Great Day Sunday

Up with the Lark on Sunday morning to do the last part of the BBS with Mark and it was kind of cool with frost on the grass as we where walking up the forestry road. We had a pair of Common Crossbills which I have not seen one in some time. Once we started the survey birds came thick and fast and has it started warming up has we walked down the valley. Highlights were Whinchat heard only, Stonechat, Reed Bunting, Redstart, lots of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks and we also heard a Cuckoo. We did get a new bird for the Square when we heard a Collared Dove calling below in the valley. It's been nineteen years of doing this Square and it doesn't get any easier walking back up the valley, my legs felt like jelly when we finished it and Mark had another square to do and he's braver than me. We stopped to look at the Gobbles Gold, there has been a bit of a rock fall and some of the cave is covered but Mark with is magic torch found some. One cave we looked in had signs of foxes using it and when you stick your head in to have a look we expected to see a fox looking back at you. When we started the square again I noticed a Moth under Mark's bag and looks like it had hitched a ride from where we stopped earlier, it was a cracking Fox Moth and nice to see one staying still and not flying passed you at at a crazy speed. Back up on top and just as we were finishing we had Green Tiger Beetle, it's an amazing beetle and I never tire of seeing them. My tablets are starting to work as I walked passed a nice patch of Matchstick Lichen and did not take any photos. I got a new moth for the year with a couple of Common Heath and I had what I think was a Green Hairstreak fly pass, we also found this Red Admiral feeding on Billberry flowers and it seemed happy in the sun. It's always nice to finsh the surveys and I am still looking forward to next year and doing it all again. Another highlight was Mark fetching Apple Turnovers and boy did it taste great and thank you mate.

Also at Magor I spotted a Great Tit going to a post post and than we saw the sign and also there was Mute swan with Cygnets, great to watch them as mam watches on and waiting for you to make a move.

Has Phil said these Cormorants were great and so tame and nice to see the eye colour so close.

This was great to watch and like watching your own nature programme .

This big boy was photographed over a naked sleeping man at Rhaslas on sunday and had selfies as he slept.