tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4861464158722924192024-03-14T18:49:26.117+00:00Valley NaturalistA NATURAL HISTORY JOURNAL FOR GWENTValley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.comBlogger735125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-4396381483233484812023-11-12T09:17:00.000+00:002023-11-12T09:17:29.322+00:00The big three<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IBIEnuhx9tR6gg_s96_hSY73SdtOnL0IjDHnKR_A8RpYB-Mwn8oPIu0u38LGEdFQkYdNyn3FDTGVZBH_pzHgHDp81-9a0sYNkmegq4D46o03s2svedRpPudqOifZ38_wblg9D3jXPU4H2Yu4nxpUm63NI-MEeugcdznz75FMh6rXzSM5_59DHkP55X4/s4272/IMG_1792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IBIEnuhx9tR6gg_s96_hSY73SdtOnL0IjDHnKR_A8RpYB-Mwn8oPIu0u38LGEdFQkYdNyn3FDTGVZBH_pzHgHDp81-9a0sYNkmegq4D46o03s2svedRpPudqOifZ38_wblg9D3jXPU4H2Yu4nxpUm63NI-MEeugcdznz75FMh6rXzSM5_59DHkP55X4/w266-h400/IMG_1792.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The big three is a bit of a misnomer. These are the three medium sized waterbodies around Brynmawr that I once studied closely through weekly wildlife counts. The sites are Dunlop Semtex Pond (DSP), Beaufort Ponds, and Machine Ponds. These days with less time and energy counting for me has become more occasional and ad hoc. However, my son's new found photography hobby is generating some new found motivation to get out during the winter months. So this is just a brief account of last weekends (05/11/2023) wildfowl counts at the 'big three', complete with some site background notes.<p></p><p><b>1. Beaufort Ponds</b></p><p>Tucked behind houses off the Brynmawr to Ebbw Vale road this was once the feeder waterbodies for Ebbw Vale steelworks. Always holds a small number of wildfowl. The most significant species from many years of counting was three <b>Bewick's Swan</b>. Can also be useful for gull watching especially when during cold spells.</p><p>Mute Swan - 1 </p><p>Goosander - 12</p><p>Tufted Duck - 14</p><p>Wigeon - 2</p><p>Coot - 14</p><p><br /></p><p><b>2. Machine Pond</b></p><p>This pond is behind the Lakeside Retail Park and has seen investment over recent years to improve access for walkers and anglers. It has a nice developing margin of <i>phragmites </i>and a floating island that sadly lacks vegetation.</p><p>Kingfisher - 1</p><p>Goosander - 3 (including 2 fly over)</p><p>Canada Goose - 2</p><p>Moorhen - 1</p><p>Mallard - 12</p><p>Tufted Duck - 11</p><p>Coot - 8</p><p>also a single Stonechat</p><p><br /></p><p><b>3. Dunlop Semtex Pond</b></p><p>This site first came to my attention following an item in the Gwent Bird Report in the 1980's by Jonathan Avon highlighting a record of a <b>smew</b> at the lake. Then the pond was surrounded by the derelict Dunlop Semtex Factory with its distinctive concave roof. Around its northern margin was also an area of rough semi improved grassland that supported many hundreds of orchids such as <b>southern marsh. </b>Nowadays a regeneration project has resulted in the demolition of the factory for a new supermarket and a housing estate on the aforementioned grassland. Most notable changes in the assemblage wildfowl has seen <b>pochard </b>counts fall from a peak count of over 90 birds to zero, contrasting with an increase in<b> wigeon</b> numbers especially from the months of September and October. This species appears to be taking advantage of extensive rafts of <b>Nuttell's pondweed</b> that covers large parts of the lake in late summer early autumn.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Coot - 80</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mallard - 22</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Mute Swan - 4 ( 2 ads, 2 imms)</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Moorhen - 4</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Tufted Duck - 40</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Wigeon - 20</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Canada Goose - 8</p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-89659832557135388092023-04-09T18:30:00.003+01:002023-04-09T18:30:52.043+01:00The whoosh of a wind turbine and hum of a bike.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHfI3LwF-JbsBNjUOjXJYDFQ_vnzouq902nxRmgXhBiGnQ5isNBWtK1Z4f-vgsMnI45HcOb97pCODXBMLd_h_sFFv_y7Or427r8xYsP0C3t8qg65zHc4SZmQr89aQg9WW_Ccw_VlZcitzMOvIGkXUNwyEft1hUOwH8DOsXKPnGSSOkEzaYoAgW34O/s2771/Wheatear.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2771" data-original-width="2288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWHfI3LwF-JbsBNjUOjXJYDFQ_vnzouq902nxRmgXhBiGnQ5isNBWtK1Z4f-vgsMnI45HcOb97pCODXBMLd_h_sFFv_y7Or427r8xYsP0C3t8qg65zHc4SZmQr89aQg9WW_Ccw_VlZcitzMOvIGkXUNwyEft1hUOwH8DOsXKPnGSSOkEzaYoAgW34O/w330-h400/Wheatear.JPG" width="330" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">High above The British, near to Talywain is a hillside road that takes you over Mynydd Llanhilleth and <span style="text-align: left;">past St Iltyds church before descending into Llanhilleth itself. Its a road that was once a popular resting place for stolen cars. Vehicles were booted to the top of the hill then dumped by allowing them to free fall into the Cwmbyrgwm valley below. Crash, bang, wallop! On occasion the army were deployed to winch the stricken cars out, but they soon returned. Nowadays better vehicle security and a line of roadside blockstone has reduced the local notoriety of this valley above The British, to a fading memory, only resurrected when trawling through my equally opaque slide film collection.</span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">So above The British is upland. Species poor rush pasture and sheep grazed acid grassland amply scarred by the actions of bikers. This is where cars and bikers race without fear of the law and where fly- tipping is as part of the modern day culture of this landscape as much as sheep and skylark. Here too the occupants of misted up cars rest to eat their takeaways or partake in something stronger. It was no different when I recently took the opportunity for an evening visit to look for early spring migrants. Cars were intermittently placed along the roadside, some were clearly radio enthusiasts defined by those large aerials stuck on top of their vehicles, some others appeared full of youths smoking weed. I parked well away, as getting too close only generates puzzling looks or immature comments when I pull out my binoculars and camera, let alone a sweep net.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">There was a keen wind. Bikers could be heard in the distance and a whirl of the nearby wind turbines was occasional. Here the interface between upland and enclosed grassland is delineated by dry stone walls and a number of impressive<b> beech</b> trees. It seemed spring had sprung,<b> meadow pipit</b> were moving overhead and <b>skylark</b> were in full song. Walls and fence posts are great for bird spotting. So when in an upland setting tracking down these features is part of a naturalists field craft. A male <b>stonechat</b> alighted on a wall in the distance only to be joined by a male <b>wheatear</b> - the first of the year. In the distance a crowd of around 200 thrushes took flight from a field only to perch in a line of beech trees, on closer inspection they were <b>fieldfare</b>. I watched as they glided back to their feeding ground of the tight sward of a sheep grazed field.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20aNQZbj4H8-2vLz1jygekgf7xnCF2_aMDAYUewHUDTa-0lTp_L7OpY8AImpfycYTXPq03RQX_CTwOrKY7Qd4qRD3b9m5SwOTT9FtdUXaR79bXpiQIvqcxXMprblyaR8Qxrdp9ieDwAHEqbdu0Lg6ZEZMWrH6fHY2MYE-gUdcYMdj5FDJzuNvCi1k/s4608/DSCN1725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20aNQZbj4H8-2vLz1jygekgf7xnCF2_aMDAYUewHUDTa-0lTp_L7OpY8AImpfycYTXPq03RQX_CTwOrKY7Qd4qRD3b9m5SwOTT9FtdUXaR79bXpiQIvqcxXMprblyaR8Qxrdp9ieDwAHEqbdu0Lg6ZEZMWrH6fHY2MYE-gUdcYMdj5FDJzuNvCi1k/w400-h300/DSCN1725.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-845753909580265592023-02-11T07:31:00.001+00:002023-02-11T07:31:35.778+00:00Early morning urban birding<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdwo0c3Rt3RfCCwKAZVVlVidSQX_OAlfCFI3z_2Mt4enWU3p4jyUl9_LOvhQ3Hswa5ubiKKwQ4GYGifB47XFGlgcfrcLDroc1YoVzN2I3aKd4Ew1WSzBh9p1IZuT6bmr5r8jfSskB4lsV-ULMoXCgdDi_5hlI0DzBsW9-TwX_DShzeJNWNFifmOBn/s4272/IMG_9536.CR2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfdwo0c3Rt3RfCCwKAZVVlVidSQX_OAlfCFI3z_2Mt4enWU3p4jyUl9_LOvhQ3Hswa5ubiKKwQ4GYGifB47XFGlgcfrcLDroc1YoVzN2I3aKd4Ew1WSzBh9p1IZuT6bmr5r8jfSskB4lsV-ULMoXCgdDi_5hlI0DzBsW9-TwX_DShzeJNWNFifmOBn/w400-h266/IMG_9536.CR2" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBWsC1pBLo97iUM8bKjnfEukXAaIuiC1UWYwHQC5L_pw3TruFM9HXqJmm5_6V2nCkl3-5IeyhkHingC7Q-TNHT9bRPCgnJoaLnG6hmXq0ezK7HXP9GBatrO683os82QCt0i4K-8FKL8qlaQFZML3cRaRUuE75kdwEH26dmnEzyh4XTdogNj9T9KZE/s4608/DSCN1477.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBWsC1pBLo97iUM8bKjnfEukXAaIuiC1UWYwHQC5L_pw3TruFM9HXqJmm5_6V2nCkl3-5IeyhkHingC7Q-TNHT9bRPCgnJoaLnG6hmXq0ezK7HXP9GBatrO683os82QCt0i4K-8FKL8qlaQFZML3cRaRUuE75kdwEH26dmnEzyh4XTdogNj9T9KZE/w400-h300/DSCN1477.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Cwmbran Boating Lake and its wider green space environment of sport pitches and kiddies play areas is an urban park and as such attracts a multitude of users. Fisherman, dog walkers, runners, model boat enthusiasts and swan protectors, they all jostle for a slice of this watery cake. Because of this I've not spent much time at this site over recent years, preferring to avoid crowds in favour of less populated locations and the solitude this brings. Nonetheless, a brief taster visit for work was just enough motivation for a Sunday sunrise visit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Its unlikely Cwmbran Boating Lake will ever become a regular venue for die hard birders, but for local patchers such as myself its always worthy of a visit, albeit at a time that avoids the crowds. On this visit there was the usually crop of urban type water birds. The four <b>grey lag goose</b> were new site records for me merging with the every present growing number of <b>Canada goose. </b>The weather battered floating island supported up to four <b>cormorant</b>, some resplendent in breeding season regalia. A pair of <b>little</b> <b>grebe</b> and<b> mute swan</b> were also keeping close to this island. Around four <b>goosander</b> moved freely around the lake, among the growing number of<b> coot</b>, <b>mallard</b> and <b>moorhen. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Shortly after sunrise the gulls started to arrive with up to 100 <b>black-headed gull</b> along with single figure counts of <b>lesser black-backed </b>and <b>herring gull.</b> The black-headed gull are very approachable due to the availability for free food hand outs provided by the frequency of duck feeders. So this provides the ideal setting for ring reading. In amongst the gulls were three birds carrying single metal rings and one carrying a dutch colour ring. This bird was previously noted by Craig Constance earlier this winter. I will report the record in due course.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">An hour or so after sunrise, the park was starting to get busy. With dogs often flushing the gatherings of birds, I left satisfied that I'd seen enough. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI82jW8mcp8xCX52VY0jfRiaA9D7xSXhrq7TMtcVlpRZHD_Q1KoXL9oc8n7mdfkEGwxugvX_WdQWH6CVcC3Gw3e5Vxt01uaJcXWmqxU9SiKxh7-3woGP6D_oucJMkTh4UuEp2Bya6wk8-HVAuZohm4BpZaUmIP2OQT_FGNQ2B_WNl2Xf4555uIou1/s4608/DSCN1398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI82jW8mcp8xCX52VY0jfRiaA9D7xSXhrq7TMtcVlpRZHD_Q1KoXL9oc8n7mdfkEGwxugvX_WdQWH6CVcC3Gw3e5Vxt01uaJcXWmqxU9SiKxh7-3woGP6D_oucJMkTh4UuEp2Bya6wk8-HVAuZohm4BpZaUmIP2OQT_FGNQ2B_WNl2Xf4555uIou1/w400-h300/DSCN1398.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZFI-Kqzn2tBEECUIrB9xz0LuM9fVZsdrJZvj5Ox3HVrylSHIoxqhuOonufO3D_z9KekOzAzKa4lNgRZwbYmwkpkVXOGVMCumxBkB-3HPGqOLBGRxTPWE3XJy2fiaGIHR6kLktTqgxpbXSEU07raEuw3lQACoQ7Z8Vw17UgeIieufsVvUXM7PnX6y/s4608/DSCN1441.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGZFI-Kqzn2tBEECUIrB9xz0LuM9fVZsdrJZvj5Ox3HVrylSHIoxqhuOonufO3D_z9KekOzAzKa4lNgRZwbYmwkpkVXOGVMCumxBkB-3HPGqOLBGRxTPWE3XJy2fiaGIHR6kLktTqgxpbXSEU07raEuw3lQACoQ7Z8Vw17UgeIieufsVvUXM7PnX6y/w400-h300/DSCN1441.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-86127490098556372952022-08-28T08:40:00.001+01:002022-08-28T08:40:26.887+01:00Punching above its weight<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKbI31kjIKTkm7hIKSmPDc5M4_YekkVyfgf-cqheQZ7zIL0DLK9BqBcVSE2JC-OeqVkYE4NLMoipc_kDNLTiLkU-CegM9SKKsA71ULUMIOO5MGLzp180OmgU4BT9a6T4Ij8gUG2JQw1j4_v-pGf0dQlD0X5YnwWPTwRiUUGPQBEbfN1UPlUL9uJaf/s4272/Punchbowl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKbI31kjIKTkm7hIKSmPDc5M4_YekkVyfgf-cqheQZ7zIL0DLK9BqBcVSE2JC-OeqVkYE4NLMoipc_kDNLTiLkU-CegM9SKKsA71ULUMIOO5MGLzp180OmgU4BT9a6T4Ij8gUG2JQw1j4_v-pGf0dQlD0X5YnwWPTwRiUUGPQBEbfN1UPlUL9uJaf/w400-h266/Punchbowl.