Review of the year (part 3) - the pick of the bunch

 Whilst the birding has been pretty poor this year, my PSL listing has continued apace with my adding some 570 species to my life list - I started the year on 3011 species and I'm currently on 3582, and not expecting to add anything between today (29th) and the start of the New Year.

So what have been the highlights? 

Moths

Making my first forays into moth trapping has been great, and brought quite a few new species - I also seemed to add quite a few new moths away from the trap, sometimes as caterpillars, but sometimes as adults.My top additions this year are all species I've wanted to see for some time and I managed to get at least one in the trap this year.

Top billing has to go to Merveille du Jour, with the runner up spots to Vestal and Chinese Character.

                                             Merveille du Jour, Dichonia aprilina

                                                 Vestal, Rhodometra sacraria

                                                   Chinese Character,  Cilix glaucata

 Beetles

Without doubt my top addition was the Blue Ground Beetle, Carabus, intricatus from Melincwrt, That was, however, a bit of a twitch. My best find was the colourful, and reasonably large, rove beetle Platydracus stercorarius.

                                                Platydracus stercorarius

 

Bugs

Again an easy choice, Spiked Shieldbug, Picromerus bidens has evaded me until this year, so it was nice to come across 2 over the year.

                                              Spiked Shieldbug, Picromerus bidens

 
Remaining insect orders

Two standout finds this year. One I'll leave to the end of this post, the other was part of the bye-catch from the moth trap - a Giant Lacewing, Osmylus fulvicephalus. 

                                              Giant Lacewing Osmylus fulvicephalus

Other animals

The standout addition was a slug - the Lemon Slug, Malacolimax tenellus. I know, a slug - something many people think are disgusting and most don't give a second glance to, except to try to kill. But this is quite attractive and unlike most slugs when you handle them this doesn't curl up and do nothing - rather this acts more like a snake or slow worm, in quickly trying to get away. This individual was about eye level on a conifer trunk in the middle of a gloomy patch of dense forestry and just stood out.

                                             Lemon Slug, Malacolimax tenellus

 

Plants 

The highlight plant was a twitch, on the back of twitching the Forester Moth (that didn't even make my top three new moths this year) - the Narrow-lipped Helleborine, Epipactis leptochila. My only new orchid of the year.

Of my own finds, my highlight was Heath Groundsel, Senecio sylvaticus found whilst undertaking my BBS.

                                                  Heath Groundsel, Senecio sylvaticus

Fungi

This was close to being my best find of the year, Whilst surveying for Willow Tit, I cam across a mass of Hoof Fungi, Fomes fomentarius. Whilst in itself it's not that spectacular, it was the shear number of fruiting bodies - well into 3 figures - that made this a spectacular find for a species with very few Welsh records.

                                                 Hoof Fungi, Fomes fomentarius

As stated above, the Hoof Fungi was close to the top addition to my life list this year. So what beat it. For that we have to go back to virtually the start of 2020 and the Snow Flea, Boreus hyemalis, found some 800m from home. Just wish I managed to get better photo's of it.

                                               Snow Flea, Boreus hyemalis

 

Review of the Year (part 2)

 At the start of the year I set myself a Pan Species Listing (PSL) challenge to increase the number of species recorded in my home 1Km square (ST0996) to over 1000 species. Foolishly, I also decided to expand that to all those 1km squares that border my home 1Km square. While I may have foolishly expanded the challenge, I also set out to get all 9 squares up to 1000+ species over a 2 - 3 year period rather than try to do it in one calendar year.

So how have I gotten on? Well the home square started with 756 species logged. A few days ago, I called up the current list from Aderyn and it now stands at 1067 species. A quick check through it shows some species I have recorded have not yet worked through, such as Yellow-line and Red-line Quakers, Twenty-plume Moth. So success for ST0996. What about the others?

I have increased all, but some not by much The list is

ST0895  was 270, is now 360

ST0886 - 509 to 570

ST0887 - 87 to 218

ST0995 - 452 to 647

ST0997 - 152 to 279

ST1095 - 172 to 303

ST1096 - 245 to 253

ST1097 - 270 to 453 

So a lot of work still to be done, but I think that i'll definitely have them a lot closer to the 1000 species mark come the end of 2021. 

