We were back at Cwm Ivy on Sunday, a fair reflection of just how much I’d enjoyed exploring the new salt marsh habitat there a few days earlier. Before heading down however I wanted to walk the WTSWW reserve which borders its Eastern flank in the hope of gaining another Read more…
If Saturday’s sunshine had lit any flickering flames of hope for a dry weekend they were well and truly dashed the following morning. All evening I’d been following the forecasts intently but they resolutely refused to lift a thick veil of rain from across South Wales. My only hope was Read more…
Back in September 2014 I unexpectedly walked into the middle of what, for Gower at least, registered as a pretty major dispute. Successive high tides and storm surges had finally broken through a weak point in the mediaeval seawall at Cwm Ivy, flooding freshwater marsh and grazing pasture behind. In Read more…
We must be glutens for punishment. With South Wales still being battered by the remnants of Storm Desmond last Sunday we were to be found wandering the coast between Port Eynon and Overton. Wave heights were again bordering on the impressive and it was no surprise to hear the banging Read more…
Since returning from Edinburgh we have seen a recurrence of the dismal conditions that plagued much of November and made it one of the wettest months on record. It has rained almost every day, heavily, and where once I used to joke about the fact that we are now naming Read more…
It’s just over a week since our return from Edinburgh and already it feels like a lifetime ago. The pace of modern life seems to leave no time to dwell on those rare moments of enjoyment before it’s back to the carousel that is my nine to five. Add in Read more…
Words and images from 26/11/2015 Our last full day in Edinburgh and it was time to get my geek on. Where better to combine my love of history, engineering and railways than at the Forth rail bridge, one of the most iconic structures ever to be conceived and built. Opened Read more…
Words and images from 24/11/2015 The sun returned this morning and we kicked off the day with yet more quality birding along the Firth of Forth. First stop was Prestonpans where singles of Red-throated Diver, Goldeneye and Long-tailed Duck were all picked up in quick succession. Also present were at Read more…
Words and images from 23/11/2015 After two days of glorious, albeit chilly, sunshine it was back to reality with a bump today as the cloud and rain which has so typified November returned. Getting wet when wind-chill is below freezing is not my idea of fun so instead we decided Read more…
Words and images from 22/11/2015 As promised it was an early start this morning with Long-eared Owls our goal and a desire to make the most of what limited daylight hours we were to be afforded given the time of year. Our destination was Aberlady local nature reserve, the very Read more…