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The walk to the Woodland Trust's Punchbowl Reserve was one of relative ease. All down hill through the golden bracken covered slopes of the lower Blorenge and onward through sheep pasture interspersed with veteran <b>beech</b> trees to the Punchbowl lake itself. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were not alone on our trek, it was a Sunday afternoon there was a family, a biker, a young couple and a father with two children and a dog - this is a popular destination. The well worn path was sandy in places and peppered with the chambers of the solitary bee <b>heather colletes</b>. An adjacent field complete with gorse and an upper drystone wall boundary was unsurprisingly home to a male <b>stonechat.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsUlHVYiGu9JOoSumkCSmxlehOzJUQEaW3sUk7qxw_EzwakcwndeKO1IR1E4deMH8ddwkdl7J8vlm-wBzlhkblC5OSs4U46kVOB1DLvmqfsL-HYYdbHoMxIMMI7IxBUh1alGZfAO6Khr0gScn29qn44u86AbhzchTKcu8mL2BWcLz3_bG-4XyhTVO/s4608/haethe%20colletes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsUlHVYiGu9JOoSumkCSmxlehOzJUQEaW3sUk7qxw_EzwakcwndeKO1IR1E4deMH8ddwkdl7J8vlm-wBzlhkblC5OSs4U46kVOB1DLvmqfsL-HYYdbHoMxIMMI7IxBUh1alGZfAO6Khr0gScn29qn44u86AbhzchTKcu8mL2BWcLz3_bG-4XyhTVO/w400-h300/haethe%20colletes.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">The lake itself was turbidly green, its margins carpeted with <b>New Zealand pygmyweed.</b> In the water was <b>soft hornwort</b> and where there was exposed mud its cousin <b>rigid hornwort</b> could be found. A patch of <b>soft rush</b> attracted my attention. Contained therein were several <b>long-winged conehead,</b> a <b>Roesel's bush cricket,</b> <b>field</b> and <b>meadow grasshoppers</b> and <b>ground</b> and<b> slender groundhoppers. </b>Here too were <b>common blue</b> and <b>blue tailed damselflies. </b>There was little to see on the water but when the sun appeared and the temperature increased the surface became alive with busy <b>small red-eyed damselfly</b>, yet another site in the range expansion of this species. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">The walk back was marked by frequent breath gathering stops and the overtaking by those walkers much younger and fitter than me. My accompanying son bemoaned the fact that I carried too much naturalist paraphernalia for my own good. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxmvC6-JlwOyfLYB6tFlB5lJe1239nwexnwwhi54I0D8gpilftzy-PbQHGPLwmxFyOQMIq5ElX8tidt24LUyXQRjg-0RQAkgw1Oo39gDYgUns4bed9NNvyJAAuaAcvibM6ia5BBz9BU8TbMsVxqEaM0GS4Iv73hPdaOQP-vJXyccdN3K94ybk2-0N/s4608/small%20red%20eyed%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxmvC6-JlwOyfLYB6tFlB5lJe1239nwexnwwhi54I0D8gpilftzy-PbQHGPLwmxFyOQMIq5ElX8tidt24LUyXQRjg-0RQAkgw1Oo39gDYgUns4bed9NNvyJAAuaAcvibM6ia5BBz9BU8TbMsVxqEaM0GS4Iv73hPdaOQP-vJXyccdN3K94ybk2-0N/w400-h300/small%20red%20eyed%201.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeylvgZQMpBCv3jM8E1IGD2ES1k_WucEu311VnjMlkEoZ6NM_vhpRAfEfbyv5nQGw2XN-c0XGwWrRav9E5zvgolvJShh54byeXqC1YzrZYUVr_enJ3DkAc2CjIxpGUCGLNfdu8EKIiH3DRIGnAW0TjQHFgbBVK47cLrpZq1AlDAtOa7M9diPn8G3W/s4272/L%20W%20CONEHEAD.CR2" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFeylvgZQMpBCv3jM8E1IGD2ES1k_WucEu311VnjMlkEoZ6NM_vhpRAfEfbyv5nQGw2XN-c0XGwWrRav9E5zvgolvJShh54byeXqC1YzrZYUVr_enJ3DkAc2CjIxpGUCGLNfdu8EKIiH3DRIGnAW0TjQHFgbBVK47cLrpZq1AlDAtOa7M9diPn8G3W/w266-h400/L%20W%20CONEHEAD.CR2" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-24065367827103289792022-07-30T08:26:00.001+01:002022-07-31T12:11:20.239+01:00An idiot with a gun - toxic masculinity.<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnud1WxvcFKuYxqF8-B6LBTWyJhDANdavlH757D9sXXSyj3ahMFBgplFZdf_suDloEknqc3d8oN-QmHIfRCNT4rJYWjsmUhOSNgnRgPC-tFI9uSiqQkv4lXaPj_OowEgZdsywhgu5QzekcOwrR-ADVLrbo9-V_ywSsSxBEZdbnsbndTRUBYGmv3wTg/s4272/gwt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnud1WxvcFKuYxqF8-B6LBTWyJhDANdavlH757D9sXXSyj3ahMFBgplFZdf_suDloEknqc3d8oN-QmHIfRCNT4rJYWjsmUhOSNgnRgPC-tFI9uSiqQkv4lXaPj_OowEgZdsywhgu5QzekcOwrR-ADVLrbo9-V_ywSsSxBEZdbnsbndTRUBYGmv3wTg/w266-h400/gwt.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A midweek walk around one of my many local patches ended up with an altercation with a person carrying a firearm. Foolhardy you may say but I detest guns and the gun culture especially when those wishing to pursue their intimidating pastime choose a public site to exercise their testosterone filled activity. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">For those who know the area, this poor excuse for a person was carrying an uncovered rifle around the grassland just beyond the Big Arch, and was working his dog through dense scrub. Not wishing to become a victim of a stray bullet I moved to a position where this idiot could see me. After a short while I decided to make my way back to my car and prepare to leave. Whilst packing up I noticed the man in the distance still carrying his weapon and making his way in my direction, this was no surprise as the vehicle parked next to me was clearly his. Bizarrely as he arrived to where his car was parked his gun was no where to be seen he had clearly noticed me looking at him and had hidden the gun en route. He then chose to aggressively challenge me on why I was looking at him etc. I responded by saying that I didn't care for him carrying a gun around in a well used public space. Interestingly, he then walked off feigning a limp, under the Big Arch but without his weapon and car giving the impression he had walked to the site, but he had not. A subsequent check of his car number plate revealed he had no MOT. To sum up this person owned a firearm, was aggressive, and had no regard for the law. In other words an absolute tosser!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In terms of wildlife there was not too much to report other than a stridulating <b>Roesel's bush cricket</b> and several early instar <b>long-winged conehead</b>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipH2ScJTTTt161my1FY9jO3sd4B5ROLrtrnJe5gj00mmbD1-SpQM34luVnLN8BNgaDlaD__v6t67P50g0C21X4GKTAv6i0DvAdZlgfBBaqZc4otEtmmW41UNt7tYqueuHVyW8WyAbDUNMCyB1qSnr3FcgI_HcoClE9yki4W_F23XfQGEQa4my9Bgn_/s4272/building.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipH2ScJTTTt161my1FY9jO3sd4B5ROLrtrnJe5gj00mmbD1-SpQM34luVnLN8BNgaDlaD__v6t67P50g0C21X4GKTAv6i0DvAdZlgfBBaqZc4otEtmmW41UNt7tYqueuHVyW8WyAbDUNMCyB1qSnr3FcgI_HcoClE9yki4W_F23XfQGEQa4my9Bgn_/w266-h400/building.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9RGfp2DmNMj_S7eN0f4yS2q9f7R1Pi7De5NO3Ks_uwnJ-frBtdhdYRvOMwazOkI5LHE_nN744x6nxZkmTs7xuG8bm0tDAI4jEKGudHXpq6HdlOX7hu2YDt2_xo0Ok02AcMYuxeRVu-QwVpfUfZ7r6x6iFg5rYEBEVMB-N2fsYUSSp5JO_2INK2Oi/s2845/lwc.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2845" data-original-width="2001" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9RGfp2DmNMj_S7eN0f4yS2q9f7R1Pi7De5NO3Ks_uwnJ-frBtdhdYRvOMwazOkI5LHE_nN744x6nxZkmTs7xuG8bm0tDAI4jEKGudHXpq6HdlOX7hu2YDt2_xo0Ok02AcMYuxeRVu-QwVpfUfZ7r6x6iFg5rYEBEVMB-N2fsYUSSp5JO_2INK2Oi/w281-h400/lwc.JPG" width="281" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwogudkNaaAArzQsIWExCUUC6KpevbFUdFMmLV1_Ul4F15AltHkRejwOjK7PCzhmuPX73Hmdsr85JFYiIVz6w5HNK5GqT4Zx1-Tq6CQ90fBmXGfyN_0CydHkZ7Ci6f_vOKEoSDR_emJVKwzAbaqx-pB11NSNIq1T7QntmmR9S89ELLUEFgLmHt6Mc_/s4272/building%201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwogudkNaaAArzQsIWExCUUC6KpevbFUdFMmLV1_Ul4F15AltHkRejwOjK7PCzhmuPX73Hmdsr85JFYiIVz6w5HNK5GqT4Zx1-Tq6CQ90fBmXGfyN_0CydHkZ7Ci6f_vOKEoSDR_emJVKwzAbaqx-pB11NSNIq1T7QntmmR9S89ELLUEFgLmHt6Mc_/w266-h400/building%201.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-65194160231423213612022-06-13T13:56:00.000+01:002022-06-13T13:56:23.931+01:00High above a valley<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcjQCdFJ8DPDPi3yrVYVfAUzBGB9PCnTs_1VVdjm-REiEwxAt-mnXWlK7KeQloSvScCHDxhp8xbE4WwfdyVdhHbyb_Hl2ydvILkQxLu468JuTLT7BF_3CJHaSae1OxtNhQS25S-HeuXe_xUYc_F650POVn-ZBYCsr6MN_C5OFJwK7MqsxGpZ-XhSV/s4272/sign.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPcjQCdFJ8DPDPi3yrVYVfAUzBGB9PCnTs_1VVdjm-REiEwxAt-mnXWlK7KeQloSvScCHDxhp8xbE4WwfdyVdhHbyb_Hl2ydvILkQxLu468JuTLT7BF_3CJHaSae1OxtNhQS25S-HeuXe_xUYc_F650POVn-ZBYCsr6MN_C5OFJwK7MqsxGpZ-XhSV/w400-h266/sign.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The felling of a considerable block of oppressive conifers high above the A472 Cwm y Glyn between Crumlin and Pontypool has opened up the prospect of a new area to explore. The resultant clearfell is quickly regenerating with both native broadleaves and unfortunately conifers but the elevated views from the haul road are impressive, including a whole new perspective of Graig Major ancient woodland. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">At its entrance there's the standard Natural Resources Wales (NRW) signage welcoming the visitor to Hafodyrynys Forest. From here, the track with its short flower rich margin climbs in a winding fashion through the landscape. A solitary <b>southern marsh orchid </b>was found along this track. As the road meandered upwards it travelled through an area of mature <b>beech</b> trees with a distant signing <b>redstart. </b>At its highest point there were commanding views over the valley. Here several <b>tree pipit</b> sung whist a <b>two banded longthorn beetle</b> alighted nearby.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is a site that merits further investigation especially for the possibility of<b> nightjar. </b>The only disappointing aspect was the presence of four off road motorbikers.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hoe7faaWSgAUX75TxA50W8SB7RVJGJr7kRnsTUgt4HzW4UrEi9JtoAfjVGLsWaM47DgU6hcmb8nIvJ396mDt4ZgA661CDZlDRBVQc1OG6wiK2sI703Mm61iSrS-XwsfYGwtWvzgmrRMdUfKuxJgbagPY0nmOicWEsHxPGZUFBIqmZfIN0Xi9ts7G/s4272/view1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hoe7faaWSgAUX75TxA50W8SB7RVJGJr7kRnsTUgt4HzW4UrEi9JtoAfjVGLsWaM47DgU6hcmb8nIvJ396mDt4ZgA661CDZlDRBVQc1OG6wiK2sI703Mm61iSrS-XwsfYGwtWvzgmrRMdUfKuxJgbagPY0nmOicWEsHxPGZUFBIqmZfIN0Xi9ts7G/w266-h400/view1.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KLXJ1-wgFsoXMmkFPfQfxW3dB7XouEMVkucV2eSSe8cp2kUUpRQHb73gb7okAuBNJaMwict3MXkO1n-KZUXMR2DUiUGnKi-YVP4nXgL64qfRcHVWyVw0KffScq_BOlfGmHx-iXe9HuhpiAPgTkOkGBX0e9JVanq18lUEfXSkuyVwgJjLur2trAFs/s4272/trees.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KLXJ1-wgFsoXMmkFPfQfxW3dB7XouEMVkucV2eSSe8cp2kUUpRQHb73gb7okAuBNJaMwict3MXkO1n-KZUXMR2DUiUGnKi-YVP4nXgL64qfRcHVWyVw0KffScq_BOlfGmHx-iXe9HuhpiAPgTkOkGBX0e9JVanq18lUEfXSkuyVwgJjLur2trAFs/w266-h400/trees.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUXxvOVBv8XJ5GC_KvUscREVjLZL5sGl0gsuYOGUo1fd8_duQgclWV1S2sa15FBfqJgnb_pBmkUHmqZTQU_DXGuhnJ2P1iOgxsf81nDEIW0VTNc8S28trWq9KWYuk6zd5ztwXImfChbay6OZrrSBRCeG7CblEoJm_1IBIVruOVJ4RSMp4PyyxpBbP/s4272/smorchid.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUXxvOVBv8XJ5GC_KvUscREVjLZL5sGl0gsuYOGUo1fd8_duQgclWV1S2sa15FBfqJgnb_pBmkUHmqZTQU_DXGuhnJ2P1iOgxsf81nDEIW0VTNc8S28trWq9KWYuk6zd5ztwXImfChbay6OZrrSBRCeG7CblEoJm_1IBIVruOVJ4RSMp4PyyxpBbP/w266-h400/smorchid.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-kyf3xjCSfoBv2AfBZS1L9OydtU6rf_suC41et4yLn645gygl1jIJ8ymPy8rSEhPxTIbUxkZ7u3JxPzCtzj4qMnZ-jymk18sEX5RJkFY_xlJIXx49Og-Ws0XZgoJOjXF5YKU-GPCHQ60PL2A6ZAhOz8Ssf0F9Ns3DBr5mDaouRH1Ee5TxZQhNDQx/s4272/longhorn.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm-kyf3xjCSfoBv2AfBZS1L9OydtU6rf_suC41et4yLn645gygl1jIJ8ymPy8rSEhPxTIbUxkZ7u3JxPzCtzj4qMnZ-jymk18sEX5RJkFY_xlJIXx49Og-Ws0XZgoJOjXF5YKU-GPCHQ60PL2A6ZAhOz8Ssf0F9Ns3DBr5mDaouRH1Ee5TxZQhNDQx/w266-h400/longhorn.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /> <p></p></div>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-46843129424450906552022-06-11T12:43:00.000+01:002022-06-11T12:43:23.841+01:00A portrait of fence posts<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rHcf5H69JjGvJjgID2Fc8dsGj8OTgTH5oVUSXFUez2p5vJ1R8obm784qJjsmV9UR9XpO9yjEummzWNykGG2spNgpmM7fwdrKEjaXL1YzCfKdYjfy5gGEZHUmmefHwWiWOggRxkk8kmJaXGtSy6Q9Tsn2FnUJ176LEHpQJTAn02pVuLtuKDmlEG_H/s4272/fp9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6rHcf5H69JjGvJjgID2Fc8dsGj8OTgTH5oVUSXFUez2p5vJ1R8obm784qJjsmV9UR9XpO9yjEummzWNykGG2spNgpmM7fwdrKEjaXL1YzCfKdYjfy5gGEZHUmmefHwWiWOggRxkk8kmJaXGtSy6Q9Tsn2FnUJ176LEHpQJTAn02pVuLtuKDmlEG_H/w266-h400/fp9.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">There's something very photogenic about wooden fence posts. Knaweled, pitted, weathered and colonised by lichens and bryophytes they stand as witness to a changing landscape. In an industrial setting many are remnant field boundaries, often associated by drystone walls, but others will have surrounded a working landscape of coal and iron. Few are lightweight giving them the longevity to see out the ravages of upland weather. Most that remain are wooden beasts the size of railway sleepers, strapped into place with the heavy ironmongery of now rusty bolts and brackets that is a trademark of the way valley communities lived. These rugged blocks of timber are sentinels standing watch of a uniquely varied landscape. Long may they remain. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GvCl43dcP6iM-F3pRqmcI5vXFVgK9lB1vbbWTFtJXItc9Dkok-2F7JkOMJwM_Uz6ZjM_mN40BNG5KlJVIuM_mYAod8xGuSe5n6e_WT0uWJIxdfOYKBZLQr2dlOrb7PiqGDgpGqNfcovkKtUdMkjPNA8NirMHyskM0qJ9h1kBAC6OQS7WLi1XVsdn/s4272/fp8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2GvCl43dcP6iM-F3pRqmcI5vXFVgK9lB1vbbWTFtJXItc9Dkok-2F7JkOMJwM_Uz6ZjM_mN40BNG5KlJVIuM_mYAod8xGuSe5n6e_WT0uWJIxdfOYKBZLQr2dlOrb7PiqGDgpGqNfcovkKtUdMkjPNA8NirMHyskM0qJ9h1kBAC6OQS7WLi1XVsdn/w266-h400/fp8.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Nwr1frnYGtNqIRzP7olmLEksuqAIEAUZIFiHszE1fWGFE5Ts3IvQ0phdilFoFGOoN3ghXDlUYsiCJ7H0pr2rVmxoFf2STfZn4IYuzUt-mBbdPNG_IBLs1ln4Lr6DgMgz_o0_bT3zrEaX-nvIabuYQS_ffGfi1aNJUEg1PqCLK1CKjq55qv_uf9hl/s4272/fp5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Nwr1frnYGtNqIRzP7olmLEksuqAIEAUZIFiHszE1fWGFE5Ts3IvQ0phdilFoFGOoN3ghXDlUYsiCJ7H0pr2rVmxoFf2STfZn4IYuzUt-mBbdPNG_IBLs1ln4Lr6DgMgz_o0_bT3zrEaX-nvIabuYQS_ffGfi1aNJUEg1PqCLK1CKjq55qv_uf9hl/w266-h400/fp5.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-0VJ86p5JT6JL9ELrTNYQjXNs2b10R6RpQjy1w6j2DcsgeUP-LUZS7qIDN1LlKFOH6wa7qmf4Kbd6JAycxFAiF3tNg-8t1P7NZJXF6N0tXOF9KeRcLt_De2VoszzojkhLwUhAePzxdg0sSCwrF3CpA4gKo0QjjJEybUqiO8bfhjs62j-ls8RNhSt/s4272/FP6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-0VJ86p5JT6JL9ELrTNYQjXNs2b10R6RpQjy1w6j2DcsgeUP-LUZS7qIDN1LlKFOH6wa7qmf4Kbd6JAycxFAiF3tNg-8t1P7NZJXF6N0tXOF9KeRcLt_De2VoszzojkhLwUhAePzxdg0sSCwrF3CpA4gKo0QjjJEybUqiO8bfhjs62j-ls8RNhSt/w266-h400/FP6.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-56495676146599205622022-06-01T07:40:00.002+01:002022-06-15T16:39:39.399+01:00Boundaries<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7ockKqf6JMhtGDc5aJiTgMVNB-Z5KCznmRUh4G42QCu4T7gjWB18qHM1ZhaTz_5JbFQjICQxL-MdFgOcil2B0fSp50Vt6vv6P-lV7xajhPhBmlyL_68LqGFwEe8oP9nDb66c87vxVJNXpszXq4wA2W4vjL1cPunADNnQQlVqHWLizIlA-Ils7YnX/s4272/boundary.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq7ockKqf6JMhtGDc5aJiTgMVNB-Z5KCznmRUh4G42QCu4T7gjWB18qHM1ZhaTz_5JbFQjICQxL-MdFgOcil2B0fSp50Vt6vv6P-lV7xajhPhBmlyL_68LqGFwEe8oP9nDb66c87vxVJNXpszXq4wA2W4vjL1cPunADNnQQlVqHWLizIlA-Ils7YnX/w266-h400/boundary.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Earlier this month I pushed my dodgy knees to the limit by exploring the lower upland slopes between the top of Graig Ddu near Talywaun and Waunwen. This is an area I've explored infrequently and is charaterised by stone wall field boundaries and mature beech trees. The fields and their remnant walled boundaries are part of a nearby lost farmstead. Now the enclosures are dominanted by billberry, bracken. heather and gorse with a landscape once fashioned by sheep grazing now replaced by extensive linear interventions of scrambler bike activity.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">My ramblers on this day uncovered a couple of landownership boundary markers. The first is a well weathered stone marker at the entrance of Griag Ddu woodland . The second is one more in keeping with the localities industrial heritage and is made of cast iron inscribed with W&BM apprantly meaning Waunwen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In terms of nature I was hoping for a singing <b>pied flycatcher</b> but drew a blank. Otherwise, there were serveral signing <b>redstart,</b> another possible <b>Greenland wheatear,</b> a <b>whinchat</b> and several <b>linnet</b> and <b>redpoll </b>around a large patch of <b>gorse.</b> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gFcVkwYsoFLjkXxs_j_zOwY7p-SjQGdi8WzdWZVFNc6o7F0YAOLn5olEVFMykslTy8cHX9UXpyJx-YXe7E05P4UEFjTJoOqNSHEbcr9IobGVk8cE3wGdhiTzHwHF_L2Tno6qGAoG0fN4gXSK-1MLgXV2BmIAMO-90YZG6VbmmjacevQmSJs14-XB/s4272/Dry%20stone%20Wall.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8gFcVkwYsoFLjkXxs_j_zOwY7p-SjQGdi8WzdWZVFNc6o7F0YAOLn5olEVFMykslTy8cHX9UXpyJx-YXe7E05P4UEFjTJoOqNSHEbcr9IobGVk8cE3wGdhiTzHwHF_L2Tno6qGAoG0fN4gXSK-1MLgXV2BmIAMO-90YZG6VbmmjacevQmSJs14-XB/w400-h266/Dry%20stone%20Wall.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-31132542912372041152022-05-07T08:42:00.002+01:002022-05-07T08:42:34.083+01:00Some nature from Hill's Tramroad<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVebWp05beU8j3GXq2wqsw464mfDgDip5I5uqx_txBUAhzJUtcjjg1pp9bVkSda8HnzxvhKN4kwprUdxxcvN6aXdNF7MBcPvxxwVFS4QpWuYF7VV149kcXnzlyqNHxjm16R18IyHEVbupndvcg_0Ubx_OeZpvZRzR9yvMpokDN2N0e1z-lL-tBHSO/s4272/Tram%20road.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkVebWp05beU8j3GXq2wqsw464mfDgDip5I5uqx_txBUAhzJUtcjjg1pp9bVkSda8HnzxvhKN4kwprUdxxcvN6aXdNF7MBcPvxxwVFS4QpWuYF7VV149kcXnzlyqNHxjm16R18IyHEVbupndvcg_0Ubx_OeZpvZRzR9yvMpokDN2N0e1z-lL-tBHSO/w266-h400/Tram%20road.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The section of Hill's Tramroad that nestles under the east facing slope of Blorenge mountain, is a delightful walk. It starts at a disused farmstead with its enclosures of drystone walls and weatherbeaten <b>hawthorn</b>, <b>blackthorn</b> and <b>sycamore</b> trees and takes the walker within touching distance of <b>bracken</b> dominated ffridd habitat. The views are also impressive with the Skirrid to the south east, the Sugar Loaf to the east and the Usk Valley and the Brecon Beacons to the north.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This stroll was with my son who is discovering photography with a new micro two thirds camera, so it was less a naturalist walk more a photography session, but this didn't stop me picking up the odd interesting biological record. The first thing that struck me was the sound of singing <b>willow warbler,</b> there were many taking up position in the scrubby interface between now clearfell confier woodland and ffridd. Here too were serveral parachuting <b>tree pipit</b>. A male <b>wheatear </b>alighted on the top of a drystone wall, two <b>red kite</b> passed over and a pair of <b>stonechat</b> stone chatted. This intergrade from woody habitat to open upland was notable for its flowering plants. <b>Wood anemone,</b> <b>wood sorrel</b> and emergeing <b>bluebell</b> were evident as was a patch of <b>moschatel</b> or <b>townhall clock</b>. A <b>bloody nosed beetle </b>lumbered along the track side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Back at the discused farmstead the sun shone on a copse of brillant white flowering blackthorn complete with bracket fungus. The yellow flowering gorse accommodated a pair of <b>linnet</b>, no doubt with a nest somewhere contained. A springtime <b>swallow </b>rounded off a pleasing afternoon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9wTxOad26-_lkXcliSGsRGqr6-7CDTAJ2-x3bogX4bdWIwjcJeDRST4ufnvNThDplNxd-jvCYoRgKsiENxWdgbgFdwccnCMFR_JNAJXczcimuAM5LAIxRy4fXxDfN2gyYw_cQJ9i6D0SdJ_CcZ5nDTyQfYFSYDFkibNuAcj9KjTD0QalvoiPQVRI/s4272/view.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif9wTxOad26-_lkXcliSGsRGqr6-7CDTAJ2-x3bogX4bdWIwjcJeDRST4ufnvNThDplNxd-jvCYoRgKsiENxWdgbgFdwccnCMFR_JNAJXczcimuAM5LAIxRy4fXxDfN2gyYw_cQJ9i6D0SdJ_CcZ5nDTyQfYFSYDFkibNuAcj9KjTD0QalvoiPQVRI/w400-h266/view.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeU0VVAZ_qdbKlUklSx1p7X-DUyHwcbZamjC55HmoqOLyFXPdKM2w3n1Qa-wY58eMQe9OTtPDTNj67fmWfU5wtPZnRaX5HceI0wCqxxV_mSXbMWt9UFm84ujedCS17Z9dD6AzdPPTUSDw9Fg-2o7kkspAdm8O_xz7HKmGs-URpSfaxvPfkwmbs7wd4/s4272/Bloody%20nosed%20beetle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeU0VVAZ_qdbKlUklSx1p7X-DUyHwcbZamjC55HmoqOLyFXPdKM2w3n1Qa-wY58eMQe9OTtPDTNj67fmWfU5wtPZnRaX5HceI0wCqxxV_mSXbMWt9UFm84ujedCS17Z9dD6AzdPPTUSDw9Fg-2o7kkspAdm8O_xz7HKmGs-URpSfaxvPfkwmbs7wd4/w266-h400/Bloody%20nosed%20beetle.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWeTRwoc6CPq0BuGxKI_gaDa5DgaqCU2Znsp9cE86Yi-AU27P70PoRV7cwc72O5b7MX0ajIL_biWqiJ0Z29AodwPYpXoGMHcfrp2x1YVhjGlKzZGjTjWETcf3Y0TNcaW4C9Kwmxpn_cFR3JQFoNOF1SMwhBhh6BWKwDMqh_7-hLL3dLg5mdtyVbUf/s4272/Town%20hall%20clock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGWeTRwoc6CPq0BuGxKI_gaDa5DgaqCU2Znsp9cE86Yi-AU27P70PoRV7cwc72O5b7MX0ajIL_biWqiJ0Z29AodwPYpXoGMHcfrp2x1YVhjGlKzZGjTjWETcf3Y0TNcaW4C9Kwmxpn_cFR3JQFoNOF1SMwhBhh6BWKwDMqh_7-hLL3dLg5mdtyVbUf/w266-h400/Town%20hall%20clock.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-46386809430085533412022-04-23T07:58:00.000+01:002022-04-23T07:58:43.752+01:00Two days at The British (upper and lower)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Sunday 10 April - Upper</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzJtyE_UtDdiiaM0PKnaamwFHtCvMDFC2pSdA2ErTlz5Q8gqvgYjr4kAEOuWQ5HUWtDbQ0iUgXuxcTc0mx_krEc13Hy9NSGKfEpzJ83kjWCDSn6hTA0w2IUqByfY_loAhBYL3Ea20HKnwz4U6oa161xP1aa2oht4HRZxbWQ1FIeSyukCIo024yA5R/s4272/Bike%20damage.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzJtyE_UtDdiiaM0PKnaamwFHtCvMDFC2pSdA2ErTlz5Q8gqvgYjr4kAEOuWQ5HUWtDbQ0iUgXuxcTc0mx_krEc13Hy9NSGKfEpzJ83kjWCDSn6hTA0w2IUqByfY_loAhBYL3Ea20HKnwz4U6oa161xP1aa2oht4HRZxbWQ1FIeSyukCIo024yA5R/w266-h400/Bike%20damage.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Acid grassland with yellow meadow ant mounds and scrambler bike damage in background.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I was out early to beat the bikers and to hopefully pick up on some of those Spring migrants. Taking the footpath on the western fringes of the enlclosed grassland towards Big Pond the morning was bright and sunny. A <b>fieldfare</b> type call soon alerted me to the presence of a male <b>ring ouzel</b>. Emerging from the shadow of a large <b>beech</b> tree the birds white cresent plumage could be seen prominent and eye catching against the strong morning sunlight. As I moved closer the bird guilded to the comfort of a nearby tree giving continued good views. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Satisfied that I'd connected with a very notable passage bird I moved on to Big Pond. Here the damage to the hillside from continuous scrambler bike activity stopped me in my tracks. The extent of this damage is shocking, with those involved clearly having no regard for the environment or the farming community thats seeking to earn a living from this land. But even more disheartening is the inability of the Police to counter this illegal activity. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7pzB755IyvZtqBtUgFHA5xSrjKKVwW97t4YLwx-auTMLweITsq4WSv0CJ2P232QUH50vyU05Eg_-PVVSQRv7yvLXolScdYsdIDqoXTfaP22ztsg3972X6GT8HfWvx2Q6HTQr1zzghUxrLMEl3M-Fbm87slUH6eBrnmzU5vnnMql6Vchh4i7HNl8A/s4608/DSCN9963.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB7pzB755IyvZtqBtUgFHA5xSrjKKVwW97t4YLwx-auTMLweITsq4WSv0CJ2P232QUH50vyU05Eg_-PVVSQRv7yvLXolScdYsdIDqoXTfaP22ztsg3972X6GT8HfWvx2Q6HTQr1zzghUxrLMEl3M-Fbm87slUH6eBrnmzU5vnnMql6Vchh4i7HNl8A/w400-h300/DSCN9963.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Ring Ouzel</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Friday 15 April - Lower</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqi-8OKiVrhEa6FL8G6GB_DWVzoHlJ3aX7DVR4Lzc4TuFvwbnDiRf5qsaNRHWOngjlEuslI8PJuWBXNbgQPPBoG0KOUrXpfevg6CR8ilDUnxdkBOvROYJ1cEsmE8Rd8CdThvJqYmVW4ylKlJTCQCW6__TQqJOj0itBG8kxD0YJRynzCmV_2pZV6AF6/s4608/DSCN9984.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqi-8OKiVrhEa6FL8G6GB_DWVzoHlJ3aX7DVR4Lzc4TuFvwbnDiRf5qsaNRHWOngjlEuslI8PJuWBXNbgQPPBoG0KOUrXpfevg6CR8ilDUnxdkBOvROYJ1cEsmE8Rd8CdThvJqYmVW4ylKlJTCQCW6__TQqJOj0itBG8kxD0YJRynzCmV_2pZV6AF6/w400-h300/DSCN9984.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Male Redstart</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The lower part of The British is well known for its Big Arch enterance feature and its disused buildings with a steep moulded backdrop of <b>gorse</b> covered coal spoil. The day before had been notable for an influx of Spring migrants so I was hopefully this visit would produce a similar result. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The morning was still, with little breeze so ideal for picking out bird song. The first clear song was that of the <b>chiffchaff</b>. These birds have been around for a few weeks now so most will no doubt be singing from there chosen breeding territories. And then my first <b>willow warbler </b>could be heard singing from an area of gorse scrub. As I walked around the ampitheater type setting of this lower part of The British I could hear more willow warbler - three maybe four singing in unison.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I knew the now ramshackled National Coal Borad (NCB) building with its maturing self seeded trees had supported a breeding pair of<b> redstart</b> in the past, so through the hum of my tinnitus I listened carefully and sure enough a male was signing proudly from the environs of this crumbing building.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Not too much on offer from a botanical perspective but a dead <b>elder</b> complete with <b>jelly ear fungus</b> at the top of a tip proved a challenge to access, but I managed it with a few odd stumbles. Here it was also pleasing to find a mature specimen of <b>wild privet. </b>So all in all a reasonable Good Friday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0_vQf_4LizrPfJfkb-LYsOC3pvD-wJ8OaKZVIBjC5HEsKYMx9JXgB5fiZtEI7BDfrcPVXoUhZqUmyqiUxzOrnsvIlkGft3pZpYyNnMCD8D8sUD0N9XWuwxvnGKHE976UX3FnBf4rPxcE7CslDtUdjzib5yYoZ-lC-64UsXzV_DMpkVavRpUfZsd1/s4272/building.