Week 11: 17th - 20th December

Monday

With Beth back in this week, all three of us spent the morning in the office, helping with odd jobs that need doing as it's the last week before Christmas! 

We spent the afternoon in Welsh learning about the weather and enjoying mince pies and Cadbury's Roses!

"Mae hi'n oer heddiw" - It's cold today.
"Gobeithio bydd hi'n bwrw eira!" - I hope it snows!

Tuesday

Today the three of us spent the day at Silent Valley repairing a section of the 'Exclusion Zone' fence line.  We began by unpinning the old wire from the fence posts and pulling it back out of the way.  We then used a bar to create a hole in the ground deep enough to put a fence post in.  Using a drivall we drove in the post - constanly checking it was straight using a large spirit level.  We put in a bottom wire at ground level to prevent stock getting under the fence before stapling the main fencing wire across the posts.  After this we added two top wires, tidied up any sharp ends, and tightened lengths of barbed wire that had come loose on the adjoinging length of fence.

Sally about to start unpinning the fence.

 



Beth stapling the stock fence to one of the older posts.



Wednesday

Today the three of us were joined by Alaw (GWT's Grazing Trainee) and two long term volunteers for the first day of a trimmer and brushcutter course!

We spent the morning going through health and safety and risk assessments, before moving on to look at the components of a trimmer and how to maintain it.  Unfortunately it rained heavily for the entire day which meant that, even geared up in waterpoofs and safety gear, we only got to use the trimmers for a short time in the afternoon.



Beth doing brushcutter maintenance by filing down the chipped blade.



Alaw filing a brushcutter blade.



Thursday

The second and final day of our trimmer and brushcutter course......and yet another lovely day of rain!
Today we moved on to the brushcutters and spent the morning learning about the different heads that can be used with these machines and which heads are used to cut through various vegetation types.  By the afternoon the rain had eased off enough for us to get out and use the brushcutters without getting soaked to the skin! 

With guidance from the instructor, Beth starts up a brushcutter!


At the end of the day we recapped on all the safety and maintenance aspects and finished the required paperwork before being given the great news that we had all passed!!


 

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

T Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! T

T Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! T



Week 10: 10th - 13th December

Monday

This morning we all carried out small tasks around the ERC including a good clean inside, a litter pick of the grounds (2 full bin bags!), and cleaning and refilling all the bird feeders. 

The afternoon was spent learning some more Welsh.  This week’s topic was discussing plans and also adding in some festive words!

"Ble dych chi'n mynd dros y penwythnos?" - Where are you going over the weekend?

"Dw i'n mynd i Gaerdydd" - I'm going to Cardiff.

"Nadolig Llawen!" - Merry Christmas!

 

Tuesday

Sally and Michaël spent today completing a fence line check of the fence running around the ‘Exclusion Zone’ in the reserve.

The removed any potential problems such as saplings growing too close to the fence and any overhanging branches.  The sapling and small branches could be removed with a pruning/folding saw, however the larger branches and trees had to be left to Tom and his chainsaw......

Beth spent the day at Magor Marsh helping the reserve officer and some volunteers from the "Kaleidoscope Project" to continue burning through the piles of Willow.  Luckily the weather held up and the fires go going really well! 

Burning Willow brash at Magor Marsh - hot stuff!

Wednesday

Sally and Michaël spent the morning completing small bits of office work, then went out into the reserve in the afternoon to do a small fencing job.  It was a simple job of completing an area that hadn’t been finished earlier in the year, however it was our first job without Tom’s supervision!!  Firstly we had to knock a supporting strut into place as the fence line ran down a slope.  We secured the strut with nails before attaching the stock wire.  This was a little trickery than anticipated as we reused some old fence wire - nothing like a bit of recycling!

Unfortunately Beth was ill today - we hope she gets well soon!


 

Thursday

With Beth still ill, Sally and Michaël spent the day repairing a stile at one end of the Blue Trail in Silent Valley.  The stile had started come loose over months of battering by the elements, but was unfortunately made worse by some recent vandalism.  The first task was to dig around the loose posts removing the soil and stones. We then had to refill in the holes as solidly as possible to make the stile secure for public use.  This was done by “tamping” in large rocks/stones and the soil we had previously removed using a tamping bar.



Sally and Michael repairing the loose stile at Silent Valley.





Michael 'tamping' down the soil and stones to secure the post.



Week 9: 3rd - 6th December

 

A gorgeous crisp winter's day at Silent Valley Nature Reserve.

Monday

As it’s the first Monday of the month, we spent the morning having our monthly team meeting.

Our weekly Welsh lesson filled the afternoon – this week’s topic was talking about family and friends.

