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earthstar

~ a celebration of nature

earthstar

Category Archives: 365DaysWildin2019

21/365 A Snipe or three

21 Monday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, walks, winter

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, Forest Farm, Forest Farm Nature Reserve, Snipe, Snipe in reeds

When I headed to Forest Farm Nature Reserve today, I was hoping to add a Dipper to my year list (tick) and, as frosty mornings often lure them out from the reeds, I was also hoping to see some Snipe – these are they. Not as close as I’d have liked but still good to see as they are so well camouflaged they’re often difficult to spot. There were lots of other lovelies too: a Kingfisher, two Buzzards being harassed by Crows, three Great spotted woodpeckers, a ton of Mallards and Moorhens loudly staking out territories in preparation for breeding, four Grey herons like statues in a dead tree, and my first Snowdrops of the year. T’rrific!

190121 snipe

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20/365 Gadding about

20 Sunday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Gadwall, Gadwalls mating, Spring is in the air

While I was feeling glad of my hat, scarf, gloves and woolly jumpers today, Mr and Mrs Gadwall were clearly thinking that Spring was in the air.

190120 gadding about

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19/365 Hopalong Rock pipit

19 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, winter

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, Ely embankment, Hoppy the rock pipit, Rock pipit, Rock pipit with damaged claw

It was lovely to catch up with my little friend, Hoppy the Rock pipit, as I walked along the Ely embankment today. It’s a month since I last saw him (and blogged about him – or her) and it’s always good to know s/he’s still doing okay. Today, little Hoppy was dotting around the apartment gardens and on to balcony railings quite fearlessly. I imagine the colder temperatures this week mean there’s not so much fodder at the water’s edge so Hoppy has to expand his/her grazing range.

190119 hopalong rock pipit

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18/365 A slimy Friday

18 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, fungi, nature, winter

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, Cogan Wood, Cosmeston, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, slime, slime mould, slime on ivy leaf

It’s been wintery today, with a chill wind and frequent showers, but I rugged up and headed out for a stomp for the air and exercise. Cosmeston was almost empty of people and dogs, something unheard of on warmer days, and any wildlife was also keeping well under cover. So, I enjoyed a bimble in Cogan Wood, picking up logs, looking for insects and fungi, and I found this interesting slime mould growing on an ivy leaf.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

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17/365 Goosey Goosanders

17 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, walks, winter

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, birding, British birds, Cardiff Bay, Ely embankment, Goosander, walk around Cardiff Bay

Today dawned bright and cold, the perfect day for a long walk, so I took myself out for a long stroll down to Penarth Marina, across the Cardiff Bay Barrage and around to the wetlands reserve, and then back again. These Goosanders – a male at the front and a snoozing female behind, with a second female just out of the frame – were the first birds I saw when I reached Cardiff Bay. Such handsome creatures.

190117 goosanders

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16/365 Juvenile Herring gull

16 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, seaside, winter

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

1st year Herring gull, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Herring gull, juvenile Herring gull

Another day, another bird club trip, this time to Kenfig pool (where we had the Slavonian grebe and the Great white egret), to Porthcawl (first Cattle egrets of the year), and to Newton Point (first Purple sandpipers, but no Black redstart today). It was a cracking day’s birding but rather rainy much of the time so the camera didn’t come out often and my best shot of the day was of this juvenile (1st year) Herring gull who was pleading with us to share our sandwiches as we sat on the seawall at Porthcawl. It was out of luck!

190116 juvenile herring gull

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15/365 Shedding a tear

15 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, nature, trees, weather, winter

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, bark, rain, rain on tree bark, tree bark

More un-forecast rain stopped play today or, at least, limited it to a stroll around the town in full wet weather gear. Still, there are always things to see, especially if you work with the weather, and use a little imagination. So, while you might think this is just water running down a tree trunk, I see an eye shedding a tear.

190115 shedding a tear

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14/365 A nest of rubbish

14 Monday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, birding, birds' nest, birdwatching, nest, nest made of rubbish

190114 nest of rubbish (1)

When I walked along a local path today, I noticed this old birds’ nest propped up on top of a fence. I’m sure this is not where the nest was made – it had probably fallen from a tree and someone had picked it up. Nests are such wonderful constructions and this was no exception, though I was rather dismayed at how much human detritus had been included in it (I’ve included a second photo today, to show the detail).

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

 

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13/365 Llanrhidian sunset

13 Sunday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, birds, nature, seaside, walks

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, Glamorgan Bird Club, Llanrhidian Marsh, sunset, sunset over Llanrhidian Marsh

The sun goes down on an absolutely magnificent day, a 12-hour day of birding at Whiteford Point and Llanrhidian Marsh, a long walk with 33 fellow birders from the Glamorgan Bird Club in stunning Welsh scenery, seeing some wonderful birds and adding 16 new species to my 2019 year list, catching up with friends, enjoying good conversations and sharing some laughs – life doesn’t get much better!

190113 llanrhidian marsh sunset

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12/365 A daffodilly day

12 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, flowers, nature, winter

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, daffodil, spring in winter, yellow flowers

In truth, there is nothing wild about these gorgeous daffodils – they must’ve been planted several years ago in the wide verges near Cardiff Bay Hospital, but it was such a delight to see their bright and glorious little faces bobbing in the light breeze on a grey day. And they were rather nicer than the thick sticky mud I trudged through as I made a circuit of Grangemoor Park.

190112 daffodils

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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