So, I am 5 months into my nine month contract as a Trainee Ecologist with the RSPB and I ask myself  'Just where has the time gone?'                Doesn't time fly when your having fun!

So what have I been up to? Well, I have been spending most of my time with the staff at Ynys-hir and boy have they made me feel like one of the team, one of the family so to speak! They are all a fantastic bunch of people and have made my training so much easier and ssssoooo enjoyable.      Thanks very much guys!

Ynys-hir is truly an amazing place to visit and for me a fantastic environment to conduct my training and to learn many new skills. For me Ynys-hir is the biggest jewel in the Welsh crown of reserves. Its just a shame it all has to finish for me in 4 months. So where's the time gone? Well, I've been conducting surveys in Small Red Damselfly, Wood Bitter-vetch, and Greater Butterfly Orchid to name just a few! Having the opportunity to learn such valuable skills and meet such fantastic people will help develop my career and take me to the next level.

I have been to South Stack cliffs in Holyhead, Pulborough brooks in West Sussex's, Coombes Valley and the Isle of Man to name just a few with some fantastic people from the lodge and with the guru who is Mark Gurney. Mark is my line manager and I am always blown away by his knowledge of not just plants but EVERYTHING!!!!!! WOW

I have also attended lots of training courses and learnt lots of very important skills. Oh and i've also had an article based on me in the Nature Counts summer news letter (Which I am sure can be found somewhere for you all to look at).  It's based on my journey into the RSPB and just who inspired me. Mainly Iolo Williams and Chris Packham. These two are my life heros and two people I look up to. Two people I would love to emulate and want to emulate. They have so much passion and have such vast amounts of knowledge in everything. They both inspired me to follow my dreams and will continue to inspire me always!

Well this Monday, 22nd August I am off to Castle Head in the Lake district for 3 days on a training course for Managing Habitats for Invertebrates, so I am really looking forward to this one. I have also made plans to attend another course in late September on Mosses which is being held in West Wales, this is for 2 days.  I plan to look at Bryophytes, Ferns and what Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Wildflowers are left. There are more surveys to carry out  at Ynys-hir, so I have loads to be doing! Just the way I like it.

I'll keep you informed on my journey from here on right through to January and on what lies in front of me for next year.

Phil