The start of the Millennium Wetlands at WWT Llanelli…
I did say I would share some more pictures from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust at Llanelli, a couple of weeks ago when I showed you the birds themselves.
These images are from the wild area of the estuary, beyond the grounds where wildfowl from all over the world have been artificially gathered.
Looking out from the viewing tower, across the Loughor Estuary at Penclacwydd…
The WWT site is on land formerly belonging to the Trostre steelworks and the nearest village is Llwynhendy, but Penclacwydd is the delightful name of the location itself. Whether it was ever called that before the WWT moved in, I don’t know, as Penclacwydd seems to mean the head (pen) of a male goose (clacwydd)…
The Millennium Wetlands at WWT Llanelli…
I am for some reason reminded of those lines from Horse with no Name by America:
The ocean is a desert with its life underground
And the perfect disguise above…
I say that because we saw few creatures as we walked through the wetland. We could look through viewing holes in the willow screens to see the marsh scrapes and lakes, but the birds were distant, getting on with their lives.
Distant wildfowl…
Below us there were apparently water voles (Arvicola amphibius). These little semi-amphibious rodents were made famous by Ratty in The Wind in the Willows and have been made scarce by loss of habitat and a new predator – escaped American mink from fur farms.
Water Vole City – children can play in these grassy tunnels, pretending they are water voles…
Although we saw no birds close up (apart from the odd robin in a hedge), we could hear the mournful cries of shore birds on the mudflats of the estuary.
This is the only place nowadays I hear lapwings (green plover, Vanellus vanellus) making their distinctive pee-wit call. I used to see lapwings in great numbers on farm fields, but not any more.
Image of a lapwing – click on the image to go to the RSPB website and listen to the pee-wit call…
The only other shore bird I recognised by its voice was the curlew…
A curlew – again, click to go to the RSPB page and hear its mournful cry…
Something you can always find growing in these damp areas is a selection of flowerless plants and there was some exuberant lichen…
I love the way this lichen (possibly Cladonia) comes in two different sizes, side by side…
More lichen on a branch…
More lichen – the one with little cups may be Ramalina?
Then there was this fungus…
Orange-brown slippery fungus on the grass…
At this time of year there is always some plant interest…
Bulrushes…
Winter sunlight on oak leaves…
New female alder catkins waiting to open…
Alder cones – which are really old male catkins…
Artistic green scum of pond algae…
And finally a folly…
This is Hopkin’s Folly, the remains of a short-lived coal mine within what are now the Millennium Wetlands at Llanelli
The Squirrelbasket 
I have a special fondness for wildlife reserves – love the picture of the distant wildfowl – at least there was plenty of other things close to, to interest you. We used to see plenty of lapwings round here too – not any more – such a shame.
Thank you for your kind comments.
Yes, I used to see lapwings every day from the school bus as we went past farmland. All motorways now…
best wishes š
I love that reserve, we used to visit it fairly often when we lived down there and the kids were young. Particularly fond of the cafe where you can watch ducks while sitting in the warm! I don’t think I’ve seen a lapwing since being up here in the North either. I used to see them in fields around Merthyr Mawr years ago, it would be interesting to know if they were still there. Love your lichens.
Thank you for your lovely comments. Yes, that cafe is always warm (literally) and friendly. I always find it more intimate than the big reserve at Slimbridge.
All the best š
Lovely photos, as always. I enjoyed the photos of lichen very much.
Thank you Mrs D. I had lots more pictures of the lichen I didn’t publish – I get a bit carried away!
Have you ever painted lichen or moss etc?
Best wishes š
I have painted lichen as part of an exercise for a class I was taking. Also, many years ago, I spent some time dyeing yarn with plants. Lichen produced a yellow or greenish colour and left the yarn with a pleasant fragrance.
I really wish I could draw lichen. Maybe I should just try. I can’t imagine ever being able to paint flowers as I am a bit ham-fisted. But maybe I could do lichen, just in pencil, like the botanical drawings I did for biology at school all those years ago…
And I think I have heard about lichen used for dyeing wool, but for some reason I had the colour purple in my head – but that’s probably from Murex shells…
Thanks for dropping by š
There is a type of lichen that will yield purple, but I never found it growing. Really, I think anyone can learn to draw in a year and a half, with motivation and practice.
Ah yes, a quick Google search found orchil (poor man’s purple) dye from lichen.
You know, encouraged by your “18 months” suggestion, I may well go back to drawing – I still have the drawing pads, unused, from when I was a teenager!
Best wishes š