Ponds in 750 words

PONDS (in 750 words in 3-word sentences only)

Ponds are wet. Ponds are deep. Pondwater is cold. Edges are shallow. Marginal plants grow. Willows grow poolside. Ponds house frogs. Ponds house newts. Ponds house sticklebacks. Fish need ponds. Water lily floats. Frogbit floats too. Duckweed floats too. Dragonflies hunt insects. Damselfly is graceful. Damselfly is smaller. Damselfly looks exotic. Dragonfly looks prehistoric. Dragonfly is prehistoric. Mud is deep. Mud is stinking. Mud is mucky.

Ducks swim together. Ducks can dabble. Drakes are attractive. Ducks attract humans. Humans feed ducks. Humans hunt ducks. Ducklings are cute. Waterfowl need ponds. Grebes like ponds. Grebes are divers.

Swans like ponds. Swans are beautiful. Swans build nests. Water weeds choke. Parrot’s feather invades. Pond weeds invade. Canadian pondweed invades. Watercress is edible. Pondskaters surface walk. Water crickets skate. Water measurers walk. Pond surface fascinates. Flowering rush flowers.

Tadpoles form shoals. Frogs spawn annually. Male frogs croak. Toads gather too. Males grab females. Males kick males. Ponds are source. Spawn is jelly. Amphibians need freshwater. Dragonfly nymphs hunt. Nymphs eat tadpoles. Nymphs are masked. Camouflage works well. Nymph transforms magically. Caddisfly larva hides. Herons hunt frogs. Herons eat fish. Herons stand tall. Herons stay still. Herons seek ponds.

Water boatmen sing. Water bug predates. Water bugs bite. Water beetle hunts. Water beetle flies. Water boatmen fly. Reedmace is edible. Summer evaporates water. Newts all leave. Water snails feed. Water scorpions hunt. Leeches sometimes swim. Pondwater is home. Ponds are stagnant. Flatworms are weird. Moths need reeds. Waterfowl need reeds.  Bats like ponds.

Ponds are fascinating. Ponds smell natural. Ponds are ornamental. Winter ponds freeze. Water is icy. Pond surface freezes. Spring returns life. Ponds attract kids. Kids catch tadpoles. Ponds are dangerous. Deep water drowns. Humans drain ponds. Ponds are needed. Rare pondlife exists. Ponds have parasites. Humans destroy pondlife. Humans destroy ponds. Wildlife find ponds. Wildlife seek ponds.

Snakes need ponds. They hunt frogs. Snakes eat newts. Human ponds help. Ponds get fewer. Ponds were childhood. Ponds were traditional. Village ponds existed. Farms had duckponds. Parks had ponds. Parks use ponds.

Ponds supported wildlife. Ponds give life. Ponds are natural. Humans need ponds. Ponds form habitats. Ponds are worlds. Ponds are wetlands. We explore ponds. Pondlife is amazing. Pondlife must adapt. Microscopic pondlife lives. Microscopes view rotifers. Cyclops are crustaceans. Water fleas swarm. Water mites vary. Amoebas can divide. Ponds appeal aesthetically. Lily pool appeals. Ponds inspire artists. Ponds are photogenic. Ponds were youth. Ponds were upbringing. Ponds are missing. Pond explorations excite. Ponds can stimulate. Ponds inspire poetry. Ponds inspire art. Some pondlife float. Some pondlife swim.

Some are mud-dwellers. Some pondlife arrive. Some pondlife depart. Ponds are fun. Ponds are intricate. Ponds delight naturalists. Ponds delight botanists.

Ponds delight people. Ponds are visual. Ponds are seasonal. Ponds dry up. Ponds fill up. Ponds are fleeting. Ponds are alive. Ponds are memorable. Ponds look ancient. Ponds look new. Ponds form connections. Ponds are green. Ponds reflect sunlight. Ponds reflect moonlight. Ponds show seasons. Ponds can drown. A pond protects. Ponds get cold. Ponds can endure. Ponds are leafy. Ponds absorb death. Ponds cause death. Ponds engender life. Ponds use decomposition. Ponds feed animals. Ponds feed birds. Ponds feed amphibians.

Ponds feed insects. Ponds feed invertebrates. Ponds feed mammals. Ponds provide water. Ponds can shine. Ponds can sparkle. Ponds go dark. Ponds fool us. Ponds scare people. Ponds are joy. Each pond differs. Ponds age well. Ponds change quickly. Ponds process life. Ponds are polluted. Ponds are clean. Ponds show cycles. Ponds show signs. Ponds give clues. Ponds take water. Ponds need water. Ponds are temporary. Ponds inspire thinking. Ponds can flood. Ponds can lessen. Ponds can disappear. Ponds can return. People make ponds. People desire ponds. People sell ponds. Plastic ponds work. Ponds are artificial. Concrete ponds endure. Ponds need protection.