Review of the year (part 1)

I don't think anyone needs reminding of what a strange year this has been as a result of the ongoing Covid pandemic, with only a faint glimmer of light at the end of a distant tunnel showing, it looks like restrictions are going to be in place for a while yet. The restrictions have curtailed travel resulting in a bird list that only just scrapped over two hundred, 201 to be exact, plus a probable Ring-billed Gull from last weekend, and 3 non counters (all wildfowl).

That said, there have been some highlights. The 3, possibly 4, Ring Ouzel from a local common in April stood out. It's the third year, in the previous 4 that I've recorded Ring Ouzel at this site. A couple of years ago a male held territory for about a week, with a female also present. His territory was centered around a small disused quarry. Unfortunately the quarry is a favoured training site for climbers, so disturbance is high if the weather is nice. With the potential to breed at the site, I'm keeping the exact locality quiet. 

Coed Cefn Ffoerest held no fewer than 5 Spotted Flycatchers in early May, my highest number for many years, that included 3 singing males. At least 4 were still in the wood at the end of the month, but I couldn't find any later in the breeding season.

The other spring highlight was a brief Sedge Warbler at the edge of local woodland at the edge of Treharris.

The biggest disappointment was not connecting with the Great White Egret at Parc Taf Bargoed. It spent at least 40 minutes there early one morning, only for news to be put out after it had flown off. Given the growing frequency of both this and Little Egret, its only a matter of time before I can add either to my list for the site.

The autumn highlight was undoubtedly the flock of 11 Common Sandpipers at Parc Taf Bargoed in early August. A single, Black-headed Gull in late September, provided my only site tick of the year for the park.

Thats more like it

With a coaching session this morning in Cardiff, I got down early to visit the bay to see if either of the Ring-necked Ducks were still about. At the wetlands reserve, the only wildfowl apart from Mallards were singles of Tufted Duck and Pochard. Moving round to the icerink and I found the flock of Tufties. I counted 198, all with their heads down snoozing. No sooner had I finished counting than several more groups flew in taking the flock to over 300, plus a single Pochard. Unfortunately there was no sign of the Ring-necks.

After my coaching session I decided to head over to Goldcliffe, mainly as the hides could provide shelter from the rain. Walking into the reserve I managed to see my first Fieldfares for this winter. I've heard a few, but hadn't managed to actually see one. Fortunately the hedges round Goldcliffe were full of thrushes, includes many Fieldfare.

The first lagoon was pretty dead, a few Canada's, a couple of Shelduck and the Peregrine sat on the island. The second lagoon was a bit busier with a few Teal and Shovler, and a group of Graylags on the bank.

Entering the sea wall hide, I met Matt Meehan, who was glad to see me as he had just found 2 Bean Geese to go with a White-fronted, 4 Barnacles and a single Dark-bellied Brent. The Bean's were with the Greylags. I quickly found them, and commented that one of thems bill looked a bit pink. However, both then decided to sit down and pug their heads down before we could get any better looks. Fortunately Matt had a couple of digiscope photo's. Looking at these, it became clear that one was a juv Tundra Bean Goose and the other was an adult Pink-foot. It turns out that the Tundra Bean is a first for Gwent, with the Gwent listers soon making there way down to twitch it. 

The Tundra Bean, Pink-foot and the White-front were all year ticks, taking my year list to bang on 200. 

Those, with the Brent, the 4 Barnacles and the resident Canada's and Greylags, meant I clicked 7 species of geese in a single afternoon in Wales. 

The trap that keeps giving

With a mild night forecast, I decided to put the moth trap out, more in hope than expectation as returns have, predictably, become rather scarce. 

On first inspection this morning it didn't look too promising with the top of the trap covered in water. Fortunately from a heavy dew, rather than rain. However, opening the trap brought my second Merveille de Jour, Dichonis aprilina just inside the lid. As always a smart moth, and already made it a worthwhile catch.

In total I had 7 moths, of 7 species - my best return for a few weeks. Even better, 3 of those moths were lifers, the highlight being the migrant moth Vestal, Rhodometra sacraria, though the Streak, Chesias legatella is a scarer moth in Glamorgan. As well as being new for myself, and my home 1km square, all three are the first records for the 10km square ST09.

 

                                             Vestal Rhodometra sacrari                  

                            

                                              Brick, Agrochola circellaris (lifer 2)

                                               Streak Chesias legatella (lifer 3)

                                                and Merveille de Jour, Dichonia aprilina

This is a Yellow Browed Warbler.

 

Good morning out with Mr Bevan last Sunday the highlight being this little stunner at Dare Valley Country Park. Its a rarity like me posting on here lately. Must do better. 

Not a Yellow-browed Warbler

 As expected the returns in the moth trap are dwindling and after a nil return on last Sundays efforts, I was contemplating stopping for the Winter. However, with others  still pulling in the odd moth or two, including a few that wood be lifers, I've kept going. 

I ran the trap on Thursday (8th) and it returned 4 moths, of 4 species. This included the first Red-green Carpet, Chloroclysta siterata for the trap and for the km square, and a lifer in the form of a Flounced Chestnut, Agrochola helvola.

I ran the trap again last night and a slightly small return of three moths of 3 species. But it did contain two lifers, Red-line Quaker, Agrochola lota and Yellow-line Quaker, A. macilenta. They don't quite live up to the Yellow-browed Warb' found by Phil and Martin in Aberdare Country Park yesterday, (Top find guy's, I couldn't even find a Chiffy) but it will do for me.

A rainbow coloured week

Taking advantage of the good weather and the fact I am still working from home, I've ran the moth trap three nights this week, Sunday, Tuesday and last night. Whilst numbers have been low, the trap has produced a lifer each session, including one of the moths I've most wanted to see since I started taking an interest in them.

A couple of weeks ago the trap contained a Copper Underwing, but is escaped before I could check the underside of the hind wing. Opening the trap on Monday morning, amongst the 11 moths, of 7 species, was another Copper Underwing. This one didn't get away and a check of the under hind wing confirmed it as Amphipyra pyramidea, the commoner of the two species in south Wales.

 On to Wednesday morning and a slight increase in numbers to 14 moths of 8 species. The newcomer was a Pale Mottled Willow, Paradrina clavipalpis.

I then made a late decision to put the trap out last night, starting it just after 9pm. Low numbers this morning, just 8 individuals, from 8 species. But it did contain one of my most wanted moths. Unfortunately not a Clifden Nonpareil, Catocala fraxini, which seem to be sweeping through south east Wales at the moment. I think it's a much better looking moth, Merveille du Jour, Dichonia aprilina. 

 Sandwiched in between the trapping sessions, I've managed a couple of trip out with some sucess. On Tuesday I was coaching in Haverfordwest, and spent the afternoon in the Marloes Mere / Gann estuary area, picking up the two Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Marloes, before picking up a few plant lifers, including Chamomile and a Boat Bug, Enplopis scapha, and a couple of fungi, including the spectacularly coloured Gibberella gordonii, a fungi that feeds on the much more common fungi Ergot on the Spartina.

After coaching in Neath last night I decided to take advantage of the good weather and the fact it was getting dark earlier to hunt for one of the most spectacular beetles inhabiting south Wales. the Blue Ground Beetle, Carabus intricatus. Until recently this large beetle was only known from 10 remote sites in Devon and Cornwall but a few years ago one was photographed in Skewen. Bug Life has undertaken a number of surveys and found a reasonable sized population in south Wales. I'd taken part in one survey a couple of years ago that failed to find any, so this was definitely on my "most wanted" list. About 30 minutes of torch light scanning of large oaks, interrupted by a curious Tawny Owl, that needed to check me out, and bingo, about 3m up there was a large armoured blue beetle. Unfortunately too high to get a decent photo, but a couple of record shots were obtained.

on the trail of the lonesome pine

 I made a fairly late decision to put the moth trap out last night, not switching it on until 9pm, as the forecast was for a warm night with cloudy skies. This turned out to be a good move as I had one of the best night recently with the number of moths in the trap up to 17, when previous nights had been down in single figures. Large Yellow Underwings and Dusky Thorns took the lions share with 4 each. The highlight was a tick in the shape of a Pine Carpet, Pennithera firmata.

The jewel in the crown

 Got to get back into blogging.... I think I've said that before.....

