Category: Nature Notes

Wenvoe Wildlife Group Birdwatch Results 2026

WENVOE WILDLIFE GROUP BIRDWATCH RESULTS 2026

Thank you to everyone who took part in this January’s birdwatch. The weather was awful, but the number of individual birds seen was 439, which is up by 196! We received 23 returns (six up on last year) and 25 different species sighted (4 down on last year). Below are the results for this year, with last year’s results in brackets.

The top five birds last year and this year remain the same although the jackdaw has jumped from fifth to first equals with the blue tit. The great tit has dropped from 6th to 10th and the goldfinch from 9th to 13th. The blackbird has remained more common than first reports suggested, but the song thrush remains a rare bird in the parish (one sighting last year and one this). As this is only the second year for our bird watch it is hard to interpret any definite trends. However, jackdaws do seem to be on the increase particularly in the centre of the village, as do magpies and wood pigeons.

 

  1. = Jackdaw: 58 (last year 24 sighted. Fifth in the table last year). = Blue Tit: 58 (last year 37 sighted. First in the table last year)
  2. Wood Pigeon: 51 (last year 36 sighted. Second in the table last year)
  3. Long Tailed Tit: 46 (last year 26 sighted. Same position as this year)
  4. Blackbird: 41 (last year 30 sighted. Third in the table last year)
  5. Magpie: 32 (last year 15 sighted. Not in the top ten last year)
  6. Robin: 29 (last year 21 sighted. Same position as last year)
  7. = House Sparrow: 23 (last year 18 sighted. Same position last year). = Chaffinch: 23 (last year 16 sighted. Tenth equals last year)
  8. Coal Tit: 21 (last year 16 sighted. Tenth equals last year)
  9. Great Tit: 20 (23 last year. Tenth equals last year)
  10. Dunnock: 17 (8 last year)
  11. Greenfinch: 16 (4 last year)
  12. Goldfinch: 10 (17 last year)
  13. Feral Pigeon: 9 (2 last year)
  14. Carrion Crow: 8 (12 last year)
  15. Lesser Black Backed Gull: 7 (zero last year)
  16. Starling: 5 (3 last year)
  17. = Collared Dove: 4 (3 last year). = Wren: 4 (6 last year). = Greater Spotted Woodpecker: 4 (3 last year)
  18. = Nuthatch: 2 (2 last year). = Pheasant: 2 (3 last year)
  19. = Song Thrush:1 (1 last year). = Sparrowhawk:1 (zero last year)

 

The species seen last year but not this were goldcrest, moorhen, mallard and snipe.

Once again thank you to everyone who took part. We now look forward to our summer birdwatch in May.
Wenvoe school will be taking part again this year. Let’s hope it is better weather than in January!

 

Our Biggest Wild Animal

Our Biggest Wild Animal

The biggest wild animal we have in the Parish is the Badger and this has been the case for hundreds of years ever since the last wolf was hunted to extinction. But this could all be about to change. The deer is Britain’s largest land mammal, and the species is gradually spreading throughout the mainland. The population is believed to be about 2 million, an increase of 1.5 million in the last 50 years. Deer come in all shapes and sizes with the largest being the Red Deer. However, the species most likely to appear first in our Parish is the Muntjac, shown in the photo. Around the size of a dog it has been spotted in Lisvane so should not take long to spread through the Vale. Although taller than a badger it is not heavier so it could be argued that the badger will continue to be our largest until other varieties such as Roe or Fallow put in an appearance

Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) buck showing tusk

So, is this good news? Many would argue otherwise as deer can cause significant damage to crops and your gardens. They browse on young trees so prevent regrowth and reduce biodiversity. They can be a hazard on roads causing accidents for drivers and damaging vehicles, particularly during the mating seasons when they are more active. Around 350,000 are culled every year but this has done little to check the increase in their populations.

But there is another mammal which could become our largest. Weighing in at up to 200 kilograms – a badger may get to 35 kgs – these can also cause major damage to gardens, parks and other green spaces. Whilst well-established in the Forest of Dean there have been occasional sightings near Cwmcarn. This is about 25 miles away by road – less as the crow flies. Once a common feature in the Welsh countryside and featured in the Mabinogion it is, of course, the Wild Boar.

