tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20774597818666807312024-03-27T06:38:06.437+00:00Natur Cymru - Nature of WalesNatur Cymru is a quarterly magazine about the wildlife and environment of Wales. As of 1st April 2017 Natur Cymru has ceased publishing. We hope this is a temporary situation. Back copies are still available for sale, please see our website for full details and to find out more about Natur Cymru and its role in reporting on Welsh wildlife <a href="http://www.naturcymru.org.uk/">www.naturcymru.org.uk</a>Huw Jenkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07304485590150468937noreply@blogger.comBlogger452125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-84916007548735186582016-06-19T17:40:00.000+01:002016-06-19T18:14:39.714+01:00Walking the Lleyn Coast Path<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3cozG7Sr9RY8QViG85pd-qkxupXE_waLQzM-wJKXOK5GJad-pb4ns2hUbZ4_d-E_NBe42BMuL9dqmhemYAAwdtxaNZ1X9ukgwRtyc6opbgzngl7c7_DY4o7pT06J1Rh3WhDJ3juBGoiC/s1600/Spring+Squill+A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3cozG7Sr9RY8QViG85pd-qkxupXE_waLQzM-wJKXOK5GJad-pb4ns2hUbZ4_d-E_NBe42BMuL9dqmhemYAAwdtxaNZ1X9ukgwRtyc6opbgzngl7c7_DY4o7pT06J1Rh3WhDJ3juBGoiC/s320/Spring+Squill+A.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring Squill on the cliff edge</td></tr>
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May and June are great months to walk along the Lleyn coast.
In May, slopes and streamsides the sheep can’t reach are carpeted with
primroses, thrift and spring squill. Scrubby patches and gorse along the cliff
edges are good for breeding whitethroats and stonechats, while the short
well-grazed turf attracts migrant wheatears and feeding choughs. Other migrant
birds along the coast include whimbrel on their way to Iceland or NW Russia (we
saw 115 between Porth Ysgaden and Porth Dinllaen on May 8<sup>th</sup>) and
noisy Sandwich terns fishing close in. And when the sun comes out so do the
butterflies – wall browns, small heaths and common blues.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCOkWBSaRqXnolcrpvE4LfRkbIceiB2MqCBYxISsc8dEzj56rMNfE3TH55K-9d_SHkJe_hvr6d5wXEYUWWzrdNwwZtMpUWHTEpz2W7bN0B5u1cVit8gX0yHsAhp2Xan5nETe60MTnjFXy/s1600/Bardsey+May+29+2016+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCOkWBSaRqXnolcrpvE4LfRkbIceiB2MqCBYxISsc8dEzj56rMNfE3TH55K-9d_SHkJe_hvr6d5wXEYUWWzrdNwwZtMpUWHTEpz2W7bN0B5u1cVit8gX0yHsAhp2Xan5nETe60MTnjFXy/s320/Bardsey+May+29+2016+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ynys Enlli from the tip of Lleyn</td></tr>
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Our longest stretch so far this year was 10 miles from Porth Oer (Whistling Sands) to Aberdaron, right round the headland facing Ynys Enlli (Bardsey). We sat and ate lunch looking across to Bardsey, a sort of funny reverse experience for us!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPVAtA3ClmYID8nRynHpBXgtb76Cp4wIn8HzHjPlBAe3wYJC7uwVBls0dNeZkZOp-ueUDkxLoqIrY8KnNwvG-hbm3G6lHwIQ17lYNXBC9yHZFiJFIHX_sThnF7LUQowpnZCbFRwzx_Bex/s1600/minibus+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifPVAtA3ClmYID8nRynHpBXgtb76Cp4wIn8HzHjPlBAe3wYJC7uwVBls0dNeZkZOp-ueUDkxLoqIrY8KnNwvG-hbm3G6lHwIQ17lYNXBC9yHZFiJFIHX_sThnF7LUQowpnZCbFRwzx_Bex/s320/minibus+crop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Llyn Coastal Bus</td></tr>
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One problem facing the coastal walker is how to get back to
where you started – unless you are carrying a tent, of course. Walking the
Lleyn Coastal Path in stages is much easier this year because of a special
Minibus service for walkers. On four days each week until the end of October, a
minibus runs every two hours from Abersoch to Aberdaron and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>on to Nefyn, with a second vehicle doing the
opposite. The fare is £1, and the driver will pick up or drop off passengers at
any point on the coast the minibus can reach.<br />
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So if you enjoy walking on the coast of Wales, make sure you
get to Lleyn this year, as who knows if the minibuses will continue in 2017.
And as you walk along the path, remember to thank the National Trust and the
Welsh Government for making the coast so accessible.</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Geoff Gibbshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12032826441959586186noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-70384008449098645462016-06-13T18:15:00.001+01:002016-06-13T18:15:24.790+01:00Good news all round! Natur Cymru Issue 59 Summer 2016<br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">TWO great things have happened this week</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">First, our Fundraising appeal has been successful thanks to the great generosity of our supporters who have given either their money or their time or both. These include:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Iolo Williams, who has supported Natur Cymru right from the beginning</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Please try to support them in return, wherever you can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This week also sees the <strong>publication of the Summer issue </strong>packed full of wonderful articles</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OAzjPJEoIdI/V17pqKB-6UI/AAAAAAAAANE/NRbH4TKzRbMxc55ja3ZyAkC_9KCURfq8wCLcB/s1600/Cover%2BNC%2B59%2BSummer%2B2016%2Bcomp%2B230%2Bx%2B300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OAzjPJEoIdI/V17pqKB-6UI/AAAAAAAAANE/NRbH4TKzRbMxc55ja3ZyAkC_9KCURfq8wCLcB/s1600/Cover%2BNC%2B59%2BSummer%2B2016%2Bcomp%2B230%2Bx%2B300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b>The Welsh Rothschilds - places for nature </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Jonathan Mullard</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is 100 years since Charles Rothschild selected his proposed nature reserves in Wales</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>The end of the line for the Strandline Beetle? </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Mike Howe</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many environmental factors are working together to drive this rare beetle to extinction</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Earthstar fungus Geastrum britannicum: coming soon to a churchyard near you </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">●</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></b>Andrew Shaw</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A new species, which only occurs in Britain, has been found in a number of Welsh churchyards </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Trelogan -</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">a small Welsh village with a worldwide reputation</span></b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">●</span></b> Paul Day and Phil Putwain</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">How lead mining has led both to the study of evolution in action</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>A photographer’s journey - from landscapes to birds in their habitat </b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Jeremy Moore</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A personal account of how bird photography grew out of a love of landscapes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Eryri - may na mynyddoedd - Ffair Bioamrywiaeth Eryri </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Gethin Davies</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Taith Bioamrywiaeth Flynyddol o amgylch ysgolion Eryri</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Do bats visit the Pembrokeshire Islands?</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> ● </span></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel Taylor</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">New technology is revealing a great deal about hitherto unknown movements of bats</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>“I had seen nothing in nature so spectacular” The Grassholm Saga </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● D</span></b>avid Saunders</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The long and colourful history of this Pembrokeshire island is brought together for the first time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Freshwater pearl mussels - Pearls in Peril </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Elain Gwilym and Jackie Webley</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A four year project is now nearing completion with hope for the future of this iconic species</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">NODWEDDION ARFEROL / REGULAR FEATURES</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Green Bookshelf </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>James Robertson, Mike Howe</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Marine Matters </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Ivor Rees</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">‘Seared Scallops’ - the implications of proposed scallop dredging in the Cardigan Bay SAC</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Buglife </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Ryan Clark</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">There is life in dead wood!