  large stones, fear of crushing the little critters underneath.

 Watched  a good display from 2 Raven, 3 Buzzard and 7 Crows. The one Buzzard was huge,  and it was this one that took most of the flack from the mocking.  I wonder how much these birds can take before turning on their aggrevators, if ever?

 While in Mucky Woods i checked some of my Mouse boxes. I make these out of pallets, and they are really simple and quick to make. I’ve put them out at all heights in these Woods, and others. One is at 38 ft,  it was first occupied by Blue tit, but before Christmas i had signs of Woodmouse. This one has got me interested, so high up possible Yellow neck. These are found in the South, but not recorded anywhere near here? 

 The one below is put out at 4ft, this height seems to do well for Woodmice. I do hope to find Dormouse using one, all the woods that contain the boxes are ideal for them, but sadly no signs to date.

 A view inside…you can’t really see the nest in this shot, it is made  mostly of moss, leaves and fern. There is also a lot of droppings on the front left of the box, and some fresh fern.

…….  Afonydd Glan/Clean Rivers, now here’s a project that’s worth a mention, i ‘ve been a Volunteer with these for many years. Their main aim is to help look after our Rivers in Wales, they help set up and support local groups that want to take care of a water course. Each County/District will have a River Care Officer, they help guide the groups through various projects i.e Litter clearence, footpaths and access, Otter holt construction, Coppicing and other Tree work, the list goes on. If you like to learn more about this excellent project then check out the link below.

www.keepwalestidy.org/english/default.asp?Category=CommuintyAction&NewsID=25&Menu=0.26.13

  When you open the link, the pic in top left is of me. This pic was taken from another great project Springvale Pond and Church Wood Restoration. Quite a few Groups/orgs helped here, Social Services who i believe started the project, helped by Keep Wales Tidy-River Care, BTCV, Cwmbran Community Farm and Torfaen Community Woodland Volunteers (me being one).

  The photo below is taken in one of the Woods in the Community Project, which is also a Forest school, (im not in any of the photos by the way i’m taken the pics). The chap on the left is Jonathan Howells amongst other things he is Torfaens Countryside Education Officer and Woodland Project Officer. The one doing the Wood turning is Tom Richards he’s a River Care Officer and a good friend of mine, together Tom and Jonathan have got to be the best Forest School / Environmental education tutors you will ever meet. I can’t for the life of me remember the other guy, i do know he is a Supervisor of an Action Group from near Abergaveny that volunteers with Clean Rivers. He and two of his charges have turned up today as it was Toms Birthday….so we had a Barbacue and a Bodge. 

  The two with the blue hats are those from the Action group, i believe members of the group are being helped through a rough time in thier lives. There are more to the group, and they are a great bunch of lads hard working to. They all help out avidly with Clean Rivers, a few have also been trained up with thier Spaying tickets, this is to help the Environment Agency tackle the Giant Hogweed problem around Crickhowell and Usk. I also got trained up for the ticket, but have not been able to attend any of the projects. The Agency gave us all complementary spray packs for helping, which i thought was good of them. I thought it only fair to donate mine to Clean Rivers as i was unable to attend.

If you have not seen Giant Hogweed then check out this link.

www.letsgogardening.co.uk/information/GiantHogweed.htm

I have some photos of me with Giant Hogweed somewhere, when i find out who has them i will post them up.

  He.he. This is not the safest Barbacue that i ‘ve attended. The way the chap on left just stands there and looks, tickles me everytime….Right!! looks like it’s just bread for me then.

  Here you can see the circle for Forest school, with one of the Local Wardens son in shot. I think this is the very first Forest school in Britain(could be wrong). Forest schools have become very popular, i don’t know how many more there are across Britain, but i know there is another four within my area. If you ever get the chance to accompany your Child on one of these days then jump at it, you will have great fun.

www.forestschoolwales.org.uk/index.html#target

  Just my luck!! woke up with major hangover…beautifull day. I was itching to get out, pushed more with the fact that when i’m suffering my kids love to aggrevate. And it was the day of the Wales v Scotland match so i couldn’t go far.