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

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.

‘The Gentleman In Velvet’

‘The Gentleman In Velvet’

He was toasted as the ‘gentleman in velvet’ by the Jacobites. A recent classic book was called ‘The Boy, the ?, the Fox and the Horse. In Under Milk Wood, Dylan Thomas wrote:

‘The houses are blind as ? though ? see fine tonight in the snouting velvet dingles’

He was a leading character in the Wind in the Willows. The answer and missing word is, of course, Mole.

The Jacobites, who supported the deposed King James II, were delighted when in 1702 the then King William, died after his horse stumbled on a molehill. He suffered a broken collar bone when he fell and died a few weeks later. The Jacobites then traditionally raised a toast to ‘the wee gentleman in the velvet jacket;’ who had brought about his downfall.

These days moles tend to be seen as a nuisance when they create molehills on pristine lawns, cricket pitches and bowling greens. But for many centuries moles, once called ‘mouldywarps’, were valued for their fur which has a short, velvety texture. Particularly in Victorian times it was used for garments and accessories. So they were trapped in large numbers. The Molecatcher of Wenvoe is recorded as having killed 3,000 moles in 1932 and 3,400 the year before. (Nigel Billingham research).

The mole has a cylindrical body and very powerful forelimbs with claws like shovels making them strong diggers capable of tunnelling 20 metres a day. The tunnels help to aerate the soil and mix up the soil levels which is beneficial to other animals and plants. Their main diet is worms which they consume in large numbers but they also paralyse some with their saliva and stash them alive in ‘larders’ for later consumption.

So whether you are a Jacobite, nature or literature lover, why not drink a toast to our velvet friend?

A Fierce Asian Carnivore

A Fierce Asian Carnivore

They are all over the media and all over Wenvoe! Think of a Channel Island and a fierce Asian carnivore. If you haven’t guessed it, it is the Jersey Tiger – a type of day-flying moth.

They have been seen recently on Walston Road, in Clos Lanfair, Twyn-yr-Odyn, Walston Close and Church Rise. We are being urged on TV and in many of the newspapers to look out for it as part of the annual butterfly count. It is reported that it has increased by 78% in the last year – reversing the trend of most other species which are in decline. In Victorian times it was considered a rarity but in the last 10 years has been spreading from the South and throughout Britain. Originally mainly known from the Channel Islands – hence its name. The prominent stripes are reminiscent of a tiger.

If you see one with the wings open it reveals a bright red or yellow underwing. Most moths are nocturnal, but this one is diurnal as it is out and about during the day – another reason why it is seen more often.

Trees, All Is Not Well

Trees, All Is Not Well

 

Walk past the top of Walston Close and you will see, next to the pavement, this magnificent tree – a candidate for Wenvoe’s Favourite Tree – although you may well have your own nominations! It is Eucriphia Nymanensis and it is covered head to foot in blossom with an attendant army of bees taking in the pollen and nectar. We are fortunate in the village to have a range of interesting and mature trees. Those of us struggling in the hot spell will have appreciated our mature trees, not least in and around the Village Green. Trees, as we know, keep us cooler, absorb carbon and help our sense of well-being.

However, all is not well with the regular cutting down of trees which are seldom replaced. Examples of losses in the last couple of years include a Walnut in Station Road, Tulip Tree outside the Community Centre, Weeping Silver Lime in Gwenfo Drive, Loquat near the library and Balm of Gilead Poplar in the churchyard. There may be reasons for their removal but what reasons can there be for not planting a replacement?

Things look a bit brighter in Grange Park where the Vale Council have planted several trees to replace losses and on the Village Green and small patch of land outside the Church Hall there have been individual plantings and trees donated by residents. The Wildlife Group have planted around 150 fruit trees in the orchards and on the perimeter of the Upper Orchid Field around 30 native trees have been placed over the last 15 years.