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>From the Garden</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Bruce Langridge</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Dancing to the rhythm of fungi – ballerina waxcaps</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Discoveries in science </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Harriet Wood</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Safeguarding the gems of a scientific collection</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Plantlife </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Colin Cheesman</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Great Orme - its botanical riches and management challenges</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Woods and forests </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">● </span></b>Nick Atkinson</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Long Forest - hedgerows and their management</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Publication date: 15<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> June 2016</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Cover price £4.50, or quarterly by subscription £18 pa (individual) or £32 (group/organisation)</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Enquiries: </span><a href="mailto:info@naturcymru.org.uk"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">info@naturcymru.org.uk</span></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"> 0300 065 4867</span></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-55773445170694207232016-05-09T15:33:00.001+01:002016-05-16T10:22:30.079+01:00Natur Cymru's Crowdfunding appeal<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQAKHIjWjxo/VzCfW8YbDfI/AAAAAAAAAM0/cr_3YsygGK8UQKoMhJ65tYXNSx_RGDaQgCLcB/s1600/Promo%2Bstill.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NQAKHIjWjxo/VzCfW8YbDfI/AAAAAAAAAM0/cr_3YsygGK8UQKoMhJ65tYXNSx_RGDaQgCLcB/s400/Promo%2Bstill.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Iolo Williams, giving heartfelt support for Natur Cymru</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
<em><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-style: normal;">There are big changes here at Natur Cymru HQ. If you're a subscriber you'll be getting a personal letter from us this week explaining what's happening, but here's a summary.</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
<em><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-style: normal;">Earlier this year we learned that important financial support was being withdrawn. Since then we have been working hard to find ways to keep the magazine going.</span></em><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Without it, unfortunately the magazine will have to close after Issue 60 (Autumn 2016).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
<em><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-style: normal;">More time is needed to find a long term solution, and so we </span></em><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">have decided to </span></strong><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">ask for donations</span></strong><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;"> to raise enough money to keep afloat until March 2017</span></strong><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">.</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We are seeking £12,000 to fund a further 2 issues</b> – Nos 61 (Winter 2016) and 62 (Spring 2017). This will be used to fund staff time and office costs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> <span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Supporters can donate online via the the Crowdfunder website, where Iolo Williams speaks from the heart about what Natur Cymru means to wildlife in Wales.</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/natur-cymru-nature-of-wales/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">www.crowdfunder.co.uk/natur-cymru-nature-wales</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cheque donations are also very welcome - please make your cheque payable to Natur Cymru Ltd and post to Natur Cymru, Maes y Ffynnon, Penrhosgarnedd, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DW. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">Please remember to include your name and address. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif";">Please note, cheques and pledges will not be cashed unless we reach our target.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span> <span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><br />
<h3 style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">WHAT ELSE CAN PEOPLE DO TO HELP?</span></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"> </span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Subscribe to NC via our website <a href="http://www.naturcymru.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.naturcymru.org</span></a> or by writing to us</span></span></li>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/naturcymru.natureofwales/ and Twitter @NaturCymru and share to interested parties so we can reach a wider audience</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Write to us with letters of support which will help with our bids for funding (or email <a href="mailto:info@naturcymru.org.uk"><span style="color: blue;">info@naturcymru.org.uk</span></a>)</span></li>
</span></ul>
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<div style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">If you belong to an organisation which might be able to help meet any of our needs, please contact us <a href="mailto:info@naturcymru.org.uk"><span style="color: blue;">info@naturcymru.org.uk</span></a></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Thank you everyone, and keep your fingers crossed!</span></span></div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-68716726476106344142016-04-11T18:00:00.000+01:002016-04-11T18:00:07.194+01:00Welsh Assemby elections - how will you vote?With the <a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/elections-and-referendums/upcoming-elections-and-referendums" target="_blank"><span style="color: #319bd8;">Welsh Assembly elections in May</span></a> drawing near, Natur Cymru decided to approached the six main political parties and asked them about some of the environmental problems facing Wales today.<br />
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Judging by what we know of our readership, many people in Wales feel passionately about environmental issues. But how easy is it to judge and compare the environmental approaches of the main political parties?<br />
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We asked for a general statement, and replies to 4 questions. In <a href="http://www.naturcymru.org.uk/" target="_blank">Issue 58</a> we summarised the responses we received, but you can read their full replies on our website <a href="http://www.naturcymru.org.uk/political-party-views-on-environment-2016/" target="_blank">here.</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">QUESTION 1: </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What do you
think are the main threats to the </span><strong><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">marine environment</span></strong><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> caused by human activities? How
would you address these, and would marine conservation zones be a priority?</span></i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">QUESTION 2: Do
you think </span><strong><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pillar
1 of the Common Agricultural Policy </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-weight: normal;">(CAP)</span></strong><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> is delivering
significant environmental benefits for the taxpayer? Are there any ways in
which you and your Party would seek to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">reform
CAP</b> and the way in which it is administered in Wales to deliver improved
environmental outcomes and public benefits?</span></span></i></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">QUESTION 3: Do
you think measures are needed to improve the </span><strong><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">performance of Natural Resources
Wales</span></strong><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> (NRW) in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities
towards wildlife and the natural environment, and if so, what would these be?</span></span></i></div>
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<strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">QUESTION 4: Sustainability
of major land-use changes</span></i></strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> (such as the Circuit of Wales, M4 Relief road); do the stated
advantages of the developments (some of which may not turn out as claimed)
outweigh the permanent loss of key habitat?</span></span></i></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We hope you find the results interesting and informative. They
reveal many and varied points of view and policy intentions. We are extremely
