February fun at Bryngarw Country Park

Bryngarw Country Park in Brynmenyn near Bridgend will be celebrating this year’s National Nest Box Week, 14 – 21 February, with a fun-filled flock of bird-related activities for families to enjoy over the half-term school holiday. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

From Monday 15 to Friday 19 February, visitors can use a special map to try and spot different species of birds feeding around the park. Maps can be collected from the visitor centre between 11am and 3pm and cost £1, with a free bag of bird seed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On Wednesday 17, families can make their own bird box for their garden. All materials will be supplied and the Park Rangers will be on hand to help with the construction. Supervision from a responsible adult is required if children want to get hands-on and help. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On Friday 19, the Park Rangers will be running messy sessions for children to make their own fat and seed balls for the birds who visit their garden. These will take place in the visitor centre between 11am and 3.30pm. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tickets for the ‘make your own nest box’ and ‘make your own bird food’ workshops can be booked through the TicketSource website on www.ticketsource.co.uk/bryngarwhouseandcountrypark. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To end the week, semi-professional wildlife and macro photographer Paul Whippey will be displaying a series of his bird photographs in the visitor centre on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21. The exhibition will be open between 10am and 4pm and is free of charge to attend. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Richard Hughes, Chief Executive of Awen Cultural Trust, the new not-for-profit organisation which manages Bryngarw House and Country Park in partnership with Bridgend County Borough Council, said: “We are pleased to be supporting National Nest Box Week with a range of activities that we hope will appeal to our visitors of all ages, and inspire them to learn more about the nature we are so lucky to have on our doorstep. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The wide range of native tree species in Bryngarw – some of which are hundreds of years old – provide food and shelter to an equally wide range of native bird species and other wildlife. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a cultural trust we are proud of our partnerships with other conservation organisations, and are delighted that our friends from the RSPB will be visiting Bryngarw throughout the half-term week.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​