How do you feel about our trees and is it now time, as some are suggesting, for residents, councils and businesses to take concerted action to reverse the trend? As Persian singer/songwriter Sina Shahbazi sings in his song, Protect The Trees

From the roots to the sky

Their spirit will rise

A beacon of hope

When nature cries

Let’s honour the trust

For the ones yet to be

A legacy green

As far as we see

Protect the trees

Protect our home

Together we stand

We’re not alone

Wenvoe’s Favourite Tree

Wenvoe’s Favourite Tree

Regular sightings of one or more Polecats on the wildlife cameras near the village has now confirmed that we have an established population of this rare and elusive mammal. It was once heavily persecuted and was on the verge of extinction. They were declared as vermin during Elizabeth I’s reign and the word was used to describe a vagabond.

By 1915 it was just hanging on in mid Wales and some border counties. However, it is now protected by law and making a comeback but there were only 896 confirmed sightings for the whole of the UK during 2024. Interestingly, there are no records in the last 5 years for Cardiff and Wenvoe – until now!! Most will be familiar with ferrets, but these are the domesticated version of the Polecat.

Polecats have a long history in mythology and folklore. Associated with the God Dionysus of wine, fertility and revelry fame but also the Norse Goddess Freya representing love, fertility and beauty and often depicted alongside her. They were valued by farmers and villagers for their pest control abilities, keeping down populations of rats and mice but also for their fur which was particularly warm and durable. Great to know that not only do we have a species coming back from the brink, but they can be really useful to us in helping to control our rodent population.

Hedgerows Are Invaluable

Hedgerows Are Invaluable

You can stand anywhere in the village with a view of the countryside, and you will see hedgerows. Along Port Road, Old Port Road and around the school as well. You could be forgiven for thinking they are common and unthreatened. Yet since 1950 the UK has lost 118,000 miles of hedgerow. This is what the Woodland Trust says:

Hedgerows are invaluable. Who doesn’t love seeing a hedgerow, brimming with blossom and alive with pollinators? Thousands of species depend on hedgerows for food, shelter and moving through the countryside. Hedgerows are also extremely beneficial for the land, reducing soil erosion and flooding, storing carbon, extending growing seasons, providing shade, sustaining pollinators and providing natural pest control. Over 500 plant species, 60 species of nesting birds, hundreds of invertebrates and almost all our native small mammal species depend on hedgerows. Many are ancient landmarks, some of the oldest and steadiest semi-natural features in our landscape.

The Wildlife Group, with the help of the Woodland Trust, WWG members and groups such as the Scouts, have planted new hedgerows which you can see on the Community Orchard, around the Goldsland Orchard, the Bee Loud Glade and Cae Ysbyty. These are increasingly full of fruit and berries such as Rowan, Damson, Guelder Rose (see photo), Hawthorn and Wayfaring Tree. But we need more if wildlife is to flourish so if you have sufficient land, a large garden, farm, smallholding or even allotment areas, consider planting a hedge. They cost little and in the right circumstances you can get free trees from the Woodland Trust.

Wenvoe Bird Watch Results

Summer Garden Birdwatch

After the success of the Garden Birdwatch just completed, we are planning a Summer Garden Birdwatch run along the same lines as the Winter Birdwatch but potentially including our summer visitors such as Swallows and House Martins. It will take place between Sunday 18th May to Sunday 25th May. This is a purely Wenvoe-based initiative. Full details will follow in the May issue of What’s On.

In the lead-up to this we have organised a Bird Walk which will be of interest to both complete beginners and more experienced wildlife watchers. This will take place at Goldsland Farm on Saturday 3rd May starting at 9.30. It will be led by Rob and Linda Nottage who have knowledge of both birds and other wildlife and will be an ideal opportunity to find out more about local fauna and flora. No dogs as we shall be going into sensitive areas.

To help our feathered friends we have put up around 15 nest boxes around the village from boxes for Robins and the smaller songbirds to Tawny and Barn Owls. These are in a variety of locations including the Village Green, Grange Park and the churchyard. Thank you to Mike Tucker for installing the boxes. And next a number of Swift and Swallow homes will be going into Goldsland Farm which should be visible on the Bird Walk. And, finally, Nigel Billingham has asked if you could drop him a line (nigelrbillingham @yahoo.co.uk) when you see your first Swallow, House Martin or Swift. You never know exactly when they will appear because the weather can affect their journeys from different parts of the world.

Happy Birding!

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