grateful to all those who provided responses to our questions, namely: </span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Llyr Gruffydd AM</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
Plaid Cymru; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tom Sharman</b>, Policy
Communications Manager, Wales Green Party; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Janet
Howarth AM,</b> Welsh Conservative Party; <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Martin
Eaglestone</b>, Welsh Policy Officer, Welsh Labour Party; and </span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">William Powell AM</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Welsh
Liberal Democrats Shadow Minister for the Environment & Rural Affairs. UKIP did not reply.</span></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-68487483252843056142016-03-24T20:05:00.000+00:002016-03-24T20:05:08.630+00:00Goats in Bee Bole<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">The new kid is now 19 days old and finding its feet; quick and agile on steep slopes, but not yet able to cross over fences. For the time being the kid and its mum are separate from the rest of the gang, unable to get over fences, although today there was a second female or aunt in attendance.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;" /><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">This morning’s weather was foul, cold and wet. As I drove up the hill, the kid and its mum were on the drive in front of me, just above the lower hairpin. They stared at my car for a while, but as the intensity of the rain increased, it was time for shelter. They ran up the slope and took refuge in one of the bee boles. The mum ushered in the kid, then squeezed in herself; a tight fit with her horns touching the ceiling.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;">The bee boles were built for skeps, the baskets in which bees were kept before the invention of the beehive. It’s good to see old buildings put to new uses.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; line-height: 18.48px;" /><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-9613516624452479432016-03-17T12:45:00.000+00:002016-03-18T10:57:53.329+00:00Natur Cymru 58 Spring 2016<h3 style="border-image: none;">
Publication date: 18th March 2016</h3>
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<strong>Politics and Environment: views of the Parties</strong><br />
In the run up to the May elections, where do the main parties stand on key environmental issues?</div>
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<strong>Er clod i'n cloddiau cerrig ● Twn Elias, Dafydd Roberts a John H. Davies</strong><br />
Mae cloddiau yn rhan annatod o dirwedd Cymru ac yn amhrisiadwy i fywyd gwyllt</div>
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<strong>Travels in lichenology ● Tracey Lovering</strong><br />
The trials and addictive joys of learning a new subject</div>
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<strong>Native oyster restoration in Wales ● Andy Woolmer</strong><br />
Bringing back the native oyster to Swansea Bay</div>
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<strong>Enlightened, wildlife-friendly agriculture ● Ian Rappel</strong><br />
Colin Tudge speaks of the Campaign for Real Farming</div>
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<strong>Skokholm & Skomer 1946 ● David Saunders</strong><br />
After the Second World War naturalists were keen to return to the Pembrokeshire Islands </div>
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<strong>Pumlumon: a truly Living Landscape ● Liz Lewis-Reddy</strong><br />
Restoring wildlife, sustainable agriculture and vibrant communities back to the Cambrian Mountains</div>
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<strong>When to intervene ● Rob Parry</strong><br />
A thought-provoking plea to do more for wildlife before it's too late</div>
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<strong>Discoveries in science ● Annette Townsend, Caroline Buttler & Cindy Howells</strong> <br />
Moulding and casting a fossilised coral</div>
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<strong>Buglife ● Michelle Bales - Urban Buzz – creating wildlife areas for invertebrates</strong></div>
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<strong>Green Bookshelf ● David Saunders, Andy Mackie</strong></div>
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<strong>Dispatches from the hills ● David Elias</strong></div>
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Rewilding the Ranges</div>
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<strong>Islands round up ● Geoff Gibbs</strong><br />
News from the Skerries, and overwintering on the offshore islands of Wales</div>
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<strong>Nature at large ● Audrey Watson</strong><br />
BASC programme of mink control to protect water voles</div>
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<strong>Woods and forests ● Rory Francis</strong><br />
How green is my city? The importance of urban trees</div>
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<strong>Life lines ● Russell De'Ath</strong><br />
Building a resilience: the principles of Sustainable Management of Natural Resources</div>
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Enquiries: <a href="mailto:info@naturcymru.org.uk">info@naturcymru.org.uk</a> 0300 065 4867</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-57885246841376260332016-03-08T11:52:00.001+00:002017-03-12T12:18:50.770+00:00Films about conservation in Wales<div style="text-align: center;">
Over the past year I had the pleasure of meeting a lot of interesting people at National Trust properties across Wales to make short films about their conservation work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxGGwnwbPV7HBEhG2pCC0mpCwGXwGvjh7R0ocB-mRKYafcJI-ZvgaIOFH73lY-eGc2CuxdZCUCXjTtRgP-e6O2_EojvQO6DxAHMlSrJ4AP5QglokLeQPbMLKEAEF48SAV2U7UcruG2Jw/s1600/DSC00178s.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDxGGwnwbPV7HBEhG2pCC0mpCwGXwGvjh7R0ocB-mRKYafcJI-ZvgaIOFH73lY-eGc2CuxdZCUCXjTtRgP-e6O2_EojvQO6DxAHMlSrJ4AP5QglokLeQPbMLKEAEF48SAV2U7UcruG2Jw/s320/DSC00178s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">At Cwm Idwal we filmed early when the arctic alpines were blooming and later in the summer when everywhere was purple with heather. Amazing geology and incredible what a difference sheep grazing or the lack of it can make. </span><span style="font-size: small;">Here is a link to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYMJ1HxnLy8&index=3&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">the English</span></a> and to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k-tyWfQRRY" target="_blank">the Welsh</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyE_rDLitURV83K0nut9DeKRR_rZ37J0rsq7p46yasEGrwWTd_o61dsJldZ6HyryBhVYTKc_KKLwzHvfyERofsXGkVBhWdyfC0_6EYyOfTWjEdN6uebTmNzvrNjfFtKwPF-7mvcU6SN0/s1600/DSC00161s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyE_rDLitURV83K0nut9DeKRR_rZ37J0rsq7p46yasEGrwWTd_o61dsJldZ6HyryBhVYTKc_KKLwzHvfyERofsXGkVBhWdyfC0_6EYyOfTWjEdN6uebTmNzvrNjfFtKwPF-7mvcU6SN0/s320/DSC00161s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Cwm Ivy is another magical place down on the Gower where a medieval seawall has been breached and a brand new salt marsh has been created. The transition from pasture to salt marsh was incredibly quick, new species quickly filled the gap. Here is </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BNg3UzWSp0&index=4&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" style="font-size: medium;" target="_blank">a link to the film</a><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7-kz-vmgIiKHnn8zHv1vmdXgSBod7bSraTHKbzpwYndlTlM0xNaRYxMmjOPWTQWBCY4AcR8QMlmhX0y5gwMQ7z6M2sCHH4djh2J6twiRDW0eFzP3ZUe0yKa_MeFwoFCmKtnX9GIMZcg/s1600/DSC00055s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN7-kz-vmgIiKHnn8zHv1vmdXgSBod7bSraTHKbzpwYndlTlM0xNaRYxMmjOPWTQWBCY4AcR8QMlmhX0y5gwMQ7z6M2sCHH4djh2J6twiRDW0eFzP3ZUe0yKa_MeFwoFCmKtnX9GIMZcg/s320/DSC00055s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">To give people an idea of the sort of work that goes into managing a National Trust woodland we filmed in each season to show the activities at different times of year. This film condenses a year in the life of Rhodri Wigley and the Dolmelynllyn Woodland into 15 minutes. Here is a link to </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olTh_bc8n-s" target="_blank">the English</a> and to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhiryabSn4I" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">the Welsh</span></a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEID8G1ldBp2YFh60K7Tb60ZYCw8eMiAD8-Fu_KQ2k7KNyosP3NCrQ-lrvQm9f-4tECB51WLWR76JXlWrTz5PYIUU8gCeTn6xBorFMGN40HekaaB6fTY9_okj6517W2WoCroEyJc-dyI/s1600/DSC00092cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifEID8G1ldBp2YFh60K7Tb60ZYCw8eMiAD8-Fu_KQ2k7KNyosP3NCrQ-lrvQm9f-4tECB51WLWR76JXlWrTz5PYIUU8gCeTn6xBorFMGN40HekaaB6fTY9_okj6517W2WoCroEyJc-dyI/s320/DSC00092cs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />In Ceredigion there are 9 sites which are part of the Save Our Magnificent Meadows project. This particular site was just north of Aberporth and a group of volunteers was being trained to identify plants and thus be able to monitor the progress of the meadows. Here is a link to </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klLVhoW-xPw&index=2&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" style="font-size: medium;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">the film</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmap2SMZTDfGMZa1cLEFhMUCWX9F7ua1H0_PMwJcvlpAPhV2JifSYgRtN85UC-onm8RbWsX4_ot2Dr1eKwABlz_rPwKQSBtTKSPIIe7lj7p0k53GwIyMysSetXhwo3zRjSxoHeUzIYWU/s1600/DSC00100s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxmap2SMZTDfGMZa1cLEFhMUCWX9F7ua1H0_PMwJcvlpAPhV2JifSYgRtN85UC-onm8RbWsX4_ot2Dr1eKwABlz_rPwKQSBtTKSPIIe7lj7p0k53GwIyMysSetXhwo3zRjSxoHeUzIYWU/s320/DSC00100s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />The Cregennan Lakes between Cadair Idris and the Mawddach are the best in Wales, the benchmark against which all other lakes are measured. </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aj0fnwdAcDk&index=8&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" style="font-size: medium;" target="_blank">This film</a><span style="font-size: small;"> incorporates dive footage which shows the plantlife growing at almost twice the depth of other lakes. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9eYqBhuU_lTk1mwWWco-9W1KaSn7p5gjeBHaIeOKq7_Sd3ajC8xzS-ecZNPB-BE8zwLCHYrB2jddOW205wqL4rLbXyInzuQqQSGc0QX7gt2HemLpuQRurKYLLgT4xJDV5lyyjbIWW5A/s1600/DSC00114s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9eYqBhuU_lTk1mwWWco-9W1KaSn7p5gjeBHaIeOKq7_Sd3ajC8xzS-ecZNPB-BE8zwLCHYrB2jddOW205wqL4rLbXyInzuQqQSGc0QX7gt2HemLpuQRurKYLLgT4xJDV5lyyjbIWW5A/s320/DSC00114s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />The waxcaps at Llanerchaeron are beautiful and so is the soil analysis and DNA science which helps you detect which species are present without the need to see the fruiting bodies. Here is </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRcuS9XxCw8&index=14&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" style="font-size: medium;" target="_blank">a link to the film</a><span style="font-size: small;">. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGI8fjWkHppFpCfZzSIwOlXvPipuvBJl9_CN33d4pzCszd14ZsKK7-oT9hlrBlgJYUxlVhu-pjFs_0t9zHgUcX5LgmhE6K0l00cxvqk8O1KRyv5S2G8LPky90t5j5XrTDQuNFR-aDwlCI/s1600/DSC00190s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGI8fjWkHppFpCfZzSIwOlXvPipuvBJl9_CN33d4pzCszd14ZsKK7-oT9hlrBlgJYUxlVhu-pjFs_0t9zHgUcX5LgmhE6K0l00cxvqk8O1KRyv5S2G8LPky90t5j5XrTDQuNFR-aDwlCI/s320/DSC00190s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">I always look forward to my visits to Pembrokeshire but as I drove down through the storms I thought it was going to be a wasted journey. Fortunately the Gods were on our side and we had 5 hours of filming before the heavens opened again. This is what they are doing on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68VR8usk2VY&index=9&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" target="_blank">Castlemartin Peninsula</a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdwig-OBy1suBZyA0blMZs1Byi2CDLgQqGqT8QlGulf3G8_IaieeomQAhqJV0716BDDbRvj17vvv99xE0prdplMve0aYQZm8-J2EpJEiYkBoj40zZaCu4vDMczDtqWL8oVsrvnHccm-k/s1600/DSC00087s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeIo5B2IiDg&index=5&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdwig-OBy1suBZyA0blMZs1Byi2CDLgQqGqT8QlGulf3G8_IaieeomQAhqJV0716BDDbRvj17vvv99xE0prdplMve0aYQZm8-J2EpJEiYkBoj40zZaCu4vDMczDtqWL8oVsrvnHccm-k/s320/DSC00087s.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">At Hafod y Llan a second shepherd was appointed to control the sheep which were grazing the wrong parts of the mountain as soon as the first shepherd clocked off at the end of his shift. Here is a link to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeIo5B2IiDg&index=5&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" target="_blank">the English</a> and to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLECeYnONSo&index=6&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" target="_blank">the Welsh</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginiIeXHfFFzHBq37-s2J12JgOmnlxaxjp0fI8pGfSXAftKLFkLITVS3MSV2lBPlaVisol1ZvtNJapxNHvBajRpePlog3nzGoKY5A0kd2MOtwutZIiUwTsj6sPXI2Bxksk60nkD4o6ODk/s1600/DSC00207s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEginiIeXHfFFzHBq37-s2J12JgOmnlxaxjp0fI8pGfSXAftKLFkLITVS3MSV2lBPlaVisol1ZvtNJapxNHvBajRpePlog3nzGoKY5A0kd2MOtwutZIiUwTsj6sPXI2Bxksk60nkD4o6ODk/s320/DSC00207s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The geography of the Migneint is so impressive and vast but it still needs managing. This is what is being done to improve the conditions for species such as the Red Grouse. Here is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsBaFiy_SeM&index=10&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" target="_blank">a link to the film</a>. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiw5gUhM_h0nXxWNbrUB7zwzJa6mpKxQ1_nX7OpuLd2RLcli3Af8laIyUGKIfxa9PFc5tIODKXT1Kv8TK6PBRQhOYs9fPXX0XbCBTPogD9bSHZ5SpWyF1HW19jGepymu9heImSOuZOLUY/s1600/DSC00169s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiw5gUhM_h0nXxWNbrUB7zwzJa6mpKxQ1_nX7OpuLd2RLcli3Af8laIyUGKIfxa9PFc5tIODKXT1Kv8TK6PBRQhOYs9fPXX0XbCBTPogD9bSHZ5SpWyF1HW19jGepymu9heImSOuZOLUY/s320/DSC00169s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I also had the opportunity to make some films about the Llyn Peninsula which were not commissioned by the National Trust but included a lot of their input. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RxJZVRvgLQ&index=7&list=PLCh6PJCaYUGOE001U7xAZO6vko5Cqyhso" target="_blank">Here is a link</a> to one of those films. </span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-50508049883091757692016-01-21T13:03:00.000+00:002016-01-21T13:03:13.589+00:00New exhibition at Brymbo Fossil Forest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1n7RraFDs0/VqDOx5Q61ZI/AAAAAAAAAL0/nYOUo5MaDwY/s1600/NC%2B43%2BSummer%2B2012%2BBrymbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y1n7RraFDs0/VqDOx5Q61ZI/AAAAAAAAAL0/nYOUo5MaDwY/s200/NC%2B43%2BSummer%2B2012%2BBrymbo.jpg" width="152" /></a>In <em>Natur Cymru</em> 43 (2012) Raymond Roberts wrote about the exciting fossil discoveries unearthed at the former iron and steelworks at Brymbo near Wrexham. There has been much work at the site since then, and Raymond has written about the developments in the latest issue of Earth Heritage, the twice-yearly geology magazine. You can <a href="http://www.earthheritage.org.uk/download.html" target="_blank">download a copy for free here</a>.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dZA3_lJRuME/VqDVQK9NiII/AAAAAAAAAMM/Md2zMCY8VVo/s1600/NC%2B43%2BJM%2BIn%2Bsitu%2Blycophyte%2Bwith%2Bbranching%2BStigmaria%2Bcomp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dZA3_lJRuME/VqDVQK9NiII/AAAAAAAAAMM/Md2zMCY8VVo/s400/NC%2B43%2BJM%2BIn%2Bsitu%2Blycophyte%2Bwith%2Bbranching%2BStigmaria%2Bcomp.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fossil of giant clubmoss</td></tr>
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One of the most important finds was that of a giant clubmoss from the Carboniferous Era, with the trunk and roots still connected. It was decided to extract this from the site, both for its own protection and to allow further access. After careful reconstruction the fossil will now be <strong>on display in Wrexham Museum from 30th January 2016.</strong></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-42858792382398291142016-01-03T17:16:00.001+00:002016-01-03T18:02:38.866+00:00Over-wintering on Welsh Islands<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here
in North Wales we probably think we’ve had it pretty rough over the Christmas
period, with roads flooded and closed, railways closed (Bangor to Holyhead a
few days ago, Conwy Valley line closed for weeks to come) and difficult driving
conditions.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spare
a thought then for those hardy souls spending the winter on two offshore
islands, Ramsey and Bardsey (Ynys Enlli). Life on offshore islands is never
easy, but at least staff on islands without livestock, such as Skomer and
Skokholm, are able to leave for the mainland in early winter.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can read about the adventures of Greg and
Lisa Morgan on their Ramsey blog on the RSPB website. In addition to pictures
of the little harbour being pounded by the gales 3 days ago and at the end of
November, you will find out about the tidal turbine which was installed in
Ramsey Sound in mid-December (in a calm spell!). To see how Lisa and Greg have
coped over various winters, you can read their blog back to 2010.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
situation on Bardsey is a bit more complicated. The Porter family have been
living on Enlli since 2007, but by October last year both children were away at
University in Falmouth (some way away....). They were due to come back for
Christmas, by which time when the island should have had another two new residents:
Sian Stacey and her partner Mark Carter. Mark has been Assistant Warden at the
Bird Observatory for several years, and Sian is the new Island Manager for the
Bardsey Island Trust. Sian and Mark were all set to arrive at the start of
December, but had to wait on the mainland until 27</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> when the
weather relented and Colin Evans was able to take them and the young Porters across.
