Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) on the Wharf beside County Hall in Cardiff Bay
It has been over a year now since I first walked around the Wharf (former Bute East Dock) next to my office at County Hall in Cardiff Bay.
I have visited more or less every month so I have no idea if I will spot anything I haven’t seen before. But I will keep on looking anyway. These pictures were taken at lunchtime on March 26…
I do love the cormorant, but I hadn’t really noticed the beautiful subtlety of the feathers before
The cormorant’s head is now showing breeding plumage
For many months I have walked anticlockwise around the Wharf as new apartments have been built on the plot nearest to County Hall and the walkway has been blocked off. Now at last it has been reopened.
Reopened walkway in front of new apartments…
In April last year a colourful hoarding stood in front of the development and encouraged some excellent weeds
Another view of the development
Last year I think we decided this was goat’s rue (Galega officinalis)
A species of chickweed (Stellaria)
Did I ever identify this green frilly stuff?
A baby tree – some sort of maple that grows nearby
A coot (Fulica atra)
Possibly sow-thistle (Sonchus)
Pineapple weed (Matricaria discoidea)
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
The linden I followed last year has had a ‘haircut’
At least one bigger branch has been lopped off
Delicate twigs against the water
This is not a very good picture but hopefully it gives the idea of the redness of the spurge at the moment – possible petty spurge (Euphorbia peplus)
Spiky – gorse or thistle – I forget…
Alder (Alnus glutinosa) – old female fruits (woody and cone-like) and new male catkins
More male alder catkins
New alder leaves
Male “pussy” willow catkins, possibly goat willow (Salix caprea)
Pussy willows both young and mature
Pussy willows against blue sky
I think these are female willow catkins
Sprouting leaves – but not sure what?
The clump of narrow-leaved willow that was hacked back in winter is now sprouting again
Bright-flowered barberry (Berberis darwinii)
A long view of part of the far side of the Wharf
Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)
Periwinkle (Vinca major)
Fresh young leaves of poplar (Populus)
A closer look
A sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)?
I’ve no idea what this is but it’s a pretty tree
Red leaves of Photinia x fraseri
Berries of Cotoneaster horizontalis
Fluffy seeds of reed mace (Typha latifolia)
To see all my previous nature notes about the Wharf, please click here.
We were watching a cormorant fishing off the beach today. Always one bird just at that one place.
It must know when it is on to a good thing!
They are excellent birds, though 🙂
Spring is definitely showing now. I am quite concerned for the blossoming of trees here, it is taking a long time to occur.
Are you in Buckinghamshire?
Maybe it’s colder there in the centre of the country, but here in the warm by the sea we have had a great show of blossom for many weeks now.
Best wishes 🙂