"Brawd Megan dw i." - I'm Megan's brother.

"Dyma Kevin.  Gŵr Helen yw e." - This is Kevin.  He's Helen's husband.

Tuesday

Today we spent the day at Silent Valley.  We spent the morning finishing last week's job clearing the area of overgrown Willow, Alder and Birch at the bottom of the reserve.  In the afternoon we dug out two large trenches to allow water to drain into the stream – due to all the recent rain the area was becoming increasingly boggy.  We also walked along the blue trail of the reserve and removed two branches that had recently snapped in the bad weather and were overhanging the trail.  As the branches were particularly high up, this task required the use of a pole saw.



Beth digging one of the large trenches - muddy stuff!

 

Wednesday

Today, the three of us spent the day at Magor Marsh. 

We attended an event put on by the Trust called “Investigating Winter Wildlife”.  There was a small display and talk about wild items you may find whilst out and about – deer antlers, various skulls, chewed acorns and hazelnuts – and then a guided walk was given around the reserve in which we searched for signs of water voles, bird watched from the hide, and looked at the various types of plantlife around at this time of year.  It was a great event, very informative and lots of fun!



Lovely view from the bird hide at Magor Marsh.


 

Wildlife SIghtings:

Magpie; Robin; Blackbird; Blue tit; Great tit; Woodpigeon; Jay; Kestrel; Greater-spotted woodpecker; Fieldfare; Redwing; Long-tailed tit; Buzzard; Coot; Little grebe; Moorhen; Mute swan; Mallard; Kingfisher; Grey heron; Snipe.

Thursday

Along one of the fence lines at the ERC, there were a few overhanging trees which had the potential to cause problems both on the ERC side of the fence, and on the public road on the other side.  We spent the day helping the reserve officer to remove or reduce these trees before this could happen.  After felling, all the smaller branches were cut off and stacked in a brash pile to be used at a later date for continuing the dead hedge in the ERC grounds.  The larger trunks were cut down into logs which were then stacked and left, also to be used at a later date.

Michaël spent the day helping out at Pentwyn Farm felling some small trees, cutting up the brash, stacking it all into piles, and then beginning tree stump treatment to prevent any regrowth.

Friday

Today there was an event at Tredegar House in which Gwent Wildlife Trust had a small information stand.  We answered questions about the Trust, what we do, and other general wildlife questions.

Week 8: 26th – 29th November

Monday

We spent this morning cleaning and tidying in and around the Environmental Resource Centre.  The afternoon was spent in our weekly welsh lesson – this we learnt how to ask for information about a third person such as their name, where they’re from, and what their job is.

"Beth mae Linda yn wneud?" - What does Linda do?
"Mae hi'n gweithio i'r Ymddiriedolaeth Natur Gwent" - She works for Gwent Wildlife Trust.

We also learnt a few animal names and some animal-related sayings:

"Cadno" - Fox
"Draenog" - Hedgehog

"Carlwm" - Stoat
"Cyn wynned a'r carlwm" - White as a stoat.

Tuesday

Today we spent the whole day at Silent Valley clearing a wet area of overgrown Willow, Alder and Birch near the stream at the bottom of the reserve.  After felling, the trees were cut up into manageable sections which were then stored neatly in two large habitat piles.  This area is being cleared as a new fence line is to be built along the bank of the stream in the New Year to help maintain stock for grazing.

Wednesday

Sally spent today helping our community education officer at a local primary school with a tree planting event.  During the activity, the children were taught about the tools they were using and the tree species they were planting.

Beth spent the day with the reserve officer, undertaking tasks including purchasing new equipment for reserves work, office jobs, and odd jobs that required attention around the ERC.

Michaël spent the day with the reserve officer and volunteer group at Magor Marsh reserve, continuing with the Willow extraction and reedbed regeneration.
 

Michaël at one of the large Willow piles waiting to be burnt at Magor Marsh.



Thursday

Today all three of us spent the day at Magor Marsh helping the reserve officer burn the large piles of Willow brash - after all the recent rainfall, we definitely needed our wellies and waterproofs!


Icey, wet, and muddy at the Willow extraction site at Magor Marsh!



Week 7: 19th – 24th November

Monday

Sally and Michaël spent the morning out at Silent Valley with the reserve officer felling small trees in a lower section of the reserve.  As well as giving a safety talk, the reserve officer demonstrated how to do various cuts with a chainsaw. 

Due to an ankle injury, Beth was unable to join and so spent the morning completing various office tasks.

In the afternoon, everyone sat in the warm for the weekly welsh lessons; this week going over basic introductory conversation such as where we live, and where we work.

