Swansea Bay View

Pembrokeshire Choughs

2011-07-23T22:48:00.000+01:00

Choughs at Strumble Head © David Gill

Pembrokeshire has been enjoying some welcome sunshine. I spotted six choughs in one group just round the corner from Strumble Head (heading towards St Davids) and a single chough the next day in the fields next to the end of the public road. There were plenty of stone chats, a bonxie, a linnet and a mass of gannets diving into the sea off the headland. Three seals were popping up in the small bay next to the lighthouse.

Durness Puffins

2011-07-16T21:44:00.000+01:00

Durness puffin colony © David Gill, 2011

We are back from watching one of the most northerly puffin colonies on mainland Britain, at Durness (not far from Cape Wrath) in Scotland. Some of the puffins were clearly cleaning out their burrows as sand was ejected in great flurries.

There is a handy map if you are wanting to find them. The iPad led us to the right spot.

Swansea International Poetry Festival Opens

2011-06-15T23:04:00.000+01:00

The 7th Quarry / Crosscultual Communications Swansea International Poetry Festival opened tonight at the Nick Holly Gallery. There were readings in Catalan, English, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, and Welsh.

History of Science at Hay

2011-06-05T22:08:00.000+01:00

The Saturday History Wales sofa discussion at the Hay Festival related to the History of Science.

Royal Visitor to Hay Festival

2011-05-31T23:01:00.000+01:00

Duchess of Cornwall arriving at the Hay Festival © David Gill

The Duchess of Cornwall dropped into the Hay Festival today. She attended a creative writing project for children and mingled with festival-goers.

Ensnared damsel at Llanelli

2011-05-30T21:45:00.000+01:00

One of the many damselflies was caught in this web in the Millennium Wetlands at Llanelli.

Dragonfly at Llanelli

2011-05-30T19:10:00.000+01:00

The dragonflies were out in wetlands at Llanelli.

Peter Thabit Jones: Launch of Poems from a Cabin on Big Sur

2011-05-27T23:04:00.004+01:00

Launch celebration © David Gill

Peter Thabit Jones launched his Poems from a Cabin on Big Sur tonight at the Nick Holly Gallery in the Exchange Building, Swansea.

Dinefwr Woodpeckers

2011-05-23T21:58:00.000+01:00

A very noisy group of woodpeckers were high in the trees alongside the boardwalk at Dinefwr.

Dinefwr Demoiselle 2

2011-05-23T21:55:00.000+01:00

Here is another demoiselle noticed from the boardwalk at Dinefwr.

Dinefwr Demoiselle

2011-05-23T21:26:00.000+01:00

The Demoiselles were out by the ruins of the dam alongside the boardwalk at Dinefwr.

Bees in the Borders

2011-05-08T22:04:00.000+01:00

The bees are out and about at Aberglasney.

Bluebell Woods

2011-05-04T23:09:00.001+01:00

Bluebell wood at Aberglasney © David Gill

The display of bluebells at Aberglasney is particularly stunning this year.

Caerwent: Norman meets Roman

2011-05-03T09:16:00.001+01:00

Roman walls at Caerwent © David Gill

The Norman motte stands in the south-east corner of the well-preserved Roman walls at Caerwent. The motte can be seen at the end of the line of the wall.

Norman Caerwent

2011-05-02T21:56:00.000+01:00

Motte at Caerwent © David Gill

A Norman motte, dating to the late 11th century, dominates the south-east corner of the Roman town. It clearly took advantage of the remains of the Roman walls.

Caerwent

2011-05-02T21:27:00.000+01:00

Bastion on the south wall of Caerwent © David Gill

The Roman walls at Caerwent (Venta Silurum) were looking magnificent and imposing today in the May sunshine.

Aberglasney blossom arch

2011-04-25T18:33:00.000+01:00

Kitchen garden at Aberglasney © David Gill

The blossom at Aberglasney is a delight thanks to the warm, sunny weather.

Bluebells at Dinefwr

2011-04-25T18:27:00.000+01:00

Bluebell wood at Dinefwr © David Gill

There was a spectacular display of bluebells at Dinefwr.

Llansteffan views

2011-04-23T19:07:00.000+01:00

Llansteffan from Ferryside © David Gill

The ruins of Llansteffan castle dominate the mouth of the Tywi estuary in Carmarthenshire.

Beach Train

2011-04-23T18:44:00.000+01:00

Ferryside © David Gill

The Arriva train leaving Ferryside station towards Llanelli runs alongside the magnificent sands of the Tywi estuary.

The Tide is High

2011-04-21T21:57:00.012+01:00

High tide in the Loughor Estuary

The tide was high in the Loughor Estuary at 8m (see BBC tide timetable). Sadly I only had a mobile on me ... but it gives an impression of the expansion of water between Penclawdd (on the Gower side) and Burry Port (on the Carmarthenshire side).

Toad in the hole

2011-04-19T16:30:00.000+01:00

Visitor in the reconstructed latrine © David Gill

We always hope to catch a glimpse of one of the stoats when we peep into the drain that runs along the back of the cells at Mount Grace Priory in Yorkshire. But we had a different surprise when we opened the door to the reconstructed latrine ...

