Lords-and-ladies
Look for the unusual flowers of lords-and-ladies in spring woodlands: a pale green sheath surrounds a spike of tiny, yellow flowers. This spike eventually forms a familiar, short stalk of striking…
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Chwilio
Wild service tree
An inconspicuous tree for much of the year, the wild service tree comes to life in spring, when it displays pretty, white blossom, and autumn, when its maple-like leaves turn bright crimson.
May Element - Log Piles
Element number five of the twelve elements to make your garden a wildlife wonderland will, over many years, shrink and vanish - rotting and dead wood. It provides hiding, feeding and nesting…
Magor Marsh Memories
In April, I had the pleasure of leading two guided walks for the Gwent Wildlife Trust, at the Magor Marsh reserve, accompanied by Hamish Blair.
A Starter for 10!
Between now and 2030, Gwent Wildlife trust are focusing on 10 vulnerable species, with the aim of making a real measurable difference in their fortunes.
Privet hawk-moth
With a torpedo-shaped body and long, narrow wings, the privet hawk-moth is a striking garden visitor. But the caterpillars really stand out: lime-green, with purple streaks and a black hook at the…
Shag
Shag' is a very old name that means 'tufted' and refers to the small crest that this bird sports. Look out for it in spring and summer either diving for fish from the surface of the…
Wood avens
Look for wood avens along hedgerows and in woodlands. Its yellow flowers appear in spring and provide nectar for insects; later, they turn to red, hooked seedheads that can easily stick to a…
Decision to Ban Dogs from Brockwells Meadows
We have recently made the difficult decision to exclude dogs from our Brockwells Meadows reserve. This is the second of our reserves where we have decided that dogs will not be allowed, the first…
Nature’s Summertime Treats (Part I)
Spring may have sprung behind closed doors this year but summer brings its own seasonal delights to tempt us outdoors. In this series of blogs, we’d like to introduce you to some of nature’s best…
Blackthorn
A familiar shrub of hedgerows and woodland edges, blackthorn comes alive in spring when it bursts into a froth of white blossom. It is well known for its sloes, too - the blue-black fruits used in…
Crack willow
So-named because its gnarled trunk can split as it grows, the crack willow can be seen along riverbanks, around lakes and in wet woodlands. Like other willows, it produces catkins in spring.