Ponds beautify parkland. Ponds beautify gardens. Ponds need attention. Ponds are returning. Ponds were common. Pond mud sets. Pond mud cracks. Clay ponds exist. Marshes surround ponds. Bogs surround ponds. Streams form ponds. Trees overlook ponds. Reeds surround ponds. Ponds warm up. Ponds can chill. Ponds are environments. Ponds support vegetation. Ponds need conservation. Ponds feed us. Ponds are worldwide. Ponds need rain. Ponds collect water. Ponds drain land. Ponds provide sustenance. Ponds nourish lifeforms. Ponds are calm. Ponds are peaceful. Ponds are balanced. Ponds show harmony. Ponds are mirrors.

Ponds reflect faces. Ponds are dreams. Ponds inspire introspection. Pond snail sticks. Ramshorn snail spirals. Kingfishers like ponds. Ponds fill depressions. Ponds swallow excess. Ponds fill fast. Vernal ponds expire.

Why Common Swifts are no longer common

The Common Swift is not so common in the UK anymore

Common Swift (Photo: Justyna Baytel)

The common swift (Apus apus) was once an aptly named bird, so often seen screaming and screeching as it swooped and soared over our streets but this is no longer the case. The common swift is no longer common in the UK. My father Bill, who lives in Cardiff, used to keep a diary in which he recorded the dates the swifts arrived each year at the start of summer. He no longer bothers because no swifts arrive where he lives any more. He often rightly complains that these once common birds have vanished from the road he lives in.

The common swift's British breeding populations are known to have dropped drastically in numbers, and the RSPB have the bird on the "Amber List" for species in danger.

So where have all the swifts gone? What has happened to them and what can be done about it?

One of the main reasons for their serious decline is how houses are being built and maintained today. In old buildings the swifts used to nest under the eaves but now roofs are sealed and the birds cannot find any way of entering or anywhere to nest. Renovations to old houses are sealing the roofs too. Making the problem worse, is the fact that swifts like to return to buildings where they have nested before, and they are not keen on newly built housing. Demolition of old buildings demolishes the nesting sites used by swifts.

Swiftlets in nest box (Photo: Public Domain) 

Fortunately, there is a solution. Nest boxes can be placed on houses and buildings and access to roofs can be left by people who care about the conservation of these summer visitors. One group that is actively monitoring the swift population in the UK is aptly named Action For Swifts. It is reassuring to know that there are people all over Britain that are very concerned about this problem and who are taking action to try and do something about it before it is too late. I emailed a contact I found for Action For Swifts in the Cardiff area and was delighted to receive a reply from a lady called Julia. She confirmed what my Dad had been saying, that the situation for swifts in Cardiff is not good. But she informed me that there are a couple of known colonies in the suburbs of Canton and Cathays, and that Cardiff University is helping with conservation measures to help the common swift. The university has accepted advice on renovation work that is swift-friendly and has put up a large number of nest boxes on its halls of residence.

"Swift City"

Julia informed me that “Glamorgan Bird Club is also doing a variety of things, including raising awareness and has recently installed nest boxes in a church tower in the Vale.

And the RSPB is looking to make Cardiff a "swift city" - to work with the Council, house builders, etc, to increase nest sites, amongst other things.”

My father was very glad to hear this news and spread the word to a group of local radio amateurs he is friendly with. Obviously, the more people that know about the threat to the common swift and what steps can be taken to help them recover, the better it will be for these amazing birds.

Why Swifts are truly remarkable birds

Common swifts are truly incredible for many reasons. They have very short legs and because of this they are unhappy when landed because they are unable to walk. They use their short legs and feet to cling to vertical surfaces, such as the wall of a house. Because they do not land on the ground, the birds spend most of their lives on the wing and they even sleep when flying. Non-breeding young birds can spend as much as 10 months of a year in continuous flight. No other bird spends as much time on the wing.

Speaking of flight, swifts migrate all the way to and from equatorial Africa, all the way to the UK and many other parts of Europe and the Northern Hemisphere.

Swifts gather their nesting materials on the wing too, using feathers and small bits of vegetable matter that they find blowing about. They bond it together to make their nests using their saliva as an adhesive.

A remarkable bird, I am sure you will agree, so let’s do all we can to make the common swift, common again!

