Plas Dol y Moch Weather Data for November 2012

Month / Year	November 2012
Days of precipitation	26
Total precipitation mm.	207.8
Maximum precipitation mm.	24.8 (22nd)
Average temperature 0C	6.7
Maximum temperature 0C	14.8 (20th)
Minimum temperature 0C	-2.7 (29th)
Average wind speed mph.	0.9
Maximum wind speed mph.	44 (22nd)
Dominant wind direction	ENE

                                        As you can see our unsettled weather continued through November with only 5 dry days in the month! In two days time the Winter Soltice (21st December) will occur where the period of  daylight is the shortest of the year.From then on daylight increases to a maximum on the 21st June ( Summer Soltice).Birds respond to increasing daylight by singing (in preparation for breeding).Between now and early January listen out for the 'tiss wit'call of the Great Tit,a sure sign that spring is on the way!

Winter has arrived

This is a view of Snowdon photographed on the 5th of December looking from the marshes near Porthmadog. For much of November, and up till now (9th December), the tops have been white with snow so it must be winter? However some consider that Winter starts on the 1st of December although the 21st of December, the winter solstice, is considered to be the official date.Whatever the date, it is a good time to visit the marshes, lakes and seashore to watch birds, particularly ducks, geese and waders that over-winter in these habitats. At Borth y Gest we watched Wigeon, Oystercatcher, Redshank and a Little Egret feeding amongst the mud and sand as the tide went out. In the garden, the odd butterfly was still about in November; a Red Admiral was seen on the 5th, and a Speckled Wood on the 10th. Bats are still flying near the rock-climbing room and a nice slimy eel was discovered in the suitably named Slimy Pond...........don't fall in!