Weobley Marsh

I managed to get out onto Weobley Marsh over high tide this am, before coaching duties in Swansea, where I was joined for a time by Chris Brewer. Highlight was a splendid adult pale phase Arctic Skua, which flew past close and low. On the wader front, 11+ Curlew Sands, 1-2 Little Stint, 4 Knot, 4 Turnstone joined the throng of Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Sanderling. The regular autumn Osprey was visible on the posts by Llanrhidian. The only duck was a single Eider!

Rhaslas

Common tern[3] this a.m. in the rain, distant record shot of one of the birds flying in front of the inner face of north dam, just east of the blue sunbed and aluminium ladder.

Rhaslas and VC42

Dunlin[4] at Rhaslas this morning with swallow[c30] feeding over the pond and wheatear[4] around the margins, otherwise just the usual suspects. After work: Llangorse; a single redshank and lapwing[2] at Llangasty while a juv arctic tern and a common sandpiper were the best at Talybont reservoir. Zero at Llwyn-onn, just dog walkers and plenty of mud.

Rhaslas

Cream head through at c16:00 hours, still raining with mist, typical bad weather birding at Rhaslas. It did one hunting pass just south of dam; 'it was stop the car, grab camera, fire off 5 shots and it was gone', a minute later and I would have missed it. This morning singles of little ringed plover, dunlin and 1 other species that I couldn't id, very brief view, through water logged specs, in the driving rain and fog, but no waders present this pm, oh hum.

There not mush room.

I found this in the forest at Craig Llyn. On facebook it say Slippery Jack also called Suillus Luteus. Any thoughts.

 Waxcap Llwydcoed old washeries site looks like Meadow, any thoughts on this.

Two flowers from Robertstown any ideas.

Rhaslas

Turnstone inadvertently flushed from inner face of south dam at 09:30 hours, bird eventually landed midway along west point, still there, loafing, when I left at 10:30 hours. Also present a single dunlin along east bank with a trickle of swift[7], swallow[3] and house martin[4] passing through.

The real Rhaslas

A distant record shot from early this morning, 1 of 2 dunlin feeding along north east corner. No heartstoppers Mr Hill, just a few swift[3], swallow[4] and a single house martin. This evening a common sand at north end of Llwyn-onn with great black-backed gull[2] on a growing expanse of mud.

Rhaslas !!

Phone scope

This is a phone-scope of SPA taken today at Llwyn-onn, much to far for my 400mm. I'm seriously considering cleaning my scope lenses.

Llwyn-onn

Called in at Llwyn-onn after work c16:00 hours; while trying to figure out darvics on immature cormorants an oystercatcher came in and after a quick preen went to sleep. Both cormorants had BTO type rings on left leg with white on green darvics on right legs; SPA & SPU.

Foreign Harvestman

We've all probably seen one of these, either on a wall or on trees, But did you know it is an introduced species of Harvestman. Called Dicranopalpus ramosus and originating from the Mediterranean, it is now colonising the UK, but thankfully appears to be a benign introduction. No matter what surface it finds itself on, it always rests in this characteristic pose, with all its legs stretched out almost parallel with each other, in a band. Also characteristic are the prominent, unequally forked pedipalps (the forked appendages seen in font of it in this photo.
I would think Martin has seen loads of these while cleaning.

An Afternoon Out

The weather not being sunny or warm enough to do the butterfly survey I had planned, I went out instead to revisit an Alder Moth caterpillar I'd previously found at Werfa (Abernant).

Alder Moth in the characteristic pose it adopts when disturbed.

Having taken a few more photos of it I had a wander around the site, looking for anything. Trying to photograph a micro, which I think is Apple Leaf Skeletoniser and if so would be the fifth county record, on a plant of our native Goldenrod, I noticed a caterpillar lower down the plant and recognised it as that of the Star-wort, a species I had only previously seen as and adult in VC42. Having photographed it I then noticed a second Star-wort caterpillar lower down the same plant.

A poor shot , but the only one I managed to get of a very reluctant subject.
I'm pretty sure this is Apple Leaf Skeletoniser.

Star-wort

Taking a stroll away from Werfa, up into the forestry, I came across a patch of Gorse alongside the track, so searched for Gorse Shieldbug and after a while discovered this one, feeding on a bramble leaf.

Gorse Shieldbug

As I moved away, I noticed red on the faded flower of Black Knapweed, which on closer inspection turned out to be this lovely Rhopalid bug Corizus Hyoscyami. Sorry about the poor photo.

Corizus hyoscyami

Further up the track were a group of Angelica plants in flower and on one of them I found what at first I thought was the small orange spotted tortrix moth Pammene aurana, but I soon realised was probably its close look alike Phaulernis fulviguttella. If confirmed, this will probably be the second record of this moth for Glamorgan. Again, I have to apologise for the terrible photo.

Phaulernis fulviguttella (probably)

As for birds, there was very little about except for immature Buzzards calling incessantly and Chiff Chaff, a Willow Warbler or two and a Blackcap, all calling from the scrub.

Old Lady

First call this morning, and an Old Lady sitting in the conservatory at Heol Parc Maen, Gellideg. Put it in a box and will release this evening (along the river not into my trap, honest). Redshank and dunlin at Rhaslas yesterday with change in gull sp make up, HG [c475] v LB [45], looks like the LB are leaving for winter in the country. No WeBS counter at Pontsticill, Pentwyn or Talybont check with Andrew if you wish to take it on.

Rhaslas

A mixed age group of ring plover[6] this evening with at least a single dunlin. Swift, swallow and wheatear still going through.

Star time

All quiet on the birding front this weekend. Even a visit to Strumble, after doing my athletics duty in Haverfordwest, failed to produce anything of quality. Strumble did produce my first Bonxie of the year, and what I presume will be my last Swift. The only other bird to get excited about was...wait for it....no wait.... its really not waiting that long for.....a female Common Scoter! A Sooty Shearwater had passed through late morning.
The weeked was saved by a record count of Mallard on my WeBS this am - 88 and confirmed breeding record for Little Grebe - a pair with a half grown juv.

The big star of the weekend was, in fact, a small star or, more correctly, six of them in the shape of Collared Earthstar fungi found down Crymlyn Burrows yesterday, as a result of my need for a pit stop. Unfortunately the battery on the camera died about 10 minutes earlier. Earthstars are one of those fungi I've been hoping to find somewhere.

Todays Webs

 This  juv Water Rail   is most likely  one of the local  bred  birds.

  This Little Grebe was too Distant  for my Camera.

Local Site speciality Tir Founder Tree Hen.

Rhaslas

My first attempt at phone scoping, also present this morning; dunlin[3] there could have been more as they were loafing amongst the flat sandstones at south east corner.

Things you do for the British list

 Rob looking like, god how I am I going to tell Mark.

 Jersey Tiger

Rhaslas

Still quiet with just singles of dunlin (hard to see until you almost step on them), common sandpiper and lapwing this far in August. July saw just 10 wader species; LP, RP, L., DN, CS, RK, GK, CU, WM & SN. As for the droppings mentioned a while back, although you all poo poo'ed it, I still think it's badger.

Shots for last weekend

 I found this Grasshopper over Robertstown and I think Meadow.

We found this beast over the cwm and I asked on a different site and they think it is Hornet Sawfly and last of all Grayling at Robertstown.