For a panoramic view of the cloisters round the cell see here.

Puffin launch

2011-04-15T23:00:00.000+01:00

Bempton, April 2011 © David Gill

The puffins have arrived on the cliffs at Bempton (RSPB). This one was heading back out to sea.

Laugharne view

2011-03-20T18:17:00.000Z

Laugharne © David Gill, 2011

There was a single egret on the estuary at Laugharne yesterday but the views over the castle and Dylan Thomas's Boat House were spectacular.

Spring at Aberglasney

2011-03-13T19:03:00.000Z

Aberglasney © David Gill

Spring is here at Aberglasney. Blossom is emerging on trees, daffodils are out and the snowdrops are nearly over.

© David Gill

Low Tide at Cefn Sidan

2011-02-26T19:16:00.000Z

Cefn Sidan © David Gill

The tide was low at Cefn Sidan (part of Pembrey Country Park) and the oystercatchers and gulls were out in force.

Toads in a Hole

2011-02-26T19:11:00.001Z

Toads at Pembrey © David Gill

We had heard that toads were out and about in Burry Port ... but we came face to face with a couple on a path in Pembrey Country Park. After a quick dash they took cover in a shallow hole.

Worm in the mist

2011-02-19T22:41:00.000Z

Worm in the mist © David Gill, 2011

The tide was out at Llanegennith this afternoon. There was a slight sea mist, but the surfers were out in the breaking sea.

Hen Harrier at Oxwich

2011-02-13T20:01:00.000Z

The waterbirds on Oxwich marsh suddenly lifted off ... they had clearly spotted the hen harrier that was in the area.

Paul Tyrrel caught a much better photograph from the same hide yesterday.

Image
© David Gill, 2011

Snipe at Oxwich

2011-02-13T19:32:00.000Z

We visited the new bird hide overlooking Oxwich marsh on Gower and this snipe obligingly rested before us.

© David Gill, 2011

Feeding on Thin Ice

2011-01-29T18:49:00.000Z

Straight from the freezer at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

© David Gill, 2011

Big Garden Birdwatch

2011-01-29T18:46:00.000Z

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is taking place this weekend - so get watching. There is a very nice RSPB app for the iPad to help with the process. The icy conditions are not helping ... but we spotted this woodpecker today (but not in our garden).

© David Gill 2011.

Aberdulais falls: video

2011-01-16T18:34:00.000Z

I took some short videos on my phone to try and capture the drama of the falls.

Aberdulais falls

2011-01-16T16:41:00.000Z

The rain has been falling steadily for several days and as a result the Aberdulais Falls in the Vale of Neath are particularly dramatic.

Image
© David Gill, 2011.

Oxwich Oystercatchers

2011-01-08T22:06:00.000Z

There was a low tide at Oxwich today and the oystercatchers were lining up along the shore.

Image
© David Gill, 2011

Swansea snow

2010-12-19T18:44:00.000Z

Swansea has been experiencing heavy snowfalls.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Gower sunset

2010-08-30T22:05:00.000+01:00

Summer at last seemed to arrive in Swansea for the August Bank Holiday weekend. There was a wonderful sunset this evening looking down the Loughor Estuary with the trees on Whitford Burrows marking the edge of this liminal space.

Bats were skimming the marsh as the crows headed for their roost.

Image
© David Gill

Egret-priested shore

2010-08-30T21:54:00.000+01:00

This afternoon we walked along the estuary path underneath the castle walls at Laugharne. There was one very active group of five egrets. A single heron was keeping an eye on them from the opposite bank. We counted another five herons along the estuary as we looked out to Carmarthen Bay.

Image
© David Gill

Dragonfly at the National Botanic

2010-08-29T19:41:00.000+01:00

We were watching a golden-ringed dragonfly at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Landing!

2010-05-31T22:36:00.000+01:00

We were watching the Guillemot colonies at Stack Rock in South Pembrokeshire. It was a stunning sight with hundreds more (and Razorbills) on the water below the cliffs.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Turnstone at Cardigan Island

2010-05-24T17:15:00.001+01:00

On Saturday we observed an unusual bird on the ledges between the mainland and Cardigan Island. Its mottled back seems to suggest this is a Turnstone.

Image
© David Gill, 2010.

Oystercatchers on Cardigan Bay

2010-05-22T22:52:00.000+01:00

There were numerous oystercatchers around the coast of Cardigan Bay this afternoon. This pair were just offshore at Cardigan Island.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Geese in Bluebells

2010-05-22T22:46:00.000+01:00

This afternoon we were watching (from a distance) the geese grazing among the bluebells on Cardigan Island. There was a swathe of blue across the top of the island with little flecks of white where the seagulls were resting.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Aberglasney: bluebell time

2010-05-09T19:42:00.000+01:00

The woods at Aberglasney are carpeted with bluebells. The wider gardens are awash with spring colours and the sky is full of swifts and swallows. Aberglasney at its best!

