I eventually caught up with Spring this weekend, picking up my first migrants (Chiffies excepted), butterflies, bees, etc.
A walk round a damp Tir Founder fields and Aberdare Canal on Friday morning prior to shopping got me my first Swallow of the summer. Kingfisher and Water Rail were the other avian highlights. Along the Canal Water Crickets and Alder Flies were new insect species for me, with Buff-tailed Bumblebee my first bee of the year.
Saturday at Singleton Park, brought me my first butterfly - a Peacock, my first beetle - a Harlequin Ladybird and a Red Mason Bee.
This morning I decided to head down to Goldcliffe/Uskmouth. A female Merlin was the highlight at Uskmouth, but a count of 61 Avocet was notable. At Boat Lane, a female Marsh Harrier showed well, before two male Wheaters put in a brief appearance, whilst a Willow Warbler sang for a few minutes before moving on. On to Uskmouth were Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell were seen, whilst at least 3 Bearded Tits were found in the reed beds and a male Blackcap was singing in one of the copses.
On returning home, I decided to take a walk down the Taff Trail towards Abercynon, mainly looking for butterflies and other insects. The warm Spring sunshine brought out around 6 Peacocks, a Large White and a Brimstone. Both Buff-tailed and Tree Bumblebees buzzed around along with a Common Bee Fly and several hoverflies, which I still need to id. New for me was several Common Groundhoppers.
A walk round a damp Tir Founder fields and Aberdare Canal on Friday morning prior to shopping got me my first Swallow of the summer. Kingfisher and Water Rail were the other avian highlights. Along the Canal Water Crickets and Alder Flies were new insect species for me, with Buff-tailed Bumblebee my first bee of the year.
Saturday at Singleton Park, brought me my first butterfly - a Peacock, my first beetle - a Harlequin Ladybird and a Red Mason Bee.
This morning I decided to head down to Goldcliffe/Uskmouth. A female Merlin was the highlight at Uskmouth, but a count of 61 Avocet was notable. At Boat Lane, a female Marsh Harrier showed well, before two male Wheaters put in a brief appearance, whilst a Willow Warbler sang for a few minutes before moving on. On to Uskmouth were Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell were seen, whilst at least 3 Bearded Tits were found in the reed beds and a male Blackcap was singing in one of the copses.
On returning home, I decided to take a walk down the Taff Trail towards Abercynon, mainly looking for butterflies and other insects. The warm Spring sunshine brought out around 6 Peacocks, a Large White and a Brimstone. Both Buff-tailed and Tree Bumblebees buzzed around along with a Common Bee Fly and several hoverflies, which I still need to id. New for me was several Common Groundhoppers.
Good day Martin, we said the same it was like the first day of spring.
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