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~ a celebration of nature

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Tag Archives: River Taff

A walk along the Taff

10 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by sconzani in autumn, birds, nature, parks, trees, walks, wildflowers

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Tags

Bute Park, Carrion crow, Goosander, Green alkanet, Grey heron, Grey wagtail, Mallard, Mute swan, River Taff, riverside walk, Speckled wood, woodland trail

On Friday, after I’d paid a visit to the tree I’m following, I enjoyed a stroll along the trail in Cardiff’s Bute Park that meanders through mature woodland alongside the River Taff. Despite this summer’s drought conditions, the recent rains have revived the local trees and plants so everything was looking wonderfully lush and vibrant.

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A female Goosander sailing down river was a pleasant sight. Both males and females can often be seen on this part of the Taff from autumn through to spring.

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Near the far river bank, a Grey heron stood tall on one of the many exposed rocks and boulders. The river is quite low at the moment.

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There weren’t a lot of signs of autumn yet – only the leaves of the Horse chestnuts were yellowing and curling up and beginning to drop.

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A Speckled wood was well camouflaged on the woodland floor. There weren’t many butterflies around, just half a dozen Speckled woods and a few Small whites.

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A Mallard enjoyed a snooze near the river’s edge.

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I liked the colours and patterns of the pebbles and the occasionally blue sky reflected in the river water.

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This was one of two Mute swans feeding.

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I’ve seen this particular Carrion crow many times before when I’ve walked this way. I know it’s the same crow, not because of how it looks but because it has virtually no voice. It tries to croak but hardly any sound comes out.

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Most of the wildflowers have finished flowering but this Green alkanet was a pretty exception.

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Just a few hints of autumn showing here. I love how this path meanders through these magnificent trees.

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The woodland trail finishes just below Blackweir, where the current low water level means many rocks and boulders have been exposed. This was the perfect spot for a group of perhaps 20 Grey wagtails to fly-catch, and watching their aerial antics was the perfect end to my wander alongside the Taff.

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Down by the riverside

04 Sunday Dec 2016

Posted by sconzani in nature, parks, trees, winter

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Blackweir, Cardiff, Llandaff Weir, River Taff, Taff Trail, Taffside trail

Today was a glorious early winter day: bright blue skies; chilly enough to wrap up in winter woollies, hat, scarf and gloves; crisp underfoot. So, duly rugged up, I headed down to the riverside. I walked part of the Taff Trail north from Blackweir, crossed the river at the next bridge and continued on along the riverside trail to Llandaff, then completed the circuit back to Blackweir on the western side of the river. I hope you can see from my photos why I think it has been the most perfect day!

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The Taff Trail heading north alongside the River Taff

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Still on the Taff Trail

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Gulls enjoying a bath at Llandaff Weir

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Trees along the edge of Pontcanna Fields

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River Taff, almost directly opposite where I took the first photo

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The footbridge across the Taff at Blackweir

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From the bridge looking south down the Taff

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Almost back to where I started, with the riverside looking glorious in the late afternoon sun

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Autumn in Cardiff: Bute Park

20 Sunday Nov 2016

Posted by sconzani in autumn, nature, parks, trees

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Tags

autumn colour, autumn leaves, Bute Park, Cardiff, River Taff

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Bute Park is, well, beaut! Cardiff’s green heart has wilderness and playing fields; cycling tracks and walking paths; a stone circle; an ambling canal on one side and a roaring river on the other; grand avenues of ginkgoes and limes, and a botanical treasury of trees. Though some of my photos were taken 10 days ago, on a bright blue-sky day, the majority were taken during this afternoon’s long ramble hither and yon. Luckily, winter’s first official storm, Angus, which blasted the city with rain, hail and high winds over the past couple of days, hadn’t blown away all the splendid autumn hues but I fear this may be my last autumn post for this year … so, enjoy!

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One year, one month, one day

24 Monday Oct 2016

Posted by sconzani in autumn, nature, parks, seasons, trees

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

Bute Park, River Taff

I enjoyed a lovely long meander around Cardiff’s Bute Park on the weekend, strolled the riverside paths, strode along the towering lime avenue, and scuffed through the occasional deep drift of autumn leaves. It was magical! I took a ton of photos, as I always do, and when I was editing them later that evening, I realised I had one scene that was almost a perfect fit for an image I took last year. In fact, it was exactly one year, one month and one day ago. These are those two images, the oldest first.

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The mighty Taff

22 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by sconzani in nature

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

#WorldWaterDay, Cardiff, River Taff, water

Today is World Water Day. I have lived in countries where water is a daily issue for the local people. In the rural villages of Cambodia and Peru, piped water and sewage disposal were just a dream and the threat of disease from contaminated well water and poor hygiene practices was all too real.

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I feel privileged then to live in a country where I can take such things for granted and where I seem almost to be surrounded by water. Here in Cardiff, Roath Park Lake is just a 10-minute walk from where I’m currently living, the seaside at Penarth is only 20 minutes by train from my nearest station, and the city itself has grown up around the beautiful River Taff. The river rises in the Brecon Beacons, the mountains north of Cardiff, and winds its way down the valleys through several towns, across weirs and under bridges, into Cardiff Bay and, eventually, into the Bristol Channel.

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where the Taff flows in to Cardiff Bay

Having recovered from a century of coal mining pollution, the Taff is now home to impressive quantities of trout and salmon, sightings of otter are on the increase, and a splendid variety of birds can be seen on, in and around the river.

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A series of television programmes has recently been made about the Taff. Here’s a link to the first of these, which is currently available on iplayer. 

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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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