It has been a chilly February so far but with Spring on the horizon, it has turned my thoughts to what we have to look forward to. Here is a collection of just some of the wildlife we can expect to see in West Wales over the coming months. The lambs will start to enter…
Category: Wildflowers and wildlife
Don’t miss it! Pembrokeshire wildlife stars in tonight’s BBC Springwatch!
Charting the fortune of Pembrokeshire’s beautiful wildlife, Springwatch at Easter at 9pm on BBC2 tonight promises an enthralling hour-long episode based on the world-famous plants and animals around our coast. The programme will be coming from Stackpole and will feature some of our favourite Pembrokeshire spots such as Broad Haven Beach, Skomer Island and Freshwater East. Spring…
The Welsh Poppy
Welsh Poppy Meconopsis Cambrica is the County flower of Merioneth (Merionnydd). The bushy plants of the Welsh poppy produce a thick clump of pretty, lacy foliage which is attractive in itself, even before the fragile, dancing flower heads begin to appear in June. The central pistil and stamens are prominent and their matt texture make…
County Flowers of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire
During the year of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, a conservation charity, Plantlife International asked people of the UK to vote for a flower which they thought would best represent their county. Two years later, each of the old counties of Wales has made their choices and the results were announced in 2004. It is estimated…
Red Campion: wildflower of the West Wales hedgebanks
One of the most attractive features of West Wales is the network of lanes edged by high banks which support a wide variety of wild flowers. In recent years it has been a matter of policy on the part of some county councils to refrain from cutting the banks for as long as possible in…
Dowrog Common, St Davids
Dowrog Common is a large lowland heath 3km north east of St Davids with a wealth of wildflowers, birds and insects. It is traversed by a narrow lane (not many passing places so you need to be good at reversing!). Access is a short distance off the A487 just west of the River Alun,…
The Oystercatcher: a wading bird to see in West Wales
The Oystercatcher is the wading bird which you’re most likely to see on our West Wales coast – particularly around the mouth of estuaries such as the Teifi, Tywi and Dyfi. The birds form huge flocks in winter and smaller groups in summer, and you’ll often hear them before they come into view making their…
Out of Season – A Special Time in West Wales
A visit to West Wales has special attractions at different times of year. Out of season – in the autumn, winter and spring – many of them are connected with nature. Out of season Wales Does it rain all the time? Does it blow a gale every day? Will you be snowed in and not be able to get…
The Laburnum Mystery
A distinctive feature of the West Wales countryside in May and June, the many field hedges planted with Laburnum (Laburnum anagyroides) are a joy to behold. The long yellow flower bunches are incredibly bright and the tree is often referred to as Golden Chain or Golden Rain. In Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, many of the old…
Bluebell Time
The beautiful woods, valleys and shores of West Wales are carpeted in Bluebells at this time of year. Here are some great places to walk and see this year’s magical displays. Visit The National Trust Stackpole Estate in Pembrokeshire for a lovely Bluebell and Spring Wildflower walk of 2 miles (about 1 hour) Skomer…