Anyway, myself, Phil and Martin headed over to Goldcliffe on Sunday morning, to try to pick up some year ticks. Arriving at a reasonable time - just before 7am, we popped into the first hide, where a small group of waders were resting on the pool edge. A quick check showed at least 1 Curlew Sand with some Dunlin. A closer scrutiny revealed at least 2 Curlew Sand and possibly as many as 5, but before we could scrutinise the group they were flushed by a fly thru Peregrine. Over to the Snipe platform and the far side of the lagoon was filled with a mix of Black-tailed Godwits, Lapwing and Redshank with Knot, Snipe Dunlin and, presumably, the Curlew Sands mixed in. A little stint was picked up. However, a closer scrutiny of the flock was not possible as a number of photographers had commandeered the platform overlooking the flock, and viewing would have been impossible whilst maintain some form of social distancing.

The sea wall added Oystercatchers, Curlew and a couple of distant Bar-tailed Godwits, and a single Wheatear. walking back round the lagoons brought a large flock of hirundines, mainly House Martins. However, it didn't attract any passing Hobby. Several fly over Yellow Wagtails were noted, but couldn't be located on the deck.

We then decided to head over the bridge to twitch the Red-backed Shrike that had been found at Marsh field. A small, socially distant, twitch was quickly located and the Shrike followed before we got close to the small paddock it frequented. After getting reasonable views of the Shrike, the first for a few years for all three of us, we set about trying to pick up a few of the other species we required for the year lists. Corn Buntings proved easy, and were soon followed by Yellowhamer, but it was a no show from any Partridges. A couple of distant Whinchat were the only other birds of note.

Not yet 10:30 we decided to head back over the bridge and have a wander round Magor Marsh in the hope of picking up Water Vole and dragonflies. The Water Voles didn't show, though I had a possible dive into one of the reens, but it never resurfaced where it could be seen. A few Southern and Migrant Hawkers and Common Darters were about, but none in decent numbers. However I did find the star of the day, a magnificent Musk Beetle, Aromia moschata, our largest Longhorn Beetle and a beast that Martin had longed to see.

Let the ticks flow...

With great weather and the lifting of the non-essential travel restrictions, it was a chance to get out and about and visit sites slight further from home.

On Saturday, I met up with Phil and he took me to a new site, by Penderyn, to try to find the Pied Flycatcher that Martin Bevan had found earlier in the spring. No sign of the Pied Fly, but a Spotted Flik provided some compensation.

From there we went over to Cwn Cadlan LNR to look for Whinchat. A family party of Kestrel, at least 4 birds, were vocal and visable. The adult male was kept busy bring in food for his youngsters and his success rate when hunting was second to none, as he appeared to make a kill on every hunt/dive we saw.

Despite, or because of the, numerous adult and juvenile Stonechats, there was no sign of any Whinchat and we had just about given up hope when Phil called on. Unfortunately all I could see was another juv Stonechat, until t dropped of the fence and revealed the Whinchat.

The only other sighting of note was numerous Ermine moths congregating round a couple of Hazel shrubs/trees. Photo's shows these to be Bird-cherry Ermines, Yponomeuta evonymella.

 Sunday was a day for twitching, with two targets, both quite local. Unfortunately, in both cases we didn't quite get the right spot first time, but we eventually got to the correct site for the Forester moth, Adscita statices, above Nantgarw.  What a gorgeous little moth - much brighter than in the field guides.

 At the Forester site we met Paul Denning who provided more detailed instructions for the second twitch species, and led us to the Narrow-leaved Helleborines just north of the M4. There were a number of plants in flower, alongside a number of Broad-leaved Helleborines, allowing close comparison between the two species. There was also meant to be a flowering spike of Yellow Bird's-nest, but we could not locate it. I did find one spike that had been trodden on, and three others that had gone to seed.

Then to finish the weekend off, I put the moth trap out last night and was rewarded with my best ever catch at home, some 53 moths of 37 species, including no fewer than 9 lifers, the highlight being a Leopard Moth on the back wall.

The lifers were: Clepsis consimilana (x2), Leopard Moth Zeuzera pyrina, Dioryctria abietella, Scoparia ancipitella, Eudonia delunella, Eudonia mercurella, Muslin Footman Nudaria mundana, Fan-foot Zanclognatha tarsipenalis, and Marbled Beauty Cryphia domestica. 

