I thought as Madness are playing Merthyr I would use a Song Title Grey day .

As always the weather forecast gave sunny spells yesterday morning, I thought I would go up to Cwm Cadlan and have a look for Black Darters. On getting there I saw drizzle on the windscreen and thought do I or don't I go for it. I thought maybe it would brighten up and being Wales it didn't. Bird wise it was fairly quiet around the limestone pavement and apart from Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, a male Sparrowhawk was hunting the Pipits up on top, it was great to watch it hunting them low over the pavement. There were lots of Carrion Crows and Ravens in the area and I thought there must be a dead sheep somewhere. I saw the start of the Mistle Thrush flock building up which had about eight feeding on the mountain edge. On getting to the Dragonfly pond I saw a head sticking up and thought this could be a good bird as I am near Merthyr and it being a mecca for rare Herons or just funny coloured ones. I walked towards the pond slowly, it popped its head up and, being on a bog, it was a bog standard Grey Heron. It flew off towards Llwyn Onn Reserve. At the pool I felt there was no chance of Dragonflies now and on looking closer across the pool I spotted a dragonfly and six Larvae on the rushes. I thought I wonder if there was anymore around the pool and started searching around the edges. Soon I found lots of Azure Damselflies and Large Reds and just as I was giving up I spotted a larvae around the back. It was out of the wind and seemed a good spot but there was only one problem, I had worn my boots and not my wellies, it felt like I was in Canada again and walking on water! It was something I had always wanted to see and pleasure to watch. My wet feet and knees were all worth it in the end. I saw a frog after I stood there for two hours. Also I saw a Palmate Newt and the biggest Drinker Moth Caterpillar I have ever seen. And going back to the larvae... it hatched and turned out to be a Common Hawker I hope ...watch this space!