Tuesday

Today we had a team day out to Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust’s Slimbridge Wetland Centre.

Founded in 1946 by the late Sir Peter Scott, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust now have nine reserves across Wales, England, and N. Ireland, totalling 2,600 hectares of nationally and globally important wetland habitat.  The reserves help to sustain valuable wildlife and by opening them to the public, WWT also aim to enthuse people about wetlands - an important mission since the last millennium saw about 90% of the UK's wetlands disappear.

Slimbridge Wetland Centre was the first reserve created by Sir Peter is located on the estuary of the River Severn. 

Find out more: http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/slimbridge/

View of the River Severn estuary from the Holden Tower hide.

The aim of the visit was for the team to spend some time together enjoying estuary wildlife that we don’t see so often in the Eastern Valleys.  It was also a chance for us to work on our identification and practice observing and collecting wildlife sightings whilst having members of staff available to help if needed.

The weather was a little damp so it was a bit of a challenge.  The birds have been very late arriving this year due to the prolonged wet weather so the usual numbers of wildfowl for November were not on show.  However, this didn’t dampen our spirits and we still had some marvellous wildlife sightings:

Wildlife Sightings

Mute swan; Bewick swan; Canada goose; Greylag goose; Barnacle goose; Mallard; Gadwall; Shelduck; Pintail; Shoveler; Wigeon; Teal; Pochard; Tufted duck; Coot; Moorhen; Golden plover; Lapwing; Black-tailed godwit; Ruff; Black-headed gull; Lesser black-backed gull; Greater black-backed gull; Herring gull; Woodpigeon; Blackbird; Robin; Goldfinch; Redwing; Buzzard; Peregrine falcon

A pair of Greylag geese feeding near the Holden Tower hide.

A small group of  male and female Wigeon.

Wednesday

Today was spent at Magor Marsh on the Gwent Levels as there was a whole staff meeting.  A few newcomers (including ourselves!) were introduced to all, and then everyone gave updates about the work they’d been doing over the last couple of months. 

It was great to hear that the Trust is still growing, currently having 10,153 members and over 400 volunteers! 

Luckily by the time the meeting had finished, the weather had brightened up and we were able to have a guided walk around the newly acquired lands at Magor – though the large amount of rain flooded some areas, meaning a few soggy socks for some!

After this, Sally and Michaël went out with the work team to continue removing willow and putting in a new fence in one of the new fields.  Beth stayed at the Magor office and sat in on an education team meeting.

Wildlife sightings at Magor

Starling; Robin; Blackbird; Great tit; Jackdaw; Woodpigeon; Mute swan; Buzzard; Sparrowhawk; Goldfinch; Field vole.

Thursday

Sally started the day with a fence line check; this consisted of walking a set area of Silent Valley to see what parts of the fence line needed repair or replacing. This was all in aid of grazing.

After completing the task at Silent Valley we traveled to various local stores to buy some tools and get quotes for fencing supplies.

Flower-rich grassland at Pentwyn Farm.

Michaël spent his day helping the reserve officer at Pentwyn Farm, near Monmouth. 

Pentwyn Farm is a SSSI site of approximately 11 hectares.  It has survived virtually unchanged for centuries and includes one of the largest areas of flower-rich grassland remaining in Gwent.  The Trust’s restoration of the farm’s historic barn (using traditional methods) and the traditional management of the hay meadows and hedges maintain a historic farm rich in wildlife.

Find out more: http://gwentwildlife.org/reserves/Pentwyn.htm

Due to an ankle sprain, Beth spent today in the office keeping up to date with project paperwork.  In the afternoon she joined our community education officer on visit to a local primary school to promote the environmental education available from being offered by GWT.

Saturday

Gwent Wildlife Trust participated in a Christmas market which was held at The General Offices in Ebbw Vale.  We made willow and dog wood wreaths which were available for the public to take with a request of a small donation to GWT.  Children had the opportunity to make stars out of the willow or recycled materials.  This event gave GWT the opportunity to spread the work of the people and wildlife project. Overall, the day was a complete success! We informed many people about nature in the locality of Ebbw Vale, as well as promoting Gwent Wildlife Trust.

Week 6: 12th - 15th November

Monday

We spent the morning travelling to stores picking up items required for upcoming jobs around Silent Valley reserve.  We eventually ended up at Seddon House, where we were introduced to the members of the admin, conservation, and fundraising team.

The afternoon was spent taking part in our weekly welsh lesson.  This week we covered basic introductions and responses, as well as numbers and basic time and dates.

Tuesday

Today we were joined by two university students who were on a short work experience placement which forms part of their course, and we spent all day out in Silent Valley repairing a fence line which had rotted out and collapsed. 

