Posted in Birds, Nature, Uncategorized, tagged birds, Cardiff Bay, Nature, The Wharf on February 25, 2018| 8 Comments »
Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) on the Wharf a few weeks ago
Here are some more images from my lunchtime walk around the Wharf (old Bute East Dock) alongside Cardiff County Hall. This time the focus is on the water birds and the waterside bushes. (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged linden, Nature, Trees on February 14, 2018| 12 Comments »
Red stems and leaf-buds
Finally it’s make-my-mind-up time – I have chosen a tree to follow in 2018. I’m not totally convinced by my choice, but I was attracted by its red leaf-buds.
Not that there weren’t other trees on my shortlist. Last autumn I was convinced I would follow one of the many champion trees in Cardiff’s Bute Park. See the guide leaflet here.
I even had the champion tree map on my mobile phone and had chosen a likely candidate, quite near the front entrance of the park for convenience. (more…)
Posted in Nature, Trees, Uncategorized, tagged Nature, Trees on February 7, 2018| 13 Comments »
Trees are everywhere – but I don’t think I will be following these, in the middle of a traffic roundabout
The tree-following link box has now closed for another month.
To explore everyone’s updates, please go straight to the bottom of this post.
In milder areas there are signs of spring, which would also be a good time to start following a tree through the seasons.
If you are thinking of joining us for the first time, read all about the idea here.
The trees are vying for our attention
We always love to read your news – so thank you to everyone who contributed this month. Here are their links…
Alison at the Blackberry Garden – quince
Flighty’s Plot – Mike’s medlars and Liz’s black walnut
Lucy Corrander in Halifax – alder
Annie – Acer pictum or Acer mono
Erika Groth in Sweden – bird cherry
Hollis (In the Company of Plants and Rocks) – boxelder (Acer negundo) and whatever’s nearby
Frances at Island Threads, off the North West coast of Scotland – hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
Pat – Squirrelbasket – First find your tree
Thank you to everyone for taking part – see you all again on March 7!
Posted in Nature, Street plants, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiff Bay, Nature, The Wharf on February 4, 2018| 8 Comments »
Beautiful seeds of Buddleia on the edge of the Wharf in Cardiff Bay
I have now discovered that I can walk all the way around the old East Bute Dock that runs alongside my new workplace at Cardiff’s County Hall. And I now know what everyone calls this rectangular pool of water – the Wharf. I had been calling it the dock or the pond or the lake, none of which seemed to be accurate.
It takes me half an hour to walk all the way around – or an hour if I take my camera with me. Last week I spent my lunch-hour there and took more than 100 pictures. So I won’t dump them all on you at once. Firstly, and particularly for Lucy Corrander, I will focus on what would be “street plants” if this were a street. Some are totally wild and native, some are urban escapees. (more…)
The Squirrelbasket 