Pentrebane Farm, Barn Owls and the Great Crested Newt

Barn Owls and Great Crested Newts Threatened by Plasdwr

Steve Andrews and Michael Deem at Pentrebane Farm

The Plasdwr housing development plan threatens to destroy green belt countryside on the outskirts of Pentrebane, St Fagans and Radyr in the west of Cardiff. Rare species, such as the barn owl (Tyto alba) and the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) live and breed in this area. Pentrebane Farm is one place they can be found and if those behind Plasdwr and Redrow Homes, who are doing the building, have their way, this historic farmhouse will be converted into a pub and the fields will be built all over.

TV presenter and naturalist Iolo Williams has called the Plasdwr proposal “sheer madness” and has pointed out that it threatens many species, including the great crested newt, the barn owl and the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros). Williams is not only very concerned about the destruction of the habitats of these species, but also explains that the building of some 6,000 houses will mean a lot more traffic on the already overburdened roads in and out of this side of Cardiff.

A visit to Pentrebane Farm

Sue Caldwell and Michael Deem

I went along to Pentrebane Farm with my friends Sue Caldwell and Michael Deem. Michael, by the way, is a councillor for Radyr and Morganstown Community Council and South Wales Central Regional Assembly Candidate at Plaid Cymru. Along with Neil McEvoy, Assembly Member for South Wales Central at Y Senedd, he has been campaigning ardently against Plasdwr.

Michael Deem makes a new friend

My first impression of Pentrebane Farm was what an amazing place it is, and this impression was to be confirmed and to grow. The farm is a still-surviving example of an old-style farm with a muddy farmyard, barns full of hay, cowsheds, cows out in the fields, several friendly sheepdogs, and a stables for the horses.

Pentrebane Farm

There are plenty of green fields, hedges, trees and large pond with a stream. Pentrebane Farmhouse is a Grade II Listed Building in St Fagans. It dates back to the 18th century and has a largely unaltered Victorian character. The views are wonderful in this very rural setting.

Barns and Barn Owls

Pentrebane Farm Barn

Amongst its attractions are its barns. Barn owls nest in these in the special boxes placed there for them. There are two pairs using the farm as a place to live and hunt from. These owls are having problems throughout the UK and a home for them such as this is vital for their survival and wellbeing.

Inside the Barn

It would be a real tragedy to think that this majestic barn could one day just become part of a modern public house, if the planners get their way. The barn owls would no longer have this wonderful home, and if somehow they managed to adapt, they would have to hunt over houses and streets, instead of the fields and countryside.

Pentrebane Farm Pond

 Pentrebane Farm Pond

We went to have a look at the pond too. It was very muddy but we all had ‘wellies’ on and I went wading about in the shallow. Sue’s dog Cleo jumped in and made the water even muddier. I didn’t see any newts but could see that it would be a great place for them. Newts don’t mind a lot of mud! The experience took me back to my childhood when I used to spend a lot of time wading around in ponds, as can be read in previous blogs about ponds and newts.

Redrow Homes have already started

Redrow Homes Danger Sign

Right next to Radyr, Redrow have already been given the go ahead and have begun work. They have fenced off fields that are all ploughed up. Hedges have been felled, bulldozers, ‘Keep Out,’ and warning notices complete the depressing picture. It is too late here but, hopefully, not for Pentrebane Farm and other parts included in the Plasdwr plan.

The Solution

Fields

Iolo Williams explained on a video presentation, in which he talks about the problem of Plasdwr, that a solution exists. Obviously houses need to be built somewhere but there are brownfield sites in the Cardiff area that could be utilised without any need to destroy the beautiful countryside threatened by the plans. Concerned residents are urged to contact their AMs and local MPs and voice their worries. Let’s Say NO to Plasdwr, and Save Our Green Fields!

Contact: MikeDeemPlaid@gmail.com Twitter: @MichaelDeemPC  

TV presenter Iolo Williams speaks out against the Plasdwr housing plan

Plasdwr threatens the Great Crested Newt and other wildlife

Popular TV presenter and naturalist Iolo Williams has spoken out against the Plasdwr housing development proposal that threatens to destroy countryside in the green belt area of Cardiff northwest. Plasdwr is being promoted as “Cardiff’s garden city” but Williams calls the plan “sheer madness.”

He points out that already endangered wildlife species, including the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus), the barn owl (Tyto alba) and the lesser horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus hipposideros) all have populations that depend on habitats that exist on land scheduled for use, if the building of 6,000 new houses goes ahead.

