Sausage Beard-lichen

'Sausage Beard-lichen (Usnea articulata) is one of Wales’ most spectacular lichens. It can grow more than 1 metre long and is often 30-40cm in length...' To read more about this distinctive lichen click on the very useful information sheet produced by Natural Resources Wales.

Hottentot-fig in Gower

Hottentot-fig at Rotherslade on 1st Jan 2013
note shoot broken  off with potential to establish elsewhere.

Last year three instances came to light of Hottentot-fig (Carpobrotus edulis) having been planted at sites on the South Gower coast; at Bracelet Bay, Rotherslade and Horton. Despite its inclusion on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, which makes it illegal to plant or introduce it in the wild, it is sometimes unwittingly planted at sites where it presents a risk to native flora. The image above shows the plant at Rotherslade, which not only had draped down the wall where it could be broken up and washed away to new sites by the sea, but was actually noted to have shed stem sections.

(c) S. Hathaway
Bracelet Bay removal completed

Thankfully Sean Hathaway from the City and County of Swansea has organised and carried out the removal of the plants at Bracelet Bay and Rotherslade (the latter filling 19 waste bags) and has informed me that the Horton plants are also to be dealt with shortly, so for the time being all appears well. However, it is possible that material has been swept to other parts of the coast, so please do let Sean or myself know if you see this highly invasive plant anywhere near the sea, planted or otherwise.

GOS indoor meeting

Reminder to Gower Ornithological Society members and guests. We have an indoor meeting on Friday of this week: 7.15 at the Environment Centre Pier Street Swansea (£1 entrance fee).

Dave Rich's illustrated talk on New Zealand is the product of two visits to this distant land. The contrasting scenery between the high Southern Alps and the geothermal springs of the North Island together with some of the Island's flowers and unique birdlife will inspire others to visit 'The land of the long White Cloud'.

Peter Douglas-Jones signing for the secretary, who is seeing the subject matter for himself.
All welcome.

A perpetual frog chorus?

The frogs in my garden have been passionately calling away since the start of February with the first spawn being recorded on the 6th February. They are still calling today and more frogs are aggregating in my tiny garden pond. The maximum number I have counted at any one time is 38 frogs.

Interestingly, many male frogs have remained in the pond all year round and have been calling for mates every month of the year which is far from an effective strategy (!!) and must increase the risk of predation and reduction in fat resources. I wonder if this is an isolated event or is perhaps a phenological mismatch that is occurring elsewhere......

Yet more signs of spring...

Adder at Oxwich (c) L. Keil

Lew wrote 'I came across three Adders together in the mouth of a hole in rocks at Oxwich today [19th]. This one came out to bask but tucked its head away as soon as it curled up, unlike the one which posed so beautifully yesterday when I didn't have a camera.'

The early bat catches the moth ?

I was sat in garden last night listening to the resident song thrush giving it his all when I saw my first bat of the year. I sadly did not have my detector to hand but it was a clearly a pipistrelle flying very, very low indeed. It is certainly not the ideal time for bats to emerge from torpor and I wonder is anyone else has seen any bats flying recently, and if so, please could you let me know (d.w.forman@swansea.ac.uk).

more insects

In university yesterday lunchtime

Bombus pratorum, Episyrphus balteatus and Eristalis tenax all @ Crocus

Not staggering occurrences but signs of spring. P.S. Where's it gone today?