Bluestone Resort Join the Partnership

Bluestone National Park Resort has re- cently become the latest member of the Biodiversity Partnership. The resort sits partly within the Pem- brokeshire Coast National Park and cov- ers some 500 acres of woodland, grass- land and freshwater habitats.

Ged Davies, the Resort’s Sustainability Volume 14 Issue 1 Manager said ‘We’re currently reviewing Spring 2017 our species and habitat management plan to try to ensure that the wildlife of In this Issue the site which is so important to us and our visitors is protected and enhanced Bluestone Resort Join the Partnership Page 1 for the future’. Scaly Crickets at Marloes Sands The Partnership looks forward to work- Pages 1—3 ing closely with Bluestone to ensure the WWBIC Celebrates 10 Years best outcomes for people and wildlife at Pages 3—4 the site. National Park Helps with Hay Meadow Pages 4—5 If you own or manage land and would Otters Make Themselves at Home like to get involved with nature conser- Pages 6—7 vation work, please do get in touch with Kew Lost and Found Visit Page 7 the partnership! European Funding for Environmental Projects Page 8 Ant Rogers National Whale and Dolphin Watch Pembrokeshire Biodiversity Partnership Pages 8—9 New Logo for Keep Tidy Scaly Crickets at Page 9 New Commons Registration Officer Marloes Sands Page 10 National Park Success The scaly cricket (Pseudomogoplistes Page 10 vicentae) is amongst the rarest and least well studied of the U.K.’s Orthoptera Courses and Events (grasshoppers and crickets). It is highly Page 11 unusual for a cricket in that it lives on Contact Details Page 12

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer [email protected] 01437764551 Page 1 beaches amongst shingle and under lar- ger stones. The scaly cricket is currently known from only four localities in the U.K., two of which (Marloes Sands and Dale bay) are in Pembrokeshire.

I have been studying this enigmatic spe- cies at Marloes Sands over the last three years. I began by gathering data on the life cycle, about which relatively little was known. This entailed visiting Marloes Sands in each season to as- sess the life cycle stages present, com- bined with rearing individuals in the labo- ratory, from eggs to adult, at the Univer- sity of Derby. The results so far indicate that a scaly cricket has to survive two winters during its life time in order to winter 2013/14, which caused exten- reach adulthood. The eggs, which are sive damage all along the Welsh laid in the summer, take a whole year to coast. I was sceptical about whether I hatch. The resulting nymphs are only would find any scaly crickets at all half-grown by the start of the next winter and, for the first half an hour of and become adult during the following searching, had no success. I was summer. Some females can even sur- about to give up when my son, vive a third winter as adults. Gabriel (who was seven at the time)

announced that he had just found Surviving winter in a habitat of shifting three under one stone! The crickets shingle is quite a feat. I first visited the had survived. Further searches in the Marloes Sands site in the spring follow- immediate vicinity revealed a very ing the severe storm surges of healthy population. After making re- peated visits to the same spot over the following two years, however, I noticed a dramatic decline in the population inhabiting that particular bank of cobbles. This was most nota- ble following the frequent storms of winter 2015/16. The bank of cobbles had been completely re-modelled and flattened out and I could find very few crickets. Scaly Cricket Photo: Alex Hyde This prompted me to conduct a more

