Llysdinam Newts and Caterpillars - & skimming stones at Lam Cam

Newbridge-on-Wye, Powys

 

Cardiff University Field Centre, Llysdinam

 

Thursday 20^th of August

 

Today we went to an old University Field Centre where people from Cardiff University used to come to study nature but it has recently closed down. My Dad used to go there a lot when he was young to see the students and watch them work with birds, newts, polecats, badgers and loads of other animals.

 

The pond is still there and is being re-worked. It has a new path and loads of life thriving in it. By the pond we found…

·         2 small Smooth Newts (Madfall Ddwr Gyffredin - Lissotriton Vulgaris)

 

 

·         Nuthatch (Delor y Cnau - Sitta europaea)   

 

 

·       2 Privet Hawk Moth Caterpillars (Gwalchwyfyn Yr Yswydd - Sphinx ligustri)

 

 

 

 

I am getting to know how the Nuthatch calls now. It has a whistling whoop-whoop sort of call.

                                                                                      

After visiting Llysdinam we went down to the Wye river and a bend near Llysdinam called Lam Cam (in Welsh it means sort of 'Big Bend'). It's a great place to see wildlife. But you need to be careful near the river.

We skimmed stones across the river and then saw a Yellow Wagtail (Sigldigwt) ...

and loads of Minnows (Crothell) in the small rock pools left as the river went down.

This huge old tree grows next to the river. The roots must be a great place for wildlife to hide. I think it was a Beech tree (Ffawydden)

Plenty of places for animals to hide...

Looking up at the huge gnarled mossy Beech tree

 

 

Interesting things again today. And all on our doorstep!

 

Hwyl! See yah!!