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can read Sian’s blog about their adventures at
<a href="http://bardseyislandlife.blogspot.co.uk/"><span style="color: blue;">http://bardseyislandlife.blogspot.co.uk</span></a>, and see pictures of the whole gang
bathing in the Cafn on January 1</span><sup><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. </span></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let’s see how they cope with the next three
months!</span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My
pictures taken at the end of September show that life on Bardsey can be easier,
at times.</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4Kg1PCP8Z8c1IjQE65aCLFu5WWP3lzY3wwHe7jqNfim_z4_XpGMs510MeESTMV7oRP2nlEm3dYoi9jZFYN-nLoLX3sb6MMio_2C9nvTe-fnnEWX4MK3K4vPoyZ-IEOxsykdk0bWxEiO8/s1600/Sept+loading+cattle+A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4Kg1PCP8Z8c1IjQE65aCLFu5WWP3lzY3wwHe7jqNfim_z4_XpGMs510MeESTMV7oRP2nlEm3dYoi9jZFYN-nLoLX3sb6MMio_2C9nvTe-fnnEWX4MK3K4vPoyZ-IEOxsykdk0bWxEiO8/s400/Sept+loading+cattle+A.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">Cattle returned to the island in September</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMQv5v6eD5siwaV7UGIJj-j57KSF9WUzVkCvmaOW9BNZwdXb8r1S6WKYQbgzeBk9PJ4lLTc5LHAdGpuqwpI07LRdT4GbhLcyKMu8Q5U_Yful-SP5qZP_xmcISJfxv0fYrmeHpfzFTeefx/s1600/Sept+sunset+A.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvMQv5v6eD5siwaV7UGIJj-j57KSF9WUzVkCvmaOW9BNZwdXb8r1S6WKYQbgzeBk9PJ4lLTc5LHAdGpuqwpI07LRdT4GbhLcyKMu8Q5U_Yful-SP5qZP_xmcISJfxv0fYrmeHpfzFTeefx/s400/Sept+sunset+A.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small; text-align: start;">A September sunset looking towards Ireland </span></td></tr>
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<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i>Geoff Gibbs</i></span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Geoff Gibbshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12032826441959586186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-60085633421176226192015-12-09T12:42:00.000+00:002015-12-09T12:42:07.552+00:00Natur Cymru Issue 57 Winter 2015-16<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w73_Stnaj0Q/VmgZQOwP6QI/AAAAAAAAALo/Q256NbZMQyc/s1600/NC%2B57%2BWinter%2B2015%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w73_Stnaj0Q/VmgZQOwP6QI/AAAAAAAAALo/Q256NbZMQyc/s320/NC%2B57%2BWinter%2B2015%2Bcover.jpg" title="Natur Cymru 57 cover" width="245" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Twelve drummers drumming' (detail)<br />
by Ann Lewis <a href="http://www.annlewis.co.uk/">www.annlewis.co.uk</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Publication date: 15th December 2015</span></strong><br />
Cover price £4.50, or quarterly by subscription £18 pa (individual) or £32 (group/organisation)<br />
<br />
<strong>A box of matches and sheep's teeth ● David Elias</strong><br />
Conservation management on the North Wales moors<br />
<br />
<strong>The Welsh uplands death or resurrection? ● Mick Green</strong> <br />
Wildlife declines may require a new approach.<br />
<br />
<strong>Planhigion meddyginiaethol Meddygon Myddfai ● Bethan Wyn Jones</strong><br />
Hynt a hanes meddygaeth lysieuol.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Black Mountains - not such a black future ● Bradley Welch</strong><br />
Targeted use of the Welsh Government Nature Fund.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>One farm’s flora: 30 years on ● Neil Ludlow</strong><br />
Vegetation changes on a Carmarthenshire smallholding.<br />
<br />
<strong>Something like tundra.....unique Welsh highland habitat ● John Harold</strong> <br />
Montane heath on the upland plateaux of Snowdonia.<br />
<br />
<strong>The pearl-bordered fritillary in Wales ● Tammy Stretton & Russel Hobson</strong><br />
Conservation efforts along the Welsh border for this declining species.<br />
<br />
<strong>The Llysdinam legacy ● Fred Slater</strong> <br />
The story of Cardiff Unversity’s field centre in mid-Wales, and the studies conducted there<br />
<br /><br />
<strong>NODWEDDION ARFEROL / REGULAR FEATURES</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Buglife ● Sarah Henshall</strong><br />
Exposed Riverine Sediments and the invertebrates found there<br />
<br />
<strong>Discoveries in science ● Sarah Daly</strong> <br />
Stuffed, Pickled & Pinned - an exhibition of the wonders of nature in Welsh museums<br />
<br />
<strong>From the Garden ● Rob Thomas</strong> <br />
Pollen analysis throws light on the creation of the Middleton Hall gardens two centuries ago<br />
<br />
<strong>Green Bookshelf ●</strong> Ian Spence, Annie Haycock, Chris Fuller, David Saunders & Mandy Marsh<br />
<br />
<strong>Lifelines ● Kathryn Hewitt</strong><br />
Natura 2000 - the natural wealth of Wales<br />
<br />
<strong>Mammals round-up ● Frances Cattanach</strong><br />
An update on a whole spectrum of Wales' mammals<br />
<br />
<strong>Marine matters ● Ivor Rees</strong><br />
Proposed Tidal Lagoon in Swansea Bay<br />
<br />
<strong>Nature at large ● Gareth Cunningham</strong><br />
Welsh seabird colonies - how are they faring?<br />
<br />
<strong>Plantlife ● Dave Lamacraft</strong><br />
Unearthing the secrets of the Celtic rainforest<br />
<br />
<strong>News ● Hilary Kehoe - PONT - grazing animals project</strong><br />
<strong><br /></strong><br />
<br />
Enquiries: info@naturcymru.org.uk 0300 065 4867Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com105tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-60657418079152994112015-10-15T19:47:00.000+01:002015-10-15T19:47:02.406+01:00‘A year in the life of a National Trust woodland - autumn at DolmelynllynYesterday I returned to Dolmlynllyn to film <i>‘autumn’</i>, the third season in <i><b>‘a year in the life of a National Trust woodland’</b></i>.<br />
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Rhodri Wigley was an excellent guide and laid on several activities; removing sapwood from cleft fencing stakes, a dangerous tree survey, pruning of small trees, volunteers thinning an overgrown piece of woodland and the building of the village bonfire at Ganllwyd. Here are the short films in English and in Welsh:<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/N9eizE52uHM/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N9eizE52uHM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-23702771933395212822015-09-24T20:07:00.000+01:002015-09-24T20:09:47.859+01:00Teifi Marshes: a small butterfly, a big badger and some buffaloes!Nathan Walton wrote about the Teifi Marshes reserve (Wildlife Trust of S & W Wales) and the Welsh Wildlife Centre there, in the Spring 2015 issue of Natur Cymru. Kate and I arranged to meet Nathan at the reserve on our way down to Skokholm in early September; as his first job in conservation was with NWWT there is always plenty to talk about!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEV-sB05nyhcVI_Wu8Q5oOqJ88QmiPBhSdIDKghHJLYSYun0XFk5CHuhyGDRn27qizVmvFlX7itegVTZfAAcEBC7euc4HS6FnCmWiwEcPb15r1R4toBeLLJtHfKlpM8qkabl1W-FbcRc/s1600/Brown+Hairstreak+Maggie+Sproulecs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpEV-sB05nyhcVI_Wu8Q5oOqJ88QmiPBhSdIDKghHJLYSYun0XFk5CHuhyGDRn27qizVmvFlX7itegVTZfAAcEBC7euc4HS6FnCmWiwEcPb15r1R4toBeLLJtHfKlpM8qkabl1W-FbcRc/s320/Brown+Hairstreak+Maggie+Sproulecs.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Hairstreak. Photo by Maggie Sproule</td></tr>
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The small butterfly is the brown hairstreak, one of five British hairstreaks. It has quite a limited range in Britain, but SW Wales is a hot-spot for them. The females lay eggs on blackthorn, avoiding hedges which are cut every year with a flail. We knew it was the right time of year and asked Nathan if we could see one;<i> ‘Yes, on hemp agrimony outside the kingfisher hide’! </i>Ten minutes later local entomologist Maggie Sproule was showing us our first-ever brown hairstreak. Maggie told us:<i> ‘It has been a wonderful year for sightings at the Wildlife Centre, helped by the fact that so many are nectar feeding. One day I was watching a female and waited to see how she would stay nectar feeding. I first saw her at 14:00 on a hemp agrimony plant and kept checking every ten minutes. She was still there, on the same plant but a different head over two hours later, and didn't leave until the plants were in the shade’</i>.<br />
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After this experience we sat outside the Centre with a cup of tea and a bun, and enjoyed the view over the Teifi Marshes towards Cardigan town. The big willow badger certainly dwarfs the small boy!<br />