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0_vQf_4LizrPfJfkb-LYsOC3pvD-wJ8OaKZVIBjC5HEsKYMx9JXgB5fiZtEI7BDfrcPVXoUhZqUmyqiUxzOrnsvIlkGft3pZpYyNnMCD8D8sUD0N9XWuwxvnGKHE976UX3FnBf4rPxcE7CslDtUdjzib5yYoZ-lC-64UsXzV_DMpkVavRpUfZsd1/w400-h266/building.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrd9vOnoDPr98Baej7oJZoZFdubIvbCL9dF3I6pM6wpoW8c2iamxpX9MwvFQD12cQ-7bDB5g-2cBVqhkZ5vPhTse6mrFMtd0ZXGC8HPNz7R0b9DCo9THRxXzpa_B5X1PFPP7-HEVk_KqXPkS-a0kiT2mBkBzPWBjcixOPoGaAlrhfXqEXW5CWxQse/s4272/tree%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvrd9vOnoDPr98Baej7oJZoZFdubIvbCL9dF3I6pM6wpoW8c2iamxpX9MwvFQD12cQ-7bDB5g-2cBVqhkZ5vPhTse6mrFMtd0ZXGC8HPNz7R0b9DCo9THRxXzpa_B5X1PFPP7-HEVk_KqXPkS-a0kiT2mBkBzPWBjcixOPoGaAlrhfXqEXW5CWxQse/w266-h400/tree%201.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dead elder with jelly ear fungus</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-14174394469089657452022-04-13T18:18:00.001+01:002022-04-14T06:55:29.834+01:00Putative Greenland Wheatear<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJUMeyBxNVIH4w2n0dSc9Wy41HFNIE_9-vgv-Fa4oz_JX8NsfcMJiZL_5uitvqOKHH1HgN9o3uBjZOBN6f8eav_DWPtqLejfI1C037GpzyCdj2Sg3nP49tkuavhfYYA-o6A-hk6TSSGc3D7uIfZrMVllnBr8o7QHEEfeWyxGCNgoS-dv0hvl-I46Y/s4608/DSCN9923.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJUMeyBxNVIH4w2n0dSc9Wy41HFNIE_9-vgv-Fa4oz_JX8NsfcMJiZL_5uitvqOKHH1HgN9o3uBjZOBN6f8eav_DWPtqLejfI1C037GpzyCdj2Sg3nP49tkuavhfYYA-o6A-hk6TSSGc3D7uIfZrMVllnBr8o7QHEEfeWyxGCNgoS-dv0hvl-I46Y/w400-h300/DSCN9923.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVTo5hqmtmcfK_VOcncw2qhobooJvF8Bg_4abt4Vx2K7bh88KWjZ1e8ERspw_9-401lgtZyJZVH4vwPJajnlDaTcNq-DCa14EpDvmI_LPAbG4d1OGFSuGNCk0ksvJki6JnPiyQBJiC4xykHiw51j5P34zOSccEPBUBy9QeubPvSkzBxnFFpGM4cyO/s4608/DSCN9926.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVTo5hqmtmcfK_VOcncw2qhobooJvF8Bg_4abt4Vx2K7bh88KWjZ1e8ERspw_9-401lgtZyJZVH4vwPJajnlDaTcNq-DCa14EpDvmI_LPAbG4d1OGFSuGNCk0ksvJki6JnPiyQBJiC4xykHiw51j5P34zOSccEPBUBy9QeubPvSkzBxnFFpGM4cyO/w400-h300/DSCN9926.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFGrMdvmcQ2SjaZhP3d3B1hHtpzcHN8ydGmPvRefS4bTvJQVuzsBCgusLM9hKjynhEGZ65wgsvn26qQeafXxU1nD25NQE5269cHOQkMxsqZwZTJenL29Qe9TTihFnOQTp7aEOo6U1WIL2ZECpQhs0FJFXTf8e3pt_vTviYrTR0RLBJjsmJMCzixpf/s4608/DSCN9921.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRFGrMdvmcQ2SjaZhP3d3B1hHtpzcHN8ydGmPvRefS4bTvJQVuzsBCgusLM9hKjynhEGZ65wgsvn26qQeafXxU1nD25NQE5269cHOQkMxsqZwZTJenL29Qe9TTihFnOQTp7aEOo6U1WIL2ZECpQhs0FJFXTf8e3pt_vTviYrTR0RLBJjsmJMCzixpf/w400-h300/DSCN9921.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Its said that familiarity breeds contempt and that was certainly the case when I photographed this male <b>wheatear</b> on the lower slopes of Mynydd Coety recently. Wheatears are widespread on the hills around Blaenavon and following the inital notirity of seeing the birds returning in March they are relegated to 'banker' status for a birding walk throughout Spring and Summer. It wasn't until I posted a photograph on my Twitter account was the prospect of a <b>Greenland wheatear</b> given any consideration. It was a suggestion from local birder Graig Conatance that got me to give this bird the level of scrutiny it rightly deserved.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Greenland wheatear sub-species <i>Oenanthe oenanthe leucorhoa</i> breed in Iceland and Greenland but pass through Britain on their way to their breeding grounds. Although one can never be sure this is <i>O o leucorhoa </i>there are field signs that can help. Note this bird has a strong brown tinge to its mantle. The Greenland race is said to be chunkier - note the pot belly. And the breast coluration is extensive. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So there you have it Greenland wheatear, yes or no, take your pick.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-41670187188958724672022-03-30T19:03:00.000+01:002022-03-30T19:03:24.210+01:00Botanising in a cemetery<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGhcfc04f8_zySdaaE8iqExTo-CPKVKPivL1gsmiIulf-mt8eOXV9F3NusIKNoEuvq5wf0Ro9B5xI3c4gbBL7U2G2yFoGqPK5pwMhq6FDAzAolrpYEVpFpMR7GZtayYx7StDOYbJMW041R7nsG5gm6g1YiyyrG7v5NYH-y2BvERQWcjEJ5YnhbIo49=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGhcfc04f8_zySdaaE8iqExTo-CPKVKPivL1gsmiIulf-mt8eOXV9F3NusIKNoEuvq5wf0Ro9B5xI3c4gbBL7U2G2yFoGqPK5pwMhq6FDAzAolrpYEVpFpMR7GZtayYx7StDOYbJMW041R7nsG5gm6g1YiyyrG7v5NYH-y2BvERQWcjEJ5YnhbIo49=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">For some, botanising in a cemetery on a Sunday morning in early Spring may seem a touch bazaar but burial grounds can be rich pickings for an inquisitive naturalist. The interest in such sites lies within the blend of remnant semi improved grassland, parkland type trees and the variety of introduced memorial plants that have naturalised this type of setting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Panteg Cemetery on the outskirts of Pontypool is large and old. It still accepts burials but for a naturalist its the aged parts that keep the attention the most. <b>Primroses</b> frequent grave surfaces and have colonised extensively throughout the cemetery. A large patch of the non-native <b>three-cornered leek</b> occurs under a tree with individual outlying plants some distance away suggesting that it won't be too long before it become more widespread. As its early Spring some small stands of <b>snowdrops</b> were in flower. Another grave was covered in the winter flowering <b>sowbread. Red valerian </b>was widespread with many displaying evidence of the gall <i>Trioza centranthi.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">There was certainly enough on show to whet the appetite of a naturalist and diary mark further visits during the coming Spring and Summer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSB6rSblkLb80jCgM-lOBa-b2R4dyjhjw8X5JRYdu8SC5DGVCDDb5Jc_YD_hbhbub2RzXrxUfKltzCZ8V8BqmdNnjgELCvd7SbDDONrsJBe6_bZ3w6PM55Bh4T0cIxTqC6Ws7-VKxccVOpJ-n1cEaup-5hqu93ARyFN8vH6NIINYdcrADdfgfKKNgD=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSB6rSblkLb80jCgM-lOBa-b2R4dyjhjw8X5JRYdu8SC5DGVCDDb5Jc_YD_hbhbub2RzXrxUfKltzCZ8V8BqmdNnjgELCvd7SbDDONrsJBe6_bZ3w6PM55Bh4T0cIxTqC6Ws7-VKxccVOpJ-n1cEaup-5hqu93ARyFN8vH6NIINYdcrADdfgfKKNgD=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUc2aI-oBr5y_MUs_VVFVkiJPwdASfK4WW4S3LNdVMUsQGOl_QHHxiK7Zlv542bfuvl2bz--Oy87R5Ye7r27uL-UrP5nczS1ZPvPovIa_t6nGRIysDIasw26x64NcxTECl3yeDQdnsA2JbspK51AiP9qReJ7o7SbBJKGjt_FHH2zRSbnh6osRFAEZW=s4272" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUc2aI-oBr5y_MUs_VVFVkiJPwdASfK4WW4S3LNdVMUsQGOl_QHHxiK7Zlv542bfuvl2bz--Oy87R5Ye7r27uL-UrP5nczS1ZPvPovIa_t6nGRIysDIasw26x64NcxTECl3yeDQdnsA2JbspK51AiP9qReJ7o7SbBJKGjt_FHH2zRSbnh6osRFAEZW=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three-cornered Leek (<i>Allium triquetrum</i>)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd-3rF4nXjcPvcRa8mFoQ58wWZopgNDCxOT6k3k3QAfQ7pYkLnOUtkNz5wnGZaogUmQ9U4htAUIrOljCe-D_rArAd9esN4Xf_KeKPQ4wDNdQdSzaHJJ_ICDaIcG5vXuZ-xqRLiQjzA6oZ6v-M6nNslYunO-Sc7CosXT2qmlRaZKYzHWV-nQX8xu8aN=s4272" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhd-3rF4nXjcPvcRa8mFoQ58wWZopgNDCxOT6k3k3QAfQ7pYkLnOUtkNz5wnGZaogUmQ9U4htAUIrOljCe-D_rArAd9esN4Xf_KeKPQ4wDNdQdSzaHJJ_ICDaIcG5vXuZ-xqRLiQjzA6oZ6v-M6nNslYunO-Sc7CosXT2qmlRaZKYzHWV-nQX8xu8aN=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abraham-issac-jacob (<i>Trachystemon orientalis)</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4Gjpft5ObbMAdeCWrR63Uk3AI1Sm_3xcIHyKsXk32nNoLZwxRmSbpzo1VShold3r66GWvHlAW1wwqM66_T3_aPb1hr3xmaCAeuV5Tn8bdZVoyQDNMlO3NQGyM_dOoisuN5CYnFIos6J6YwNf3hy50NOyi7GsfUp0bMBdgE4j-5wC3YpckV4VrtGLd=s4272" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4Gjpft5ObbMAdeCWrR63Uk3AI1Sm_3xcIHyKsXk32nNoLZwxRmSbpzo1VShold3r66GWvHlAW1wwqM66_T3_aPb1hr3xmaCAeuV5Tn8bdZVoyQDNMlO3NQGyM_dOoisuN5CYnFIos6J6YwNf3hy50NOyi7GsfUp0bMBdgE4j-5wC3YpckV4VrtGLd=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wood Surge (<i>Euphorbia amygdaloides</i>)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggdIYOu-3ZYivL4XrYf8N1eUtG92b0fs8lVI-l6Kl1y8csc-J-NgskyyHhgpQrs-1LOruLDCVdHlk-LXhOaaKBX14hI1oqC39nHLqnqUkBUPzfX3oyQ2Ntfqm7_nss1JFY509V0xaaq9WfaCH5MJv4h6-LKx4Mp8tZOmPnI6kqt4bfOM0mw8JoroFI=s4272" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggdIYOu-3ZYivL4XrYf8N1eUtG92b0fs8lVI-l6Kl1y8csc-J-NgskyyHhgpQrs-1LOruLDCVdHlk-LXhOaaKBX14hI1oqC39nHLqnqUkBUPzfX3oyQ2Ntfqm7_nss1JFY509V0xaaq9WfaCH5MJv4h6-LKx4Mp8tZOmPnI6kqt4bfOM0mw8JoroFI=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowdrops (<i>Galanthus nivalis</i>)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxGp18lRCT6cYiw5xJ8C1NzrMPIMgjywePAt9mAwZmqJWuhZfRXIAnDixMPKDT0cPYEFISKnfdiQa60iZ6MIWDv0vXTfxsGBnSOQLMVtLm_04hhLDDClNv68odVSH1O3DPEUy8s-e24kFPPxWvVm6O8Ht56admPefTyma0MA4T3Adk6Bci8UAzCm3W=s4272" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxGp18lRCT6cYiw5xJ8C1NzrMPIMgjywePAt9mAwZmqJWuhZfRXIAnDixMPKDT0cPYEFISKnfdiQa60iZ6MIWDv0vXTfxsGBnSOQLMVtLm_04hhLDDClNv68odVSH1O3DPEUy8s-e24kFPPxWvVm6O8Ht56admPefTyma0MA4T3Adk6Bci8UAzCm3W=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sowbread (<i>Cyclamen hederifolium</i>)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNctMcRr90dkLljtUozQg5xz7yh2VzPSBNCsNFTmo2p4KD_CuyFok3CEcPJJyPxDtfYRKK7_05X78mKQQrkR7x9d03l1uA1mDYA5l6R3dBLWtdxAk-9ndpWlFwIe_hpExDaUtwF6qjYfWswIf5DiXW_njc4f0FtyONmDYlvH0v70hcxZNw2sAll3K2=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNctMcRr90dkLljtUozQg5xz7yh2VzPSBNCsNFTmo2p4KD_CuyFok3CEcPJJyPxDtfYRKK7_05X78mKQQrkR7x9d03l1uA1mDYA5l6R3dBLWtdxAk-9ndpWlFwIe_hpExDaUtwF6qjYfWswIf5DiXW_njc4f0FtyONmDYlvH0v70hcxZNw2sAll3K2=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Red Valerian (<i>Centranthus ruber</i>) with leaf roll (<i>Trioza centranthi</i>)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-57291853799902294342022-03-06T19:46:00.001+00:002022-03-06T19:46:29.656+00:00I never tire of this landscape<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmLM0tkqzqSSdQAAX8-o09rA4PPE_magLbMvn-fR67j-SF__lKAYCaFlxIXNELJ3BiP7nS_IijJlODa6CVVYLYZkWqduZkq1zx48s7gRVa3H60raJAnpWs6FJ0mYK2vu8n_f9orMogfCCsvNjGbEU5PkJy050is1LcGFnQ5F9VKzU-VHPKqKFdvipB=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgmLM0tkqzqSSdQAAX8-o09rA4PPE_magLbMvn-fR67j-SF__lKAYCaFlxIXNELJ3BiP7nS_IijJlODa6CVVYLYZkWqduZkq1zx48s7gRVa3H60raJAnpWs6FJ0mYK2vu8n_f9orMogfCCsvNjGbEU5PkJy050is1LcGFnQ5F9VKzU-VHPKqKFdvipB=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It was the end of February, the sun was spring-like but the wind bracing as I stood alone on the highest point of Canada Tips, Blaenavon. Looking east towards the Keepers Pond, its car park was popular and a single wild swimmer laboured. Beyond and on the horizon I could see the Foxhunter car park and from it a couple of groups of excited school children complete with walking poles and maps in waterproof covers emerged. Later a mini-bus resplendent in the Cranbourne School crest arrived to collect the returning walkers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I moved to seek refuge from the wind, just in time to view five unlicensed scramblers pick their way between the spoil tips only to cross the Abergavenny Road and motor in characteristic lawless style along the road to the Foxhunter car park then out of sight. The bikers had left their mark on the landscape cutting through the peat in a damaging care free manner. As I paused to take some photographs of the abuse laid bare in front for me a <b>skylark</b> climbed in song, but not quite full summer song, and then another and another. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Striding through the straw coloured <b style="font-style: italic;">molina </b>I was startled by a <b>red grouse</b> that took off low over the upland vegetation and then down, surely to hunker down out of the keen wind. An old industrial reservoir breached long ago and purged of most of its water held sufficient to generate some interest. And so it proved my first clumps of <b>frog spawn </b>of the season were visible. On my return I peered rather gingerly into the crevices of a weathering sandstone outcrop to view a number of <b>oak fern</b>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjejCiw38npISwQ9Rg4tuEnrW7GNjTNxAudiWJJURel1NXLU5N_clFR5VGuVFAgc2wy6Y9mlGHocXpYPanmZQ78GgGk7ifP--OeXqM9fJWsiaQxFGjpEZQpcaowLCbxjHu4fQCTr98gKSOykOktvt7YqAcyaFGdj8WieEbOCUpymyzWeSk4xeHobWem=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjejCiw38npISwQ9Rg4tuEnrW7GNjTNxAudiWJJURel1NXLU5N_clFR5VGuVFAgc2wy6Y9mlGHocXpYPanmZQ78GgGk7ifP--OeXqM9fJWsiaQxFGjpEZQpcaowLCbxjHu4fQCTr98gKSOykOktvt7YqAcyaFGdj8WieEbOCUpymyzWeSk4xeHobWem=w400-h266" width="400" /></i></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMGGSjLHe17QtEDhfhs75yLZlTa6at3a1i7XEXB6QMskx0dD5Cjv-zyiPRYv2LCiI7EQeiJOYUsVkSNMsf1d6ocOCCbL12DFvz69poInnpuX3DTcbahgR3ro_jdM3gQFWxNMx_MHAM6Rt7WJ6P-N7pk3y33jQ7XI9c0OYc9dMm-QMylsGZCIhgDWCD=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMGGSjLHe17QtEDhfhs75yLZlTa6at3a1i7XEXB6QMskx0dD5Cjv-zyiPRYv2LCiI7EQeiJOYUsVkSNMsf1d6ocOCCbL12DFvz69poInnpuX3DTcbahgR3ro_jdM3gQFWxNMx_MHAM6Rt7WJ6P-N7pk3y33jQ7XI9c0OYc9dMm-QMylsGZCIhgDWCD=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCI1iKet3yJjbDdP4lwE9MwGadPzWOXXOWgzFFxeVoK-Y5mqB-sF2yLw8p6u9o1y13iZNglXVu1PYVvY9nABCSxGuljex1AKRV5vbSPrEuxIH6YsA58lqu8Xv5Qm9LOHZomw7QUSTgOnmXQFojU5b4vdaTXhLXdzAMYyFB34VVoUYLXBbk8-rVXcdE=s4272" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCI1iKet3yJjbDdP4lwE9MwGadPzWOXXOWgzFFxeVoK-Y5mqB-sF2yLw8p6u9o1y13iZNglXVu1PYVvY9nABCSxGuljex1AKRV5vbSPrEuxIH6YsA58lqu8Xv5Qm9LOHZomw7QUSTgOnmXQFojU5b4vdaTXhLXdzAMYyFB34VVoUYLXBbk8-rVXcdE=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-87293828906481939802022-02-03T07:21:00.000+00:002022-02-03T07:21:09.797+00:00Messing about on the river<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGI7DAYDQoEBjQtJAg4HvdQpCSa_9QUAMxe4FrjrtvkPEcnlSX8rASCADGQeSBJmbOh-RwETFPylWWLbpqGasksjuFJ256CM_X-fDpMsK2wh9cQJ5LG8T3nzaxyfr8dGY4xNqnbsDlDZm1KuSyFgg2qss4zyXE9gVRrf8W_IdFuC659ctfAqCjt5X7=s4272" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGI7DAYDQoEBjQtJAg4HvdQpCSa_9QUAMxe4FrjrtvkPEcnlSX8rASCADGQeSBJmbOh-RwETFPylWWLbpqGasksjuFJ256CM_X-fDpMsK2wh9cQJ5LG8T3nzaxyfr8dGY4xNqnbsDlDZm1KuSyFgg2qss4zyXE9gVRrf8W_IdFuC659ctfAqCjt5X7=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This was a Sunday morning visit designed to check the 300 + <b>black- headed gull</b> that were residing at Cwmbran Boating Lake, for birds carrying rings. With no rings in sight and with the numbers of dog walkers increasing quickly I diverted my attention to the nearby Afon Lwyd in an effort for some peace and quiet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Taking the bankside path from the Boating Lake to the river bridge near to Burton's biscuit factory, I was struck by how much this river had been modified by bank revetment work. Almost every twist and meander was characterised by moss covered blockstone. In addition the tentacle type root systems of the riparian trees were festooned with discarded clothing and other urban rubbish. These features hint at the on going abuse of this valley river that hit a peak during industrialisation but continues to this day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Otters</b> are known to occur along the whole length of the Afon Lwyd. Although rarely seen, signs of their presence can be found. A large rock in mid stream and just below the boating lake supported some old and some new spraint. A <b>grey wagtail </b>picked its way around a pebble beach and a <b>dipper</b> alighted briefly before moving on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The Afon Lwyd runs the whole length of Torfaen from its headwaters above Blaenafon to its convergence with the River Usk at Caerleon and like so many other areas in the South Wales valleys receives little attention from naturalists. My occasional visits suggest there's much yet to be discovered.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSytc6mKgqp2PBNtBwWpQ8ea0w-6JrDNSGy16ksQHDjuJPUwZvUOQSPdN0CT3XapQZGjUAok2zGKsAcTaw5PdMiy2Ji8AanxIzs_Ext5Uauig_op1p31sg3xMVK-jz9eVmki4YnA-jjdTU_r3UJ1ExvGux4g6mDrtl4a7y6kEBDNKjGVIZ66-VzmVF=s4272" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSytc6mKgqp2PBNtBwWpQ8ea0w-6JrDNSGy16ksQHDjuJPUwZvUOQSPdN0CT3XapQZGjUAok2zGKsAcTaw5PdMiy2Ji8AanxIzs_Ext5Uauig_op1p31sg3xMVK-jz9eVmki4YnA-jjdTU_r3UJ1ExvGux4g6mDrtl4a7y6kEBDNKjGVIZ66-VzmVF=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiiWu3II6kF04yeIXfocHu0m0Qyhuz95W2wykVF2pipIzvw4Grp0vPS7ze9w8RJLkWXqOHxgsoDe2xkdqlB2XihUWP6RR01R4GjbhknghpdaMQxQTo8DhFMZii6tetbzxBTp0QkX7sIFXP5EDvjR9l84jIP9JVk06gKIqRdC6DlfH1yp3X1gT7xOvn=s4608" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgiiWu3II6kF04yeIXfocHu0m0Qyhuz95W2wykVF2pipIzvw4Grp0vPS7ze9w8RJLkWXqOHxgsoDe2xkdqlB2XihUWP6RR01R4GjbhknghpdaMQxQTo8DhFMZii6tetbzxBTp0QkX7sIFXP5EDvjR9l84jIP9JVk06gKIqRdC6DlfH1yp3X1gT7xOvn=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF-HvchkZna0jLs4pl790TCkMZJ_tJSSueqNUyt67V5SDqrUrVzPos-LTDmkHB1X-dNfXNLqtNRz96Awfg2SFE2UyJ5z-wn1ayJsyuDG7My8X1EqgbUlHiC43aTlNCO2FcXemtRpE1XitXm1YddQutbvDUlRIGcg5yPY43jyvtUVqIQgRq6pP9zSe9=s4272" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4272" data-original-width="2848" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF-HvchkZna0jLs4pl790TCkMZJ_tJSSueqNUyt67V5SDqrUrVzPos-LTDmkHB1X-dNfXNLqtNRz96Awfg2SFE2UyJ5z-wn1ayJsyuDG7My8X1EqgbUlHiC43aTlNCO2FcXemtRpE1XitXm1YddQutbvDUlRIGcg5yPY43jyvtUVqIQgRq6pP9zSe9=w266-h400" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-19538260427266176522022-01-15T08:06:00.000+00:002022-01-15T08:06:42.739+00:00Sunset at the bog<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheMfe5JwcsvXz9PFNpQaHpDN9-Lkvnn6Uo_fyWJdBu15ga3cHbnA-GQ_qosPq-7Mi5FJ_e4uJfMoQ48QU5zDw1XB2hyKKIUklv8MIkopztpmWEPRH5Q1QfAiW74f8v4-u3f8RiAHE2wiqlf4x4Hy7gxvPLXK0d10-2YbYNQv2ooXgrjW-XJBQxytFB=s4272" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheMfe5JwcsvXz9PFNpQaHpDN9-Lkvnn6Uo_fyWJdBu15ga3cHbnA-GQ_qosPq-7Mi5FJ_e4uJfMoQ48QU5zDw1XB2hyKKIUklv8MIkopztpmWEPRH5Q1QfAiW74f8v4-u3f8RiAHE2wiqlf4x4Hy7gxvPLXK0d10-2YbYNQv2ooXgrjW-XJBQxytFB=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">At the headwaters of the Afon Lwyd sits Waunafon Bog, a large expanse of <i>Moilna</i> dominated wetland habitat that's exposed and bleak in wintertime but reverberates to the song of<b> skylark</b> in warmer months. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A visit to the bog in winter is an early entry in the naturalists New Year diary. So last weekend, at an hour or so before sunset I was pulling on my cold weather clobber ready for a session of <b>short eared owl </b>watching - hopefully. Away from the coast Waunafon Bog is a bit of a pilgrimage for local inland patchers. Historically there's been up to six birds recorded but numbers fluctuate from year to year, so nothing guaranteed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Access to the bog environment is via a disused mine road. Nowadays this thoroughfare complete with its panoramic upland views is a venue for dog walkers, joggers and cyclists, so a man with binoculars and camera gear does generate the occasional puzzled stare. On this visit the wind was light and the sky almost cloudless ideal for owl and raptor watching. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">First up was a pair of <b>stonechat </b>moving from bracken to bracken top. A single <b>meadow pipit</b> was flushed from the roughage before I reached my preferred viewing spot on the elevated bund of a disused railway track. Looking south I waited, scanning the vista before me. Illegal off road bikers provided an audible and sometimes visible backdrop. After a while with light fading a single <b>short eared owl</b> was detected quickly gliding and flapping between the willow scrub that is now taking hold in the centre of the bog. I watched for several minutes, before, as if by magic, it vanished from sight. With mission accomplished, it was hometime, but not before I caught sight of a raptor alighting on a fence post mid bog. Although light levels were now not great, from its size and shape this bird was a <b>merlin, </b>clearly arriving to roost. I took a number of light poor quality for confirmation. On my return a<b> red grouse</b> reminded me that I needed to '<i>go back, go back' . </i>An so I did.<b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWY7VGfjh52Ckhdk2zFWW3lQPuqvz226aupds67tzILci-1TnAM5LJqeyHs8tj0f2Gf6xHUhbNLdMN_LLWrDstMGQrz2EbSigPB4UlVNj584PpDRqgJ5NNTZn-WTXe_9_a_02bCvwjPzb-jrfg6iZehZs0ktBM4QT08eGO_YJC7bwn6jZCAuIQ41zl=s4272" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4272" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWY7VGfjh52Ckhdk2zFWW3lQPuqvz226aupds67tzILci-1TnAM5LJqeyHs8tj0f2Gf6xHUhbNLdMN_LLWrDstMGQrz2EbSigPB4UlVNj584PpDRqgJ5NNTZn-WTXe_9_a_02bCvwjPzb-jrfg6iZehZs0ktBM4QT08eGO_YJC7bwn6jZCAuIQ41zl=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaT8eN2jQ-E2dLCqVdpQqm_feIlB9A9h7_dM3R040lh54_15zdrbJvnkHEq8bajisoOTNZ07Wa6IhnkR15olsN4F-2WzkruYNBZjgwYiNFhccBU3zp2Q_NFYJIVF8QQIMZ8wQRrXaIkdkMhoN610etMDshTAg6Sq71u-xn0krEm9JcnNTKE3iLoseQ=s4608" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaT8eN2jQ-E2dLCqVdpQqm_feIlB9A9h7_dM3R040lh54_15zdrbJvnkHEq8bajisoOTNZ07Wa6IhnkR15olsN4F-2WzkruYNBZjgwYiNFhccBU3zp2Q_NFYJIVF8QQIMZ8wQRrXaIkdkMhoN610etMDshTAg6Sq71u-xn0krEm9JcnNTKE3iLoseQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0DZpWj6IZooSJeemNhxr7aXgssJXOXqkXSqWvH42tZfgKGMrsJezebO4Du4KMh68RvuhboIr1tBkFQ0TRW8-ZvPk2PsviGA4lxl18pDUB3HDHOTj67fjVc9J3HVOv-fFgLfiKapxW8xs_WwX7lIOrq4vIOYohIFn09P9Id4wV_ku1T6JSJbj4UmXp=s4608" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0DZpWj6IZooSJeemNhxr7aXgssJXOXqkXSqWvH42tZfgKGMrsJezebO4Du4KMh68RvuhboIr1tBkFQ0TRW8-ZvPk2PsviGA4lxl18pDUB3HDHOTj67fjVc9J3HVOv-fFgLfiKapxW8xs_WwX7lIOrq4vIOYohIFn09P9Id4wV_ku1T6JSJbj4UmXp=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-77426609217328130552021-11-14T09:08:00.004+00:002021-11-14T09:08:42.764+00:00Invasives on the black patch<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fwtFts0Lnas/YWKXlCtg_QI/AAAAAAAAHNk/vdsablNilWEzZ0wNqKSmLBD08TETM3yUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/footprint.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fwtFts0Lnas/YWKXlCtg_QI/AAAAAAAAHNk/vdsablNilWEzZ0wNqKSmLBD08TETM3yUQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/footprint.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A dip in personal well-being since the Spring has reduced my drive to blog over recent months. But the lack of motivation to write this journal doesn't mean I've not been getting out and about. I find the brain fog that often accompanies stress can be eased by an outing in the fresh air. So a few weeks back I took to exploring the black patch at The British.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The black patch is an area of plateaued coal spoil that was once devoid of vegetation, kept free by the actions of scrambler bikes. Now, thanks to the power of successional processes, rewilding if you like, the black patch is quickly moving to green. <b>Gorse</b> and <b>willow</b> scrub, patches of acid grassland with <b>devil's bit scabious</b> and <b>southern marsh orchid</b> and small ponds and marshy hollows where<b> lesser</b> <b>spearwort </b>has clononised places the black patch firmly within the definition of open mosaic habitat on previously developed land.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Its location so close to Talywain and Abersychan is ideal as accessible open space where locals walk their dogs, fly tip their rubbish and illegally ride their motorbikes. With this ease of access its little surprise that the black patch has accumulated a varied flora of non native garden throw-outs. <b>Aster</b>, <b>cotoneaster</b>,<b> monbretia</b>,<b> Japanese knotweed</b>,<b> lady's mantle</b> can all be found cheek by jowl with native acid grassland and heathland species.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-934edd64Yn0/YWKhjMXC8fI/AAAAAAAAHNs/-2QZSYJ46LEoUFpFk3TxF11y2yhz9C5pACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/blackpatch.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-934edd64Yn0/YWKhjMXC8fI/AAAAAAAAHNs/-2QZSYJ46LEoUFpFk3TxF11y2yhz9C5pACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/blackpatch.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monbretia</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Igur7Y1kzqU/YWKhyRYgrcI/AAAAAAAAHNw/5FSaH5c3S18AbFHTd-d9miKxgSMx7qc3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/japanese.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Igur7Y1kzqU/YWKhyRYgrcI/AAAAAAAAHNw/5FSaH5c3S18AbFHTd-d9miKxgSMx7qc3ACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/japanese.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese rose</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-57280117058855385082021-06-05T07:11:00.000+01:002021-06-05T07:11:23.437+01:00Medicinal botany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vhtU7T9ums0/YLsNw57GqGI/AAAAAAAAHKM/or_B4sKuH8kKckLG9j7Zu7vsZ625AFKRACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/waunafon%2Bbog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vhtU7T9ums0/YLsNw57GqGI/AAAAAAAAHKM/or_B4sKuH8kKckLG9j7Zu7vsZ625AFKRACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/waunafon%2Bbog.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I'm very much a morning person and a bit anti-social to boot, so I enjoy getting out and about as early as I can for the best of nature and to avoid people. It was before 6am when I swung into to upper car park at Garn Lakes Local Nature Reserve (LNR) for a short walk around the margins of Waunafon Bog. I was pleased to note no other cars, this meant no people (and dogs), but in the corner of the car park were around half a dozen part opened discarded black bin bags that on closer inspection contained the remains of someone's cannabis growing business.