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.