Today was a foretaste of spring with the temperature about 8 – 10C with plenty of sunshine though a bit breezy at times.
From Jan- Coming up the Broadwalk, there were molehills everywhere. Masses of snowdrops in Anne’s Wood and Springwoods. Early daffodils out and tete-a-tete daffodils coming out. A dunnock singing.
From Hazel – With Gilly, Jan, Maud and Frances – Only one moth – chestnut – in the moth trap after a slightly drizzly night. Went to feed the robins with sunflower hearts but they did not appear this week. They had been feeding in the walled garden.
From Nicky – Walking down the road from the corporate entrance to Pont Felin Gat there were at least nine tracks onto the road, before North East Lodge, three recently used, others historical. Also visited the established sett high on the bank opposite the cascade, which has signs of very recent use including deposits in the latrine.
From Chris – With Colin and Fred. In the woodland around the footpath leading from Trawscoed Wood, three song thrushes singing away, plus blue, coal and great tits. Spotted a nuthatch and chaffinch on the big tree at the side of Llyn Mawr where there were three teal, one little grebe, the usual mallards and a cormorant flying overhead. Further on at the upper Pont Felin Gat waterfall, a dipper and outside in the field a pair of stonechats plus a buzzard flying overhead. Coming back on Llyn Canol, we spotted two male shovellers then, further back at the far end of the Llyn Mawr dam, a grey wagtail and a flock of 20-plus starlings flying back and forth. Finally, in Trawscoed Meadow, a meadow pipit in the bush not far from the entrance.
From Gary – Progress is being made on digitising Marie’s Tree Diaries. The 2019 and 2020 diaries have been completed. The 2021 diaries fill two books.
The first of these was scanned this week by Marie, John and myself, ready to be edited and collated into a video to be published on YouTube with the others.