Category: Nature

The Big Garden Birdwatch

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

IT’S THE RSPB AND WENVOE WILDLIFE GROUP’S
BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH THIS MONTH!

The Big Garden Birdwatch, run by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), takes place again this year across the whole of the UK from 26th to 28th January.

We would like people who took part last year to take part again and ask new people to get involved too. We want you to share your findings with the RSPB and the Wenvoe Wildlife Group. This enables us to compare last year’s findings with this year and helps us identify which birds are doing well in the parish and which are not. (A summary of last years finding below)

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the numbers of house sparrows locally are declining quite quickly and blackbirds are not such a common sight possibly due to a virus. The Birdwatch will help us to find out more! Will the blue tit be the most seen bird again in 2026?

It’s easy and fun to take part – you simply watch the birds in your garden for one hour and record what you see. It is a great activity that you can do either on your own or with family members, including children. Don’t worry if your bird knowledge is limited as the RSPB has guides on their website to show you the different species.

All you do is count the birds you see in your garden for one hour over the Birdwatch weekend. It doesn’t matter what time of day you do your Birdwatch, but you will see more birds if you do it first thing in the morning. Count the highest number of each species you see at any one time. For example, if you saw four Starlings together and then two Starlings later your final count will be four (not six). If you see one robin 6 times you only count one robin. If you see few birds or none at all, that’s also really useful information for RSPB and the Wenvoe Wildlife Group.

Send your findings to the RSPB by filling in their simple form online. Also please send/give your results to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group via any of the following:

nigelrbillingham@yahoo.co.uk

bruce7@btinternet.com

Post or message Facebook-Wenvoe Wildlife.

Use ‘Contacts’ on our website-http://

wenvoewildlifegroup,weebly.com/

Please include your postcode. This helps us log where the different species of birds are within the parish. The results will be published in Wenvoe What’s On as soon as possible. Thank you.

Here is a summary of last year’s findings.

WENVOE BIRD WATCH RESULTS

January 24th – 27th, 2025

Summary

339 birds were spotted.

29 different bird species were recorded.

17 survey results were submitted.

Top Ten Wenvoe Birds

      • Blue Tit 37
      • Wood Pigeon 36
      • Blackbird 30
      • Long Tailed Tit 26
      • Jackdaw 24
      • Great Tit 23
      • Robin 21
      • House Sparrow 18
      • Goldfinch 17
      • Chaffinch 16
      • Coal Tit 16

Not Our Finest Hour

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Not Our Finest Hour

Not our finest hour as a group. Heavy rain had kept us indoors in December. After messaging everyone, we had failed to inform Shady Williams who had gone to our rendezvous, despite the weather. Sue (his wife) rang to say he hadn’t returned.

Well, we put a plan of action in place and started our search. A resident of Vennwood Close said he’d seen what appeared to be an action man flouncing about in a puddle. We knew who that was. Big John went to the Knap in search of a lifebuoy, as we knew you had to be careful around large volumes of water. When we got there all we could see was his hat. Distraught and fearing the wrath of Sue, panic set in as we knew she didn’t like him getting wet.

Then came our Christmas miracle. A whimper followed by some not so Christian language. Fishing him out of the stream behind us with his litter picker secure in his clenched fist, he had apparently been washed down the storm drain, adjacent.

Winter Hibernation

WINTER HIBERNATION

Living in Wenvoe we see a pleasing range of wildlife in our garden and in the nearby woods. In fact, we once walked the Great Glen Way in Scotland from Fort William to Inverness and later wrote to the Scotsman newspaper to say that we saw more wildlife in our garden in Wales than we did hiking across Scotland from one side to the other!

Most common are grey squirrels and hedgehogs, though we did have refugee pheasants and like most gardens we saw the odd rat or mouse. In winter we saw little of the squirrels and hedgehogs as they hibernate for winter, retreating to their warm and cosy nests and staying there until the spring.

There is more to hibernation than you may think. Hibernation is really a survival strategy used by many animals to conserve energy during harsh conditions such as winter, by slowing their metabolism, lowering body temperature, and reducing activity.

Hibernation is a state in which an animal instinctively lowers its metabolic rate that allows animals to survive periods when food is scarce and temperatures are low. Unlike ordinary sleep, hibernation involves profound physiological changes: body temperature drops, heart rate slows dramatically, and breathing becomes minimal. In some species, metabolic activity can fall to just 5% of normal levels. This adaptation enables animals to endure weeks or even months without eating. In the Arctic, for example, the Ground Squirrel can hibernate for 7 to 9 months. While in the European Alps the loveable Marmot can disappear underground for 7 or 8 months.

Our Wenvoe hedgehogs can hibernate for a few weeks or several months. During this time their heart rate drops by as much as 90%, but if it becomes too cold, they briefly wake up. This causes their hearts to beat faster and so warm them up before they go back to sleep.

Before entering the state of hibernation, animals must store energy. Larger mammals, such as bears, eat excessively in autumn, building fat reserves that sustain them through winter. Smaller creatures, like squirrels and hedgehogs, often cache food in burrows to consume during brief wakeful periods. Some species also grow thicker fur or develop special behaviours to insulate themselves against the cold.

