Getting going

We went out as a botanical group for only the second time this year last week but first a quick catch up on some observations in between.

A reconnoitre for the Talgarth walking festival took us around Llangorse lake and up onto higher ground nearby. Not much to see botanically but this small enclosed field with snowdrops was right near the lake.

Snowdrop, Eirlys or Galanthus nivalis

And towards then end of our exploration, as we approached the common north of the lake, we saw this very wet field with more herons than I am used to seeing.

A few weeks ago Tim Rich stopped near Storey Arms on his way to a BSBI meeting in Brecon to record these daffodils in a gully above the road - certainly not native but quite far from the nearest garden as well!

Head-to-head Daffodil, Narcissus x cyclazetta or Narcissus tazetta x cyclamineus 

Tim gave us a practical session on the Whitlow-grasses in the car park near the BBNP offices over lunch and pointed out this "good specimen" of the common species. I have already featured the closely related Glabrous Whitlowgrass, Llysiau’r-bystwn llyfn or Erophila glabrescens that grows there in this blog.

Common Whitlowgrass, Llysiau’r-bystwn ar or Erophila verna sens. str.

Last week's recording day was also a reconnoitre - for Biodiversity week in June when Brecknock Wildlife Trust will have a variety of events including botanical walks near Llangattock.

We found plenty to record though even in late March and enjoyed seeing these introduced but thriving flowers in Llangattock churchyard.

Fritillary, Britheg or Fritillaria meleagris

Growing nearby was our county flower - making itself known along our verges now.

Cuckooflower or Lady's Smock, Blodyn llefrith or Cardamine pratensis


Taking the pictures...

And the canal featured a show of yellow.

Marsh-marigold, Gold y gors or Caltha palustris


Recording on the canal bank.

Above Dardy we saw a lot of this - not the woodland native but a garden escape that seems to flower less than the native subspecies while having showier leaves.

Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum

- closely related to Yellow Archangel, Marddanhadlen felen or Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. montanum that grows in our woodlands.

There were good displays of Wood anemones.

Wood Anemone, Blodyn y gwynt or Anemone nemorosa

And a rather Tolkienesque tree.

And Steph found a rather large bug.

On our return we ended up at some canal works - passing a do not enter sign the wrong way as we returned to Llangattock!

Thanks to Sue for several of the pictures and to Tim for the Daffodil picture.