Sunday 17 April 2016

BBS and a Swimming Beauty

A chilly start, at six thirty for Martin Bevan and I, to get our upland BBS square done, but what a glorious day it turned out to be and so clear that around midday, with the tide obviously out, I could not only see the west country, but also clearly make out the pale line of the beach. Not bad for Mynydd Merthyr.

On our joint square, a definite highlight for me were my first Swallows of the year (hard to believe, I know, but a sad truth nevertheless), other highlights being a fly over Tree Pipit, picked up by Martin and a fly through pair of Ring Ouzels; heard by both of us, but seen only by me. I am still kicking myself over the latter, as I assumed Martin was on them as well, but he wasn't. Sorry Martin.

On the last transect section, we briefly saw a Green Tiger Beetle, as it flew off the path and disappeared and along the same section, Martin showed superb willpower by resisting the temptation to photograph the sea of 'Matchstick' Cladonia that grows alongside the path there. I suspect he has been undergoing therapy for that particular fixation.

After we parted company, I went and did my adjacent square, on which two singing Tree Pipits were the highlights.

Walking back, I came across this beauty taking a swim in a flooded wheel rut. It reached the shore as I approached, but then remained stationary, just long enough for me to get a couple of photos. If you didn't have any on your way down, Martin, I haven't included this just to wind you up, honest.


... well perhaps just a bit!

Thinking about it, we had quite a good weekend, BBS-wise, as we managed to add a new species to each of our two joint BBS squares (Mute Swan and Ring Ouzel); something that rarely happens these days.

4 comments:

  1. Cheers Mark you sod and no beetles coming back down and a cracking photo mate and as for feel sorry over Ring Ouzel it.s ok a bar of chocolate or a pint of larger and all forgiven.Great surveys and was happy with the Tawny Owl and after checking the same tree for twenty years to see one in there.

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  2. It makes me chuckle to think of you chanting the same mantra every year, each time we reached that bloody tree. It was good to see that the owls have finally got the message.
    I've checked and although this year should have been the twentieth for the top square and the nineteenth for the bottom one; there was no BBS in the foot and mouth year, so next year will actually be the twentieth for the top and nineteenth for the bottom.

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  3. Cheers mark and swans where not there today and may have gone back to abercwmboi lake and heard a sedge warbler by the rail reed bed and never showed .

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