On arrival, the reserve officer accessed the fence line and ran through health and safety as we were working high up on a steep slope. We will always do this regardless of where we work and carried out a tool talk before we began working.  Firstly, the staples holding wire to the old fence posts were removed and then the old posts were pulled from the ground – with some posts being 3ft into the ground, it was a lot of digging!  Once they were out, new posts were put in and knocked into place using a drivall.  As they went in each post was carefully checked to make sure it stood upright and wasn't leaning.  After the new posts had been driven in, the wire was securely reattached using new staples.  This repair will prevent stock from entering the reserve and repressing the Beech regeneration.

Michaël using a bar to create a hole
ready for a new fence post.

Sally straightening the post while the tamping
bar is used to shift the earth around the base
to hold the post in place.

Beth and one of the university students using the drivall to
knock the new fence post into the ground.

A good 3ft down, a LOT of digging was required to get this
old fence post out of the ground!

Wednesday

This morning we attended a Blaenau Gwent Biodiversity Partnership meeting.  Joined by members of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council, Butterfly Conservation, and independent naturalists, the meeting discussed general environmental projects and the recent goings-on in Blaenau Gwent and surrounding areas. 

After the meeting, we spent the afternoon in the office continuing with our projects.

Thursday

We spent today at Silent Valley with a large group of volunteers. The main task of the day was to clear an area of fence line running alongside the Nant Merrdog – a tributary of the River Ebbw. The volunteers were divided into two smaller groups, enabling us to do more work over a larger area. One group felled some small Willow trees in an enclosed area on the bank of the river, stacking the fallen branches into neat habitat piles.  The other group cleared all the overgrown brambles and other vegetation from along the old fence line and began removing the old fence.

This work is in preparation for a new fence that is being installed to help promote the biodiversity of the area through sheep grazing.

One of the groups clearing willow.

Yet another difficult fence post! Luckily the earth was softer,
making the digging a little easier.

Week 5: 5th - 8th November

Monday

This morning we had our first official introduction with the Reserve Officer, Tom Eyles who explained some of the work we’d be carrying out at Silent Valley over the coming months.  We were also joined by a new trainee, Mickaël.

After this, we had a whole team meeting to keep everyone up to date on plans and events that are coming up over the following month.

In the afternoon we had our first welsh lesson!  The whole team have enrolled on a short course of 10 weeks (split into weekly, 2 hour sessions) to help build our language and communication skills.

Tuesday

We spent the whole day in Silent Valley Nature Reserve carrying out checks of the fence lines running around and through the reserve.  Any repairs that are required were noted along with the location of the repair and a list of equipment needed to carry out each task.  We also cleared a fallen oak tree branch from one of the trails.

Beth clearing fallen oak tree branch.

Wildlife sightings

Buzzard • Blackbird • Raven • Robin • Blue tit • Coal tit • Sparrowhawk • Red Kite (2)

Adult fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)
Image: ©Andy Sands; naturepl.com

Our wildlife sightings also included a flock of fieldfares.  The fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) is a winter migrant species, usually arriving in Britain during October and staying until late spring.  They are best seen in the countryside, in fields, and along hedges.  

This is the first sighting this year of a winter migrant species in Silent Valley!

Wednesday

Today we helped out at Magor Marsh again and the day was divided into various different tasks.  Firstly we swept and cleared leaves from the boardwalk leading through the reserve; a pile up of leaves of the boardwalk can make it extremely slippery and become a safety hazard.  After this we searched overgrown, grassy areas for harvest mouse nests as two were discovered a week previous.

After lunch, we helped manage an area of willow re-growth – previously cut trees had begun to sprout new saplings.  Using bow saws and loppers, we cleared the saplings from the area.

Sally sweeping leaves from the boardwalk in Magor Marsh

Beth after sweeping a section of the boardwalk.

Thursday

Today is our weekly office day; spent typing up our blog and putting together background research for the new project.

Week 4: 29th October - 1st November

Monday

Today was our weekly "office day".  We spent the day typing up our blog and continuing researching the new project.

Tuesday

We spent the morning at the ERC checking the moth trap that had been set up on Monday evening.  Only three moths were caught all together and, using a reference book, were able to identify them as two Feathered Thorns (Colotois pennaria), and one Brick (Agrochola circellaris).

Feathered Thorn (Colotois pennaria)
Image: © Nick Greatorex-Davies; ukmoths.org.uk

Brick (Agrochola circellaris)
Image: © Ian Kimber; ukmoths.org.uk

Approximately 19-23mm, the Feathered Thorn is usually seen between mid-September and early December in habitats such as broadleaf woodland, hedgerows, and gardens/urban areas.