  Decided to go and map out a new transect on a local Brown Field site (Google Earth 51 41′57.41 N  3 12′41.97 W). I really like this site, for it holds some interesting species, and has undergone some drastic  changes over the past 40 + years. The area was once a small open cast stone quarry, which was then left to flood. I remember this stage well, for i almost drowned here as a kid while catching Newts. Then the Council took over the place and used it for a refuse dump, which brought in the Rats, Gulls and a funny old man named Rolly Adams, who would rummage through the waste for goodies. The site is now a mosaic of wet flush, Grass, Gorse, Bramble and planted Tree.

  I entered the site at the southern end, and was instantly greated with eleven Bullfinch that were all feeding on Goat Willow catkins. This is a good time of year to spot Bullies, just check around Willow, Blackthorn or Myrobalan, and hopefully you’ll be greated with the sight of this beautiful bird. The Trees being an important early food source for this species, and others. 

  Decide to walk the Fox tracks around the site, these would mostly be my transect routes(Butterfly). While walking these tracks i noticed large numbers of Bank Vole darting about, i ended up with a count of 18. To spot this many any time of year is quite impressive, so i can’t wait to see their Summer numbers.

  Found two whole duck eggs that had been cached by the resident Foxes, and there were a large number of broken eggs lying around to. The local Small Holder constantly moans about the Fox on this site, yet he does very little to proof his stock, makes me mad. Also noticed good signs of Rabbit, myxy had hit hard last Summer,  looked like it had all but wiped them out.

 Started to flag from the hangover, so i rested myself by a large old concrete pipe.  Chilled for about ten minutes, and was ready to make a move , when i heared movement in the Bramble to the left of me. I turned my head slowly and noticed a Weasel, it came out of the cover to within 15 foot of me. I had a compact camera in my pocket and could not move to get it. I will never get another opportunity like this, so i had to get the camera,  i slowly reached into pocket and instantly got sussed and Weasel bolted back for cover, i desperately took some shots but all i got was Bramble Arrgghh!!!. I know the camera ain’t the best, but Weasel this close….could have been some interesting shots.

 P.s. Take no notice of the time/date of pics, they are well out.

 Managed to get in my last Bird Atlas Tetrad Sunday, 536 individuals of 29 species. Probably would have been alot more to the count, but i kept on forgetting what i set out to do….drifting off to check for thumb sticks in the hedges, looking for Voles in rough grass. I even found myself hugging some large Beech trees for the Ancient tree survey. Got to go back and check these with a tape, one covered just over 5 hugs, working out to about 8.6 m round. If this is true then it could be a record.

 I had the pleasure of another Fox, it came out of a Bramble thicket straight in front of me while i was counting a flock of Tits. It didn’t even click i was near, so i was able to watch it for a while as it troddled of up over the field toward the Maes Mannor….made my day.

  Was at a loose end Friday so decided to take a stroll  and headed for the other side of the Valley. Before i crossed the river i noticed a Woodcock lift up over the tree line. Realised it must have risen for a reason, so i stopped for a while and a shabby looking Fox came into veiw. Think it caught wind of me , for it soon made an exit back in the direction it came.

 The other side of the Valley is mostly Bracken mixed with Downy Birch, and scattered Oak and Beech. Not a spectacular place to see much Wildlife but it can have it’s moments. There are areas that contain Fly ash, very similar texture to coarse sand. Rabbits have dug extensive burrows in the stuff, and you regularly find Fox using the Earths for Cubbing or cold weather lie ups.

  Walking over the bank i noticed two of the Earths had been dug, and not back filled.  The signs suggest they had not been dug this Winter, so there is a strong possibilty they where dug when in cub.

 Stopped for a while to have a munch, and had the pleasure of watching a Great Spotted Woodpecker beak bashing a Birch, and a Nuthatch with what looked like a Snail. Then remembered to do a bird count. I ended up with 21 species in all, among these were 4 Woodcock, 3 Marsh tit, 1 male Reed Bunting and i lost count of the Wrens. I also came across a fallen Goat Willow that was covered in Scarlet Elf Cup, looked quite impressive…need to get that camera!!

Hi folks. My name is Chris, and i live in the South Wales Valleys. I’ve had a great love for the outdoors and it’s wildlife from a very young age. This Blog will be about the Wildlife i encounter in my area, and when i finally purchase a decent camera there will be pics as well!!