'Gwanwyn - Spring' Spring at the Lasgarn Woodland, abersychan has to be one of my favourite times. Wild Garlic defines the path in this part of the wood, which was once dominated by the quarrying of limestone for use by the ironworks. Flowers are beginning to appear as well.

This is a very interesting development...

I'm leading a FREE Wild Pavements plant hunt as part of the Books in the Park festival in Beckenham Place Park, S London. Saturday 25 April at 11:30. Details and how to register for a place here 👇 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exploring-... #urbannature #pavementplants #urbanplants

Wild Pavements As my impromptu urban naturalizing activities have mostly only gained me quizzical looks and the odd hesitant question, I long thought I was the only person who did such things. Then I recently discov...

As my impromptu urban naturalizing activities have mostly only gained me quizzical looks and the odd hesitant question, I long thought I was the only person who did such things. Then I recently discovered the writings of @amandatuke.bsky.social. #Booksky

www.wellreadnaturalist.com/2026/04/wild...

This is really excellent, I've been using it for a few weeks now. Great job, everyone involved

True patriots, ‘Farmers For Action’, claim to be planning a UK-wide action to blockade roads over fuel prices. Because with Iran and now Trump blockading the strait of Hormuz, let’s all just join in, right?! Never mind that ‘red diesel’ for tractors is already heavily subsidised…

'Dwy Bont - Two Bridges' Looking through the arch of Bridge 51 on the Mon and Brec Canal at Griffithstown to the railway bridge beyond. Beautiful light this morning, in between the downpours!

Nigel Farage’s farming adviser calls for wheat prices to double Exclusive: critics warn Reform UK use of trade policy would increase food costs amid cost-of-living crisis

Revealed: Farage’s farming adviser calls for wheat prices to double - despite cost of living crisis

Coupled with Reform’s policies to import US chlorinated chicken & frack rural areas, it’s clear that Farage would be a disaster for the countryside:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I often use this quote, from Aldo Leopold's, A Sand County Almanac, publish posthumously, in 1949.

It is crushing to fight so hard for something, and to be almost totally ignored, even though you're repeating verifiable facts.

"There is a particular kind of exhaustion that does not come from long hours alone. It comes from paying attention."
Mind yourselves, people. And each other.
Good article, by the way.

'Y gwanwyn ar hyd y gamlas - Spring along the canal' A delightful scene of golden Lesser Celandine along the Mon & Brec Canal, Pencelli, Talybont yesterday.

Looking forward to campaigning tomorrow (Sunday): not too late to sign up!
actionnetwork.org/events/big-s...

The love of all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man. Charles Darwin. Naturalist and humanist.

Happy Darwin Day everyone! #Onthisday 217 years ago, Charles Darwin was born. We mark Darwin Day on 12 February every year, with millions of people across he globe, celebrating the life and legacy of Charles Darwin – humanist, philanthropist, and the most influential biologist in history.

Here's one of two Caspian Gulls from today ~ a chunky 2cy bird that looked smart on the deck & even smarter in flight. This one spent quite a while circling the swirl of gulls in the surf before dropping back in & behaving nicely for us. Love. It. 🙂
@linnetincley.bsky.social
#norfolkbirds
1/2

A female Snow Flea facing right on some bright green moss. The Snow Flea has a very plump body (presumably gravid) which is shiny brown on top and creamy yellow on sides and underneath. She has a stubby orange-brown ovipositor at the end of her abdomen. The head is dominated by large eyes and the mouth parts are extended into a beak-like projection that points downwards.

A second female Snow Flea facing right on some pale green moss. The Snow Flea has a very plump body (presumably gravid) which is shiny brown on top and creamy yellow on sides and underneath. She has a stubby orange-brown ovipositor at the end of her abdomen. The head is dominated by large eyes and the mouth parts are extended into a beak-like projection that points downwards. She has quite long legs.

A female Snow Flea facing left on some pale green moss. The Snow Flea has a very plump body (presumably gravid) which is shiny brown on top and creamy yellow on sides and underneath. Her stubby orange-brown ovipositor is partly hidden from view by moss. The head is dominated by large eyes and the mouth parts are extended into a beak-like projection that points downwards. She has quite long thread-like antennae and fairly long legs.

Delighted to find more Snow Fleas (Boreus hyemalis) at Felbrigg today. Train from Norwich to Roughton Road then walk to Felbrigg in smarring rain. Spent nearly 3 hours staring at moss getting cold & damp, finally found 2 females on the last mossy stump as we were leaving, just when the sun came out.