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQhLxvpVqhY/YLsN9fVXJuI/AAAAAAAAHKQ/4y37NavoD1o5casJVNSE9A0IglnnnwNTgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cannabis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQhLxvpVqhY/YLsN9fVXJuI/AAAAAAAAHKQ/4y37NavoD1o5casJVNSE9A0IglnnnwNTgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Cannabis.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A stand of <b>crosswort</b> that I've known for a few years is thriving and is now in flower. A few<b> swallow</b> passed over as I prepared to take some photographs and a <b>willow warbler</b> sang from the top of a nearby tree. I had hoped for a singing <b>grasshopper warbler</b> or two but nothing emerged. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_z_p_6fsFts/YLsPh3ysVeI/AAAAAAAAHKc/YiD6wIj7HkYUhPZWCd65FiuNW6uUfgoBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/crosswort.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_z_p_6fsFts/YLsPh3ysVeI/AAAAAAAAHKc/YiD6wIj7HkYUhPZWCd65FiuNW6uUfgoBgCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/crosswort.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Through the railway cutting that skirts the bog there were at least three pair of <b>stonechat</b>. Here too the sound of calling <b>Canada goose</b> echoed through the cutting. A patch of <b>creeping willow</b> was only now coming into leaf, a sign perhaps of the late spring. Turning for the return journey back to Garn Lakes my first people came into sight. Two young men with terriers and lurchers paused to ask if there was anything about. I responded positively without being too keen to enter into a protracted conversation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ZEltKH9ll4/YLsRizxkaVI/AAAAAAAAHKk/5vmbfrXzNBAAQEAJIYL6fOepOzgDrFtKgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Barred%2BAnt-hill%2BHoverfly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1ZEltKH9ll4/YLsRizxkaVI/AAAAAAAAHKk/5vmbfrXzNBAAQEAJIYL6fOepOzgDrFtKgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Barred%2BAnt-hill%2BHoverfly.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8dv2hEbmRg/YLsRxhQkFxI/AAAAAAAAHKo/9xcLZA867QMuiOkpgH479eYhOUSfbNf0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/beetle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E8dv2hEbmRg/YLsRxhQkFxI/AAAAAAAAHKo/9xcLZA867QMuiOkpgH479eYhOUSfbNf0wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/beetle.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">There's a small copse of mature trees that is all that remains of a small farmstead or maybe a building associated with the nearby railway cutting. Either way it's always worth a quick look around. It was surprising for the last week of May to find several stands of <b>daffodil</b> still in flower - most have flowered and died back weeks ago. Peeling back some bark on a fallen <b>ash</b> tree tree I found what appears to be a female<b> rhinoceros beetle </b>taking advantage of the decaying timber. A nearby<b> cherry</b> <b>laurel</b> in full sunlight supported a very confiding <b>barred ant-hill hoverfly</b>.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mq1vBwtkLB8/YLsUYJsc_bI/AAAAAAAAHK0/dtuuS6VCjS8MCjvQJM3RbAJprWQp4KGigCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Reed%2Bbunting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mq1vBwtkLB8/YLsUYJsc_bI/AAAAAAAAHK0/dtuuS6VCjS8MCjvQJM3RbAJprWQp4KGigCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Reed%2Bbunting.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rest of the walk produced a pair of<b> reed bunting</b> and a <b>common lizard</b> basking on the recycled plastic boardwalk of this part of the national cycleway route.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-45641375876201247732021-05-16T09:48:00.002+01:002021-05-16T09:48:55.685+01:00Blaenavon cemetery and its hinterland<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gVsUlg-xNIc/YKDaHerf86I/AAAAAAAAHGo/a8B6VWw8YZkFik4_d9UEkRzhd3h1Sr08gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/headstone.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gVsUlg-xNIc/YKDaHerf86I/AAAAAAAAHGo/a8B6VWw8YZkFik4_d9UEkRzhd3h1Sr08gCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/headstone.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was about this time last year, during the first Covid-19 lockdown that I spent some time pottering around Blaenavon cemetery. This is a working cemetery with hundreds of burials, some very aged and interesting, some bland. There is a more traditional churchyard type section with an eclectic mix of headstone features contrasting with the uniformity of active modern day remembrance features equi-spaced to some government standardisation no doubt. But between this sea of the late, nature thrives where the demands of horticultural activities are less clinical. Patches of semi-improved grassland, mature trees and shrubs on the margins that blend seamlessly into the landscape beyond.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2x1LA__GG2k/YKDatc9I7VI/AAAAAAAAHGw/gdhQ4LKqKK0odAimkvINHOToCoLiSnBogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/mine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2x1LA__GG2k/YKDatc9I7VI/AAAAAAAAHGw/gdhQ4LKqKK0odAimkvINHOToCoLiSnBogCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/mine.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">I hadn't intended to visit the cemetery, it was the upland beyond that was the calling for this excursion. The lower slope of Mynydd Varteg towards Forgeside was the main objective. Making the steep climb following the access road to a now disused mine, a marshy field with water holding due to the on going showers supported patches of <b>round-leaved water crowsfoot.</b> A male <b>reed bunting</b> showed briefly in some nearby <b>willow</b> scrub. A bund of civil engineering proportions now shrouds all signs of its former industrial activity, an amphitheatre with some remaining bits and pieces of heavy industry clutter. I turned over an oil can, some tin sheeting on the edge of an ephemeral pond and some shards of wood in the hope of a hidden <b>great crested newt, </b>but nothing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r6VtglhUsuI/YKDbMQdGQnI/AAAAAAAAHG4/nZdMJt4jrcsdHo3acjKYEvJGcx-6bTxAwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/gorse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r6VtglhUsuI/YKDbMQdGQnI/AAAAAAAAHG4/nZdMJt4jrcsdHo3acjKYEvJGcx-6bTxAwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/gorse.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Leaving the mine I made my way across the heather clad coal spoil, rewilding naturally by stealth. A few <b>meadow pipit</b> and <b>skylark</b> were braving the wintery showers. Between the compacted spoil with its dwarf shrub heath plant community there were patches of bog and mire complete with abundant <b><i>sphagnum capillifolium</i></b> and some flowering<b> hare's tail cotton grass, </b>now scarred by the actions of bikers.<b> </b>Passing a stand of gorse topiaried by grazing animals and now sodden by the blustery showers I sought the relative shelter of the cemetery.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nFF9FmIvK30/YKDbfG36eDI/AAAAAAAAHHA/0alLyhpvHDcnhbP6gaxvEspQfWSxSkKOgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/moss.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nFF9FmIvK30/YKDbfG36eDI/AAAAAAAAHHA/0alLyhpvHDcnhbP6gaxvEspQfWSxSkKOgCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/moss.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Through the gate a <b>great spotted woodpecker</b> called and the song of <b>chiffchaff</b>, <b>blackcap</b> and <b>willow warbler</b> could be heard. The grassland between the memorials was awash with flowering<b> primrose.</b> Most of these primulas were the native type with others naturalised cultivars. The graves themselves become the focal point of my attention. Taking time to the read the inscriptions promoted a sense of sadness when weathered headstones commemorated the passing of children. One was aged 5 years 11 months the same age as one of the grandchildren!. Nonetheless for a naturalist these graves some with ornate wrought iron surrounds many shaped by oblong granite, are akin to raised planting beds. Here there are many introduced plants along with colonised native species some spilling over their formally constructed restraints in the the adjoining grassland. A sheep with a lamb grazed contently between the checkered pattern of burials. On the corner of a footpath one of the rarely species of <b>lady's</b> <b>mantle</b> was in flower.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The rain became heavier so I left in search a cup of tea and some 'grub', as they say in these parts. I made a note in my diary to return to burial area as its vastness and variety demands more of my attention. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-roccdfDLWcE/YKDcAlCMHSI/AAAAAAAAHHI/0nM_6bkAbkYW8z3xv60GiMN9DfpyHIQfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ladys%2Bmantle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-roccdfDLWcE/YKDcAlCMHSI/AAAAAAAAHHI/0nM_6bkAbkYW8z3xv60GiMN9DfpyHIQfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/ladys%2Bmantle.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivsgQZ8uG6A/YKDcQQk9VVI/AAAAAAAAHHQ/bFHWFVztBD49AWb-iX6IqLC55VgmV_QFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/statue.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ivsgQZ8uG6A/YKDcQQk9VVI/AAAAAAAAHHQ/bFHWFVztBD49AWb-iX6IqLC55VgmV_QFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/statue.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-22912549929806615682021-05-03T19:46:00.000+01:002021-05-21T19:36:19.901+01:00Country lanes<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvfMtok8LDI/YJBCgoq8R4I/AAAAAAAAHFw/6MjXXeJqM8sYG21fYyk0pWXtXPoKMNsMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Glascoed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dvfMtok8LDI/YJBCgoq8R4I/AAAAAAAAHFw/6MjXXeJqM8sYG21fYyk0pWXtXPoKMNsMgCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Glascoed.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fAJiMDHcf1s/YJBCwHVKm-I/AAAAAAAAHF0/-wcNWGtiXB0ttzk6Hx0m3r3_nanwA9KtwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Early%2Bpurple%2Borchid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fAJiMDHcf1s/YJBCwHVKm-I/AAAAAAAAHF0/-wcNWGtiXB0ttzk6Hx0m3r3_nanwA9KtwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Early%2Bpurple%2Borchid.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early purple orchid</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fv2bkI5Uzq8/YJBDPXFRIJI/AAAAAAAAHGA/lYca6ZOSVFktyghX7gR4fTzygxtX51NXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/white%2Bcomfrey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fv2bkI5Uzq8/YJBDPXFRIJI/AAAAAAAAHGA/lYca6ZOSVFktyghX7gR4fTzygxtX51NXwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/white%2Bcomfrey.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White comfrey</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: justify;">Its been a few years since I visited St Michael's churchyard at Glascoed. This is the only location I know for<b> early purple orchid. </b>On arrival it was clear that no management had taken place for a while as the grass was rank and tussocky but there was still a liberal scattering of <b>cowslip. </b>Thankfully the early purple orchid were still present but not in profusion - there were just about a dozen in flower. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Out from the churchyard I took a walk around Glascoed village looking for plants in the road verge and hedgebank. Cowslips were growing in every scrap of uncut grass verge along with some nice examples of <b>false oxlip. </b>Around a bend in the road was a high bank at the foot of a large garden. Here there was a large stand of<b> white comfrey.</b> Had it escaped from a cottage garden or had it arrived by other means? Either way there are few naturalized records for this plant from the vice county. Further on a large <b>badger</b> sett could be seen at the interface between field boundary and road.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Later I took a drive down Cwm hir lane near to New Inn. This is a rural dead end lane with nicely managed hedgerows with footpath links through arable fields. At the base of the roadside hedges where a characteristic community of flowering plants including <b>bugle</b> and <b>red dead nettle </b>along with a patch of <b>greater celandine.</b></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GfBU1ThcVGs/YJBDyOpqEgI/AAAAAAAAHGI/twF3DSPcXEMkxlCxrbNReftPduyK3ISQACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/cwmhir%2Blane.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GfBU1ThcVGs/YJBDyOpqEgI/AAAAAAAAHGI/twF3DSPcXEMkxlCxrbNReftPduyK3ISQACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/cwmhir%2Blane.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cwm hir lane</td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRIAMuQLgX0/YJBERGch-aI/AAAAAAAAHGQ/ngc9mLNpBfALjM3vKakbBBnphjHFgFB0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/arable.