It's still difficult around these parts, but there is someone in the office, and I'm told the shop will be re-opening this afternoon, if all continues to improve.

Meanwhile, I still can't get out of my house.

The shop remains closed today (Sunday).

As you will have heard or read, conditions really are very difficult in the mid- and north-east Wales area.

Watch this space for updates (which may not be timely, since I can't get out of my house either!). 

Difficult weather conditions today, and no electricity either, so the shop is closed for the day.

Coming up - every weekend in April, lambing on the RSPB's organic farm at Lake Vyrnwy.

This is our most popular and best attended series of events every year. Everybody loves visiting the sheep! Maybe it's the chance to get a real insight into the normally invisible work of the shepherds, or maybe there's something about the baby lambs - or possibly it's just Jan. Whatever, lots of people turn up for lambing…

Have you read Derek Niemann's riveting account of how Peter Conder, George Waterston, John Buxton and John Barrett spent their years as PoWs systematically surveying birds from within German prison camps? It's not too much to claim that their work laid much of the foundations of the modern conservation movement. The book is called "Birds in a Cage", published by Short Books in association with the RSPB.…

Just back from a most interesting tree walk led by Dave and Gen, our long-term volunteers who are about to return to the totally treeless Skerries for the summer!

You really learn a lot when you go out with someone who knows what they are talking about - it's the best way. At this time of year, before the leaves have come out, you have to use other characteristics to identify the trees - shape or habit, bark, buds, the…

Sunday's walk is going to be themed around trees.

It's not all Sitka spruce at Lake Vyrnwy - did you know the "Sculpture Park", currently sadly lacking sculptures, was planted originally as an arboretum and contains interesting specimen trees now in their maturity?

11:30 am Sunday, starting as usual at the RSPB shop.

Next Wednesday, 13th March, power lines are being upgraded in the vicinity of the RSPB shop. This means no power all day, and so, sadly, the shop will be closed.

Back to normal on Thursday.

...despite the weather forecast, we'll be doing a walk on Sunday morning at 11:30, starting from the shop, looking for signs of spring.

No charge, sturdy footwear, etc. etc.

You would be surprised how many people have been interested in birds for years but don't know one bird noise from another.

At least, they say they don't, with upturned palms and a shrug, until you help them to remember what they do know - such as cuckoo, wood pigeon, magpie, tawny owl, a buzzard crying in the sky, the swifts over Tesco's car park. Most people know more than they think, but by and large we're not in…

A couple of years ago, in February, there were otter tracks in the snow on the frozen surface of the Stilling Pool.

The year before that, in February, somebody took a photo from the top of the dam of an otter swimming in the Stilling Pool.

So every time I pass the end of the dam, I look down hopefully to the Stilling Pool for an otter.

Yesterday (in February), an otter! In the Stilling Pool!

Completely nocturnal? Very…

Unusually, the water flowing down the face of the dam had frozen solid yesterday, like a still from a movie. There was a bitter wind and no sun.

Ideal conditions, therefore, for RSPB South Stack's volunteers' day out! One or two wanted to get in with the cattle in their warm shed, and the expectant ewes looked very snug too. No lambs yet, though all the mums have been scanned and separated - multiples being specially…

All through the horrendous weather of recent weeks, we've continued to offer our weekend guided walks, starting from the RSPB shop.

Not surprisingly, the take-up during the winter has not been overwhelming. In fact, we've had no takers at all on several weekends recently. But now, yes, now, Spring is here! So we're expecting to meet lots of lovely people who want to be shown the best views with a few birds. It…

Hello!

Yes, there is still life at Lake Vyrnwy, even though Roger's gone off to greater things at Ynys-hir!

It's all very quiet at the moment, following months of rain and snow. Lambing hasn't quite started yet, it's too early for a chiffchaff (though they have had one singing at Ynys-hir already!), and there is very little about. We had 3 bramblings on the feeders at the Coed y Capel hide at the weekend…

I great quote from a visiting family earlier this week, who popped into the shop on their way home.

" We thought we would share our experience with you. We walked through the woods to your Centenary hide today and saw our first Pied Flycatcher, then caught a glimpse of an otter, and finally on our way back to the car we heard a cuckoo. What a fantastic day!"

Why don't you come and visit us and hope for a similar…

I have just posted the latest schedule of Events taking here at Lake Vyrnwy up to the end of September.

Loads of interesting things taking place, why not check them out on our Web Page, and come and join us.

Nature Detectives for young people, Bat and Moth Walks and much more!

Phrenology again! We heard the first cuckoo of the year here at Lake Vyrnwy in the woods behind the RSPB centre at 5.20 pm on Monday 23 April 2012.

Definitely Springtime!

First sighting today of a Swallow – Spring is really here

!

Our visitor, Paul Raeburn, was able to take some great photographs of a Short Eared Owl, which he saw on the reserve up the Bala Road. This is a rare sighting here on the reserve.

One of our members, Doug Yardley, on a visit to the Centenary Hide here at Lake Vyrnwy was fortunate to see an Otter swimming in the lagoon in front of the hide. He was able to take this great photograph, and has kindly agreed that we may share it with everyone.

Due to the terrible weather conditions today,Wednesday April 4th 2012,  Snow and Sleet with high winds, we have had to cancel our Lambing event today.

There are places available on Saturday afternoon the 7th April at 3.00 pm and on Sunday 8th April at 1.00 pm.

It is stocktaking time again!

As a result the RSPB shop will close early early on Wednesday 26th March 2012 at 3.00 pm

Open again as usual on Thursday.

Number 1,this week our warden has reported the first sighting of a Hen Harrier on the reserve at Gadfa on the Dinas Mawddwy road.

Number 2, is the sighting of the first Curlews on the edge of the moorland.

What have you spotted? Let us know on the forum.

No I don’t mean learning to read bumps on the head! That’s Phrenology.

Wildlife Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life-cycle events in nature that are influenced by climate and seasonal change, such as wildlife emerging from hibernation, birds nesting or migrating, and flowers blooming.

The first signs of spring are beginning to show themselves, and it won’t be long before the first migrants…

This means it is a good thing for our habitat, particularly the Blanket Bog.

It also means that the Lake is full and the Dam is overflowing, a spectacular sight, making a visit well worth while.

The Birds are feeding avidly at our Coed  y Capel hide which affords excellent close up views of Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Marsh Tit and many other species including Greater Spotted Woodpecker as well as occasionally a Sparrowhawk…