Fungi hunting at Margam Park, Port Talbot

Date: 6 November 2016

Location: Margam Country Park, Junction 38 M4, Port Talbot, SA13 2TJ

We woke up to a sunny November morning and decided to visit one of our favourite haunts, Margam County Park, about 2 miles from Port Talbot. Still obsessed with finding fungi we were pretty sure we would get lucky in this 850 acres park.

We got there about 11.30am and started exploring this wonderful place. Autumn had well and truly arrived and most of deciduous trees were now displaying glorious colours of yellow, orange and reds. 

Our first stop was around The Chapter House (the abbey ruins) where we found many wonderful trees, including the two below...

A huge tree near the Chapter House displaying fabulous autumnal colours

Large ancient tree by the Abbey

Day 12 - 30 Days Wild - Exploring nature on my mum's birthday

* Today's random act of wildness - Nature with the family *

Sunday 12 June was my mum's birthday so myself, Dan, my sister and my mum went to a pub for Sunday Lunch. Dinner was nice (Butternut Squash lasagna) and after lunch we sat in the beer garden to see what 'wild' things we could see.

Beyond the garden is the River Afan and whilst my mum and sis were drinking their coffee we managed to spot Mallard, Wren, Robin and Grey Waytail.

Wren

Robin among holly (very festive in June!)

The River Afan

Grey Wagtail

Male & Female Mallard

After the pub we decided to go to one of my favourite nature reserves Parc Slip in Aberkenfig. The day had been quite dull, but now the sun was coming out and so did all the damselflies...hundreds of them! The feeder near the visitor centre was very active. Here's what we saw...

Siskin on the bird feeder

Chaffinch (male)

House Sparrows

Juvenile House Sparrow

Juvenile Robin

My mum, sister and Dan listening to recording about Parc Slip and the visitor centre in the background

Large Red Damselfly

Broad-Bodied Chaser (Male) Dragonfly

Male & Female Common Blue Damselfly

Large Red Damselfly

Common Blue Damselfly

Common Blue Damselflies mating

Hoverfly

Stunning Common Lizard

Wildling admiring the lizard

Day 8 - 30 Days Wild - World Ocean Day

* Today's random act of wildness - A walk along the beach *

Today is World Ocean Day so what better way than go to my local beach. Just a mile away is Aberavon beach, so we decided to go for a walk and see what had been washed up with the tide.

The sun was starting to set 

Dead Dogfish :(

Jellyfish

A tiny jellyfish

Pretty shell

Red Scallop Shell

Some sort sea cucumber? Do you know what it is?

Bladderwrack Seaweed

A hairy Sea Potato (also known as sea urchin)...

...and a not so hairy one (there were lots on the beach that night)

Dunlin foraging as the tide was coming in

Close up of Dunlin

Common Ringed Plover 

Check out this bright yellow bird too! Time for an interesting story...

Apparently in January 1992 a crate full of 29,000 plastic ducks (and frogs etc...) fell off a container ship that was travelling across the Pacific from Hong Kong - Since then they have bobbed thousands of miles and some have even washed up on the shores of Hawaii and Alaska. Is this one of them?

Wildling enjoy the sunset

A beautiful sunset in honor of World Ocean Day ♥