For'n Parts

Determined to go somewhere moth trapping on Saturday night, I accepted and invitation to join George Tordoff and Mike Thornton, at Lanlay Meadows nature reserve, on the outskirts of Peterson-Super-Ely, near Cardiff.
The reserve consists of a series of fields following the south and west side of the river Ely, with drier hay meadows nearest the village and progressively wetter fields further up river.
I ran my 125 watt MV Skinner trap in one of the hay meadows, while George ran his Skinner in the corner of another, tucked in the angle between hedges. He also ran an 8 watt actinic Heath trap near the reserve entrance.
The weather didn't play fair and the clearing skies and no wind meant plummeting temperatures, the minimum at my trap dropping to just 6.80 C. Fog started forming after midnight too, but despite this the combined catch was around 80 species and at least the clear skies allowed George and I to see a spectacular fireball streak slowly across part of the sky.
Personal highlights for me were Sharp-angled Carpet, Scorched Carpet and Brussels Lace, the latter two being new species for me.

In the Hazel trees close to George's trap, I found two Oak Bush Crickets, while on a Blackthorn next to his trap was a Vapourer caterpillar.

Mike found this lovely Chaffer, which I think is Serica brunnea and nearby, I found another.

Not far from my trap, I came across this mating pair of Ghost Moths. I haven't yet had the chance to try and identify the bug that is in the same frame, enjoying the view.

Mike and George were good company and we trapped until around 01:30. As we were packing up, I started getting aurora alerts on my phone, warning of an impending storm, but the peak wasn't supposed to be until around 06:30, which would be broad daylight. Even so, on my way home, I nipped up the valley to Graig-y-llyn, but saw nothing.
On my way home, I passed a naked man walking up the A465, past Hirwaun and I knew I was back in the valleys!

Home And Away

Went back over to Robertstown on Sunday evening and found the Bee Beetles are still about, saw this one for a very short time before it flew off never to be seen again. I found this Ladybird Larvae on the Willow.

Right over the bridge and I went too a concert in Powderham Castle on Saturday, I saw two species of Dragonfliess in the concert, they were a Broad Bodied Chaser and a female Emperor Dragonfly, it was catching the flies above the crowds heads. Also just before the show started I spotted a swarm of Bees flying above the crowd luckily they went through very quickly. I don't think many people saw them. it reminded me of Goa and the boat trip and that swarm. At the Nature Reserve at Dawlish Warren there was lots of Marsh Helleborine in flower it was great too see this smart flower out. Also there was Evening Primrose everywhere looking great in the sunlight. I found my first Gate Keeper of the year and has it warmed up Butterflies were popping up everywhere. I saw lots of Small Copper on the reserve and there were a couple of Common Darter dragonflies out as well. I also went up on Red Rock For a look over the Sea and found Round Leaved Navelwort growing on the side of the path going up, found loads more later at the campsite at Lady's Mile and just as we about to leave we had a quick walk on the beach and found a dead Barrel Jellyfish, lots of cuttlefish, collected some and put them it in my rucksack and forgot about it and now my rucksack is smelling like Phil's feet in Spain and thats pretty bad.

I 

bits and bobs from the weekend

With athletics meets on both Sat and Sun, there was little time to get out and about. That said I did get out and picked up a few interesting bits and bobs.

Probably the pick of Saturday mornings wandering around Quakers was getting to grips with my first confirmed Merodon equestris.

also found was this weevil which I originally took to be a Figwort Weevil, but as it was on a Nettle, I took a closer look. Rather than the all white pronotum and a full white spot in the centre of the elytra, this had pale brown sides to the pronotum and the white spot was greatly reduced, identifying it as Cionus tuberculosus

Sunday was a trip up to Birmingham, so I took an early start to catch up with the Melodious Warbler that's been holding territory for the past two/three weeks. After parking up I walked down the bridal path towards the location where the warb was being reported. About 100m from the site I could hear it singing away and it was quickly picked up and it allowed quite close approach, down to about 6m. Unfortunately, I didn't take my camera.It became my third British tick of the year, and one long overdue.

Garden moths

I had the above in the trap the other night but I'm in a rush, old, nasty and out of practice. Also I've always had problems with grey torts and their kin. Probably best of the night was Cherry Fruit Moth but I don't understand why so few records at this end of the shire. If you can help Mark I'll reimburse you efforts in cider.

Rhaslas

Trying out stuff this morning, nice to see DN3, CS4 and usual suspects still around the pond. Both vehicle access points have at last been blocked off so very peaceful.

