A big welcome to our new Ramsey Warden, Nia Stephens! Without further ado I will let her introduce herself.....
*Scroll Down For English* (click on photos to enlarge)
Dyma ni yng nghanol fy ail wythnos yn fy swydd newydd fel Warden Ynys Dewi ac rydw i wrth fy modd i fod yma. Am fraint i alw’r lle hwn yn gartref i mi!
Bydd rhai ohonoch yn gwybod nid wyf yn ddieithr i’r ynys. Ar ôl graddio o’r Brifysgol buais yn gweithio yma fel Cymorthwydd y Warchodfa nol yn 2011 a 2012. Yna, treuliais i chwe blynedd yn gweithio i Ymddiriedolaeth Natur De a Gorllewin Cymru mewn gwahanol swyddi; Warden Cynorthwyol ar Ynys Sgomer, Swyddog Llygoden Dwr a Swyddog Pobl a Natur ar Gorsydd Teifi. Rwyf wedi gweithio fel canllaw bywyd gwyllt ar gychod o amgylch Ynys Dewi a Gwales ac yn fwyaf diweddar roeddwn yn gweithio o fy nghartref tu allan i Tŷ Ddewi fel Adaregydd Morol i Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru. Pan hysbysebwyd swydd Warden Ynys Dewi wyddwn ei bod yn gyfle rhy dda i fynd heibio ac felly dyma fi!
Cyrhaeddon ni ar yr Ynys i gyfnod o dywydd hyfryd, roeddwn i’n teimlo’n lwcus iawn a wnes i ddim hyd yn oed ddadbacio fy nhrowsus gwrth-ddŵr am yr wythnos gyntaf! Mae wedi bod yn arbennig iawn i fod yma mor gynnar yn y tymor, i weld tinwen y garn gyntaf y flwyddyn ac i weld rhew ar y ddaear yn y boreau, rhywbeth newydd i mi ond wedi bod yma yn ystod yr haf yn y gorffennol.
Rydym wedi bod yn dad lwytho llawer o stwff ers cyrraedd, poteli gas, bagiau o fwyd i’r defaid a defnyddiau adeiladu i’r byngalo. Mae’n rhaid dad lwytho popeth o’r cwch ac i mewn i’r trelar tu nol i’r beic cwad, sy’n gyfle da i mi ymarfer defnyddio’r craen a gyrru’r cwad a hefyd yn “work out” da yn symud yr holl bethau trwm!
Mae'r tywydd wedi newid nawr ac rydym yn cael gwyntoedd cryfion a chawodydd glaw. Cyfle da i mi ddod yn gyfarwydd â systemau TG y RSPB a gwneud rhai swyddi dan do i baratoi am y tymor.
A frosty morning from my front door
Well it’s the middle of my second week in my new job as Ramsey Island Warden and I couldn’t be happier to be here. What a privilege to call this place my home!
As some of you will know, I’m no stranger to the island. After graduating University I worked here for two seasons as Reserve Assistant back in 2011 and 2012. I then spent six years working for the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales in various roles; Assistant Warden on Skomer, Water Vole Officer and People and Wildlife Officer at Teifi Marshes. I worked as a Wildlife Guide on boats around Ramsey and Grassholm and most recently I was working from my home on the outskirts of St Davids as a Marine Ornithologist for Natural Resources Wales. When the Ramsey Warden job was advertised I knew it was too good an opportunity to pass up and so here I am!
We arrived on the island to a spell of glorious weather, I felt very lucky and I didn’t even unpack my waterproof trousers for the first week! It’s been really special to be here so early in the season, to spot the first wheatears of the year and to even see frost on the ground in the mornings, a first for me having only been here in the summer months in the past.
There have been plenty of deliveries since we’ve arrived: gas bottles, bags of sheep feed and building materials for the bungalow all of which we unloaded off the boat, loaded into the trailer and ferried to the right places. It’s been good practise for me using the crane and the quad bike lots and also a good workout shifting all the heavy stuff!
On my way to my new island home!
One of many trips loaded with bags of sheep feed
After the calm came the storm....
Sunrise over the Bitches
Croeso Nia a Llongyfarchiadau ! I bet the birds and wildlife are singing a welcome too. They've seen you come over and they've said "Oh hello, we know her , everythings going to be all right! Great appointment and I look forward to ssing you on the island as soon as covid rules allow. Luckily although pandemics come and go ( although this is pretty unique in terms of life events ) I am sure that some sort of normal life will come back for us humans. In the meantime the wildlife has claimed its environment all for itself and that will be interesting to see its impact on Ramsey. Anyway Best wishes for the future Gwyneth
Llongyfarchiadau Nia! A diolch am y blog yn y Gymraeg - ymarfer da i mi a chyfle ardderchog i hybu'r iaith. Gobeithio bydd hi'n bosibl i ymweld â'r ynys eleni. Efallai roedd yr adar ac anifeiliaid eraill yn fwy hapus bod nhw dim yn gweld neb lynedd! :-)