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SRIAMuQLgX0/YJBERGch-aI/AAAAAAAAHGQ/ngc9mLNpBfALjM3vKakbBBnphjHFgFB0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/arable.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFqnk3GQN_c/YJBEmstXxdI/AAAAAAAAHGY/M6Ce_DLEeTcUhzzYHP3funu9WIygqj-EwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Greater%2Bcelandine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SFqnk3GQN_c/YJBEmstXxdI/AAAAAAAAHGY/M6Ce_DLEeTcUhzzYHP3funu9WIygqj-EwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Greater%2Bcelandine.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greater celandine</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-46327057497720465942021-04-15T17:51:00.000+01:002021-04-15T17:51:21.803+01:00I'm not religious, honest. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBAO_o8eJ6Y/YHFdBaNU61I/AAAAAAAAHDQ/doi5ylSLawQFj5EazoOX6Wns9UQxsKPEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/church.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hBAO_o8eJ6Y/YHFdBaNU61I/AAAAAAAAHDQ/doi5ylSLawQFj5EazoOX6Wns9UQxsKPEgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/church.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Over the Easter weekend I went to church, not because I am religious but because the church grounds at St Michael Llanfihangel Pontymoel is an excellent churchyard for spring flowering plants. The following pictures illustrate the diversity wild flowers present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E5EP-JUEFo4/YHFo0BC2s5I/AAAAAAAAHFA/2QsEukAVNV8AAXjGxi6XfVrUMyTiU8q1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ramsons.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E5EP-JUEFo4/YHFo0BC2s5I/AAAAAAAAHFA/2QsEukAVNV8AAXjGxi6XfVrUMyTiU8q1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/ramsons.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramsons</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-064p-wSaQyw/YHFoYSHm0NI/AAAAAAAAHE4/9eRPjcsqIP0Q1SS0LRmAVEabWuZ4ENvuACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/opposite%2Bleaved%2Bsaxifrage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-064p-wSaQyw/YHFoYSHm0NI/AAAAAAAAHE4/9eRPjcsqIP0Q1SS0LRmAVEabWuZ4ENvuACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/opposite%2Bleaved%2Bsaxifrage.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opposite Leaved Saxifrage</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9wRDRJFquEs/YHFhv8T-OzI/AAAAAAAAHDY/ZdhWPri_PcYGbWbAIldsOlsJgabZmANuACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Bluebell.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9wRDRJFquEs/YHFhv8T-OzI/AAAAAAAAHDY/ZdhWPri_PcYGbWbAIldsOlsJgabZmANuACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Bluebell.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebell<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pH6O-2S7Ow/YHFiO__-GaI/AAAAAAAAHDk/1m2DBNgNjhYgPyXeLy0uy-Kjg-ydDrf4wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Common%2Bdog%2Bviolet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pH6O-2S7Ow/YHFiO__-GaI/AAAAAAAAHDk/1m2DBNgNjhYgPyXeLy0uy-Kjg-ydDrf4wCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Common%2Bdog%2Bviolet.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="266" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Dog Violet</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pH6O-2S7Ow/YHFiO__-GaI/AAAAAAAAHDk/1m2DBNgNjhYgPyXeLy0uy-Kjg-ydDrf4wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Common%2Bdog%2Bviolet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EI27KWKGPzE/YHFkHTMpzZI/AAAAAAAAHEA/km5HLfBg9fY_KgYIWyrRZzkNZe2_KYc0ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cuckoo%2Bflower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EI27KWKGPzE/YHFkHTMpzZI/AAAAAAAAHEA/km5HLfBg9fY_KgYIWyrRZzkNZe2_KYc0ACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Cuckoo%2Bflower.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuckoo Flower</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LFoNgaN7XTk/YHFkt7x_A1I/AAAAAAAAHEI/bpkqyMyLyKkO8dJeIEErZp4Ug9YqPtmbQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/dogs%2Bmercury.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LFoNgaN7XTk/YHFkt7x_A1I/AAAAAAAAHEI/bpkqyMyLyKkO8dJeIEErZp4Ug9YqPtmbQCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/dogs%2Bmercury.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dogs Mercury<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwu2f0q-Q1I/YHFl9x6qSrI/AAAAAAAAHEU/BsjiFc0AXeUgn81IQivuA0098CbJHMOxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Early%2Bdog%2Bviolet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwu2f0q-Q1I/YHFl9x6qSrI/AAAAAAAAHEU/BsjiFc0AXeUgn81IQivuA0098CbJHMOxQCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Early%2Bdog%2Bviolet.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early Dog Violet<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-27h517dyjnI/YHFmxyrwZPI/AAAAAAAAHEg/qzNG2mqof9MUfg45tKMz-KpgpLvkDtRlQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/ground%2Bivy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-27h517dyjnI/YHFmxyrwZPI/AAAAAAAAHEg/qzNG2mqof9MUfg45tKMz-KpgpLvkDtRlQCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/ground%2Bivy.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ground Ivy<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BneZYse8Qc/YHFjX2Q7YGI/AAAAAAAAHDw/29sdnzQXzxg0Xl-faZDTxv8alqNOwze3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Common%2Bprimrose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BneZYse8Qc/YHFjX2Q7YGI/AAAAAAAAHDw/29sdnzQXzxg0Xl-faZDTxv8alqNOwze3QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Common%2Bprimrose.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Primrose<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br />Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-27189602177534483472021-04-03T07:46:00.000+01:002021-04-03T07:46:30.149+01:00Clubmosses<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5jW_cj_jRo4/YGgOC3pOF2I/AAAAAAAAHCc/3-DwXuKpjps4oWNrQ1gpKGLwTWpQgg7oACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/tips.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5jW_cj_jRo4/YGgOC3pOF2I/AAAAAAAAHCc/3-DwXuKpjps4oWNrQ1gpKGLwTWpQgg7oACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/tips.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">It was in August 2017 that I stumbled upon a thriving colony of <b>alpine clubmoss</b> beside a track on a tip in the Canada Tips area of the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape. After a visit from the joint county botanical recorders it was confirmed as the first record for the vice county of Monmouthshire and the most southerly population in the UK. Since this time I have made frequent visits to check on its progress and that of a nearby patch of <b>fir clubmoss</b>.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">At the beginning of the Easter break I decided that another check of the clubmosses was in order along with quick look at a disused industrial reservoir, now just marshy grassland for a possible <b>marsh clubmoss.</b> While I wasn't lucky enough to find the marsh variety I did find two new patches of alpine clubmoss. The first was approximately 100 metres south west of the original site with the second over 500 metres north. Although marginal, but the new south westerly site is now the most southerly in the UK. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcEgV7UXQQk/YGgOeRIn9NI/AAAAAAAAHCk/pEKyTbA-TcEQh9UhBaJrWYs47dRcA1lqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/alpine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HcEgV7UXQQk/YGgOeRIn9NI/AAAAAAAAHCk/pEKyTbA-TcEQh9UhBaJrWYs47dRcA1lqwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/alpine.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-L_OyTwDeE/YGgOyjj7RKI/AAAAAAAAHCs/iBQxjz-QU1UZAr7NThwHteHjpumEJAPlwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/fir.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-L_OyTwDeE/YGgOyjj7RKI/AAAAAAAAHCs/iBQxjz-QU1UZAr7NThwHteHjpumEJAPlwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/fir.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7EbmNAMPIpM/YGgPBSFeswI/AAAAAAAAHCw/-_YopwMF9TgtwDuo6KJs1whCftexjYLDwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/resrvoir.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7EbmNAMPIpM/YGgPBSFeswI/AAAAAAAAHCw/-_YopwMF9TgtwDuo6KJs1whCftexjYLDwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/resrvoir.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-27710496441265565182021-03-28T08:54:00.001+01:002021-03-29T09:38:56.046+01:00Idiot alert<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDjaEWobN_8/YGAluk-9h0I/AAAAAAAAHBw/GhPD_Q78wIMXL0uRJ-sKsNCblgcvQCOcACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCN0704.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDjaEWobN_8/YGAluk-9h0I/AAAAAAAAHBw/GhPD_Q78wIMXL0uRJ-sKsNCblgcvQCOcACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/DSCN0704.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In the midst of a global pandemic there's another epidemic that's taking hold in uplands and upland fringe. Its that of off-road biking. Over the last year I've walked my beloved local landscape and witnessed the damage these idiots are inflicting on the natural and cultural environment. The impact on the landscape is the worst I've known it in my lifetime. From the World Heritage Site at Blaenavon, to the ancient woodlands of Blaenserchan and Graig Ddu and onto the common land of Mynydd Garn -wen these simpletons ride without fear of the law. Some arrive via Transit vans other simply use the highway network despite having no insurance or licence plate. I've seen groups of bikers drinking pints in a local pub before leaving to race up the main road to Brynmawr and Sunday's in Abersychan is a spectacle of speeding, over taking and wheelie pulling. And as for adhering to Covid restrictions, you can forget it. No one that routinely breaks common land and highways law is going to worry about a little thing like Covid.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9_gINgaguj8/YGA0n8VYNDI/AAAAAAAAHB4/psHY2UUh8TAdqjSR0dt1QqOZWf9cbqKbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/statue.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9_gINgaguj8/YGA0n8VYNDI/AAAAAAAAHB4/psHY2UUh8TAdqjSR0dt1QqOZWf9cbqKbwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/statue.JPG" title="Llanerch Pit Disaster Memorial" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Yesterday's walk up the Blaenserchan Valley was dogged by the constant background noise of bikers. In convoy, eight bikers raced up banks, rode through ponds and streams and joyfully scrambled through ancient woodland. With the Llanerch Memorial now attracting visitors including young families to enjoy the post industrial landscape the disrespectful actions of these numbskulls is an embarrassment and a stain on the legacy of our forefathers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">With that off my chest there was not much nature on show. An overhead calling <b>raven</b> and a distant <b>green woodpecker</b> accompanied a single <b>coal tit</b> and <b>meadow pipit</b>. On the plant front <b>common</b> <b>whitlow grass</b> and <b>parsley piert </b>were pleasing albeit common early Spring flowering plants.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5Y86tnfYHI/YGA1IPg9dsI/AAAAAAAAHCA/PYArmNZhCasgFQUXH1FpVqToNJlt9KgqwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/parsley%2Bpiert.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5Y86tnfYHI/YGA1IPg9dsI/AAAAAAAAHCA/PYArmNZhCasgFQUXH1FpVqToNJlt9KgqwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/parsley%2Bpiert.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parsley Piert</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpIO0t6LEzM/YGA1gvM0JdI/AAAAAAAAHCI/ULPbbcKIxDwWTaSpQGyR1BApFu6YiiFrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/whitlow%2Bgrass.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SpIO0t6LEzM/YGA1gvM0JdI/AAAAAAAAHCI/ULPbbcKIxDwWTaSpQGyR1BApFu6YiiFrQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/whitlow%2Bgrass.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosettes of Common Whitlow Grass</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-43269176099077490102021-03-06T07:55:00.003+00:002021-05-15T17:37:28.257+01:00Notes from a woodland walk<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xPeAUhNs_vc/YEHc4vuO8_I/AAAAAAAAHAI/17A-0Q98lD4Ld6zJDELBGTAcCrTxOvxEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/coppice%2Bbeech.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xPeAUhNs_vc/YEHc4vuO8_I/AAAAAAAAHAI/17A-0Q98lD4Ld6zJDELBGTAcCrTxOvxEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/coppice%2Bbeech.JPG" title="Pollarded beech" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pollarded beech</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Motivation is at an all time low. Generating the energy to explore my local patch is a struggle at the moment. Nonetheless a day of sunshine was just the incentive I needed to make my way to Blaenavon Community Woodland. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This wooded area on the southern edge of Blaenavon is under the ownership of Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and in the recent past was cleared of its<b> larch</b> plantation. The only conifers that now remain include a large stand of <b>lodgepole pine</b> and a small amount of larch regeneration. A useful product of the conifer clearance has been to reveal some of the landscape secrets of yesteryear. One of native woodlands, drystone wall and meadows.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Getting off the forestry haul road and its steady stream of dog walkers, joggers, bike riders and walkers with headphones, is the only way a naturalist can to find and appreciate nature. Birdlife was fairly thin apart from a mobile population of <b>siskin. </b>An early <b>small tortoiseshell</b> briefly alighted in the sunshine before moving on. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Looking for trees was much more rewarding. The species, their shape and form can tell us a lot about how the landscape and its natural resources were used by farmers in the past. Dropping down from the well used haul road with its<b> silver birch</b> complete with <b>witches broom</b> I found myself in a small patch of <b>beech</b> woodland. On its margin was a scrubby enclosure, bordered by a fragmented drystone wall. Here is a small stand of coppiced <b>hazel,</b> along with an <b>alder</b> managed the same manner. Some individual alders were pock marked with woodpecker activity and on the ground the recent spring like weather was encouraging the green shoots of <b>bluebell</b> to emerge. Here too the smooth bark of the beech trees supported some arborglyphs or tree carvings notched by woodland lovers seeking their own personal space. I find these carvings fairly frequently and often in locations where few people now venture. Whilst none can be classed as special works of art, they are windows into an era when the outdoors was much more attractive to youngsters than it is today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A former farm track that now doubles up as a public footpath leads from even more derelict farm enclosures and remnant buildings to emerge within sight of the Blorenge Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). A line of equi-spaced sycamore trees mark the way, one supporting the a narrow shelled<b> tree snail</b>. Here too was a fine pollarded beech tree is shrouded by the oppressive lodgepole pine.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_qUjNSDRGmo/YEHe-A0ez9I/AAAAAAAAHAQ/IQQPk9x2Ym8p8CgIEFTkNeTfeNKfLP13gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/coppiced%2Balder.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_qUjNSDRGmo/YEHe-A0ez9I/AAAAAAAAHAQ/IQQPk9x2Ym8p8CgIEFTkNeTfeNKfLP13gCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/coppiced%2Balder.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coppiced alder</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--KixQZyzYCc/YEHfZXmsIBI/AAAAAAAAHAY/n49DH4QrE6UqB8Qknu1J1Jx0IG5y1q0NACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/coppiced%2Bhazel.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--KixQZyzYCc/YEHfZXmsIBI/AAAAAAAAHAY/n49DH4QrE6UqB8Qknu1J1Jx0IG5y1q0NACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/coppiced%2Bhazel.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coppiced hazel</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kBRh_Hy3ST0/YEHf-djZmOI/AAAAAAAAHAg/chgB7H5Iu9kDlqFq7D3f6PJBb4O9EscVACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/sycamore%2Bline.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kBRh_Hy3ST0/YEHf-djZmOI/AAAAAAAAHAg/chgB7H5Iu9kDlqFq7D3f6PJBb4O9EscVACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/sycamore%2Bline.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Line of planted sycamore</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvI161KSQ94/YEHgglmEEFI/AAAAAAAAHAo/NGg5bHm1gRYqFaqlz3tmlD6ujCgZlJcNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/bluebell.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DvI161KSQ94/YEHgglmEEFI/AAAAAAAAHAo/NGg5bHm1gRYqFaqlz3tmlD6ujCgZlJcNgCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/bluebell.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emerging bluebell</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-754W7ASIUwQ/YEHg7CQFexI/AAAAAAAAHAw/ZPFKjtrmL7ozVCDiDPp43_8d9ONZL-NVwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/woodpecker%2Bactiviy.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-754W7ASIUwQ/YEHg7CQFexI/AAAAAAAAHAw/ZPFKjtrmL7ozVCDiDPp43_8d9ONZL-NVwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/woodpecker%2Bactiviy.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodpecker activity</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FsS9HCqntv0/YEHhbqB8WuI/AAAAAAAAHA4/o8miJ9jQebAEj8efH7I6Kn6MT4-sTdZnACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/witches%2Bbroom.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FsS9HCqntv0/YEHhbqB8WuI/AAAAAAAAHA4/o8miJ9jQebAEj8efH7I6Kn6MT4-sTdZnACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/witches%2Bbroom.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Witches broom on silver birch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pq6wEADHeZU/YEHlD5P_0fI/AAAAAAAAHBA/cwTZtgHEsY0tyxkKwMy9rZf3AmBaplDsACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Arboglypths.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pq6wEADHeZU/YEHlD5P_0fI/AAAAAAAAHBA/cwTZtgHEsY0tyxkKwMy9rZf3AmBaplDsACLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Arboglypths.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arborglyph</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-49974655909300443842021-01-31T10:18:00.001+00:002021-02-20T17:14:33.951+00:00The locals<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pw3J2HdZFVA/YBZpmHEWf4I/AAAAAAAAG-0/s_OXaR0f60AtZb1T0pAMJB35fM7VMHU_wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Icey%2Blane.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pw3J2HdZFVA/YBZpmHEWf4I/AAAAAAAAG-0/s_OXaR0f60AtZb1T0pAMJB35fM7VMHU_wCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Icey%2Blane.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A local lockdown walk along Lasgarn Lane, Trevethin, to the trig point on Mynydd Garn Wen was more memorable for sub zero temperatures and the number of local people who had similar intentions, rather than any wildlife on offer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The lane itself was treacherous in places. On bends where high roadside hedges prevented the winter sun from penetrating to the surface the overnight formation of ice was a trap for those without sure foot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The walk itself is always a delight whatever the season. Thick managed hedgerows, fragmented in places by field gates and farm tracks bleeds into moss covered drystone walls flanked by majestic<b> beech</b> trees. The verge between road and field boundary ranged from hedge bank to small grassy margin. A few <b>redwing</b> fed in a sheep grazed field and a <b>nuthatch</b> called from the top of a large beech tree.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Where the roadside margin is wide enough to accommodate some fallen timber I noted some that was sporting the distinctive phenomenon of <b>hair ice. </b>It was only a day or two before that BBC's Winterwatch was talking about the very same thing. Hair ice is produced by a fungus found in rotting wood called <i>Exidiopsis effusa. </i>This in turn results in strands of ice that resembles hair.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When on my knees photographing the hair ice, I became aware of two young lads who had paused from pushing their bikes up the lane. They seemed puzzled by a middle aged man on his knees in the countryside - and who wouldn't I suppose. I proceeded to the mountain gate and the lads cycled past. On the track to the trig point there were walkers and a transit van from whence came three scrambler bikes. There was litter from the evening before's take away and another vehicle that had just arrived containing a family with rabbiting type dogs. Not driving for your exercise had clearly fallen on deaf ears on this occasion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After visiting the trig point I returned for home. People were still coming up the lane with others like me returning. A seasoned walker with rucksack only just kept his footing as he passed through an ice patch. At a field gate I paused to look for ground feeding redwing in the grassland sward beyond. As I did the two aforementioned young cyclists rode past at speed. The second lad, had clearly thought that seeing me on my knees photographing hair ice, that I was foraging for food, because as he went passed he shouted, 'looking for food are you, you sad bastard'. Local lads don't you just love 'um?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DRN-NHYBFak/YBZp4cSRw6I/AAAAAAAAG-8/JkDXLUJutaAZdhk5weGElhkFUZZ44zoWACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Hair%2Bice.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DRN-NHYBFak/YBZp4cSRw6I/AAAAAAAAG-8/JkDXLUJutaAZdhk5weGElhkFUZZ44zoWACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Hair%2Bice.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lrahz2A5YIk/YBZqJNEON4I/AAAAAAAAG_E/29-b8HCp2q8b9lO2M6b7snBuGOaM9-SBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/layed%2Bbeech.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lrahz2A5YIk/YBZqJNEON4I/AAAAAAAAG_E/29-b8HCp2q8b9lO2M6b7snBuGOaM9-SBQCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/layed%2Bbeech.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUcSxL7f7zg/YBZqlc1_JZI/AAAAAAAAG_M/i246AFHvmjkrOkXLR9v2MJz02fqDGVNSwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/trig%2Bpoint.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gUcSxL7f7zg/YBZqlc1_JZI/AAAAAAAAG_M/i246AFHvmjkrOkXLR9v2MJz02fqDGVNSwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/trig%2Bpoint.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-486146415872292419.post-53723943761643658542021-01-15T18:42:00.000+00:002021-01-15T18:42:20.002+00:00The Pontypool Black Redstart<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lA4r0W4pYbE/YAHGqkEePfI/AAAAAAAAG94/8SYQw4mQT4gnxZqJCERyq6KwO4hbohw5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCN0597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lA4r0W4pYbE/YAHGqkEePfI/AAAAAAAAG94/8SYQw4mQT4gnxZqJCERyq6KwO4hbohw5QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/DSCN0597.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oox4dLl6cbc/YAHG3EjSPcI/AAAAAAAAG98/wQ7XRhVVlTseP_EZUzYO5UXGAGzTIbzJACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCN0590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oox4dLl6cbc/YAHG3EjSPcI/AAAAAAAAG98/wQ7XRhVVlTseP_EZUzYO5UXGAGzTIbzJACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/DSCN0590.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T26veZtF20w/YAHHJYOW5JI/AAAAAAAAG-I/d3vsdljtE58tddcl21u22mYnecSnJho4wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/DSCN0600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T26veZtF20w/YAHHJYOW5JI/AAAAAAAAG-I/d3vsdljtE58tddcl21u22mYnecSnJho4wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/DSCN0600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Lockdown is miserable but necessary. Walks are local, so notable birds are thin on the ground. But news via Twitter of a <b>black redstart</b> in Pontypool that was just over a mile from my home had me considering a different route from my regular walk.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In a way it was refreshing to connect with a black redstart that was more accessible. Most of the few that I'd seen previously were roof top individuals and the only value in taking photographs were for record shots. This one was different.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">On arrival at the roadside location - a busy traffic light intersection - two birders were already present. Complete with collective binoculars and camera we were receiving some bemused looks from passers by. The bird itself had taken up residence on a small area of cobbled grey infrastructure between a cycleway and the main Pontypool to Blaenavon road. To my amazement the bird was feeding at ground level hopping between the cobbles, occasionally alighting on the roasdside crash barriers feet from moving traffic. There was at least one instance of the bird flying low across an adjacent road seemingly timed to coincide with the traffic lights turning red. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Valley Naturalisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10388870124075590171noreply@blogger.com0