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer Page 2 [email protected] 01437764551 extensive survey of scaly crickets, en- loss of shingle and cobble banks at the compassing the whole length of Mar- base of the cliff is very evident. This loes Sands beach in August 2016. My means that the main population at Mar- task of surveying Marloes Sands loes Sands is now restricted to a beach was made relatively easy by the stretch of beach only about 200 metres existence of an excellent report by Jon long. I am still optimistic about the long Hudson of NRW, in which the results term survival of the scaly cricket, how- of his thorough survey of scaly cricket ever. It is clearly well adapted to its habitats and populations along the somewhat severe habitat. While study- beach in 2006 were presented. Using ing its life cycle, I observed that fe- a GPS device, I was able to locate the males prefer to lay their eggs in drift- scaly cricket sampling points provided wood. This raises the intriguing possi- in Jon’s report and to repeat his sur- bility that overwintering eggs might be veying methods as closely as possible. able to survive winter storms by This entailed using a series of 15 min- “rafting”. Furthermore, it may well be ute hand searches, in which I literally that the species is under-recorded in attempted to leave no stone un-turned, Pembrokeshire and the rest of the U.K. and using pitfall traps (plastic pint After all, the population at Marloes glasses, baited with cat biscuits and Sands was only discovered in 1999. buried up to the rim in the shingle). Surveys of other suitable locations The latter were covered by a large around the Pembrokeshire coast might stone on four smaller supports and left well yield new records. overnight. The results, which I plan to publish together with surveys of the other scaly cricket sites in the UK, Prof. Karim Vahed show that a healthy population can still University of Derby be found at Marloes Sands; the num- ber of individuals found both by pitfall trapping and hand-searching in the current survey were comparable with those found by Jon Hudson ten years earlier.

The news, however, was not all good: WWBIC Celebrates 10 the scaly crickets and their shingle habitat have all but disappeared from Years! a very large section of their former This year, West Wales Biodiversity In- range along the eastern end of the formation Centre (WWBIC) is celebrat- beach. Comparing photographs of the ing 10 years as an operational Local scaly cricket habitat along that stretch Environmental Records Centre (LERC). of beach taken by Jon in 2006 with In that time, the species database has those taken this year, the dramatic grown to just over 2 million records

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer [email protected] 01437764551 Page 3 and we have carried out over one thou- sand data enquiries. Project work has ranged from data mobilisation to more complex GIS modelling and our support for the recording community ranges from an annual recorders forum to recording days and training opportunities.

We are indebted to the regional network of volunteer recorders who share their species records with us, and in particu- A Recording Day lar, the efforts of County recorders On Saturday 4th of March we will be whose dedication and attention to detail th underpins everything we do. Similarly, holding our 10 Anniversary Record- we wouldn’t be here without the support ers Forum. Come and join us for a of partner organisations and we would series of interesting talks and dis- like to thank our funding partners for plays and chat with like-minded folk their continued support. These and over a complimentary lunch. many other people have contributed to the success of WWBIC, our dedicated Colin Russell staff past and present, our volunteers, WWBIC and our Directors. We are grateful to everyone that has given and continues to give their time in whatever capacity.

During this time WWBIC has worked closely with the other three LERCs in Wales and together we share data on a merged database of around 9 million re- cords, something unique in the UK. The data can be accessed by the public and National Park Helps our partners through another joint devel- opment, an online platform, Aderyn, Natural Resources which offers tailored ways of searching Wales with Hay Meadow our data, yet another first for the UK. We look forward to supporting the re- Management cording community of West Wales over the next 10 years and will continue to The Pembrokeshire Coast National look for innovative ways to ensure deci- Park Authority has helped Natural sion makers get the best possible value Resources Wales (NRW) turn over a from our biodiversity data holdings. new leaf as it works to transform some of the grassy areas around its

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer Page 4 [email protected] 01437764551 Llys Afon offices in into “One of our main aims is to conserve a wildflower meadow. The grass the environment for future surrounding the buildings used to be generations, and with the documented cut regularly and held little biodiversity decline of pollinating insect friendly interest, but the lawns were mown habitats in the UK, it’s important to tightly for the final time last year and develop sites with the potential for wildflower seeds were spread. increasing biodiversity.”

The area was allowed to grow over the Senior Conservation Officer for summer of 2016, with bees and Natural Resources Wales, Mary butterflies attracted to the wildflowers Chadwick added: “We have been on show. delighted with the progress made so

National Park Authority Wardens visited far in transforming this grass- the site in October to cut and bale the dominated lawn into a flower-rich first year’s growth and kick-start the hay meadow, to benefit pollinators and a meadow management. whole range of wildlife.