All of a flutter

With social media awash with photo's of the Dark Green Fritillaries and Marbled Whites from up at the Giant's tooth, I thought I'd better take a walk up. I had been up early on Tuesday to do my BBS, on the last date possible. That was done too early for any flutterbys, but the highlight was a pair of juv Peregrines, that broke off their play to check me out.

Sunday was forecast to be dry, if windy. The wind on the top of the ridge wasn't too bad, but just off the top in the lea of the Giant's tooth it was really strong. Despite that, a couple of Fritillaries where zooming about, into and against the wind. It's amazing that something as seemingly as frail as a butterfly can not only fly into such a headwind, but actually make fairly rapid progress.

The Marbled Whites, however, decided to keep their heads down, but a single flushed was enough to get me a year tick. Higher up a single Greyling also added itself to me year list, but didn't hang around long enough for a photo.

Supporting cast included Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Heath, Small and Large Skippers. Surprisingly no Silver Y's - I haven't seen that many at all this year so far.  

Additional find up on the site was a single Bishop's-mitre Shieldbug.

 Whilst on the walk up, I disturbed a juv Grass Snake from the road side. My first snake for a while. Avian highlights was up to 21 Crossbill flying around, most in around the conifers my the A470 underpass, but several fly overs whilst on the ridge.

In the Pink

Saturday saw me take a walk up to Nant Llwynog Parc at Bedllwnog to look for dragonflies. Success was had with 2 newly emerged Golden-ringed Dragonflies plus 3 exuvia. a pair of Broad-bodied Chasers, with the female egg "laying" and an Emperor. Large Red and Common Blue Damselflies also noted. Butterflies was notable by their relative absence, though at least 3 Small Tortoiseshell were seen. It looks, at least locally that these are having a really good second generation this year.

Highlights of the birds were two singing Curlew, unfortunately neither seen. Talking to locals, there are two territories above the park. Along with other birds I've seen and heard elsewhere in the Taf Bargoed valley, there could be 4 pair nesting again this year.

The walk home took me through Parc Taf Baroed, were 11 Bee Orchids were noted - a record count for the park, and, also a record, 65 large gulls, 10 Herring the rest Lessser Black-backed, on the main lake. 

Sunday saw me take the first walk since lockdown started to Nelson and Parc Penallta. In damp conditions - it never really made it to full on rain, but it never really got dry either, I failed to locate any Willow Tit. I really think they have died out here.

A Kingfisher was a pleasant surprise as it flew in and perched about 1m from me along the boardwalk at the big pond at Park Penallta. I think it was even more surprised as it landed, peeped, noticed me and was off, all in about 1 second...

I counted 11 spikes of Broad-leaved Helleborine's, but probably more hidden out of sight. The number does look to be increasing each year here.. A single Bee Orchid was found.

Visiting the site where I found Deptford Pinks last year, a known site, but not one I was aware of, i wasn't expecting to find any out in flower yet. On arrival, the damp, waterlogged ground reinforced the view that none would be on show, but it took all of about 2 minutes to spot the bright, deep, pink, of a couple in full flower.

Finally I ran the trap last night, but the returns this morning was very poor, just 9 individual moths. It did produce 3 garden ticks, one of which was a lifer. Large Yellow Underwing  Noctua pronuba, was an expected addition to the garden list along with Ingrailed Clay, Diarsia mendica. The lifer was a bright Bordered Sallow, Pyrrhia umbra.

A step further afield

After a few mothing session in the back yard, I felt ready to try out my battery powered LED lighting up on the hill above the house. So traveling no more than about 300m (so keeping local), just before 10pm last night I had the trap up and running by 5 past 10.

The lights are 15 x 5v blacklight LEDs running off my charger, making the whole trap light and easily portable. The battery has a 5v output and is said to have enough charge to last some 10 hours. In the 6 hours I ran the trap I used less than half the stored charge. From that point alone, this was a successful experiment.

As for the mothing, 75 moths from 25 species. Unsurprisingly, Heart and Dart's provided almost half of the total, with 37 individuals. Next most common were Peppered Moth and Large Yellow Underwing, both with 5 each. For the first time, more than a single micro made it into the trap, with singles of Chrysoteuchia culmella and Celypha lacunana and 3 Eudoinia agg.

One moth landed briefly on the outside of the trap and kept it's wings closed above its abdomin, as per butterflies. I managed one half decent photo before it flew off. It's a Eulithis, but which species?