During hibernation, and to survive without food, in addition to the reduced heart rate, the breathing will slow down greatly and body temperature drops. At the same time the animals undergo chemical changes which manage their waste and maintain muscles. It is a controlled energy saving state, it is distinct from sleep.

We can help these garden animals like hedgehogs and squirrels by feeding them in the winter months partly to ensure they have the fat reserves for hibernation, but also because in winter their normal foods are scarce. So do put out good quality cat food or dog biscuits and plenty of water, but do not feed them milk which is not good for them.

In summary, hibernation is a complex, finely tuned adaptation that enables animals to endure periods of cold and scarce food. By slowing their bodies almost to a standstill, creatures from bears to hedgehogs demonstrate nature’s extraordinary ability to survive in challenging environments

Most Successful Reindeer Sale

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Most Successful Reindeer Sale

A very Happy Christmas and New Year to all our supporters.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A most successful Reindeer Sale event took place again and our great thanks to Mike and Glenys for their generous support for WWG. This is our main source of funding, and we could not achieve a fraction of what we do without it. Our chutneys and jams, using fruits from our orchards, sold out quickly and we were delighted to hear of other residents using fruit such as Medlars in their home cooking. We have 6 Medlar trees, and they seem to produce an abundance each year – a great little tree with attractive blossom and seems to cope well with our climate.

The weather has conspired against some of our efforts to do maintenance in the orchards but there is always plenty to do if you can spare a few minutes. We were delighted to help the School on their Tree Day and Angela helped several classes with games and project work.

 

 

When It’s Wet To Stay Off The Ground

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

When It’s Wet To Stay Off The Ground

We are advised when it’s wet to stay off the ground. It causes a lot of damage if the soil gets compacted. This causes problems with drainage and restricted plant growth and includes the grass. There is still plenty to be getting on with, starting with trying to make room in the shed. This is for the stuff we are going to throw out from the house in spring but can’t bear to take to the tip. It’s the same ritual every year.

It has been such a strange year with a dry summer and a warm autumn. This has meant we have bedding plants still flowering in November. Pelargoniums are sometimes discarded but an old method of storing them is cut them back, pull up and shake off the soil, dry them out and store root ball pointing up and wrapped in newspaper. Ieuan uses the Guardian newspaper for his, but I’m quite sure the Telegraph would suffice as long as you don’t mind the plants leaning to the right when you replant them next spring. When the rain eventually came it seemed to bring all the insects, that had been waiting in the soil, to life. With not as much to eat in Autumn, they even started eating geraniums which are usually left unscathed. A lot of gardeners were bitten as well. A noticeable absentee from the late summer was the wasp, very few around.

Another piece of advice handed out at this time of year is to up the feeding of our feathered friends. They say it will encourage them to feed on the pests in the garden. I can’t say I’ve seen those little darlings ignore an easy meal to go hunting for the odd insect. What it does encourage is the larger pests (mice and rats) if we don’t keep the area cleaned regularly. If you’re putting apples out for the blackbirds, you will need to quarter them as they won’t peck through the skin. If you leave them whole, you are just inviting Pam Williams to recover them for her apple distribution network. Open feeders will bring in the sparrow hawk, it works like a McDonald’s drive through for these small raptors.

Working in and around the village throughout the year it’s an absolute pleasure to see the way the gardens are kept. I have to mention Mr& Mrs Cottle who always keep theirs in lovely order.

I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas. Take care and happy gardening.

Chosen By ‘Help the Aged’

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Chosen By ‘Help the Aged’

The team had a special task today, cleaning around the memorial in preparation for Remembrance Sunday. We were chosen by Help the Aged to try and include some folk who find mixing difficult. Mr Williams (in the tabard) was felt most welcome, along with his carer, Dr Martins (yellow coat). All went swimmingly until a vehicle went past a little too fast. This resulted in Mr Williams chasing it as far as the pub to berate the driver. The carer said that his patient had been knocked over so many times it had left him a foot shorter and with a dislike of thoughtless motorists.

Team elder, Ieuan, will be laying a wreath on behalf of our group. Being a young lad at the outbreak of WWII, he has many memories of the shenanigans that went on in Wenvoe at that time and with a bit of persuasion could even give a talk on this. There may be lawyers involved if some of the families descendants are still around.

This band of good folk will meet on the 8th December to swap our prescriptions. It’s loads better than exchanging presents, as you never know what you’re going to get.

Wishing everyone a lovely Christmas, especially those who help us home after our meetings.

It Was A Cow’s Nest

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

It Was A Cow’s Nest

Our aim this month was to clear the bamboo in the Community cemetery.

While working amongst the dense undergrowth the team discovered what was thought to be some sort of nest. Our British bird expert Martin Snr took a look and failed to identify the object. Apparently Martin’s expertise only covers birds in the Sun newspaper. Thankfully, Ieaun had seen a similar version, only with glass bottles at Topindu farm as a youngster, it was a cows nest. These are a rare sight, although the cow is a common animal in these parts, to find a nest is astonishing. We knew it hadn’t been there long as all the cartons were in date. The Ministry of Agriculture told us to leave it well alone and work elsewhere.

