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Written by Pip
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Friday, 26 February 2010 18:23 |
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Bird Boxes
I've just put up five new bird boxes in the oakwood. These are to replace ones that have reached the end of their useful life. There are over forty boxes in the oakwood and more than sixty on the reserve as a whole, plus one or two specials such as owl boxes. We have one tawny and one barn owl box. Over the years the barn owl box has been host to squirrels and jackdaws but last season we at last had a pair of barn owls in it. I don't know how many young they reared but from a distance I could see their faces at the entrance hole.If they've managed to survive the long snowy spell they may be back again in the coming season.
We have a little pond on the reserve that never freezes, the other day I noticed that it's full of frogspawn. The first sign that spring will soon be upon us. |
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Written by Pip
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Sunday, 10 January 2010 15:33 |
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Along The River
 I've just been for a walk along the Marteg to get a few photo's of the "Winter Wonderland".In places the river is frozen over with ice up to three inches thick and the falls look like a magic grotto.
A great spotted woodpecker was drumming away by the Longhouse and a green has started a half hearted calling down in the railway cutting.The tawny owls were at their usual roost in the tunnel entrance and in an alder tree by the river was a mixed flock of about 40 siskins and redpolls with a few goldfinches.Above the river I watched a molehill being formed, about every 30 seconds earth was pushed up from below causing that on the surface to roll down the sides. I never did see velveteen and when the snow crunched under my feet he stopped work
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Written by Pip
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Friday, 25 December 2009 18:01 |
Christmas Day
Christmas Day and we're snow bound here at Gilfach We should have gone back to the Midlands for Christmas with the kids but the Welsh weather dictated otherwise.
The snow does have advantages. It's great to see the tracks left by the creatures of the night. There are many more rabbits than I realised and the fox has been everywhere, even around the Longhouse.
Today I've walked along the Marteg and followed otter tracks for about 300 yards, It had walked mainly along the bank, just dipping into the river every 50 yards or so. A kingfisher perched on an overhanging branch looked larger than life, I think this was doe to the effect of bright sunlight and light reflected off the snow.
On a slightly negative note, I've not found any brown hare tracks. They're usually to be found in the oakwood and in the meadows below the wood.
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Written by Pip
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Friday, 11 December 2009 14:26 |
River Walk
I've just been for a walk along the river. The level was perfect for leaping salmon but in half an hour at the falls I didn't see any. It looks as if the run is over for this year, it started earlier than usual in early November. Heavy rain and high water levels made for rather poor viewing although there were one or two good days.
There are still salmon in the breeding shallows, today in one redd I could see four large fish. Also plenty of otter signs in the form of fresh spraints and footprints in the sand.
Away from the river, two tawny owls roost in the tunnel entrance. Today they were so close to each other that it looked like one fat body with two heads. I don't know whether they're a pair or siblings, but I look forward to seeing them each day.
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Written by Pip
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Saturday, 14 November 2009 20:55 |
Leaping Salmon
The salmon run started early this year. There's a steady run, with some of the biggest fish I've yet seen. Todays high river level will have slowed things down but as the water drops there should be some good viewing. The otter has already been seen hunting the "middle pool" (not by me) This time of year the otter is a regular visitor to our stretch of the Marteg, as shown by the part eaten salmon along the banks.
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Gilfach Blog
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