Mid way through the night I could hear the local Tawny Owl chicks begging for food, but no sight or sound of the adults. And a surprise with the first species in the dawn chorus - Swallow - singing in the early morning grey light before the first Blackbird or Robin had uttered a note.

and there is more...

After emptying the trap last week i, as usual had a look round the wall's etc. looking for anything that might have settled elsewhere, but didn't find anything. However, when I went into the back yard at dinner time, I spotted two Buff Arches, resting under the door overhang. I clearly missed those when doing the rounds in the morning.

With that in mind, I had a really good look round this morning finding nothing. So dinner time came, I went out and promptly found a moth running along the concrete floor. A Sycamore, Acronicta aceris, another lifer, which was quickly followed by a Mottled Beauty, Alcis repandata, of the form conversaria.  Where where these hiding this morning.

These take the catch up to 35 moths of 20 species.

                                          Sycamore Acronicta aceris

                                          Mottled Beauty Alcis repandata, f. conversaria

The strangest find in the trap this morning was the remains of a White Ermine, Spilosoma lubricipedia lying at the bottom of the trap under one of the egg carton.

Now thats better....

Trying to figure out why my moth trap numbers seem low compared to many others. I think the entrance/exit gap was possible too large, allowing moths to escape/ So I made a mall addition to reduce the hole size and trapping last night brought in the best haul by far - 34 moths of 18 species.

Highlight has to be the singles of Elephant and Small Elephant Hawk-moths. Heart and Dart continued their preeminent role with 11 individuals - that was almost as many Heart and Darts in this trap this morning as the total number of moths I've had in that trap at any one time before last night.

                                          Who doesn't like an Elephant, Deilephila elpenor

                                          or a Small Elephant, Deilephila porcellus

 For the first time, the trap produced some moth lifers - 3 in total. Sword-grass Xylena exsoleta came in with 3 individuals, and I had singles of Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi (somewhat surprised this is a lifer) and a Mottled Pug, Eupithecia exiguta.

                                           Sword-grass Xylena exsoleta

                                          Common Quaker, Orthosia cerasi   

                                          Mottled Pug, Eupithecia exiguta

More home mothing

Put the trap out last night with a new, slightly larger box. Unfortunately, it didn't bring in more moths, with just 8 individuals from 7 species. Top performer was Peppered Moth with 2, Heart and Dart kept its sequence as the only species I've caught in every session (but that is only 3!), but reduced to just a single. 2 new for the garden were Flame Shoulder, Ochropleura plectra and Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica. A rather dark pug on the exterior wall is proving difficult to nail, but suspect it's another Grey Pug, Eupithecia subfuscata.

                                        Flame Shoulder Ochropleura plectra

                                          Treble Lines Charanyca trigrammica

                                                    Grey Pug, Eupithecia subfuscata

The mothing gathers pace

Whilst most were moth trapping on Friday or Saturday night, I put my trapping off to last night and was rewarded with my best every catch - OK it's only the third catch, but it was a lot better than the previous two. A whopping 14 moths of no less than 10 species. And for the first time I didn't immediately recognise all the moths.

Some were easy and had already graced the trap previously - Poplar Hawkmoth, Buff-tip and a further 3 Heart and Dart. 2 Small Magpie were new for the trap but easy to recognise. A Lobster Moth took a couple of minutes for me to recognise as I think I've only ever seen one previously, back in 201, as did a Buff Ermine.

One on the outside of the trap had me immediately think The Coronet but looking at the guide, I doubted that and the more I looked the more I doubted that initial id. Fortunately, downloading the photo's and checking with the excellent UK Moths website brought me back to my original, initial id. The few nights I've gone out mothing with Mark Evans look to be paying off, and that I have remembered somethings.

Probably toughest was my first pug in the trap, but I think I'm OK with Grey Pug.

                                          Grey Pug, Eupithecia subfuscata (natural light)

                                          The same Grey Pug but under flash.

No beetles in the by-catch this time, but a lesser water boatman spp has been potted for a closer look later.

And a birding note to finish, as I was packing up there was a male Greenfinch singing nearby. He's been around all spring but I'm not sure if he has a mate. I hope he does as, like most places, the Greenfiches round here were badly hit by disease.