ARCHIVE NEWS - 2010
Dyfi Ospreys - why don't they breed?
The end of another Osprey season and thoughts turn to wondering why 'our' pair have failed to breed, despite determined nest building at the Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve for the last three years.
Emyr Evans, Project Manager of the Dyfi Osprey Project run by the Trust speculates, "Because Monty and the female osprey have returned to Cors Dyfi for the last two years I suspect that they were born in this area, which could mean they are brother and sister."
Another possibility is that they are both too young to breed because ospreys don't start to produce until they are four or five years old. Because these birds were not ringed in the nest it is impossible to tell their age without catching them and conducting tests.
What is certain is that the Trust has managed to capture some amazing footage of these birds, exhibiting rarely seen behaviour and only time will tell if they will settle down and breed.
12 November 2010
Pumlumon Project gains national recognition again
The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Pumlumon Project was awarded third place in the IUCN UK Peatland Programme’s competition for the most inspiring communication of a peatland issue. The judges were impressed by the graphically strong entry with a contemporary feel, promoting ecological restoration over a large area of the Cambrian Mountains.
Pumlumon Project Manager, Estelle Bailey was delighted “This is fantastic news; this is a project which encapsulates the Wildlife Trusts’ vision of a Living Landscape. It involves farmers, providing them with a viable future on the mountain and recognises that for wildlife to cope with the ever increasing pressures of climate change and development it needs a landscape scale solution.”
Peter Cairns, who announced the awards spoke of the Pumlumon Project demonstrating how “for very little money, we can make a significant impact on the local environment, whilst at the same time engaging local people and creating opportunities for them”.
Announced at the IUCN UK Peatland Programme’s ‘Investing in Peatlands’ Conference in Durham in October, the winners were Northumberland National Parks and the Haltwhistle Film Project, whilst coming in second was another local project, the LIFE Active Blanket Bog in Wales Project, based at Lake Vyrnwy.
03 November 2010
Rare plant delight
The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust is delighted that the Meadow Saffron/Autumn Crocus (Colchicum autumnale) is continuing to do well at Llanmerewig Glebe Nature Reserve. This year’s count of 1,329 blooms is not only a new record, it is 133 more than last year and a 280% increase on 2006!
Meadow Saffron is a county scarce plant, known from only nine sites in Montgomeryshire; the move away from traditional hay making has meant that most sites are no longer suitable. Not so at Llanmerewig Glebe; this small field continues to be managed in the time-honoured fashion and clearly the Meadow Saffron likes it.
20 September 2010
Audio Trail officially opens for business
On a blustery Wednesday 15th September, the Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones launched the Trust’s new 6.4 mile Glaslyn and Bugeilyn circular Audio Trail, which reveals the area’s rich historical, cultural and natural heritage.
This partnership project is part of the Pumlumon Project; Stephen Hughes, the Pumlumon Project team economist, said “we hope the trail will in particular attract younger people, by offering a new route across access land guided by the audio tracks. The tracks include short interviews with farmers and with the former resident of Bugeilyn farm”.
Tourism is a vital component of the economic sustainability of the Cambrian Mountains region, and the use of new technology is an essential part of its development. By linking cultural, historical and environmental aspects, the audio trail gives people a greater insight into the rich heritage of the area.
To find out more about the Audio Trail or download tracks in English or Welsh, click here.
16 September 2010
New report shows scope of Pumlumon Project
We are now 2 years in to delivering our big vision for the uplands around the Pumlumon area; to find out what we've achieved, head over to the Pumlumon Project page and click on the picture as shown above. Hard copies can also be requested from the office.
If you would like to get involved in the Pumlumon Project you can do so by contacting Bob Williams, Volunteer Coordinator, to register your interest. We are seeking the help of keen birders and butterfly people to join our survey team to help us look for Black & Red Grouse, Hen Harrier, Skylark, Small Heath, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary and many more. Training will be provided.
9 September 2010
Welsh White Beef for Sale
We are happy to announce that we have some more delicious Welsh White Beef for sale! The Pumlumon Project highlights the environmental, social and economic benefits of large area conservation and these animals have been used to show that the uplands can be grazed by cattle which provide quality meat for retail.
Following the helpful comments we received on our trial run, we have refined our process so that all the meat has been butchered to a very high standard into individual servings, vacuum packed and more precisely labelled.
These refinements mean that we can now offer you a greater variety of beef boxes to suit all menu choices. For more information or to place an order please contact Liz at the office or email: liz@montwt.co.uk.
