Local Wildlife

[SteveH]

TV farmer Gareth Wyn Jones has warned people not to feed wild ponies as it "could be killing them".

A group which looks after the animals say piles of carrots have been found left for them in the Sychnant Pass, near Conwy.
Experts believe the ponies' digestive systems aren't able to cope with food such as carrots or apples and risk developing horse colic.
Symptoms include excessive sweating, lying down often and a poor appetite.

A mare and her foal had recently to be taken off the mountains this week because the foal was unwell.

"Carrots have been found in piles around the Sychnant Pass twice now," said Mr Jones, who is secretary of Carneddau Pony Society, a group of farmers who "manages" them.

"But the ponies' digestion system will not break them down. It's not what these animals are supposed to eat."

cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57016518

[DVT]

Got this pic whilest walking in Bodnant Garden yesterday - they were being harassed by a couple of rooks but the rooks eventually gave up.

[Hugo]

New map shows where you are most likely to see a big cat in North Wales
The map suggests that region is home to a number of big cats

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/new-map-shows-you-most-20556936

[Nemesis]

Heard a very noisy cuckoo this morning, somewhere in the woods near Haulfre.

[SteveH]

A pair of ospreys needing to find a new home following the destruction of their nest may have missed their chance.

A new nesting platform was hastily erected at Llyn Brenig on the Denbigh Moors after their chosen site was cut down with a chainsaw in a “horrendous wildlife crime”.

A decoy egg was placed on the nest and the Brenig Osprey Project (BOP) said the pair had been showing “considerable interest”.

But a week ago a greylag goose began scouting the nest – and she has now laid eggs there.

“This situation has presented us with something of a dilemma,” the BOP team wrote on Facebook.

Despite losing an egg in the nest vandalism a fortnight ago, Brenig’s ospreys are still being seen in the area.

BOP said there was every indication the well-bonded pair wanted to remain at the lake and breed there.

cont  https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-osprey-pair-face-20605059

[SteveH]

Llandudno's Kashmiri goats invited to I'm A Celeb castle               

Goats that caused havoc in Llandudno during the Covid lockdown could start grazing at the castle that hosted I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!

The animal invasion resulted in floods of complaints after gardens were devoured, mess was left on pavements and elderly residents were frightened.

Some of the herd also grazed at the site of special scientific interest Nant-y-Gamar which overlooks the town.
They moved into Llandudno's empty streets in the wake of 23 March 2020.

Normally, they only leave the Great Orme in bad weather.

Now Gwrych Castle, eight miles from the Conwy town in Abergele, has been asked to help.

Dr Mark Baker, who restored the fortress, said: "If everything goes well with Conwy biodiversity officers, we are very keen to welcome goats to the castle."

The Kashmiri herd, from which the Royal Welsh regiment obtain their mascot, is said to be descended from a pair presented to Queen Victoria by the Shah of Persia.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57137838

[Nemesis]

Now that sounds like a good idea !!!!

[SteveH]

The first clip had me in stitches, and it does make a change to be enjoying some goat antics for a change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD-B1uYykiw

[SteveH]

Council's stance on Great Orme goats as I'm a Celeb castle move rumours grow

"It's not the first time the wild goats have been sent off the Llandudno peak to live elsewhere in the UK.

Two of the main reasons for this are to make sure there is enough food for the growing population and to protect the whole herd from being wiped out, should there ever be a contagious outbreak such as foot and mouth.

A Conwy Council spokeswoman said: "Several organisations have an interest in the Great Orme goats for reasons of land ownership, conservation or animal welfare, including Conwy County Borough Council, Llandudno Town Council, Mostyn Estates Ltd, Natural Resources Wales and the RSPCA.

"Secondly, the goats are unique and we realised during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 that if such a virus had infected the Great Orme herds – the breed would exist no longer."

She added: "We sometimes receive enquiries about moving a small number of goats to other locations in the UK.

"Over the past 20 years we have relocated goats in small groups to graze conservation sites in Kent, North Yorkshire, Somerset and the Brecon Beacons."

Full article   https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/councils-stance-great-orme-goats-20632525?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

As warmer weather approaches, you’re going to see more and more bees buzzing around.

We have all heard the rule if you see a tired bee try and feed them sugar water to give them a boost and get them buzzing again.
However, people should never leave a constant supply of sugar water out.

Back in 2018, a Facebook post which claiming to from Sir David Attenborough urged people to do this very thing, leading to a lot of confusion after it was unwittingly shared by millions of people.

Following the misinformation, the BBC was forced to step in, They confirmed that the post had not come from Sir David Attenborough, and the advice could harm the bee population.

cont   https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/you-should-never-leave-sugar-20647378

[SteveH]

Llandudno's famous goats rounded up and kept in pen over post lockdown antics

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/llandudnos-famous-goats-rounded-up-20676444?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

PS just been told they are in Westshore, being chased out of gardens !  so much for the above

[SteveH]

We spotted a Blackbird with a faint white collar, and promptly named him "Vicar" ,I haven't been able to get a photo yet, but will keep trying, however looking for a stock photo, I found out that it maybe a Ring Ouzel, (Ring ouzels are black and white thrushes, similar in appearance to a blackbird. They spend the winter in Spain and northwest Africa, returning to the uplands of the UK to breed in the summer https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/thrushes-chats-flycatchers-starling-dipper-and-wren/ring-ouzel)

It is very difficult to tell if there is a difference between the two species, or differing names for the same bird, depending on continent.

stock photo below

[Hugo]

You do get Ring Ouzels on the Great Orme so you may have been lucky and spotted one.       

[SteveH]

ROUNDABOUTS, road verges and grassland areas that are rich in native wildflowers will be left undisturbed over the summer to encourage biodiversity.

Conwy County Borough Council will cut flowers after they have set seed in late summer to attract bees, butterflies and birds to the area.

Insects including moths and beetles are in decline but are essential to pollinating crops, soft fruit, orchards, and wild and garden flowers.

The council has more than 40 biodiversity areas and 21 nature reserves which are managed to encourage pollinators. It has taken action like replacing seasonal bedding plants with herbaceous, perennial plant schemes which provide a food source for pollinators.

Cllr Greg Robbins, cabinet member for environment and transportation, said, “The Council takes its role and responsibilities for biodiversity very seriously. Managing areas to encourage wildlife is an important way to make sure we can support pollinators to thrive and help contribute towards a sustainable environment.”

For more information about biodiversity in Conwy visit www.conwy.gov.uk/biodiversity

[SteveH]

We could be next ?

Thousands of ‘strange-looking alien creatures’ have washed up on a beach in South Wales.

Pleurobrachia pileus are commonly known as ‘sea gooseberries’ and normally float free in bodies of water.

The spherical comb jellies are normally up to 2.5cm long and are commonly found across the UK, especially in summer.

They have a pair of tentacles which are usually up to 20 times the length of their body.

These are used for catching prey, while little hairs on their bodies help them to eat.

Madison Bowden-Parry, behavioural ecologist for The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales, said: ‘They feed on plankton and other small animals and will mostly follow the migration of their prey, so this could control their location in the water column i.e., at the surface feeding which could bring them into shore.’

https://metro.co.uk/2021/06/03/south-wales-thousands-of-strange-looking-alien-creatures-wash-up-on-beach-14707175/?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589
.