Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

LBS Builders Merchants are helping a local British Trust for Ornithology volunteer to provide vital nesting boxes for one of the county’s rarest breeding birds. The tree sparrow may be mistaken for its more common cousin the house sparrow (tree sparrows have a distinctive brown cap and black spot on their cheeks) but the Tywi Valley now appears to host the largest population in Wales of this ‘red-listed’ species. The tree sparrows do not wander far from the valley floodplain. Here, around the still or slow-flowing water found on the floodplain, they can find the preferred insects that adults feed to the young during the summer. Nest boxes at key sites will benefit the tree sparrows, helping to supplement their preferred nesting sites in tree cavities, and provide a good opportunity to ring and monitor the birds. The project is being run by Charlie Sargent, who is a member of the Teifi Ringing group and a BTO licensed bird ringer. Outside the breeding season, tree sparrows are depende...

An Aberystwyth PhD student has discovered that birds with additional DNA may live longer lives. In research published in the journal 'Aging', IBERS PhD student Ilze Skujina screened hundreds of mitochondrial DNA sequences for the presence of duplications and demonstrated that they are found significantly more often in longer-lived bird species. http://www.aging-us.com/article/ggTZQvxjJXncACAsf/text Ilze said “Understanding how ageing happens in different groups of species like birds may provide insights into ageing in humans.” The mechanics of flight utilises a large amount of energy and results in higher body temperatures but despite this, birds live longer than mammals of equal size. Mitochondria are the 'batteries' of cells and generate chemical energy that every cell in the body can use. Mitochondria play an essential dual role in maintaining a constant body temperature and in generating energy, which both link to expected lifespan. Dr Rob Mc Mahon, Ilze’s PhD sup...

The public are being asked to be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviour directed at swans in Sandy Water Park. It comes after reports of the lakeside birds being handled. Rangers have stepped up their patrols but the public will have an important role to play in being watchful when in the area. As native wild birds, swans enjoy statutory protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to intentionally injure, take or kill a wild swan. The council’s executive board member for leisure, Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “These beautiful swans enhance the area at Sandy Water Park and are for the benefit of everyone visiting the area. It’s so sad and very unfortunate that swans and their nests are sometimes a target for vandals but if anyone is spotted carrying out any wrongdoing to them then they will be reported to the police.” The Act similarly protects the eggs and nests of swans. It is an offence to take or possess the egg of a wild mute swan, or to damage o...

Bird lovers can find out more about their feathered friends which populate the Tywi estuary and the Ferryside foreshore. A talks about the birds in that area is taking place at Ferryside Village Hall on Wednesday, December 16 at 8pm. Neil Calbrade from the British Trust for Ornithology will talk about the birds in the estuary, and why it is recognised as being of European importance for the coastal habitats. Neil is also the national organiser of the Wetland Bird Survey which can be found at www.bto.org . The talk is being organised by Carmarthenshire County Council working in partnership with Ferryside Village Forum to look at the biodiversity in its area. It is being funded by a grant from Natural Resources Wales, with the aim of promoting biodiversity in the Ferryside and St Ishmael areas. Executive board member for biodiversity Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “Carmarthenshire has an amazing coastline, which is of international importance for the range of birds it supports. “This is a ...

They are having a cracking time at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust, Penclacwydd, Llanelli. Chicks of all kinds and sizes have been hatching out and demanding feeding from visitors walking the miles of maze-like walks. And the arrivals will continue through to the summer months with the ducks having been busy rearing their broods since early spring and now large varieties of geese doing the same and the glorious pink flock of 40 flamingos partnering up for their normal July and August hatchings. Executive board member for leisure services Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “We are so lucky to have this facility in Llanelli. It attracts bird watchers from all over the country and is wonderfully educational for children.” The centre’s volunteers have been busy at weekends providing talks and weekend family fun for visitors ranging from den building, mini pond dipping, craft workshops and flamingo talks. Getting up close and personal with the centre’s flock of Caribbean flamingos and sighting them ...

