Seeing the Changes 357

Wild plum (Prunus domestica) was in flower near Blackpill.

Seeing the Changes 356

Saltmarsh lamb is back on the menu in Loughor!

Seeing the Changes 355

In Gorseinon, the Field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) was shooting. In Bynea, the Willow was coming into leaf and, in Penclacwydd, Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) flowers were in bud.

Packing 'Em In!

There was a weird occurrence in King Harbor at Redondo Beach in California (http://hermosabeach.patch.com/articles/half-of-dead-sardines-removed-from-redondos-king-harbor ) when a giant school of sardines entered the location and died (apparently of suffocation by exhausting the oxygen in the water). A local fire fighter (they do more in the US) speculated that the fish had entered the harbour in an attempt to avoid the high winds in the area but the effects of the wind do not penetrate very far into the depths. They could equally have been attempting to escape predators (such as cetaceans). One might even think they anticipated the tsunami!

Seeing the Changes 354

In Loughor, there was the first appearance of Spring squill (Scilla verna). Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) was in flower in Swansea.

Seeing the Changes 353

In Loughor, the first of the Ivy-leaved toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis) was in flower. It must be a warm wall!

Seeing the Changes 352

Seems a bit spring-like (in spite of night frosts). In Bynea, they are 'carrying out urgent repairs' to the cycle track until 20th April. It will be interesting to see the effects on vegetation. Spotted a Bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) flying there. In Loughor, the Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) is coming into leaf and the Cherry (Prunus spp) into flower. We were also visited by an early pug moth (Eupithecia spp).