Gusting wind and limited time made it difficult to get any decent shots of dragonfly but noted four-spotted chaser[5], common blue[c20] and a brief distant hawker arrived on small south west pond as I was leaving, possibly common. Not much else.

Night Shift at the Raven Roost

Having been unable to run my moth trap on that warm night a couple of days ago, I hoped to get out trapping last night instead. However, forecasts of clear skies, plummeting temperatures and a full moon caused be to rethink my plans, so I reluctantly abandoned the planned mothing for a raven count.

For some unknown reason, the ravens have been flying out earlier than usual, these past three years, with last year's starting at 03:45 and in 2013, they started leaving at 03:25. As always, I take the earliest departure time as a target and aim to be in position at least fifteen minutes beforehand. As it happens, this morning, I was there at 02:50, which was fortunate, for while getting my stuff out of the car and sorting myself out, prior to heading off down the parish road to my usual counting spot, I was only partially surprised to hear a raven flight call, quite close and after a quick naked eye scan of the dim, twilit sky above me, I could just about make out six ravens flying over me, then turning and heading back towards the roost.

I hurriedly grabbed my things and headed off down the road, but hadn't got far when I heard more ravens. It took me a few seconds to get my eyes zeroed into them, but I was helped by these flying between me and the brighter sky to the east of me. I hadn't yet zeroed my hand tally, so I counted them manually and as soon as they were gone, I got my tally out, zeroed it and added the count to it, by which time, more ravens could be heard approaching, so despite being quite a distance up the road from where I usually slouch, I decided to stay put for the time being and count from there.

About seventy birds had left by 03:15, then it went quiet, with just the occasional small group or pair flying past. As I sat there waiting, a Nightjar suddenly started churring from somewhere in the direction of the roost; the first time this has happened for several years.

By 03:30, around a hundred birds had flown out and it had become really quiet, so I took advantage of the lull to move down to my usual spot. As usual, the first songbirds to start singing were Stonechats, followed after a while, by Wren and Reed Bunting. As I sat there listening to the Stonechats, I saw something whiffling past and almost immediately heard the bubbling call of a female Cuckoo. It was 04:05 and no further ravens had left the roost, when I heard some approaching it from behind me and to my dismay and frustration I saw three groups, amounting to twenty four birds fly back to the roost and only two go the other way. Normally the flying out is all over in an hour, often a lot less, but it was now 04:30 and in the past hour almost nothing had left the roost and I began to wonder if that was it, but decided to give it until five before calling it a day.

At 04:55, a couple of pairs flew out, followed by more small groups, then a steady trickle of small groups from then until it all fizzled out completely at 05:45, by which time I was colder than I thought it possible to be while fully clothed on a July morning.

At two and three quarter hours, it was by far the most protracted raven count I've ever done and by turns, frustrating, tedious and occasionally exciting. However, despite all that, the total, whatever it is, is always worth the effort (it's the whole point after all) and this one was, at 415, the highest ever for July, so we got there in the end. Based on their behaviour, these last three July counts, I am beginning to wonder whether they actually roost properly, these short nights, particularly when there is a bright moon, or whether groups of them to and fro between the roost and the tip or a loafing place, through the night. 

On by way back up to the car, I was surrounded by Linnets singing and calling, the males looking superb.

Before heading off home, I visited my flint site and found two Mesolithic blade fragments, which were the cherry on the cake and adequate compensation for a mothless night.

The largest of the prehistoric blade fragments.Approximately 3.50 cm long

Highlights of the week

i

On Tuesday night I went up to Abernant and walked along the line towards Llwydcoed and went into a pinewood below the tip. I was just looking what was new, I found Broad Leaved Hellobrine, I started counting them and was amazed by how many were in there I found 85 plants. They seemed to be just coming up so there must be more. It seems this plant likes the Abernant area as I found more there than any where else. I found two male Broad Bodied Chaser fighting it out over a perch, they showed real well .

Back to the field and there are 5 Spot Burnets everywhere, I found a couple just coming out, it like a scene from Aliens. Back to the moths I was very pleased to see my first Green Sliver Lines of the year and this small moth which I have not seen before and have no idea what it is .

 I have been told this is Yellow Tort is Agapeta Hamaa and new for me as well .

Last one when working yesterday I spotted this woolly bear caterpillar climbing up someones fence and thought corrrrr and potted it quickly, photographed it later and let it go on his way. I saw them everywhere then. They were great to see and cannot not wait to see the adult now which will be Garden Tiger what a cracking moth .