Great Crested Newt (Photo: Public Domain)

The plan of Redrow Homes is to build all over countryside bordering on St Fagans, Fairwater (Pentrebane), Danescourt and Radyr, all on the outskirts of the north-west of Cardiff. There are large ponds in the fields and farmland affected by the housing development proposals, ponds, such as the Pentrebane Cottage Ponds, that are known to be used by the great crested newt, an amphibian that has been declining fast in the UK and is protected by law.

Barn Owl (Photo: Public Domain/Pixabay)

The barn owl is another British species of wildlife that has been dropping in numbers throughout the UK and is the subject of conservation schemes set up to protect this beautiful nocturnal bird of prey. Williams has pointed out that this magnificent bird is found in the area threatened by the development of the land.

The lesser horseshoe bat is one of the smallest mammals in the world. It roosts in colonies and in the UK, Wales is one the parts it is found. This bat is absent from Scotland. Threats to its survival include disturbance and destruction of roosting locations and the loss of suitable habitats in which it can forage for its prey, which are small insects and spiders. This bat flies low over the ground and will grab small creatures it can eat off of rocks and bushes.

Lesser Horseshoe Bat (Photo: Falcoperegrinus/Matthieu Gauvain)

Cardiff Council and the Local Development Plan (LDP)

Cardiff Council are favouring developers over the wishes of residents of the city when it comes to its LDP.  A report by Ruth Mosalski for WalesOnline points out that Cardiff’s Civic Society has claimed that Cardiff Council “ignores the public.” Many residents of the city are worried about these development plans and have voiced their concerns. It is not only because of the threatened destruction of the countryside and the wildlife it is a home to that is causing worries, but also because of the very real problem of traffic. Roads into and out of the west of Cardiff are already experiencing traffic chaos and adding another 6,000 houses and a potential 10,000 more cars can only acerbate the problem turning it into an absolute nightmare. Cardiff simply does not have the roads in place to cope with the increased traffic.

Increased traffic causes increased air pollution too. At present, the growth of lichen and mosses on tree trunks and walls throughout the city shows that the air quality has improved, but a dramatic increase in the number of vehicles using Cardiff’s overburdened roads will halt and reverse this, as well as being a known cause of ill-health for people.

There is a solution

There is no denying that people need somewhere to live and that more housing should be built. However, none of the problems the Plasdwr development will create have to exist because a viable solution already exists. As Williams points out in the video, there are brownfield sites in Cardiff where houses can be built instead. Also there are empty buildings that could be used to provide housing. He asks concerned residents to get in touch with their AMs and local MPs and to put in their complaints.

Councillor for Radyr & Morganstown Community Council and Plaid Cymru candidate for Radyr and Morganstown, Michael Deem, is campaigning against the destruction of the green belt, and so is Neil McEvoy, who is Assembly Member For South Wales Central at Y Senedd and County Councillor for Fairwater.

Contact: MikeDeemPlaid@gmail.com Twitter: @MichaelDeemPC  

Visit: caerdydd.plaid.cymru

Say NO to Plasdwr, Save Our Green Fields!

Forest Farm and Glamorganshire Canal are Great Places for Nature

Forest Farm Reserve and the Glamorganshire Canal

Photo: Steve Andrews

Just on the outskirts of Cardiff lies a wonderful area for nature that I have been visiting since I was a boy. I am talking about Glamorganshire Canal and the Forest Farm Nature Reserve, which offer long stretches of freshwater, pools and wetland habitats, forests and fields.

Photo: Steve Andrews

There are several ways to get there but I usually walk up through Hailey Park in Llandaff North and continue along Ty-Mawr Road that goes past the old Melingriffith Tin and Iron Works and the old water wheel which is still there as a relic of the South Wales industrial past. The Melingriffith Works that were founded sometime before 1750, closed in 1957.  At the end of the road you reach the end of Velindre Road, which is part of the suburb of Whitchurch.

Here you can either go into the Forest Farm reserve or wander along the banks of the canal, which ends below Tongwynlais and in the area of the Coryton Interchange. It is also possible to get there by crossing the River Taff from Radyr.

Herons and Kingfishers

Photo: Steve Andrews

Birdwatchers can easily spot herons in this area and if lucky you can get a glimpse of the kingfisher too as it hunts for prey in the waters of the canal. I remember seeing one there many years back and it inspired me to write a song, aptly entitled "Kingfisher."

Mallard ducks are very common here and can be seen on the Glamorgan Canal and on the feeder which runs alongside it, as are moorhens. Water rail, snipe, dippers and reed warblers are also reported from Forest Farm Reserve. Even the elusive bittern have been seen here.

