Osprey or Gwalch y Pysgod

Gwal-kh uh Puss-god

One species that’s become synonymous with Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust is the Osprey. Their Welsh name, ‘Gwalch y Pysgod’, translates as ‘the fish hawk’ in a nod to the raptor’s preferred diet of ‘pysgod’ or ‘fish’, though it’s not a member of the hawk family.

Once extinct from Wales and the rest of the UK as a breeding species, thanks in part to the conservation and education efforts of the Trust’s Dyfi Osprey Project, these birds have successfully bred at Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve every year since 2011 – the first time they had bred in the Dyfi Valley in 400 years! Cors Dyfi, a wetland oasis just outside Machynlleth, is a wonderful place to see, and find out more about, these incredible birds. You can watch them through your binoculars from the 360 Observatory Tower, or enjoy live-streamed cinematic imagery in the Dyfi Wildlife Centre’s viewing room, courtesy of seven high-resolution 4k cameras located around the Osprey nest. Summer is a particularly good time to visit, as the breeding pair, Idris and Telyn, are busy raising this year’s offspring.

Foxglove or Menyg Ellyllon 

Men-ig Ell-uh-llon

In Wales, foxglove is a fairy plant known as Menyg Ellyllon or "elves' gloves" in English, amongst other names. It's the flower emblem of the county of Monmouthshire and no matter where you are in Gwent this month, it's charismatic pink flower spikes can be enjoyed across our woodlands, gardens, moorlands, roadside verges and waste ground.

Like many of our native plants, they are an excellent source of nectar for bumblebees, moths and Honeybees, but finding a bee inside it's deep floral cup might not be their only 'sting in the tail'. Deadly poisonous, ingestion of any parts of the plant can result in nausea, headaches and diarrhoea, or even heart and kidney problems.

 Badger or Mochyn Daear 

Moh-chin Day-arr

This month is a great time of year to watch badgers, the symbol of the Wildlife Trust movement. Known as Mochyn Daear in Welsh which translates to 'earth pig', these light summer evenings are a good opportunity to see cubs playing and exploring their surroundings. Remember if you do head out to watch badgers make sure to keep noise to a minimum, avoid using torches or flash photography, and sit so that the wind is blowing from the sett towards you, to avoid disturbing them!

Kingfisher or Glas y Dorlan

Gl-aah-ss uh Door-lan

The Welsh name for kingfisher translates into ‘the blue of the riverbank’. This beautiful bird is easy to recognise along rivers and streams thanks to its bright blue and metallic copper colours. April until August is prime time for spotting kingfishers as they start to dig their nests in the riverbank and perch quietly on low-hanging branches over the water to dive for fish. Males have an entirely black bill, whereas females have an orangey-red patch at the base.

A quarter of the bird species in Wales are now on the Red List, meaning they are declining and need conservation help. However, Kingfisher are among the species to have moved onto the Green List, providing much-needed hope that things can still change for the better!

Take a trip to Gilfach Nature Reserve to be in with a chance to spot this striking bird along the River Marteg, a tributary of the River Wye!

Cormorant or Mulfran

Meel-vran

There isn't just one Welsh name for the cormorant, and not even two …. but four! One name is ‘mulfran’, which translates back into English as the ‘donkey crow’ and refers to the bird’s guttural cry. But it’s only our fourth favourite Welsh name for the cormorant. ‘Bilidowcar’ (also the title of a Welsh kids’ TV programme in the 70s and 80s) remains the most commonly used. Two other local names show similar affection for a bird that’s clearly a local character: ‘Wil Wal Waliog’ and the plural ‘hen lanciau Llandudno’ (old bachelors of Llandudno) which may link to one of the largest colonies of cormorants in Wales, on the cliffs of our Rhiwledyn Nature Reserve, on the Little Orme in Llandudno. The name conjures up an image of old boys loitering around the town’s beaches, drying their wings between salty adventures.

The UK holds internationally important wintering numbers of cormorant. They feed on fish, which they catch with their long, hook-tipped bills while swimming underwater. Cormorants nest on low cliffs around the coasts, or in colonies in trees on lakes and flooded gravel pits. Cormorants can often be spotted perched on a rock or bank with their wings held out. In this stance, they are able to dry off their feathers, which are not waterproof.

Take a trip to our Rhiwledyn Nature Reserve for great views of these stunning birds.

Lesser Weever Fish or Diawl Dan Draed

Dee-owl Dan Dried

Known to many who live near the sea, the Weever fish has a strong sting on the top of its body that gives rise to its Welsh name 'Diawl Dan Draed' which translates back into English as Devil Under Foot! This amazing fish buries itself in the sand waiting for prey to come by so it can stealthily attack. Reaching up to 15cm long, it is common around the shores of the UK and only raises its dorsal sting when it feels threatened, so taking it easy in when paddling and wear beach shoes are the best way to avoid a sting by this amazing little creature.