Cwmamman youngsters are looking for volunteers to help build nesting boxes. Cwmamman Youth Club, along with Carmarthenshire County Council rangers, plan to erect the 30 bird houses after securinga grant of over £900 from Carmarthenshire’s Youth Grant Panel. To coincide with National Nest Box Week , it is hoped volunteers will share their skills and attend the workshop at Cwmmamman Community Centre on Tuesday, February 18 between 7-9pm Once built, the wooden boxes will be housed in trees in a bid to attract birds at Gellu Werdd Tip in Glanamman, as part of the Gelli Werdd Management Plan. Youth club member, 16-year-old Brittany Bingham said: “We want to give birds a new home and a helping hand. It would be really good if many people got involved and helped us make a difference to the birds in the area.” The project will not only benefit local birdlife but also encourage intergenerational relationships within the community. The nesting boxes will be monitored and maintained on a regula...

The nest site of great crested grebe at Sandy Water Park may have been attacked by hooligans over the weekend. A Llanelli resident seeing a bag with a rock close the nest site on which the great crested grebe was nesting feared one of the chicks had been killed. County council conservation officer Simeon Jones said he visited the nest site with the informer and recovered the bag. But there was no rock. Two chicks were with the hen mother bird on the water riding on her back under the wings. Simeon said: “If this nest site was stoned it was a criminal act under the Countryside and Wildlife Act and we would ask anyone who saw anything to report it to the police. “All next sites are protected and the great crested grebe is quite a rare bird. “We have been quite excited that this year with having five nesting throughout the Millennium Coastal Park from Burry Port to Llanelli. This is more than ever previously recorded. They seem to particularly favour ash pond sites for nesting.” Mil...

Distressing of wild birds | Dyfed Powys Police | Heddlu Dyfed Powys At this time of year wild birds are busy building their nests and some are even already sitting on clutches of eggs. With such an early start to the breeding season this year due to a spell of good weather the breeding season is going to be a long and hopefully fruitful one for our wild bird population. With access to the countryside and local parks and lakes being used more for day trips by holidaymakers and recreational use by local people it is not a surprise that the police are receiving calls from members of the public reporting incidents involving wild birds.

There have been some rare avian visitors to Pembrey’s Cefn Sidan Sands. Twitchers have been flocking to the sands off Pembrey Country Park following sightings of an Arctic Skua and Snow Buntings. It is likely the Arctic Skewer that has on the beach seen since the New Year is getting its bearings having been blown off course. The predatory skua will normally only land when breeding. It is more often seen flying low and fast above the waves in pursuit of another sea bird, sometimes chasing it high into the air, twisting and turning, to make it drop its food. The bird’s normal climes are Iceland and Scandinavia in Europe and is more common in north and South America, Africa and Asia and is seen breeding in Northern Scotland over the summer months. Three seed eating snow buntings have been seen about the park and beach. The large Buntings have striking snowy plumages with a sandy buff wash. They are a scarce breeding species in the UK making them a rare Royal Society for the Protection...

There have been twitchers (birdwatchers) galore out at Sandy Water Park lake at Llanelli's Millennium Coastal Park all weekend and today. The attraction? A Blue-winged teal which has arrived from North America. Find out more and see a picture at the following site: South Wales Birding: Blue-winged Teal,Llanelli

People are being asked to help provide a vital winter food source for one of Carmarthenshire’s rarest breeding birds. Volunteers are needed to feed the tree sparrows to help them through the winter season when food is scarce. The tree sparrow may be mistaken for its more common cousin the house sparrow (tree sparrows have a distinctive brown cap and black spot on their cheeks). The birds are rare, but the Tywi Valley is now host to the largest population in Wales of this ‘red-listed’ species. Funding from the Countryside Council for Wales is helping volunteers, via the Carmarthenshire Biodiversity Partnership, to provide food. Volunteers in the Tywi Valley have been helping out by feeding the birds each winter – vitally important to help the birds through this hard season. The tree sparrows do not wander far from the valley floodplain. In the still or slow-flowing water found on the floodplain they can find the preferred insects that adults feed to the young during the summer. Nest box...