Sanderling
The sanderling scampers about the waves looking for marine crustaceans, fish and even jellyfish to eat. It visits the UK in winter from its Arctic breeding grounds, but can also be seen as it…
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Chwilio
Water stick insect
The water stick insect looks just like a mantis. An underwater predator, it uses its front legs to catch its prey. Its tail acts as a kind of 'snorkel', so it can breathe in the water.…
Kestrel
The kestrel is a familiar sight hovering over the side of the road, looking out for its favourite food: small mammals like field voles. It prefers open habitats like grassland, farmland and…
Knot
A stocky, little sandpiper, the knot can be spotted in estuaries from August onwards, migrating here from the Arctic where it breeds. Look out for it probing the muddy sand with its specialised…
Bloody-nosed beetle
The common name of the bloody-nosed beetle derives from its unusual defence mechanism: when threatened, it secretes a distasteful blood-red liquid from its mouth. This flightless beetle can be…
Grassland Fungi on GWT Nature Reserves
I have been conducting surveys of the grassland fungi on our Monmouthshire meadow Reserves over the autumn months. This is a snapshot of the interesting species recorded at Springdale, Pentwyn…
30 Days Wild June Diary 2025
I'm posting this blog on behalf of one of our members, Lucy who is from Pontypool. Lucy took part in 30 Days Wild this year and journalled her days in this wonderful nature diary.
Hiding in plain sight - the art of camouflage
Whether to deceive their prey or to avoid becoming lunch themselves, our Senior Conservation Ecologist, Andy Karran, shows us some of the amazing ways that animals have evolved to use camouflage…
Hill Life Through a Lens Photography Competition
Dig out your camera and walking boots, bobblehat/sunhat/shades (depending on what time of year it is) and get involved in with our photography competition showcasing the wildlife, people and the landscapes of the uplands in the Gwent area.
Long-eared owl
Unsurprisingly, the nocturnal long-eared owl sports large 'ear tufts' on its head, while the short-eared owl has much smaller ear tufts. A shy bird, it is best spotted around the coast…
On lockdown… but on Safari!
Recently, even though we were locked down at home, we went on safari. Not to Africa, of course, just in our garden, doing an audit known as a bioblitz of the creatures living in it.
Why not…
Defend Nature
In 2022, UK Government launched an attack on nature, weakening the laws that protect our wildlife and making a U-turn on manifesto promises to be the greenest Government ever: reversing reforms to farming and making energy decisions that will worsen climate change.