Dylan's "town" and celebrations

© David Gill

Swansea pitched a great bid to be city of culture. However minds are now turning to the Dylan centenary celebrations for 2014.

Gower sunshine

© David Gill, 2012

Blue sky, sunshine, expanses of sand, no crowds ... this is the Gower.

Pembrokeshire Choughs

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

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

© David Gill

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

© David Gill

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

Royal Visitor to Hay Festival

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

© David Gill

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

Dragonfly at Llanelli

© David Gill

The dragonflies were out in wetlands at Llanelli.

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

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

© David Gill, 2011

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

Dinefwr Demoiselle 2

© David Gill, 2011

Here is another demoiselle noticed from the boardwalk at Dinefwr.

Dinefwr Demoiselle

© David Gill, 2011

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

Bees in the Borders

© David Gill

The bees are out and about at Aberglasney.

Bluebell Woods

Bluebell wood at Aberglasney © David Gill

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

Caerwent: Norman meets Roman

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

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

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

Kitchen garden at Aberglasney © David Gill

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

Bluebells at Dinefwr

Bluebell wood at Dinefwr © David Gill

There was a spectacular display of bluebells at Dinefwr.