Himalayan balsam
As its name suggests, Himalayan balsam is from the Himalayas and was introduced here in 1839. It now an invasive weed of riverbanks and ditches, where it prevents native species from growing.
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Chwilio
My city break
The hustle and bustle of city life melts away when Kathryn visits Camley Street Natural Park. Without leaving central London, she can go from man-made soaring skyscrapers to an oasis-like…
Giant hogweed
As its name suggests, giant hogweed it a large umbellifer with distinctively ridged, hollow stems. An introduced species, it is an invasive weed of riverbanks, where it prevents native species…
Turnstone
The turnstone can be spotted fluttering around large stones on rocky and gravelly shores, flipping them over to look for prey. It can even lift rocks as big as its own body! Although a migrant to…
Developing SWIFTly
Swifts are a medium-sized aerial bird, which is a superb flier. They are birds of crags and holes and will often use buildings in the UK in which to nest.
Swifts are plain and sooty brown in colour, but in flight against the sky appear black and are superb aerial flyers. They have scythe-like wings and can often be heard ‘screaming’ around towns and cities, flying high up before darting into the eaves of a building, in which they will nest.
As a summer visitor, breeding across the UK, the Swift is most numerously recorded in the south and east, as well as Wales. Swifts will over-winter in Africa and visit the UK and Europe to breed, usually arriving in late May. Once the breeding season is over, they are often heading back to Africa by late August.
Sadly these birds have declined by 50% in 25 years globally (Swift Conservation, 2021) and their UK Conservation Status is currently Amber, RSPB 2021.
Our aim is to support you in learning how to identify, survey and build nest boxes for these beautiful birds.
Swifts are plain and sooty brown in colour, but in flight against the sky appear black and are superb aerial flyers. They have scythe-like wings and can often be heard ‘screaming’ around towns and cities, flying high up before darting into the eaves of a building, in which they will nest.
As a summer visitor, breeding across the UK, the Swift is most numerously recorded in the south and east, as well as Wales. Swifts will over-winter in Africa and visit the UK and Europe to breed, usually arriving in late May. Once the breeding season is over, they are often heading back to Africa by late August.
Sadly these birds have declined by 50% in 25 years globally (Swift Conservation, 2021) and their UK Conservation Status is currently Amber, RSPB 2021.
Our aim is to support you in learning how to identify, survey and build nest boxes for these beautiful birds.
My dinner party
Niamh loves to feed the birds, so makes natural feeders out of pinecones and berries, to help them through the winter. She’ll tie this to a branch so that the birds can feast from it safely.
Japanese knotweed
Introduced from Japan in the 19th century, Japanese knotweed is now an invasive non-native plant of many riverbanks, waste grounds and roadside verges, where it prevents native species from…
Partners & Supporters
Local conservation and community groups with which we work to conserve wildlife in Montgomeryshire
Goldeneye
A medium-sized diving duck, the goldeneye can mainly be spotted in winter when birds fly in from Northern Europe. Conservation efforts have helped small numbers of these birds to nest in Scotland…
My spa day
For Lucy, the wind and salty spray of the Atlantic Ocean is more relaxing than any spa treatment and being surrounded by amazing wildlife, like Common Dolphins, Minke Whales and Harbour Porpoise…
How to install a water butt
Water butts lower the risks of local flooding and will reduce water bills by conserving the water you already have. They're great for watering the garden, refilling the pond - or even washing…
Red-breasted carrion beetle
These distinctive beetles are often found around dead birds and small mammals.