  

  

Approximately 14-19mm, the Brick moth is usually seen between late August and early December in habitats such as broadleaf woodland, scrub, hedgerows, and gardens/urban areas.

The afternoon was spent up in Silent Valley Nature Reserve where we carried out a litter pick of the car park area and boardwalk leading into the reserve.

Wildlife sightings

Buzzard • Magpie • Raven • Jay • Great tit

Wednesday

Back at Magor Marsh today, we spent the morning searching for signs of water voles (http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/species/water-vole) in an area of dense reed bed that bordered two reens.  This search was required as the reed bed was due to be cut that afternoon as part of a management plan for that habitat.  If left unmanaged, a reed bed habitat can eventually self-poison and damage the biodiversity of the area.

Sally going into the reeds to start searching for water vole signs.

As no signs of water voles were found in the area, the afternoon was spent clearing the reeds.  Brushcutters were used to cut down the reeds and then hay rakes were used to clear up the debris into several piles.

Thursday

Today was another office day, as Sally wasn't able to come in.  The day was spent researching and reading up on information to help get the new project underway.

Week 3: 22nd – 25th October

Monday

Today was an “office day” – a welcome day inside as it was pouring with rain and pretty chilly!  We spent the morning creating our blog so viewers can read about what work we do on a weekly basis.  In the afternoon we began researching a new project which will hopefully incorporate many green spaces in the local area, increasing the general health and biodiversity in the landscape.

Tuesday

We spent today up at Silent Valley completing our weekly reserve check.  We walked all the trails around the reserve and made notes of any areas requiring maintenance.  We also recorded wildlife sightings and were rewarded for our patient bird watching with a view of a beautiful female merlin (Falco columbarius) perching at the top of a beech tree.

Merlin (Falco columbarius) - adult female.
Image: © John Downer; naturepl.com

The merlin is the smallest falcon in the UK, having a total body length of just 26-33cm and a wingspan of 55-69cm.  They breed mainly in birch and willow zones, nesting in trees, scrub, or on the ground.  Their main food source is small birds caught in mid air.  

Although male and female colouration makes them fairly easy to distinguish from each other, juvenile merlins look much the same as the females and are generally not separable in the field (Collins Bird Guide, 2^nd Ed.)

Other wildlife sightings

Robin • Blackbird • Blue Tit • Woodpigeon • Magpie • Nuthatch • Raven • Jay • Treecreeper • Grey Squirrel

Wednesday

Back at Magor Marsh today, we both helped out with the ongoing project on the newly purchased lands.  Our work today included the chopping up and burning of willow trees to make space for the new fence line which will keep livestock off the road; clearing the waterway of discarded rubbish; and starting building the new fence line by putting in some of the posts.

We also spent time measuring the groundwater levels at various points throughout the reserve.  The water levels were measured in two different ways: one using pipe wells in the fields, and one using water control structures in the reen systems.  All results were noted and are being used by Magor Marsh to produce graphs showing the water levels throughout the reserve over a period of time.

Pipe wells

This method involved placing an electric measuring tape down a pipe well which had been inserted in the ground at a specific point in the reserve.  The battery-powered electric measuring tape consists of a pair of insulated wires whose exposed ends are separated by an air gap in an electrode.  When the electrode contacts the water surface, a current flows through the circuit and produces an audible high-pitched sound (http://il.water.usgs.gov/pubs/ofr01-50_chapter4_4.pdf).  After contacting water, the tape is marked where it meets the top of the pipe and is pulled out.  A measurement is taken of the length between the marked tape and the end with the electrode.  A measurement was also taken of the height of the top of the pipe to the ground so that this can be deducted from the tape measurement.

Beth checking water levels in the pipe wells using the electrode. 

Diagram of pipe well method.
(http://il.water.usgs.gov/pubs/ofr01-50_chapter4_4.pdf)

Water control structure

These are placed around the reserve to control the flow of the water passing through reen systems.  Using a measuring tape, the distance between the ground level and the water level was taken both on the inside of the water control structure and on the outside.

Marking the distance on the measuring tape
between the ground surface and the water. 

Sally taking the measurement reading (in cm)
from the measuring tape.

Thursday

We spent the morning in Croes-Robert Wood, where they have begun coppicing the trees to store for next year's charcoal production.  Using bow-saws, we cut through small sycamore trees in a previously selected area.  We then took off any small branches from coppiced trees and cut the trunks into lengths of roughly 2 metres which were then stacked in piles for storing.

Beth coppicing a small tree in Croes-Robert Wood.

Coppiced tree stump showing clear rings.