Photo: Steve Andrews

Beech and Oak

Beech and oak are the main trees that grow alongside the Glamorganshire Canal and in the Long Wood. Some of the trees are said to be 200 years old. In autumn the dead leaves in their brown and golden autumnal shades can be seen coating the ground and floating on the canal’s surface.

Common Toads

Common toads gather to spawn in the canal in springtime, and I remember when some ponds many miles away on the banks of Llandaff Weir were destroyed many years ago. I remember seeing toad tadpoles in the canal that year and wondered if it was possible that some of the displaced toads had somehow found the canal even though it was miles away. I often wonder what amphibians do when they return to spawning grounds to find them gone.

Grass Snakes

I have seen grass snakes swimming in the Glamorgan Canal too. It is good to know these once much more common reptiles, have found a home here.

Waterlilies

In summer the surface of a lot of the Glamorgan Canal is covered by the large rounded leaves of the yellow water lily. However, when I recently visited in late autumn they had all died back. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed my recent walk along this canal that is an interesting place to visit all year around.

Photo: Steve Andrews

Birdwatching in Tenerife

Tenerife Birds

Blue Chaffinch  (Photo: Public Domain)

Tenerife in the Canary Islands is a very popular destination for sun-seeking holidaymakers but it is also a great place for birdwatchers because of the variety of habitats and variety of birds. Some species are very rare ones too.  Amongst the birds that are in that category is the Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla teydea), an endemic species only found in the mountain forests of the island. With its distinctive blue feathers and rarity, this is definitely one bird to watch out for.

On the subject of rare birds that can be seen in Tenerife, there are two species of laurel pigeon that only live in the  laurel ("laurisilva") forests in the mountains of the island. Bolle’s Pigeon (Columba bollii) and the Laurel Pigeon (Columba junoniae) are both very limited in their range of distribution because they need this type of woodland habitat. These evergreen mixed forests that mainly consist of laurel trees were once plentiful in the Mediterranean area, but now the few patches left in the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma are some of the only remaining stands of this form of woodland in the world.

Great Grey Shrike (Photo: Marek Szczepanek)

The Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor) is an uncommon bird in the UK but can be found on Tenerife, especially on the mountains and high on Mt Teide. It is also known as a “Butcher Bird” because of its habit of impaling its prey on the thorns of bushes as a sort of makeshift larder where it can eat them later. The Great Grey Shrike feeds on beetles, grasshoppers and small animals, including lizards and mice.

Water birds

Little Egret in flight (Photo: Public Domain)

Although Tenerife has very little naturally occurring freshwater habitats, the reservoirs, ornamental ponds and irrigation tanks provide enough places for frogs and fish to live that can provide food for birds such as the Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea). The Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), with its white plumage, is a very distinctive bird that can be seen all over the island, including along its coasts and on farmland.

The Coot (Fulica atra) and the Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) are two widely distributed water birds that both breed in Tenerife. Both species can be seen on the ponds near the village of Erjos.

One strange-looking bird you might encounter on Tenerife beaches is the Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus). This wader has a very long bill that it uses for probing into sand and rocks where it can find its food.

The Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) is another wader that lives in Britain that can be also be seen in coastal areas of Tenerife, including Las Galletas and El Medano. It likes beaches and open areas of ground near the sea or by lagoons.

Birds of Prey

Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) and Buzzards (Buteo buteo) are the two most commonly seen birds of prey  that live on the island of Tenerife. The Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) hunts by night in many parts of the island. None of the birds of prey are as common as they once were.

The Hoopoe

Hoopoe (Photo: Public Domain)

One of the most exotic looking birds found on Tenerife is the Hoopoe (Upupa epos). It stands out with its salmon-pink plumage, black and white striped wings,  long pointed beak, and a tufted crest of feathers on its head. A rare migrant to the UK, on Tenerife it can be seen in gardens, parks and farmland where it hunts for insects and other small creatures to eat.

Canaries in the Canary Islands

Wild Canary (Photo: Public Domain)

Of course, as you might well expect the Canary Islands have canaries, and although this is not why the islands were named with their descriptive moniker, there are these types of birds living there. The Common Canary (Serinus canaria) is a bird that is very often seen and heard on Tenerife, although this wild type doesn’t have the bright yellow colouring all over its body that the the domestic version you would probably be more familiar with has. Domestic Canaries are sold in pet stores and commonly kept as pets throughout the island.

These are just some of the more interesting examples of birds that can be found in Tenerife, and that birdwatchers can be on the lookout for.