• ABOUT
  • BIRDING 2018
  • Birding 2019
  • BLOG POSTS
  • Butterflies 2018
  • Resources

earthstar

~ a celebration of nature

earthstar

Tag Archives: Nant Fawr Woodlands

A walk in Nant Fawr

12 Tuesday Dec 2017

Posted by sconzani in birds, nature, walks, winter

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

birding, birdwatching, blackbird, Brambling, British birds, Carrion crow, dunnock, Great spotted woodpecker, house sparrow, Nant Fawr, Nant Fawr Woodlands, Song thrush, walk in the woods

There was snow on the hills north of Cardiff on Saturday morning so I thought I’d try to get closer to take some photos but also combine that with a good walk. So, I jumped on a train and went a’stomping. Unfortunately, by the time I got closer, the snow had mostly melted away, which wasn’t helped by the fact that the footpath I had intended to follow, along the eastern side of the Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs, was closed. So, I contented myself with a wander through the Nant Fawr woodlands and, afterwards, a circuit of Roath Park Lake.

171212 Nant Fawr (1)

I was rewarded with the sight, albeit distant, of my very first Brambling – my shots are heavily cropped so you’ll just have to take my word for it!

171212 Nant Fawr (2) Brambling
171212 Nant Fawr (3) Brambling

A small group of House sparrows was dotting about in bushes at the woodland edge.

171212 Nant Fawr (4) Sparrow
171212 Nant Fawr (5) Sparrow
171212 Nant Fawr (6) Sparrow
171212 Nant Fawr (7) Sparrow

I always thought Carrion crows were mostly solitary birds but this flock of about 20 proved me wrong.

171212 Nant Fawr (8) Crow171212 Nant Fawr (9) Crow

The wood-tapping of this Great spotted woodpecker helped direct my lens in its direction, as did the singing of this little Dunnock.

171212 Nant Fawr (10) Great spotted woodpecker
171212 Nant Fawr (11) Dunnock

And Song thrushes and Blackbirds were enjoying a hearty lunch of berries along the hedgerows.

171212 Nant Fawr (12) Blackbird
171212 Nant Fawr (13) Song thrush

Like this:

Like Loading...

Green elfcups

10 Thursday Nov 2016

Posted by sconzani in fungi, nature

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Chlorociboria aeruginascens, Chlorociboria aeruginosa, cup fungi, cup fungus, Elfcups, Green elfcup, Nant Fawr Woodlands, Turquoise elfcup

I’d seen these gorgeous little cup fungi a few times before but last Saturday was the first time I’d found them myself, in nearby Nant Fawr Woodlands, and it’s fair to say I was over the moon! They’re tiny – I deliberately took a photo of my hand holding the fallen branch they were growing on to show their size – but their colour is so unusual that it catches the eye, so they’re not that difficult to spot, though they’re also not very common.

green-elfcup-4

Now, I don’t know about you but I would describe their colour as turquoise, or near as dammit, but there are two very similar species of these cups and these are more likely to be Green elfcups (Chlorociboria aeruginascens) rather than Turqoise elfcups (Chlorociboria aeruginosa), as the latter are smaller and quite rare. Microscope work is needed to distinguish the two and even that is reported to be difficult.

green-elfcup-1

One fascinating thing about these beautiful fungi is the green staining they cause in wood, and, not surprisingly, that wood is highly prized by woodturners. In fact, in Victorian times, green-stained oak was one of the woods used to make Tunbridge ware, the name given to a type of inlaid decorative woodwork that haled originally from the towns of Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells in Kent. The antique pieces are still highly sort after by collectors and just a little out of my price range but they certainly are lovely.

green-elfcup-2
green-elfcup-3

Like this:

Like Loading...

Welsh biodiversity: Nant Fawr Woodlands

05 Sunday Jun 2016

Posted by sconzani in nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

30 Days Wild, biodiversity, Nant Fawr Woodlands, Wales Biodiversity Week, wildflowers, woodland

For day two of Wales Biodiversity Week (and day 5 of 30 Days Wild, which I am also following – more information on that Wildlife Trust initiative here) – I went for a wander around one of my local nature reserves, Nant Fawr Woodlands. Established as a green corridor by Cardiff City Council in 1993 and following the Nant Fawr stream from Roath Park Lake to Llanishen Reservoir, the woodlands are managed by a group of local conservation-minded residents, ‘The Friends of Nant Fawr’.

160605 nant fawr (1)

As well as two parcels of woodland harbouring some magnificent old trees, the area also includes three ancient meadows, once part of Rhyd-y-blewn farm, which are valuable habitats for wildflowers and the insects that thrive on them. The Friends are part of the Cardiff Biodiversity Partnership, have a well-developed biodiversity action plan, and manage the woodlands and meadows in accordance with agreed guidelines to conserve and enhance this wonderful environment.

160605 nant fawr (2)

It’s a wonderful place for a ramble, taking you from city to countryside, with much to enjoy along the way.

160605 nant fawr (3)
160605 nant fawr (4)
160605 nant fawr (5)
160605 nant fawr (6)
160605 nant fawr (7)
160605 nant fawr (8)
160605 nant fawr (9)
160605 nant fawr (10)
160605 nant fawr (11)

Like this:

Like Loading...

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.

View Full Profile →

Follow earthstar on WordPress.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent blog posts

  • Interesting snippets about Swallows May 27, 2023
  • Dryad’s saddles May 26, 2023
  • You know it’s almost summer when … May 25, 2023
  • Wild word: antenna May 24, 2023
  • Mr and Ms Orange-tip May 23, 2023

From the archives

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

COPYRIGHT

Unless otherwise acknowledged, the text and photographs on this blog are my own and are subject to international copyright. Nothing may be downloaded or copied without my permission.

Fellow Earth Stars!

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • earthstar
    • Join 588 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • earthstar
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.

    %d bloggers like this: