: Exploring Our Woodlands

This week is National Nest Box Week and next week is Half Term so we've decided to combine the two and have bird-themed activities at T? Gwyrdd this weekend and all next week as well. We'll be making bird feeders and nest boxes and there'll be a free info pack all about how to attract birds to your garden and look after them.

With the weather looking increasingly Spring-like at the moment it is time to get those nest boxes up before the breeding season gets going. Spring and summer is a very busy time for the birds as they have to feed all those chicks as well as themselves, so any help that comes from us is most welcome I'm sure!

Do you enjoy watching birds in your garden? Do you have a favourite place to go to watch birds? This coming weekend (29th and 30th January) is the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, an annual survey of the nations birds.

All it takes is an hour of your time to record which birds visit your garden or local park. For a list of local parks in Cardiff, click here.

You could even visit us here at St Fagans museum to record which birds you see from our bird hide. Wherever you choose to go, make sure you wrap up warm, it can be very cold work!

Registration is free and all the information you need is available from the RSPB's website: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch 

What will you see??

First it was the snow and now it's the rain! The Ely burst its banks at St Fagans today and rose pretty high. A mere trickle compared to what's happening over in queensland though... You can help victims of the floods in Australia here

Just thought I'd pop quick post up here with some photos of the cold weather at St Fagans. It's very cold but very pretty at the same time - especially at dawn and sunset (which you've probably noticed are only 5 minutes apart now).

If you feel like coming to the Christmas Nights this week please bring warm clothes and a torch. There's loads to see and do but it's not going to be warm! We'll be showing you how to make your own Christmas decorations using just newspapers, scissors, glue and the mystifying magic known as 'arts & crafts'.

Also, please feed the birds as they are cold. Look at that poor Robin. Freezing.

As the woodland birds get used to the new surroundings, the feeders outside the bird hide have been getting busier and busier. At times the feeders are covered in assorted tits, with the occasional nuthatch, chaffinch and robin to keep them company. Every once in a while a greater spotted woodpecker has been appearing too, forcing the smaller birds to hide for a short time.

The hide is very close to being ready to open to the public, still on schedule to be open before the end of this month. If you are thinking of visiting, remember to wrap up nice and warm, it can get quite cold in there at times. Even better, bring along a nice flask of tea!

The hide is a great place to get some great pictures of wildlife, here are some that we have taken of birds we have caught feeding outside the bird hide.