9 September 2010
Junior Rangers a great success
Thanks to all who came along to Junior Rangers at Llyn Coed Y Dinas this Summer. We had some great sessions with lots to do and loads of children who were ready to get stuck in. We had Nectar Races, found Water Scorpions, created Wild Wands, flew kites and watched Birds and had a massive Minibeast hunt!
A Big Thank You to all the volunteers who helped out – these sessions couldn’t have happened without you.
Keep exploring and watching Wildlife and look out for other Wildlife Trust events throughout the year.
02 September 2010
He's back!
After a long wait, the male Osprey has finally returned to the Dyfi! At 10:41 yesterday morning he was back on the nest at Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve, bringing back nest material and nest building.
Noone knows where he has been, but staff and volunteers at the Dyfi Osprey Project are over the moon! Unfortunately, it is far too late for our pair to breed this year now, but things are once again hopeful for the future.
30 June 2010
Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust funding success!
The Countryside Council for Wales has selected ten projects, subject to agreeing final contracts, to share approximately £2.2million of European money under its Communities and Nature Project providing a much needed boost for these community-based environmental activities across North and West Wales.
The activities are diverse and range from creating a new traffic free route to Neyland marina, giving access to the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation to improving visitor facilities and extending the events calendar at the Dyfi Osprey Project near Machynlleth.
The MWT Project will develop further opportunities for watching ospreys, and embed them more fully into the other nature watching possibilities at Cors Dyfi. The visitor centre will be enlarged and improved. The existing camera systems for observing the ospreys will be upgraded and their functionality improved, particularly the sound systems. Better signage and interpretation on the rest of the reserve will be complemented by additional information and audio-visual material on osprey.
The community aspects of the project will be strengthened and there will be a greatly extended programme of events on the reserve (featuring moth evenings, nightjar walks, wetland botany, and fun events for children and adults. A more focused outreach effort to disadvantaged groups will be accompanied by a structured programme of volunteering training.
All the activities will offer volunteering or work experience opportunities for members of the communities within which they are based. These opportunities are aimed at those who are unemployed due to lack of skills or ill-health, and those who are long-term unemployed.
Announcing these successful activities, CCW’s new Chairman and member of the Project Selection Panel said:
"We are delighted that we are able to support a further series of innovative and exciting community activities that promote the natural environment in such interesting ways. The activities will help communities up and down the country gain better access to wildlife and natural spaces.
Developing wildlife based tourism and increasing connections between people and their local environment is a crucial part of the CAN Project and Community.
Development Officers will help individual activity managers to engage with local communities so that residents can get involved."
CAN is a £16m strategic project, developed and managed by CCW and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government. Its aim is to use our natural environment in Wales to create economic opportunities through leisure and tourism - providing valuable, sustainable jobs in areas and communities where they are needed.
Speaking about the projects, the Environment Minister Jane Davidson said:
"This funding will support a number of really interesting activities that will encourage people to develop an interest in the environment, enjoy their local countryside and reap the mental and physical benefits of spending time outdoors.
The activity will also help communities to make the most of Wales’ natural environment, not only for their own enjoyment but also as a means of attracting visitors and supporting their local rural economy."
Wales’ natural heritage gives us plenty of opportunities for entrepreneurial activities. The high quality of the natural environment in Wales is already recognised as a significant factor in attracting visitors and an important driver of economic and social well-being. Over 130,000 are already employed in jobs associated with the natural environment and have an output of nearly £2 million.
In conclusion, Emyr Thomas, CAN’s Project Manager said:
"The CAN project will make a major contribution to many of the aspirations set out in the Welsh Assembly Government’s One Wales document, including job creation, encouraging physical activity and fostering a sense of community ownership towards their local natural environment and urban green space."
18 April 2010
Bowled over by Bittern
The Bittern is one of the UK’s most threatened bird species, so it was a great surprise to discover one hanging out at Llyn Coed y Dinas Nature Reserve! First seen by Trust Chairman, Chris Townsend on 5th January 2010, the next day Education Officer, Katie Gee captured this amazing image.
Once common, the Bittern suffered persecution and drainage of its reedbed habitats to such a degree that by 1885 it was extinct. Fifteen years later it returned to Norfolk and was confirmed to be breeding in 1911, but today there are still only a handful, mainly in Norfolk, Suffolk and Lancashire.
During the winter, these paltry Bittern numbers are swelled by the arrival of birds from Northern & Eastern Europe and it is these birds which can turn up in unexpected places. The Llyn Coed y Dinas Bittern is particularly exciting as the first record for this elusive species at this site. Whether it will spend the rest of the winter at the reserve remains to be seen.
UPDATE 8 Jan 2010 - The Bittern has now moved on and who can blame it, since the lake is now completely frozen!
6 January 2010
