Rhaslas invert

I spotted the above today between the pool and the Fochrhiw bypass, or route 666 as its known locally. I've never seen one before but it appears to be Asilus crabroniformis, Hornet robberfly, what do you reckon ?, advice much appreciated. Apologies for the quality of the shot but I had one chance and I blew it, I've only posted it because A. crabroniformis is/was a Nationally Scarce & Section 42 invertebrate so could be important for the site.

Bryn Du Take Two

I went for a walk tonight to see Mark's Round Leaved Wintergreen and when I was there I found this fly which turned out to be Sicus Ferrugineus and new to me. I thought it was deformed but when I checked the photo it's not at all .

I also found this on some Hogweed and have no idea what it is.

It was nice to see some butterflies out, I found this Grayling sunning itself in the evening sunshine. Last of all after walking for five minutes to get a signal and getting hold of Mark, he gave me pretty good directions I found them and like he said they stood out like a sore thumb. I walked passed them twice before I picked them up and yes blind as a bat comes to mind. I also managed to see Mark's Southern Hawker Dragonfly and also found my first Common Blue Damselfly of the year. There were some birds about and I got a Willow Tit and a Male Crossbill .

Big-headed fly

the walk home from the station tonight was enlivened by the find of a Conopid fly resting on an old, dumped, mattress. I has a collecting jar (In my case, an old contact lens case), so captured the beastie and brought it home to photograph/id.

After getting a few decent photo's, it was released, and it's identity discovered as Physocephala rufipes. The photo's also allowed me to sex it as a female - the female genitalia can be seen below the abdomen in the lower two photo's. 

Martin's Thistle

On Sunday, I finally got the chance to get back to Bryn Du, to look for the white Spear Thistle martin had posted about last week. Luckily, I didn't follow the map reference he quoted, having first checked it and found it to be in the middle of a block of forestry! Are you trying to tell me something Mart? Basing my search on the comment made about the Small Blue site, I instead looked along that ride and soon spotted it standing out like a sore thumb. Closer inspection of it confirmed my suspicion that it is actually a form of variegation rather than the white thistle disease, which is responsible for the striking appearance of this plant. Close up, I was struck by its beauty, but as to whether the variegation will be stable and appear again next year, only time will tell.
In this photo of it, it can be seen that some of the white leaves have partially green centres and there are green streaks on the stems, proving that this is a variegation, caused either by genetic mutation or possibly a virus.

By the way, Martin, would you mind if I did something on this thistle for the East Glam wildlife blog? I would, of course credit you with the discovery.

Variegated Spear Thistle

While there, I spent some time lolling about on the shallow bank of poorly vegetated basic slag, on which the Small Blue colony used to, or possibly still does, exist. While doing so, I spotted this tiny jumping spider on the seed head of a Kidney Vetch.

Heliophanus Sp

There is no doubt that it is of the genus Heliophanus, but there are two species that are very similar and this could be either of those, namely H. cupreus and H. flaviceps. I have a feeling it is the latter, but I am not confident enough about that to enter a record for it.

While on the bank I saw this Southern Hawker, which allowed me one quick shot before it zoomed off.

Southern Hawker

While exploring the wetter part of the bank, close to the ride, I found a small group of Round-leaved Wintergreen in flower, which is a first for me, having failed to find the plants Martin found near Llyn Fawr a couple of years ago.

Round-leaved Wintergreen

On my way out, I photographed this insect resting on the leaf of a bullrush, in the wheel wash. I have no idea what it is and can't find anything like it in my insect books. At first I thought it might be a sawfly of some sort, but the head is completely wrong for that, so I am stumped, but although tiny, it is a nice looking thing.

Unknown

Earlier in the day, before visiting Bryn Du, I called into the former Phurnacite truck tipping site, to check on the Bladder Campion and while there I came across this Six Spot Burnet, at rest. I know they are common and often appear in this blog, but I couldn't resist splashing a pic of it.

Six-spot Burnet

As it was so mild last night and as I knew I would have a delayed start to work this morning, I ran my garden moth trap. The catch was a little disappointing, probably due to the breezy conditions, but that was all made up for by this second brood Chocolate Tip, which was only my fifth.

Chocolate Tip

Trip to the Seaside

I needed to escape the valley for a couple hours so myself and Phil decided to go and look for the Rosy Starling at Aberavon. We got there in good time and met Cardiff birder Steve Howcroft, it was nice to put a face to the name. We searched the area very well and saw loads of common starling but just could not find the right starling. We spotted Graham Powell and Martin Bell so Phil thought he would phone Martin who had not seen us and had a good chuckle when we seen him scrabbling for his phone. We told him if he cannot see us standing there he had little or no chance of seeing the rosy. We went over to him and so check a different area, eventually and we managed to pick the rosy out in the distant sitting a televison aerial. It was great too see a adult in the UK, for myself and Phil had both only seen juv's in the past. When we there we started feeding the starlings and was hoping to pull the rosy closer and it did not play ball. But found this Adult Med Gull and a Black Headed Gull with one leg which seemed to be coping with one leg well. Also when looking for the starling we found a Beetle on the flowers near the river, they seemed to be everywhere and it turned out to be Sulphur Beetle which was new for use.

Next we visited Kenfig pool to look for the almost resident Great White Egret and after a bit of seaching and debate over a white carrier bag in the bushes on the far side of the lake the real one flew past us and give brilliant views and unblocked a local bogey bird for the year for myself and Phil. Also on site there were loads of Common Darters, we also found this one Ruddy Darter and a cracking male Black Tailed Skimmer, a nice one for the year list. Last of all we stopped at Cwm Cadlan reserve on the way home and saw this Golden Ringed Dragonfly. I am never tried of seeing this brilliant dragonfly

Moth trap this week

 Double line

 I thought these had finised Elephant Hawkmoth

 Cabbage moth

Dingy Footman

Is this Anania Coronata

 July High Flyer

Rhaslas post Brazil

Returned to Rhaslas on the 21/07/15, not surprised that the Orcs appear to have ignored the NRW message that as Schedule 1 birds breed on the site they have a responsibility to protect the site from disturbance. At least 1 of the many tyres previously dumped at the site had been set alight and both west and east banks bore recent witness marks of both 4 and 2 wheeled traffic, plus the usual angler detritus. The southern access track was also re-opened on the evening of Friday 24/07/15 and remained so until probably sometime on Tuesday 28/07/1 as when I visited on the Wednesday morning the track had been re-blocked by some seriously large rocks.

Singles of TT were present on the 21st & the 28th, between 1 & 2 DN have been noted on the 28th, 29th & 31st,  a single RK also on the 28th, making up a strange day trio of inseparable passage pals, CS present on the 22nd, 24th & 28th. Small groups of mixed aged W., PW & MP have also been noted, also good numbers of SI & SL passing through. Also, I may get arrested for this, but at least 1 pair of LP have successfully bred at the site, I've noted an adult giving 2 out of 3 distraction displays [rat run & squat, no feigning injury as I hurriedly retreated] while a juv has been dashing between protective cover, well done; LP 1 Orcs 0, see below;

Also a HY at the Upper Neuadd on the evening of the 28th together with a good size flock of bright yellow WW & 3 CS alas all spotless. Dowlais top had a fly over flock of 26 L. on the 30th. Anybody seen a Leica APO77 hanging about, ho bloody hum !