Lowland calcareous grassland
Typical of softly rolling pastoral landscapes, the short, aromatic turf of lowland calcareous grassland is flower-rich and humming with insects in the summer. Its long use by humans lends it an…
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Chwilio
Common limpet
If you’ve ever been rockpooling, you’ve probably seen a limpet or two! Their cone-shaped shells clamp onto rocks until the tide comes in, at which point they become active. Limpets move around…
The Lives of Beetles – A Natural History of Coleoptera by Arthur V. Evans - book review
Reading the book and writing this review in February, I haven’t seen a beetle in a while, it has however whet my appetite for these little jewels that will be emerging now in spring, writes Gwent…
My commute
Richard could stick to the road on his commute, but taking a shortcut through the woods is far more relaxing, even if he does get muddy trousers.
Ash Dieback
The chances are you’ve heard or seen something about ‘Ash Dieback’, but how much do you really know about this issue? Our Woodland Conservation Officer and tree specialist Doug Lloyd explains more…
Woodland Springtime Flora
After the long dreary winter, the first blooms of spring are just what we need to brighten things up. There are no better places to head for flowers at this time of year than our woodlands, as the…
Beadlet anemone
Have you ever seen those dark red jelly blobs whilst rockpooling? These incredible creatures are beadlet anemones! They live attached to rocks all around the coast of the UK, the base of their…
My basecamp
Den-building in the woods with his granddad makes Will feel like he is part of a survival game: nature is one big adventure, and he even uses a penknife to cut twigs to build with.
Help needed to find breeding Curlews in Gwent
Curlews will soon be back on their breeding sites in inland Gwent and your help in locating them is needed urgently! Last year the first birds arrived at the end of February and were seen more…
Turnstone
The turnstone can be spotted fluttering around large stones on rocky and gravelly shores, flipping them over to look for prey. It can even lift rocks as big as its own body! Although a migrant to…
Whimbrel
The whimbrel is very similar to the curlew, but a little smaller and with a striking face pattern. Its eerie call is a series of seven whistles; listen out for it around the coast as its passes…
Buzzard
Listen out for the cat-like, 'kee-yaa' calls of the buzzard as it soars high over farmland and woodland. Once suffering from severe persecution and pesticide poisoning, it has made a…