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On our walk round the 2-mile Wetland Trail we enjoyed seeing a group of water buffaloes. Nathan told us <i>‘we had eight females on site that arrived middle of March. Six of them were pregnant although it wasn’t clear as to when they would ‘drop’. Due to good herbage on the reserve, they developed quicker than anticipated and the first female gave birth in the middle of August. </i><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg528DJwYrgF8wchX3cVuw_17V81aCdz3m4tJ_BCfvC5aT6iw3K6Dbw_XFmf946c2ox07LZ16Noj-R178Rum4r8ymlTZq9fi0_PVwkuvpK4RLOoUQkVcNl81meMiGw8fyHyikm_L6b37oo/s1600/Blissful+Buffalo+2+-++Credit+Nathan+Waltoncs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg528DJwYrgF8wchX3cVuw_17V81aCdz3m4tJ_BCfvC5aT6iw3K6Dbw_XFmf946c2ox07LZ16Noj-R178Rum4r8ymlTZq9fi0_PVwkuvpK4RLOoUQkVcNl81meMiGw8fyHyikm_L6b37oo/s320/Blissful+Buffalo+2+-++Credit+Nathan+Waltoncs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blissful Buffalo. Photo by Nathan Walton.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>It was decided to take them all off the reserve so as to allow birthing </i><i>within farm buildings of the owner. The female and calf along with three others were easily rounded up. The other four were new to the reserve and so herding them into the pen was not so easy. They were extremely nervous and charged whenever we got near. Over a few days we managed to get them towards the holding pen by creating smaller compartments that were electrified and then shutting them in. They finally came off the reserve on 14th September after passing their TB test. They will be back next season and have done a fantastic job this year on the reserve, keeping vegetation managed and water areas open’</i>.<br />
<br />
The Teifi Marshes reserve and the Centre are readily accessible on foot or by bike from Cardigan over the old bridge; the Centre is reached by car via Cilgerran village.<br />
<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz2d_hZZrtqAZCC-xynakx8HO1N_eAInCfHv-R7q6Zs0zTffbRpR-Psv5UYosp8ScQIKY2CLtD2qXJ3MaXFAtSMmkIKXoK3-Bdz0f5oV5jbsgJt-VhQffxocv2S4RemmlhIOpkDnwRgY/s1600/DSCF0733c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMz2d_hZZrtqAZCC-xynakx8HO1N_eAInCfHv-R7q6Zs0zTffbRpR-Psv5UYosp8ScQIKY2CLtD2qXJ3MaXFAtSMmkIKXoK3-Bdz0f5oV5jbsgJt-VhQffxocv2S4RemmlhIOpkDnwRgY/s320/DSCF0733c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Blogpost by Geoff Gibbs 24th September 2015.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-67790785286620607352015-09-08T12:38:00.002+01:002015-09-13T09:03:45.979+01:00Natur Cymru Hydref / Autumn 2015 - Rhif / Issue 56<br />
<div align="LEFT" dir="LTR">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Publication date: 15th September 2015</b><br />
Cover price £4.50, or quarterly by subscription £18 pa (individual) or £32 (group/organisation)</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6W4MfW-dYGU/Ve6-OOYpKAI/AAAAAAAAALY/Yy95krAUmA4/s1600/NC%2B56%2BAutumn%2B2015%2Bcover%2B100dpi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6W4MfW-dYGU/Ve6-OOYpKAI/AAAAAAAAALY/Yy95krAUmA4/s320/NC%2B56%2BAutumn%2B2015%2Bcover%2B100dpi.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Zero-till and cover crops – the new agri-revolution ● Mike Donovan. </b> Agricultural management focussed on looking after the soil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Lovely Dyfi – progress in the Biosphere ● Andy Rowland. </b>Community involvement in the extended Dyfi Biosphere Reserve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Wentwood Forest revisited ● Colin Titcombe. </b>The history and wildlife of this great Welsh forest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>The limestone grasslands of north-east Wales ● John Osley. </b> Colourful grasslands in beautiful landscapes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Spoilt rotten – the wonders of colliery spoil tips ● Liam Olds. </b> The invertebrate wildlife of these rich and often overlooked habitats.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Sefydliad Morgan Parry Foundation ● Roger Thomas. </b>Hyrwyddo addysg a datblygu cynaliadwy / Advancing education and sustainable development.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Weaving the web: towards a natural garden ● Malcolm Berry. </b>A new approach to growing food and benefiting garden wildlife.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Dartford Warblers in south Wales ● Hannah Meinertzhagen. </b>A study of the habitat types favoured by this new colonist of the Gower Peninsula.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>NODWEDDION ARFEROL / REGULAR FEATURES</b><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Green Bookshelf ● Julian Hughes, David Saunders, James Robertson & Rowan McShane</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Discoveries in science ● Bob Griffiths, Iwan Edwards & Barbara Brown</b>Spread of the New Zealand flatworm – a new citizen-science survey.<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Islands roundup ● Ben Porter and Geoff Gibbs. </b> Rare migrant birds on Ynys Enlli / Bardsey Island this spring.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Buglife ● Steven Falk. </b>Promoting spring forage for invertebrates.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Woods and forests ● Rory Francis. </b>Saving the Celtic rainforest at Llenyr</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Life lines ● Ben Wray. </b>Alien invasion on the Dee! The Chinese Mitten Crab</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>From the Garden ● Bruce Langridge. </b> A Welsh mycological revival</span></span></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-80068413219202060282015-08-27T19:42:00.000+01:002015-08-27T19:42:13.330+01:00Sand Martins, Seagulls and the Garfish<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
If you walk
West along the beach towards Porth Dinllaen, there is a magnificent set of Sand
Martin nests, tunnelled into the collapsing cliff bank. It was busy, busy towards
the end of August. The chicks peering out of the nests looked big and hungry.
When the parent returned with food, only 1 of 3 was happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p>W</o:p>hile I was
admiring the view across the bay, from just beyond the Tŷ Coch, a seagull
struggled to take off from the sea, with a snakelike Garfish swinging beneath
its wings. Quite a heavy load. On the sand the fish made several attempts to
wriggle free. Juvenile gulls tried to share the prize but the catcher was
feeling selfish. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-14537472635746729992015-08-27T10:16:00.001+01:002015-08-27T10:16:39.789+01:00What slime mold!?On the stump of a Scots Pine which was felled 19 years ago a beautiful slime mold has taken up residence. The shape and the colour changes each day. On the second day it had gone very pale but was colourful again a couple of days later.<br />
<br />
Looking at photos on the web I thought it might be Red raspberry slime mold Tubifera ferruginosa and I've been told that if it develops into 'miniature cigars' that will confirm its identity. It could be a first for Maentwrog Nature Reserve!<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-8RJT4QRbBx44CJFojd-eYXnmunywLB6q7eA6as2f18plb4E3sMSs_9Y8hfF0HJ8eIkPG_v4nge6PK91KsPKxcTKtpnLPmMfppv6gmgyqr_hXFkxZ0UDixg0234KmSNObztyx3s9PUU/s1600/P1020328c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-8RJT4QRbBx44CJFojd-eYXnmunywLB6q7eA6as2f18plb4E3sMSs_9Y8hfF0HJ8eIkPG_v4nge6PK91KsPKxcTKtpnLPmMfppv6gmgyqr_hXFkxZ0UDixg0234KmSNObztyx3s9PUU/s320/P1020328c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are these miniature cigars?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYgUHNhC5nlLzdSkjruoCUqg18xzLcXpkWl-I6yaHTGaH3RfpfgP4ci8GuOVRhXRfANmD4LLxXHDY4X-VLFsVfv-L8p_D-UrUxcMQE6ev97b4LXWm9xz8LNjncHlro3_7jscTFP4OSKs/s1600/P1020270cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYgUHNhC5nlLzdSkjruoCUqg18xzLcXpkWl-I6yaHTGaH3RfpfgP4ci8GuOVRhXRfANmD4LLxXHDY4X-VLFsVfv-L8p_D-UrUxcMQE6ev97b4LXWm9xz8LNjncHlro3_7jscTFP4OSKs/s320/P1020270cs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">22nd August</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQhLm_-5cSfDttHMD3f6-c14GiMav5OWr-AB9qkMCzA_njNeO3sr_A9vFPmCwtEejo1zHMD9jucMhcMqAIDvdRWKaTdGZdfmRitR2I_hP9C5JESSze8DvNEoRmBS8tftO77AHowhK_T0/s1600/P1020276cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQhLm_-5cSfDttHMD3f6-c14GiMav5OWr-AB9qkMCzA_njNeO3sr_A9vFPmCwtEejo1zHMD9jucMhcMqAIDvdRWKaTdGZdfmRitR2I_hP9C5JESSze8DvNEoRmBS8tftO77AHowhK_T0/s320/P1020276cs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">23rd August</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2VQqobzurGEpLmbH618-LblOOQWYKDcDhCSwPtVdEQHirWEipdyv4bOFBKx7hZQo3FQtTfCaV5j1Kj52-D0iGDN7XEVS1VjwKwe55Ilru_rJMksykaueYxTzDUODNQNSFiYSfmAFbFg/s1600/P1020312cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2VQqobzurGEpLmbH618-LblOOQWYKDcDhCSwPtVdEQHirWEipdyv4bOFBKx7hZQo3FQtTfCaV5j1Kj52-D0iGDN7XEVS1VjwKwe55Ilru_rJMksykaueYxTzDUODNQNSFiYSfmAFbFg/s320/P1020312cs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">25th August</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInTR1g88oDA29e2HFfl5LbdbgDondDkKG7lR1D1VPvA3-fY_clNNqG-SN2-YXPQDEI-hkjJmclcB50SgWJzinoXOGFV9QpHW6EqF9yMV6B5cICEJlULj-Y8F2ik81OaDT4b87wFg91mw/s1600/P1020318cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInTR1g88oDA29e2HFfl5LbdbgDondDkKG7lR1D1VPvA3-fY_clNNqG-SN2-YXPQDEI-hkjJmclcB50SgWJzinoXOGFV9QpHW6EqF9yMV6B5cICEJlULj-Y8F2ik81OaDT4b87wFg91mw/s320/P1020318cs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">26th August</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE6uqbuI_MnNceGHhY_YVmItrQIA0r9nFYMnZVAdnO1Ve18mD4LDEKNeokcimgXbCDSGlefjG4UIq8gpkk0roXiVV1sFG1fU5JAOkuXeAcpvBX3Kj3fr_Is-LdstjkfBbOAn3kM28lwI/s1600/P1020328cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkE6uqbuI_MnNceGHhY_YVmItrQIA0r9nFYMnZVAdnO1Ve18mD4LDEKNeokcimgXbCDSGlefjG4UIq8gpkk0roXiVV1sFG1fU5JAOkuXeAcpvBX3Kj3fr_Is-LdstjkfBbOAn3kM28lwI/s320/P1020328cs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">27th August</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-66461407173475191862015-08-27T08:45:00.000+01:002015-08-27T08:46:02.535+01:00Llanfairfechan - end of summer<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0LXvIJkC4XC1Lc4amO9Jh4mI-xW7IBr6n-TxKlkgQsAF48fs2P16DV-3b259q6f9NrP_rxX3WhyphenhyphenX97FuBkJ2gckb0ql2ycvH0-6brI3j4QFgcb6hpGdYP_or9vwHkA-z2KgQprNNf6k/s1600/Small+Copper+Aug+2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0LXvIJkC4XC1Lc4amO9Jh4mI-xW7IBr6n-TxKlkgQsAF48fs2P16DV-3b259q6f9NrP_rxX3WhyphenhyphenX97FuBkJ2gckb0ql2ycvH0-6brI3j4QFgcb6hpGdYP_or9vwHkA-z2KgQprNNf6k/s320/Small+Copper+Aug+2014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Copper</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Back from the Bird Fair at Rutland Water, lovely sunny day
here if rather breezy – no day trips to Ynys Enlli (Bardsey) today! The Robin
breeding season is over, they have moulted and the pairs have split up. Heard
several Robins singing, the function is to defend individual feeding
territories – this is the autumn / early winter song which gradually fades out
leading up to December. These singing birds could include females, whereas from
Christmas onwards only male Robins sing. Read all about it in <i>The Life of the Robin </i>by David Lack.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Not all birds have finished breeding though – lots of House
Martins and Swallows about (the Swifts have all gone), and Woodpigeons carry on
singing (and laying eggs) until October. No luck with Turtle Doves though this
year; when I was living in North Wales in the late 1960’s, Turtle Doves were
common breeders in NE Wales and a few bred on Lleyn and Meirionnydd. Now these
have all gone - read about it in <i>The
Breeding Birds of North Wales </i>by Brenchley et al (2013). I haven’t seen a Turtle
Dove anywhere in Britain this year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Getting a bit late for good butterflies, but quite a few
showy ones on our Buddleia including a Painted Lady the other day and several
Commas. Then this morning a Common Blue appeared (very scarce round here this
year and our first in the garden for 2015), plus a very smart Small Copper. This
picture was actually taken just up the road in August last year.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Several Purple Hairstreaks seen on our butterfly transect
route earlier this month, we try to do this every week for Butterfly
Conservation. Viewing one of these individuals I even saw the ‘hairstreak’ mark
on the hindwing, usually they are too high up on the oaks or ashes to see this.
They lay eggs on the oaks and visit the ash trees for honeydew. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Geoff Gibbs</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-78076105133415606442015-08-13T09:24:00.001+01:002015-08-13T09:40:02.004+01:00Wasp scrum down<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOR_DAP9k7tfxjMzH2qPIkBNsXDPBnMiXzRrod4k1NS9Zo6K8amJAI8bVeXLMuBos1VTb5yldHX9ekB9vC-eFXZr3UcuHBUfM-jWJpYcN_B3IZ2qeWiK-OpLnBwjN_0Ehlm3iY0ZM8pp0/s1600/DSC00137s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOR_DAP9k7tfxjMzH2qPIkBNsXDPBnMiXzRrod4k1NS9Zo6K8amJAI8bVeXLMuBos1VTb5yldHX9ekB9vC-eFXZr3UcuHBUfM-jWJpYcN_B3IZ2qeWiK-OpLnBwjN_0Ehlm3iY0ZM8pp0/s400/DSC00137s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was up on
Mynydd Rhiw enjoying the summer weather with fine views across Llŷn. At the
summit were loads of insects and on the rocks by my feet was a wasp scrum down.
It looked a bit violent and I didn’t want to get too close in case I disturbed
them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Looking back
at the film footage it looks like 6 or 7 wasps were killing a queen. Or were
they mating? <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the
middle sequence there was a pair of wasps stacked on top of the back of the
queen whilst another stack of 4 wasps approached from the front. Was the wasp
at the front a brave volunteer to confront the queen or a conscript?<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-14843557752152270742015-08-11T09:19:00.000+01:002015-08-11T09:19:10.811+01:00Dolmelynllyn - a Year in the Life of a National Trust Woodland<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKz-N8Qclkys8G9IZ59T1i9NRufxBdpntJ6C7AA40KKViSX6Opd9s4rAcFwBg8treDqw3TMLYLTRKbZ2q3TF4eLWxrsGbcxRT1e6Ie18JXx0BdRNQA3EBFji-zZbhlp2m4ixmgDTtZuiM/s1600/DSC00123s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKz-N8Qclkys8G9IZ59T1i9NRufxBdpntJ6C7AA40KKViSX6Opd9s4rAcFwBg8treDqw3TMLYLTRKbZ2q3TF4eLWxrsGbcxRT1e6Ie18JXx0BdRNQA3EBFji-zZbhlp2m4ixmgDTtZuiM/s320/DSC00123s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhodri, axe and cleft fence post</td></tr>
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I’m part way
through making a film titled <i>Dolmelynllyn - a Year in the Life of a National
Trust Woodland</i>. Basically I go with my camera once in each season and Rhodri
Wigley takes me around to explain the various work that goes on at different
times of year. <o:p></o:p></div>
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At the end
of the year I will condense the four seasons into one film but for the moment
they are published separately. So far Spring and Summer have been filmed and
the beautiful Highland Cattle have featured in both. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Welsh language versions of the films are also published on YouTube. Click here for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRckydfwIPs" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Haf</span></a> and here for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0UwB_Qo5bA" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Gwanwyn</span></a>. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-15938172472991874672015-08-11T08:25:00.000+01:002015-08-11T09:20:30.819+01:00Hay Meadows in North Wales<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Greater
butterfly orchids had gone to seed but Caeau Tan-y-Bwlch was or were looking
great. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It was a hay
meadow celebration day on these traditional fields overlooking the coast from
above Clynnog Fawr. The fields are owned by Plantlife, managed by the North
Wales Wildlife Trust and recent recipients of funding from the Nature Fund
which has covered various works such as fencing so that the land can be effectively
grazed. AGAP (Anglesey Grazing Animals Partnership) was on hand to offer advice on the management of hay meadows. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A man from SABI
(Scything Association of Britain & Ireland) had driven from Norfolk and was
helping people perfect their technique; the swish, swish of a scythe is so
soothing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The hay
meadows were not quite ready for mowing, some seeds have yet to ripen, but now
was a good time for practice and inspiration with several species still in
bloom. Once mown, the hay will be baled and used to help seed more meadows.<br />
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Children were being instructed in the art of butterfly netting but as you will see, Hilary loses their attention!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-9731664400165594802015-08-06T20:55:00.004+01:002015-08-06T20:55:58.208+01:00Peacock caterpillars - are they late?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW6m9w2FgwIjStQY-uGgFNZTAsjxjSKisJe8fAbN12d__zkjbpJiprtdWoR-LCO4gvr31KwZvwCJs6w1a8j6ZoBMP-rB4cU8qTRXWIxLpSi1AMSSXwSZ0wd7dCApg2G9R8ODAx_n6sRY/s1600/P1020100cs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW6m9w2FgwIjStQY-uGgFNZTAsjxjSKisJe8fAbN12d__zkjbpJiprtdWoR-LCO4gvr31KwZvwCJs6w1a8j6ZoBMP-rB4cU8qTRXWIxLpSi1AMSSXwSZ0wd7dCApg2G9R8ODAx_n6sRY/s400/P1020100cs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Yesterday I saw my first black caterpillar of the year, the one that feeds on nettle leaves, and eventually becomes the Peacock. It's the same butterfly that sunbathes in our windowsills and can be seen flapping around in the middle of winter.<br />
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When I saw the caterpillars I thought they were a bit late in the season and checked back; sure enough, in 2011 I had seen them on the 7th of May. Summer has been poor, but surely not that bad?<br />
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I've had a look at the <a href="http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?vernacular_name=Peacock" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Butterfly Conservation website</span></a> which says that in a good year they may have a second brood. Presumably that's what has happened and I have been imagining all this cold, damp weather.<br />
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<i>'This butterfly is generally single-brooded. However, in good years, a small second brood may appear. Adults may be seen at any time of the year, with warm weather waking them from hibernation. The majority emerge from hibernation at the end of March and beginning of April. These mate and ultimately give rise to the next generation that emerges at the end of July.'</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-27470140214085485932015-07-29T08:04:00.000+01:002015-07-29T08:05:23.838+01:00Squirrel harassing batsI was walking through the drizzly woods, enjoying fresh bilberries, Molly scouting ahead. A squirrel ran up an old oak, and while Molly gazed upwards, front paws on the trunk, a second squirrel sneaked up the far side and into a hole half way up the tree. A couple of minutes later its head popped out to check the coast was clear and it carried on to the top.<br />