Making hay while the “We are indebted to National Park sun shines! Authority staff for cutting and baling the grass, which prepared the ground for sowing wildflower seed. We have sown seed collected from a local site including the semi-parasitic flower yellow-rattle, which helps suppress the dominance of grasses. “Baling the grass removes nutrients from the system, which reduces the vigour of grasses and enables flowers to flourish. NRW would be happy to advise others regarding increasing National Park Authority Chief biodiversity on areas of grassland Executive, Tegryn Jones said: “The around offices and industrial units.” Authority has been employing a similar scheme at its Llanion Park Medi George headquarters in Pembroke Dock since Pembrokeshire Coast 2013, with a rich variety of pollinating National Park Authority insect and bird friendly plants and grasses growing, including cowslips, daisies, red clover, wild rose, and even an orchid.

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer [email protected] 01437764551 Page 5 Otters Make Themselves at Home The recently installed artificial otter holt at Pembroke Upper Mill Pond nature re- serve has already got tenants. The structure, which was funded through the Co-op Welsh Wildlife Heroes grant, was installed in April 2016 with the help of local Wildlife Trust volunteers and sits The Finished Holt among an area of willow and alder carr on the edge of the reedbed and Pem- Nathan Walton, Wildlife Trust Officer broke river, that flows through the re- for Pembrokeshire said, “it is great serve. news to know that we now have ot- ters residing on the reserve as op- A recent visit by Dave Levell, one of the posed to just passing through. The reserve’s keen volunteers, showed clear reserve is free from public access evidence of otter activity through tracks which is key to providing good areas and markings leading in and out of the of undisturbed habitat and ideal con- holt along with the identification of many ditions for otter. I am very pleased.” spraints nearby. It is well known that the Pembroke Mill Pond complex has one of The otter is one of our most charis- the largest urban populations of otter in matic yet elusive mammals. It is Wales and that they frequent the Upper mainly nocturnal and rather shy al- Mill Pond nature reserve on almost a though good sightings can be made daily basis. during the day in the Middle and Lower Mill Ponds. It is also one of conservation’s success stories: fol- lowing a catastrophic decline during the 1950s and 1960s, there are now healthy otter populations throughout most of Wales. This has been brought about by a ban on the most harmful pesticides, and the ongoing protec- tion of their water-side habitats.

The otter is a European Protected Species (EPS). It is against the law to damage or destroy an otter breeding site or resting place (holt or couch), or Constructing the Holt to deliberately capture, kill, injure or disturb an otter.

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer Page 6 [email protected] 01437764551 In 2015 The Co-operative's Food busi- The programme was launched with a nesses donated their 5p bag levy to full day training and mentoring which support wildlife projects across Wales. was well supported by local fungus and The six Wildlife Trusts in Wales are lichen enthusiasts including members using these funds to save our most en- of the Plantlife Lichen Apprentice dangered wildlife and wild places for scheme. The event attracted partici- future generations to enjoy. pants from across Wales including Anita Daimond, the Waxcap Develop- Nathan Walton ment Officer for the recently announced Wildlife Trust of South Plantlife “Waxcaps of Wales” project. and West Wales Kew Lost and Found Visit Hazel Gloves

Pembrokeshire was recently visited by a team of mycologists who came to search for fungi and lichens that have been rarely recorded or are poorly un- derstood. The visit was arranged as part of the Lost and Found Fungi pro- ject programme run by scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and funded by the Esmée Fairburn Foun- dation. Highlights of the visit included finds, at Stackpole, of Entoloma bloxamii (Big The party from Kew comprised Paul blue pinkgill), Geoglossum atropur- Cannon, Martyn Ainsworth and Brian pureum (Dark purple earthtongue) and Douglas and was based at the Stack- Hypocreopisis rhododendri (Hazel pole Centre - an ideal location for on- gloves) all of which are species of con- site recording on the National Nature servation concern in the UK. Dave Lev- Reserve. ell completed the collection by bringing along one of the Lost and Fount target species, the smut Entyloma eryngii- maritimi, on a piece of Sea Holly from Freshwater West - an excellent find.