Problem we had was that Gareth had already helped himself to a semi skimmed. He has a long history in the family of devouring rare specimens, turtle poached in milk is one of his favourites. His father scoffed the last dodo!

We took the cut bamboo to the Twyn Yr Odyn allotments, thinking they’d be glad to have them. Nicola & Barry dismissed our wares, saying their beans grow so big they tie them to the mast. They must be American beans.

We will meet on 3rd November to tidy up at the memorial in preparation for Remembrance Sunday on the 9th.

Definitive List Of Welsh Apples

Definitive List Of Welsh Apples

There has been some press coverage recently following an announcement by the National Trust of the publication of a definitive list of Welsh Apple varieties. There are 29 listed. As we have gone to great lengths to plant many of the Welsh varieties in our orchards, we have been considering the list and its implications. In fact although 29 are listed they are broken down into 3 categories. The first category is the Historic list – apples unique to Wales with evidence of cultivation in the country pre-1950. There are 16 of these and include varieties planted in our orchards such as Cissy, Gabalva and St. Cecilia. We have 11 varieties of these.

 

The second category is referred to as Modern which are unique to Wales but introduced by a Welsh breeder or nursery post 1950. One of these is Bardsey which is claimed to date back hundreds of years as it was found in an old orchard on Bardsey Island and sold around the world as such. However, as there is no evidence to support the claim and it was discovered in 1998/9, it is officially post-1950 and thus Modern. There are 5 of these of which we have Bardsey and Machen.

The final category is called Associated and these are not unique to Wales but may have been given a Welsh name and widely cultivated in Wales or the Marches. There are 8 of these of which we have only planted Morgan Sweet.

However, we have another 7 which we understood were Welsh but do not fall into any of these categories such as Afal Wern, Pig Aderyn and Cadwallader. The implication is that these are English apples which were just given a Welsh name. So, this list does help to clarify which varieties are truly Welsh and which were adopted and introduced from elsewhere. To check out the full list go to the National Trust website.

Orchard Maintenance

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Orchard Maintenance

Sian has cleared a section of the Watercress Beds at Goldsland. Llewellyn from the Vale Local Partnership team has done a fantastic job cutting the Community Orchard, Wild, Goldsland and Elizabethan orchards whilst also widening the paths around the Upper Orchid Field.

These and many other jobs are made possible through the money raised by the Tuckers’ events and all of you who support them. Other items we have spent this money on include new benches in the Community Orchard, new noticeboard in the Community Orchard, junior workshops for 7- to 11-year-olds, insurance, schoolbooks and items in the wildlife patch, leaflets, signage, tools and materials. Thank you to all who support us directly and those who participate in the Tucker events.

Date for your 2026 diary. The Garden Birdwatch takes place between Friday 23rd and Sunday 25th January. More details will follow nearer the time.

Go For It – Plant The Bulbs

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

Go For It – Plant The Bulbs

Go for it – plant the tulip bulbs, they will produce excellent blooms if put in this month. Just make sure the pointy bit is aiming to the sky and they are deep enough. Daffs are cheap to buy now as the success rate diminishes with each week that goes by. Don’t even think about buying snow drop corms, they never do well. Wait until they are available next year, in the green, around March and April; you will be guaranteed a display the following Spring.

Some of the begonias flowered right through October. The mild, if somewhat windy, weather saw to that. Just make sure you save the tubers by drying them out and storing in a dry place, free from frost. The roses have also been producing blooms later this year, which has delayed any pruning until November. I will be putting the hedge trimmer through the roses and leaving the real pruning until the end of March, or when the buds show signs of growth. Do not leave any of the infected leaves around the base of the plants, as the black spot spores will thrive in the soil.

A lot of berries on the holly again this year, so if you need some for Christmas then cut off what you need and stand in water, it keeps for ages. If you don’t do this the wreath makers and wood pigeons will make short work of it before the first day of advent.

November is the start of the bare root season, these shrubs and hedging plants are generally cheaper than pot grown ones and take very well when planted. Apples and pears can be pruned at the end of the month through until the end of February. Don’t prune plums or any stone fruit until the Summer.

There is still plenty to get on with at the allotments. Mike Johnson along with others will be collecting leaves to fill the compost bins along with waste generated off his patch. This Autumn Mike is going to dig some of the leaves directly into the soil so the worms can speed up the process of decomposition. In the village you can leave the leaves on top of the soil for the same effect but up at Twyn Yr Odyn the wind will blow them into the Bristol Channel if you use this method.

Old hands Colin and Bernard have been pleased by the way the allotments have been cared for this year, producing good results in what has been a challenging year weather wise.

Reminder, if you’re having a bonfire, please check for hedgehogs. If you leave them in for too long they become crispy and take on a barbecue flavour. Barry Oliver wraps his in foil, to avoid any mishap.

Take care and happy gardening.

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