A rainbow coloured week

Taking advantage of the good weather and the fact I am still working from home, I've ran the moth trap three nights this week, Sunday, Tuesday and last night. Whilst numbers have been low, the trap has produced a lifer each session, including one of the moths I've most wanted to see since I started taking an interest in them.

A couple of weeks ago the trap contained a Copper Underwing, but is escaped before I could check the underside of the hind wing. Opening the trap on Monday morning, amongst the 11 moths, of 7 species, was another Copper Underwing. This one didn't get away and a check of the under hind wing confirmed it as Amphipyra pyramidea, the commoner of the two species in south Wales.

 On to Wednesday morning and a slight increase in numbers to 14 moths of 8 species. The newcomer was a Pale Mottled Willow, Paradrina clavipalpis.

I then made a late decision to put the trap out last night, starting it just after 9pm. Low numbers this morning, just 8 individuals, from 8 species. But it did contain one of my most wanted moths. Unfortunately not a Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini, which seem to be sweeping through south east Wales at the moment. I think it's a much better looking moth, Merveille du Jour, Dichonia aprilina. 

 Sandwiched in between the trapping sessions, I've managed a couple of trip out with some sucess. On Tuesday I was coaching in Haverfordwest, and spent the afternoon in the Marloes Mere / Gann estuary area, picking up the two Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Marloes, before picking up a few plant lifers, including Chamomile and a Boat Bug, Enplopis scapha, and a couple of fungi, including the spectacularly coloured Gibberella gordonii, a fungi that feeds on the much more common fungi Ergot on the Spartina.

After coaching in Neath last night I decided to take advantage of the good weather and the fact it was getting dark earlier to hunt for one of the most spectacular beetles inhabiting south Wales. the Blue Ground Beetle, Carabus intricatus. Until recently this large beetle was only known from 10 remote sites in Devon and Cornwall but a few years ago one was photographed in Skewen. Bug Life has undertaken a number of surveys and found a reasonable sized population in south Wales. I'd taken part in one survey a couple of years ago that failed to find any, so this was definitely on my "most wanted" list. About 30 minutes of torch light scanning of large oaks, interrupted by a curious Tawny Owl, that needed to check me out, and bingo, about 3m up there was a large armoured blue beetle. Unfortunately too high to get a decent photo, but a couple of record shots were obtained.

on the trail of the lonesome pine

 I made a fairly late decision to put the moth trap out last night, not switching it on until 9pm, as the forecast was for a warm night with cloudy skies. This turned out to be a good move as I had one of the best night recently with the number of moths in the trap up to 17, when previous nights had been down in single figures. Large Yellow Underwings and Dusky Thorns took the lions share with 4 each. The highlight was a tick in the shape of a Pine Carpet, Pennithera firmata.

The jewel in the crown

 Got to get back into blogging.... I think I've said that before.....

Anyway, myself, Phil and Martin headed over to Goldcliffe on Sunday morning, to try to pick up some year ticks. Arriving at a reasonable time - just before 7am, we popped into the first hide, where a small group of waders were resting on the pool edge. A quick check showed at least 1 Curlew Sand with some Dunlin. A closer scrutiny revealed at least 2 Curlew Sand and possibly as many as 5, but before we could scrutinise the group they were flushed by a fly thru Peregrine. Over to the Snipe platform and the far side of the lagoon was filled with a mix of Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwing and Redshank with Knot, Snipe Dunlin and, presumably, the Curlew Sands mixed in. A little stint was picked up. However, a closer scrutiny of the flock was not possible as a number of photographers had commandeered the platform overlooking the flock, and viewing would have been impossible whilst maintain some form of social distancing.

The sea wall added Oystercatchers, Curlew and a couple of distant Bar-tailed Godwits, and a single Wheatear. walking back round the lagoons brought a large flock of hirundines, mainly House Martins. However, it didn't attract any passing Hobby. Several fly over Yellow Wagtails were noted, but couldn't be located on the deck.

We then decided to head over the bridge to twitch the Red-backed Shrike that had been found at Marsh field. A small, socially distant, twitch was quickly located and the Shrike followed before we got close to the small paddock it frequented. After getting reasonable views of the Shrike, the first for a few years for all three of us, we set about trying to pick up a few of the other species we required for the year lists. Corn Buntings proved easy, and were soon followed by Yellowhamer, but it was a no show from any Partridges. A couple of distant Whinchat were the only other birds of note.

Not yet 10:30 we decided to head back over the bridge and have a wander round Magor Marsh in the hope of picking up Water Vole and dragonflies. The Water Voles didn't show, though I had a possible dive into one of the reens, but it never resurfaced where it could be seen. A few Southern and Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters were about, but none in decent numbers. However I did find the star of the day, a magnificent Musk Beetle, Aromia moschata, our largest Longhorn Beetle and a beast that Martin had longed to see.