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~ a celebration of nature

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Tag Archives: south Wales coastal path

329/365 A nice bit of slime

25 Monday Nov 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, fungi, nature

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

bramble, slime, slime mould, south Wales coastal path

One of the advantages of all the recent wet weather is that it aids the development of slime moulds.

191125 slime mould (1)

I found this lovely stuff on some small dead bramble twigs during today’s walk along the south Wales coastal path.

191125 slime mould (2)

It may be Mucilago crustacea but I can’t be sure about that identification.

191125 slime mould (3)

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289/365 Hedge woundwort

16 Wednesday Oct 2019

Posted by sconzani in autumn, flowers, insects, nature, plants

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

autumn wildflowers, flower bug, Hedge woundwort, south Wales coastal path, wildflowers in bloom

Determined to make the most of a few hours of sunlight yesterday, I headed along the south Wales coastal path to see what I could find, taking just my small camera as more rain was forecast.

191016 hedge woundwort (1)

Vegetation along the path had been severely cut back since my last walk that way, which meant that wildflowers were few and far between, though I did find a few plants of Hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) still flowering.

191016 hedge woundwort (2)

And while trying to get some close-ups of the flowers, I had the distinct feeling I was being watched. A tiny, early instar flower bug (not sure which species) was sitting atop one of the flowers and, as if curious, it pranced across from the further flower to the nearer to see what I was doing. Cute!

191016 hedge woundwort (3)

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113/365 Superb Sully stroll

23 Tuesday Apr 2019

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

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, Bar-tailed Godwit, birding, birdwatching, British birds, south Wales coastal path, Sully, Sully beach, Whimbrel

I caught the bus to Sully this morning, walked along to the western end of the bay, then retraced my steps and walked along the coastal path all the way back to Penarth, about 7½ miles in total. And it was superb, especially the stroll along Sully Bay. I’d timed my walk to be there just before high tide, as that often pushes the birds up closer to the path that runs along the top of the beach, and this was a high high tide so, with some stealthy sneaking along behind the trees, I managed to get really close to a flock of six Whimbrels.

190423 whimbrel (1)
190423 whimbrel (2)
190423 whimbrel (3)
190423 whimbrel (4)

And, to my delight, the Whimbrels had two Bar-tailed godwits with them. I’ve never managed to get so close to either species before so I was really chuffed. And, if you’re wondering why the godwits don’t look the same, the bird on the left (below) is a male in his summer breeding colours, while the bird on the right might be a juvenile or a non-breeding adult.

190423 bar-tailed godwit (1)
190423 bar-tailed godwit (2)

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85/365 A day of firsts

26 Tuesday Mar 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, insects, ladybird, nature, spring

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

#365DaysWild, 7-spot ladybirds, bee-flies, Comma butterfly, Common Green Shieldbug, Dark-edged bee-fly, Peacock butterfly, Penarth Rail Trail, Sawfly, south Wales coastal path, Speckled wood

190326 (1) rail trail

I walked further than I intended today but I just couldn’t resist the sunshine, the calls of the birds, the bees and hoverflies buzzing all around, the white blossom and the vibrant green leaf growth … it was magical! Yesterday, I saw my first Peacock butterflies of the year and today I saw four more, plus my first two Speckled woods and my first Comma, my first Common green shieldbug and my first Dark-edged bee-flies, lots of them, and my first 7-spot ladybirds. It gladdens my heart to see so much new life emerging.

 

190326 (2) speckled wood
190326 (3) bee-fly
190326 (4) 7-spot ladybird
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
190326 (6) bee-fly
190326 (7) peacock
190326 (8) comma
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
190326 (11) bee-fly

190326 (12) coastal path

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42/365 Strata

11 Monday Feb 2019

Posted by sconzani in 365DaysWildin2019, geology, nature, walks

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Lavernock Point, south Wales coast, south Wales coastal path, St Mary's Well Bay, St Mary's Well Bay geology

190211 St Mary's Well Bay strata

I know nothing at all about geology so I’m not even going to attempt an explanation of what these rocks are, what the formations are called, which periods they date from. I just think they look damn cool! This photo was taken on today’s walk from Sully back to Pernarth, looking east across St Mary’s Well Bay, with Lavernock Point in the background.

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33/365 My lunchtime view

02 Saturday Feb 2019

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

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

south Wales coastal path, south Wales coastline, St Mary's Well Bay, winter weather

What a stunning winter’s day it’s been! Mostly blue skies, patches of yesterday’s snow lingering in places where the sun hadn’t reached, a bitterly cold wind but warmth in the sun in sheltered places, crunchy underfoot in the fields instead of squelchy mud – perfect for a long walk. So, I stomped the 6½ miles of one of my regular routes, to and through Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, on to and through Lavernock Nature Reserve (via St Mary’s Well Bay) and back to Penarth (via the coastal path). This was my view at lunchtime – not bad, eh?

190202 lunchtime view

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On the bramble

26 Wednesday Dec 2018

Posted by sconzani in fungi, insects, nature, plants, walks, wildflowers

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

bramble, Grooved bonnet, leafhopper, leafmine on bramble, Mycena fungi, Penarth to Lavernock coastal path, south Wales coastal path, Stigmella aurella, Wales Coastal Path

I took myself on a meander along the south Wales coastal path from Penarth to Lavernock and back again today. The weather was still quite gloomy, as it’s been for several days now, but at least there was no rain. I often have this trail to myself but not today – every man, woman, child and their dog had obviously decided this was a good way to walk off their festive feasting. As I had made it today’s mission to look for the little, I got a lot of strange looks, and I heard one or two ‘What was that lady doing?’ comments after people had passed. To their credit a couple of folk were brave enough to ask me directly but their eyes glazed over when I began to extol the beauty of the many leafhoppers I was seeing.

181226 on the bramble (1)

I saw lots of lovely things but thought, for the purposes of this blog, I’d focus on the Bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), which grows in abundance along the coastal path and, with this year’s mild weather, is still very green, and even flowering in places.

181226 on the bramble (2)

I haven’t yet had a chance to identify my finds but I think I have photos of three different species of leafhoppers (though it’s possible number 3 is just a yellower version of number 1). I was amazed to see so many of these little critters still flying and hopping around the bushes, though the winter has been very mild here so far and I think some species over-winter as adults.

181226 on the bramble (3)181226 on the bramble (4)181226 on the bramble (5)

I also spotted a couple of other tiny mini-beasties lurking amongst the leaves. I’m not sure what these are.

181226 on the bramble (6)
181226 on the bramble (7)

Lots of the leaves had leaf mines, though their makers have now left the leaves. I think most of the mines I saw would have been made by the larvae of Stigmella aurella, a moth.

181226 on the bramble (8)

And my last find was on an old, decaying Bramble branch, where these beautiful little bonnet fungi were growing. Though you can’t see the details in this photo, the caps were striated and the stems grooved so I think these might be Grooved bonnets (Mycena polygramma).

181226 on the bramble (9)

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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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