First of the Month

Wednesday August 1

Where could we bird in South Wales in August? How about the WWT Wetlands Centre on   the outskirts of Llanelli,  a 450 acre site of lakes, scrapes, pools, streams and lagoons adjoining the salt marshes and shore of the Burry Inlet. We'd been there once before, when it first opened, a very different place from to-day. 

Sara had booked me a buggy, the only one left was a bijou three wheeler. I did fit but, my knees were shoe-horned in. 
As is usual with WWT sites, they are a mix of captive wildfowl from all over the world and hides from which wild birds can be viewed. 

Unsurprisingly, and to Pam's horror, the place was full of families with many small children. So many good activities laid on for them including canoe and cycling safaris for the older ones. 

I kept to a circumspect speed so that Pam could keep up............past the Caribbean Flamingos and their grey young, Nenes, Ross's Geese, Canvasbacks and Moorhens, until we reached the British Steel hide overlooking the estuary. Pam had nine steps up, I had a long, dogleg ramp with tight corners. Interesting. From this tower hide we viewed not a lot. More Redshanks with a few Greenshanks, our first undertaker modelling Grey Heron and two Spoonbills.

A strong gusting wind tempered the very pleasant sunny day and an enjoyable few hours. I prised myself out of the buggy, toured the shop. Pam shopped for supper at a Tesco garage in Gorseinon and we parked at Penclawdd to eat the other half of our sandwich lunch. The tide was actually in this morning, it was good to see the inlet full of water. By the afternoon it was mostly mud again but strangely attractive - for those who love Snettisham.
Pam took lots of photos at the Centre - I didn't bother carrying my camera, I don't know why. Couldn't be bothered I think.

Back to The Granary to drop off the frozen food shopping, to fuss the tabby cat (Sara has christened her Tinkerbell) before leaving for an insect hunt on the moors. 

Small Copper

One Stonechat, Chaffinch and Blue Tit added to the total and an enormous flock of chakking Jackdaws swirling beneath the clouds.
Road blockade, reminiscent of Dartmoor.

One of the highlights of morning moth-ing on the patio is the kronking local Ravens who do a morning fly-by. Green Woodpeckers and Great Spotted Woodpeckers call from the Oak trees, the resident Buzzard pair soars overhead on morning thermals.

Not as many moths to-day, a few new species, nothing notable. Apart from a possible re-identification of two caught yesterday to White-line Dart. Not too disappointing but surprising, that we haven't managed a new species so far.

Sara took Josh to Dan yr Ogof Caves, near Craig y Nos castle, which they both enjoyed. A new experience for Josh . Nearly as good as his steak lunch in a local pub !
Optional Reading....
Dan yr Ogof (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈdan ər ˈoːɡɔv]), located at the National Showcaves Centre for Wales, is a 17-kilometre (11 mi) long cave system in south Wales,about 5 miles (8 km) north of Ystradgynlais and 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Brecon, in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is the main feature of a show cave complex, which is claimed to be the largest in the UK and is one of the major tourist attractions in Wales.^[2] The first section of the cave system is open to the public, but the extensive cave system beyond is scheduled as a national nature reserve and is open only to bona fide cavers.^[2]
The bones of some 42 humans, as well as numerous animal bones, have been found in one of the nearby chambers of this cave system.^[3] In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, Dan yr Ogof was named as the greatest natural wonder in Britain.[