Tir founder + colonists

Whilst Phil jets of to Peru, I make do with a stroll around Tir Founder before heading of coaching. The Cetti's Warb, found recently, was still belting out its song. Two Willow Tit were heard - and three similar looking birds flew out of the bush, but I couldn't get on to them to check if all three were Willow Tit.

After coaching I took a trip down to Port Enyon. The birding was quiet but a patch of Ivy was heaving with Ivy Colletes bees (Colletes hederae).

This bee was first identified by science as recently as 1993, from southern Europe, and it was first recorded in the UK in 2001. By 2009 it had colonised much of the English south coast, and now is well established in the Gower. It's more or less restricted to feeding on Ivy, so it's a late emerging species - on the wing from September through to November. At first glance it looks a bit like a Honey Bee - its about the same size - but the thorax is more golden coloured with neat pale bands at the edge of each abdominal segment.  A species worth keeping an eye out for.

where are all the birds

A frustrating day with Martin and Phil. We decided to bird around the Aberthaw area - looking for any migrants about. Mist made viewing difficult early on, but a steady, if somewhat thin, passage of Swallows, Meadow Pipits, Skylarks, Linnets and Goldfinches was noted. But nothing out of the ordinary.

With the phone telling us the Cattle Egret was still at Kenfig, and a Yellow-browed had been found there earlier, we decided to nip over to the reserve. Bording was again quiet, though Martin and Phil did manage to get on to a late Garden Warb. A wander through the dunes failed to find any sheep, never mind the Cattle Egret.
The day was saved by a mixed party of small stuff, mainly Long-tailed Tits, that included a single Marsh Tit.

                                                    Great Green Bushcricket

                                                   Wooly Milkcup

Bits and Pieces

A few photos from the last few weeks.

Skylark trying to hide

Small White

Red Kite

Red Kite

Red Kite

Common Hawker

Martin's new designer label

Sunday in the Sun

Phil almost stepped on this Field Mouse up on Cwm Cadlan, there were two present and were very close to going up Phil's trouser leg.

If I ever wished I had a better lens it was now, these two Kites put on a brilliant show and we watched them for about 10 minutes  .

Phil said this reminds him of a fellow Valley birder and I could not put a finger on which one .

I went up behind Sierra Pines too look for some Fly Agaric which I found last year but they were broken and all over the floor. There was a real big one which I think would have been the biggest I have seen. Also there was patch which looked like spiders and on looking closer found these to be Earth Tongue Fungus.  I put it on Facebook and they said it's Green Earth Tongue, a new one for me and one I have never heard of it .

Before that victory

A quiet day yesterday, but great to catch up with Mike up at Llwyn Onn.

 The Fly Argics are starting to fruit.

 The impressive Hoverfly Sericomyia silentis

Giant/Large Willow Aphid, from Fendrod Lake, Swansea.

Rhaslas landfill

Not much on the pool so wandered over to the dump/old railway, only goldfinch and an interesting wheatear, not as interesting as my buzzard but almost. I only had 30 minutes before I was wanted somewhere else and couldn't get an under wing shot/view. It appears to possess most of the credentials necessary for an Issy, but after September BB I'm not 100%. I have to go back to work so wont be able to check it or other images until about 21:00 hours tonight or tomorrow a.m.

Valley twitch

Just seen a post on Glam Birds of a Cetti's at Tir Founder