David Harries PFRN

Group Briefing

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer [email protected] 01437764551 Page 7 European Funding Valuing the Environment Network. This brings together community-led Available for environmental groups to help them Environmental Projects raise awareness of their activities and engage with new participants through The Arwain Sir Benfro LEADER scheme talks, practical sessions and work- aims to support new ideas which help to shops that are designed to address improve your community. LEADER some of the issues and aspirations funded projects should build on local outlined above. strengths and opportunities. This could include better use of local and commu- If you are interested in finding out nity natural resources, supporting com- more about the network, please con- munity environmental initiatives, or de- tact Karen Scott at PLANED on veloping rural craft skills, for example. 01834 860965 [email protected]

Further information about LEADER, Karen Scott which is part of the Welsh Government PLANED Rural Communities – Rural Develop- ment Programme 2014 – 2020, financed by the Welsh Government and Euro- National Whale and pean Agricultural Fund for Rural Devel- opment (EAFRD) and Arwain Sir Benfro, Dolphin Watch can be found on http:// www.arwainsirbenfro.cymru. If you have Each year, Sea Watch Foundation an idea you would like to discuss please lead a UK-wide event to document contact Cris Tomos at PLANED on the whales, dolphins and porpoises 01834 860965 [email protected] around the UK during a nine day pe- riod. Anyone can get involved and all Some local environmental issues and are encouraged to do so! The full re- aspirations, identified by Pembrokeshire port will be out in early 2017. You can communities as part of their recent ac- check out Sea Watch Foundation’s tion planning, have included: the need social media and website to keep up for more footpaths, cycle tracks and to date with the news. In the multi-user accessible routes; the devel- opment of allotments and community gardens; hedgerow maintenance; eradi- cation of invasive non-native species; development of community orchards and woodlands and celebration of local pro- duce.

Arwain Sir Benfro is gauging interest in re-establishing Pembrokeshire’s Short Beaked Common Dolphins

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer Page 8 [email protected] 01437764551 meantime, here’s a preliminary sum- mary of the sightings off Pembroke- New Logo for Keep shire during the 2016 event… Wales Tidy

Whilst harbour porpoise are the most The new Keep Wales Tidy logo has commonly sighted species around the been developed to truly reflect the work whole of the UK, it seems that the done by the organisation. No longer short-beaked common dolphin put in just about litter, Keep Wales Tidy is a more of an appearance around the charity with a hugely diverse remit. We south-west of Wales, although this is lobby government; we influence com- probably down to recording effort munities; we educate schools; we care rather than actuality. There were a for rivers, beaches and green spaces; magnificent sixteen sightings of this we care about Wales and want to pro- colourful dolphin species around the tect it for future generations. County in just nine days, with a maxi- mum count of thirty individuals at once. The next most frequent record Zӧe Abbott was of Risso’s dolphins which put in Keep Wales Tidy eight appearances from the Ramsey Sound into the Celtic Deep.

There were just five reports of harbour porpoise, although seven were seen at once off Ramsey Island. Bottlenose dolphins were seen on three occa- sions, as were minke whales. In total, there were almost forty ‘casual sight- ings’ reported and that’s not including any from the dedicated watches put on as part of the National Whale and Dol- phin Watch. Our observers also took to the sea and to the cliff tops to re- cord on what they saw and for those records you’ll need to check out our full report online at www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk. To take part this year, please visit www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk/nwdw -2017 & pop 29th July – 6th August into your diary!

Kathy James Sea Watch Foundation

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer [email protected] 01437764551 Page 9 New Commons Report Highlights Park Registration Officer Authority’s Success Shwmae! My name is Jim Dunckley and I have recently taken up the post of The Pembrokeshire Coast National Commons Registration Officer at Park Authority successfully engaged Pembrokeshire County Council. My with more than 6,000 hard-to-reach training and background however is very people and involved another 2,155 much in the field (excuse the pun!) of through its health-related activities Conservation and I’ve had a passionate during 2014-15, according to its latest interest in our fantastic British country- Annual Improvement Report. The re- side and wildlife from a very young port, which was published by the age. I come to this job from a similar Wales Audit Office in October, also Commons Registration post in Ceredi- noted that 94 per cent of sites the Au- gion where I worked closely with land- thority manages were in ‘good’ or owners and key stakeholders with a con- ‘improving’ ecological condition, with servation focus such as NRW, the Wild- none of the sites reviewed considered life Trusts and occasionally independent to be failing. conservation charities. More recently I have worked with PONT, who do excel- The document also highlighted that lent work facilitating conservation graz- the number of people using footpaths ing on our commons. in 2014-15 was 30 per cent higher than the previous year, according to At 8% of the land area of Wales, Com- walking counters on the network of mon Land is also very much a key part rights of way maintained by the Park of our Welsh heritage, and of course Authority, including the Pembroke- many of our commons are designated shire Coast Path National Trail. for their high conservation value. They often play host to fragile and unique The percentage of the footpath net- habitats, and I very much look forward to work that was open and accessible working with and assisting the Partner- was 85 per cent, a figure 30 per cent ship in whatever way I can in protecting higher than the Wales estimated av- and promoting our valuable common erage and 12 per cent higher than the land and wider ecological heritage going English National Park Authority aver- forward. age.

