Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - September 2007 - No 73
Ian Morgan

The mixed party of Llanelli Naturalists and Wildlife Trust members assembled at Troserch Farm, the leader`s home, in pleasant sunshine.  The route initially followed the footpath northwards past the ruined Troserch Mill and into the mixed woodland of Troserch Woods.  The woodland comprises areas of ancient native woodland on its steeper, rockier parts including Sessile Oak Quercus petraea with an understory of Bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus, Greater Wood-rush Luzula sylvatica and Hard Fern Blechnum spicant, whilst extensive areas have been planted with Douglas Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii.  2006 saw the purchase of much of the woodland area by a group of local people who wish to retain the woodland for the responsible recreational use of the local community and, of course, its wildlife. 

As is usual, much plant recording was undertaken by Richard Pryce, aided by others, and he took the opportunity to demonstrate the identification features of the typical woodland plants that were encountered.  As it was quite late in the season, most birds were silent, but the leader has carried out surveys of the breeding birds of the woodland, yielding an assemblage that typifies such wooded `cwms`.  Grey Wagtails and a Dipper were both seen on the Afon Morlais.  An interesting moth was flushed from path-side herbage on the return journey to the farm was the Red-necked Footman Atolmis rubricollis, a pretty little insect associated with lichen-rich trees.