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Seconds later out swooped 1, 2, 3, 4, then 5 bats in quick succession. Then 6, 7, 8 and 9 ….10 ……. 11 and 12. After a long pause out came number 13, a few minutes later number 14 and much later came number 15. These were large looking bats. None of your frantic flapping of the wings or jumpy zig zag flight. More of a glide and a swoosh. All went the same direction and none returned in the 20 minutes I watched.<br />
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I wonder what went on inside. Did the squirrel attack the bats? Did the bats mob the squirrel? Why were some of the bats so slow to leave the roost? I’ll never know, but it was a great encounter.<br />
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A friend suggests the bats were probably Noctules.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-73570381930363438272015-07-28T08:05:00.002+01:002015-07-28T08:06:34.016+01:00Natur Cymru at RSPB Conwy 20<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Natur Cymru had a stall at RSPB Conwy’s 20-year celebrations this last weekend. Saturday was a lovely day with plenty of visitors, Iolo Williams was there to launch the event and cut the birthday cake etc, BTO people ran a bird ringing demonstration and lots of other things were happening. Over the two days, we recruited five new subscribers for Natur Cymru and made a number of useful contacts (including potential authors and a cover artist).<br />
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Sunday was rather different, it started raining about 8am and continued all morning. These photos were taken by Viv Finn who was on the Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife stand. One shows Guiseppe Bocatto from North Wales Wildlife Trust, keeping the water at bay. The yellow duck is obviously appreciating the fact that RSPB Conwy is indeed a wetland reserve! Congratulations to the RSPB staff and volunteers, and assorted stallholders, who remained cheerful throughout and coped well with the conditions.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-83518687773020070292015-07-26T09:36:00.001+01:002015-07-26T09:36:31.828+01:00Pictorial Meadows<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Wild flowers come and go, mainly in the early part of the summer, but my mix from Pictorial Meadows just keeps on coming. It should still be blooming up till the first frost in November.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I seeded six sections of the veg patch at different times and with varying success. A length on rich soil behind a row of peas was the first to get going, it took off really fast. Was that because it was on a slight slope, angled away from the sun, and did that mean they didn’t go too thirsty?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Other sowings thrived but some were patchy. Seedlings close to stone walls and compost heaps were probably most vulnerable to slug attack. In some areas a mix of seedlings sprouted but only a couple of species went on to survive. Was that because the slugs didn’t like them? Areas that were initially devastated by slugs are still pushing up tiny seedlings and these look like they might survive. Are the slugs sick of the plants?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The seeds had to cope with initial drought and my sporadic watering through a hosepipe from the stream above. They were then hit bit exceedingly heavy rains and pools of long standing water. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The supplier stressed the need for weed free beds, which they were when I sowed the seeds. But other seeds have been trespassing or rising out of the seedbank. So what I thought was going to be a low input project has turned into an obsessive, time consuming but satisfying labour of love. Next year I might plant narrower beds so that I can reach across and weed. With the current set up I need to use a scaffolding plank resting on stools – lying face down in a flower bed causes the occasional passer-by to ask if all is ok.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was the new head gardener at Bodnant who gave me the idea. He had a border on one of those immaculate terraces which was plagued with a particularly pernicious weed; by sowing a mix of annual seeds he’d be able to inspire the visitors and keep the weeds in check ready for planting perennials next year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you’d like to have a go you should visit the <a href="http://www.pictorialmeadows.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Pictorial Meadows website</span></a>. I got a bit carried away with ordering seeds and opted for 500g at a cost of just over £150. I chose the original Pictorial Meadows mix which is said to produce stunning displays until late October / November, starting out with white, blues, pinks and reds, turning to reds, orange and yellow in the autumn. The mix has been carefully balanced for colour and succession of display. Components include: Shirley Poppy, Pavader Rhoeas Californian Poppy, Eschscholzia Californica Cornflower, Centaurea Cyanus Fairy Toadflax, Linaria Maroccana Tickseed Coreopsis Tinctorial Red Orache Atriplex Hortensis and Larkspur. Delphinium Ajacis General Height: 60cm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So far it’s done what it says it will do on the packet which is not always the case with my gardening attempts! Should I collect the seed at the end of the summer or buy more for next year? Needless to say the supplier strongly recommends buying new so that you get the mix in the right proportions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Photos struggle to convey the effect, the swaying in the breeze and the buzz of the bees. This YouTube is better but still a poor substitute for the real thing.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-37076044187462546242015-07-09T08:23:00.001+01:002015-07-09T08:23:49.100+01:00Green Shield Bugs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I picked a
colander full of broad beans, took them to the kitchen and discovered I’d also picked up a couple of copulating hitchhikers - green shield bugs. </div>
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They mate
back to back as they’re not flexible enough for both to face forward. Or maybe they can't stand the sight of each other?<o:p></o:p></div>
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During their
journey to the kitchen and back to the beans they remained attached, the larger one, the female, walking forwards up my arm and the male having to walk backwards. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2077459781866680731.post-68124632605893866542015-06-17T20:55:00.000+01:002015-06-18T06:29:23.079+01:00While shepherds watched their flocks<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Too many
sheep, with consequent overgrazing, has damaged the rich mix of plantlife at
Hafod y Llan, the farm that rises from the Nant Gwynant valley floor to the
summit of Snowdon. Believe it or not, sheep are picky eaters, with a bit of a
sweet tooth for particular plants, leaving others to thrive and dominate the mountain
sward.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0URKFLipFWPGiybZfT_X4_G7H5H5miZq-nmTZu8HmP335e1m4uNU_L1_ntwZYi8yVKrg20sGmVOVdu-N6AuET2vWRJKgKeTveQ9dVDLCJa5MboESzw4_Kgl81cBf-3192GU9aDOasz6c/s1600/DSC00087s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0URKFLipFWPGiybZfT_X4_G7H5H5miZq-nmTZu8HmP335e1m4uNU_L1_ntwZYi8yVKrg20sGmVOVdu-N6AuET2vWRJKgKeTveQ9dVDLCJa5MboESzw4_Kgl81cBf-3192GU9aDOasz6c/s320/DSC00087s.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bilberry and heather regenerating on the foothills of Snowdon</td></tr>
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Since the
National Trust acquired the farm 15 years ago the number of sheep has been
halved but the plantlife has not recovered everywhere or as well as hoped. The problem is
that sheep, like nature, abhor a vacuum and sheep from neighbouring farms have
been trespassing. Worse still, they like to graze on the more sensitive areas
on the higher slopes of the mountains.</div>
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To sort this
out a shepherd was employed in 2014 to push the sheep into the correct areas
and to evict the trespassers. But when he knocked off, the sheep ‘came out to
play’. So this year a second shepherd has been appointed and between the two of
them they can provide 7 day cover during daylight hours in the summer. Hopefully
the mountain tops will soon be a purple haze of blooming heather and fruiting
bilberry with sheep growing fat on the pasture below.</div>
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If you’d
like to know more about this project, embracing traditional shepherding to tackle a current issue, this
film might be of interest (Welsh version first and English version below):<o:p></o:p><br />
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