Jim Dunckley Commons Medi George Registration Pembrokeshire Coast Officer National Park Authority

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer Page 10 [email protected] 01437764551 Biodiversity Events January—April

Date Title Information Contact

Count the wildlife that’s counting on you with this annual survey from the RSPB. 28th—30th Big Garden Download your pack here: https:// RSPB January Birdwatch ww2.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/ birdwatch

Margaret Powell A talk on Polecats 1st February 1239 621512 with Jenny Catholic Church Hall, Cardigan 19:30 margaretpowellcal Macphearson @hotmail.com John Steer 01646 13th A talk on Cashfield Community Centre, 278966 February Bumblebees with Haverfordwest [email protected] 19:30 Sinead Lynch .uk Join The South Pembrokeshire Group for a talk led by Dr Jenny Macpherson who will Christine 01646 21st Pine Marten tell us all about the Pine Marten recover 673912 February Recovery programme and her work at The Vincent chrissiejones58@ 19:30 Programme Wildlife Trust. Foundry House Community gmail.com Centre, Pembroke.

WWBIC 10th Come and join us for a series of interesting Colin Russell 4th March Anniversary talks and displays and chat with like-minded 01994 241468 Recorders Forum. folk over a complimentary lunch

Join The South Pembrokeshire Group who will be hosting a talk by David Harries about Christine 01646 21st March Fungi in Fungi in Pembrokeshire and the habitats to 673912 19:30 Pembrokeshire find them in. Foundry House Community chrissiejones58@ Centre, Pembroke. gmail.com

Join Dave Astins of West Coast Island 01656 724100 8th—11th Birdwatching as you spend three days Birdwatching islands@welshwil April searching for the best birds Skomer has to Weekend dlife.org offer.

The Mid Pembrokeshire Group will host a John Steer 01646 10th April Fungi in talk on Fungi in Pembrokeshire led by David 278966 19:30 Pembrokeshire Harries, a County Fungi Recorder. Cashfield [email protected] Community Centre, Haverfordwest .uk

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer [email protected] 01437764551 Page 11 PBP Contact Details Biodiversity Newsletters Biodiversity Implementation Officer: Mae'r cylch-lythyr hwn ar gael yng Ant Rogers. Tel - 01437 764551 Nghymraeg, cysylltwch â Ant am gopi [email protected] cymraeg. Pembrokeshire Biodiversity website: www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk (search - biodiversity) PBP would like to thank all those who

Wales Biodiversity website: contributed to this newsletter. If you would like www.biodiversitywales.org.uk to write an article for the next newsletter please contact Ant.

Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the author of the article and may not repre- sent the position of the wider Partnership or it’s constituent members. PBP Members

Bluestone National Pembrokeshire Rivers Park Resort Trust

County Landowners Pembrokeshire Coast National Association Park Authority

Farmers Union of Pembrokeshire Local Action Network Wales for Enterprise and Development

Farming and Wildlife Prince’s Trust Cymru Advisory Group

Keep Wales Tidy Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

The National Trust

National Farmers The Wildlife Trust of Union – Wales South and West Wales

Natural Resources Wales

Pembroke 21C Community West Wales Biodiversity Association Limited Information Centre

Pembrokeshire County Council

Ant Rogers — Biodiversity Implementation Officer Page 12 [email protected] 01437764551