Collister Pill: several thousand calidrids, almost all in the air throughout my visit. Little else of note. The disturbance seemed to be caused by wildfowlers up towards West Pill. Why is any shooting allowed within the SPA? I mean, WTF does the P in SPA stand for? #gwentbirding

Reform risk reviving Thatcher-style 'industrial destruction' in Wales, warns TUC Ahead of crunch Senedd elections next year, analysis for the TUC found Nigel Farage's party poses the biggest threat to Welsh industry - risking thousands of jobs

Reform risk reviving Thatcher-style 'industrial destruction' in Wales, warns TUC

www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...

PENDULINE TIT AT AUST A good few weeks ago back in November after one of our days out my birding companion Steve Bool and myself dropped into a place called Aus...

Latest Blog about catching up with the Penduline Tits at Aust #avonbirds

mountainbirder.blogspot.com/2026/01/pend...

'Blwyddyn Newydd Dda - Happy New Year' Rainbow over The British, Abersychan this morning. It didn't last long, in fact it was gone in the blink of an eye ... but it was lovely to see at the beginning to the New Year.

A Redwing (a migratory thrush) is perched among the bare, budding branches of a tree. The bird features a distinctive creamy-white stripe above its eye and a warm, reddish-orange patch under its wing, which contrasts with its streaked brown and white underparts.

Redwing at lisvane reservoir.
1/1/2026 #birds🪶

#birdingwales
#birdsSeenIn2026
#Naturephotography
#NatureTherapy🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Conservation grazing brings rare breeding birds back to Dartmoor Grazing by Dartmoor ponies at Bellever Moor and Meadows reserve in Devon has helped revive rare heathland birds, with new breeding records of Tree Pipit, Whinchat, Eurasian Skylark and other Red- and Amber-listed species following habitat restoration.

A new survey has revealed that conservation grazing by heritage Dartmoor ponies is delivering strong results, with several rare and vulnerable bird species now breeding on restored heathland:

'Bore Nadolig - Christmas Morning' Christmas morning at The British, Abersychan. How lovely this old industrial site looks, even in the winter. Nadolig Llawen i bawb / Happy Christmas to all.

Fine issued after Somerset SSSI turned into caravan park A Somerset caravan park owner has been ordered to pay £116,263 after being convicted of disturbing a Site of Special Scientific Interest. John Holland pleaded guilty to two offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The prosecution was brought by Natural England following a four-year investigation into Holland's activities, which evidenced he had turned a 1.2-ha grassland site within the Wet Moor SSSI into a permanent commercial caravan park.

A Somerset caravan park owner has been ordered to pay £116,263 after being convicted of disturbing a SSSI:

Nightmare before Christmas: worst environmental regression in decades looms | The Wildlife Trusts Labour’s list of broken promises mounts

Labour seem determined to wreck what’s left of our natural world. So many broken promises.

www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/nightma....

Species in Peril report reveals Wales's most endangered wildlife A new Species in Peril report from Natural Resources Wales identifies more than 3,000 species in Wales now found in just five or fewer locations. The study highlights butterflies, beetles, lichens and more – and suggests simple, low-cost habitat management could help secure their future.

Natural Resources Wales has published a pioneering report identifying more than 3,000 species in Wales that now occur in five or fewer locations – putting them at very high risk of extinction in the country:

Wild Flower Chalk Grassland with Orchids copyright Matthew J Thomas/iStock

UK Biodiversity Indicators 2025 are now live jncc.gov.uk/our-work/uk-...

With contributions from nearly 100 organisations, they are useful tools for summarising & communicating broad trends 🧵

#TogetherForNature

'Fel Nodiadau Aur Bach - Like Little Golden Notes' Autumn leaves, like little golden notes clinging to their branches at The Lasgarn Woodland, Abersychan. An intriguing path, which winds its way through old limestone quarry workings and quite possibly the track bed of an old tramroad.

'Hanes Cudd - Hidden History' Late afternoon at the Lasgarn Woodland, Abersychan yesterday. This old embankment for the horse drawn tramroad built to haul limestone from the quarries to the local ironworks is not so hidden now that the leaves have had their autumn fall.

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca),… in Gwent,… in November(!).

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca),… in Gwent,… in November(!).

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca),… in Gwent,… in November(!).

Pied Flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca),… in Gwent,… in November(!).

Did not expect to see a Pied Flycatcher today. Latest Gwent record. Might go back tomorrow to get it on the ‘birds I have seen in the UK in December’ list. Currently attempting to piece together the ring details. Ta to Chris for finding and Matt for passing on the news. #gwentbirding #birdingWales

@teesbirds.bsky.social @durhambirdclub.bsky.social @nybirdnews.bsky.social Caspian Gull at Portrack/Haverton hill Gull roost this morning, thanks to Martyn Sidwell for help with id