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Spring at Aberglasney

2010-04-25T20:00:00.000+01:00

The 'kitchen garden' at Aberglasney has a small but stunning display of tulips. They are reminiscent of how this part of the gardens were displayed when they opened ten years ago.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Colby Gardens

2010-04-25T19:53:00.000+01:00

Spring is coming to Colby Gardens in south Pembrokeshire. A few of the rhododendrons are beginning to come into flower and the bluebells will be out in the next week or two.

Image
© David Gill, 2010.

Hartland Point

2010-04-24T23:00:00.000+01:00

Looking out from Swansea at night you can see the Hartland Light where the Bristol Channel meets the Atlantic.

Lundy is on the skyline.

Image
© David Gill, 2010.

First Bluebell of 2010

2010-04-10T22:17:00.000+01:00

We saw our first Bluebell this afternoon, nestling on the north-facing slopes above the Tywi. Spring must be just around the corner.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Spring round the corner at Dinefwr

2010-04-10T21:58:00.000+01:00

Tywi Swans

2010-04-10T19:21:00.000+01:00

We went for a walk round Dinefwr this afternoon and had a peep across the Tywi Valley as the swans came into land.

Image
© David Gill, 2010.

Whiteford Sands

2010-03-30T08:48:00.000+01:00

The expanse of beach was exposed at Whiteford Sands at the west end of Gower. There were clear views across the mouth of the Loughor estuary towards Burry Port and Pembrey.

© David Gill, 2010

Lapwings on Gower

2010-03-29T20:45:00.000+01:00

Yesterday there was a wonderful display by the lapwings at Whiteford Sands at the end of Gower. At one point there were 14 swirling in the sky.

© David Gill, 2010

Paxton's Tower and Middleton Hall

2010-03-14T19:39:00.000Z

The Tywi Valley is dominated by Paxton's Tower, built to commemorate the death of Admiral Viscount Nelson at Trafalgar in 1805. The folly, which could serve as a dining room for the nearby Middleton Hall (now the site of the National Botanic Garden of Wales), was designed by Samuel Pepys Cockerell (1753-1827). Middleton Hall was the home of Sir William Paxton (1743/4-1824), a business partner of Cockerell's brother Sir Charles Cockerell (1755-1837).

Paxton's Tower is open to the public. It is owned by the National Trust.

Image
Paxton's Tower from the site of Middleton Hall © David Gill, 2010

Spring round the corner at the National Botanic Garden of Wales

2010-03-14T19:11:00.000Z

It felt like spring was still round the corner at the National Botanic Garden of Wales. There were one or two daffodils out but most have yet to cover the banks in splashes of yellow. The snowdrops were nearly over but the crocus were making a white display around the dome.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Snowdrops at Aberglasney

2010-03-07T19:36:00.000Z

The hard winter has meant that there has been an impressive show of rather late snowdrops. There are numerous drifts at Aberglasney, such as here on Bishop Rudd's Walk with Llangathen church in the background.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

'By the yew tree' at Strata Florida

2010-03-06T19:31:00.000Z

There is a most unusual gravestone next to the famous yew tree at Strata Florida. For more about the grave, as well as John Ormond's poem, see The Festival of the Trees 32.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Red kites over Strata Florida

2010-03-06T19:11:00.000Z

There is still (patchy) snow in the hills above Strata Florida. However a pair of red kites were wheeling above the ruins of the abbey.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Happy St David's Day

2010-03-01T06:10:00.004Z

Traces in the sand

2010-02-28T19:01:00.000Z

We went for a walk on the Millennium Coastal Path at Llanelli in a raw wind. The tide was right out but there were traces of some of the residents in the sand.

Image © David Gill, 2010

Snow in the Beacons

2010-02-28T18:51:00.000Z

We were in Brecon over the weekend and had a picnic in the Beacons where there were still traces of recent snowfalls. On the way back the pass still had large drifts adjaeent to the road.

Image © David Gill, 2010

Red Kites over Aberglasney

2010-01-25T21:04:00.001Z

While snowdrops dotted the gardens at Aberglasney this weekend, several red kites were circling in the sky.

Image
© David Gill

Laugharne in January

2010-01-23T23:23:00.000Z

Laugharne became the home for Swansea's Dylan Thomas. Today was one of those glorious January days: patches of sunshine, mildish air, and clear views over Carmarthen Bay to St Ishmaels and Gower beyond. There were oystercatchers and curlew in profusion.

Image
View over the Dylan Thomas Boathouse towards Carmarthen Bay.
© David Gill, 2010

Llanelli Snowlands

2010-01-17T18:25:00.002Z

Last week the 'scrapes' in the Llanelli Wetlands Centre on the edge of the Loughor estuary was frozen. There were small patches of water left, and waterfowl were jostling for position. Here are some swans approaching for a frozen landing. Notice snow-bound Gower in the background.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Snowbound Swansea

2010-01-14T18:34:00.002Z

Swansea, like most of the UK, has been snowbound for much of the last week. Here is a view overlooking Tycoch and Sketty.

Image
© David Gill, 2010

Welcome! Croeso!

2010-01-05T18:32:00.001Z

Welcome to Swansea Bay View! This will be an occasional blog talking about life in Swansea and South Wales. At the moment we are snow and ice bound.

Image
© David Gill, 2010