Mainly Birding

Monday August 14

What a misleading title. So few small passerines around, we hadn't hit double figures by the time we reached Abbey Farm. And we'd seen Great Spotted Woodpecker, House Martin and Pied Wagtail from our front drive.

Best sighting was two very tatty Red Kites soon joined by three Buzzards. I took a few quick shots of very dubious quality.

A field near Flitcham held a densely planted mass of Phacelia. According to Harrap:

Often sown as green manure or in wild flower margins beside arable fields, originating from wild bird seed and pheasant feed.

My camera couldnn't cope with the very dark green background and the blue flowers, washing out the colour of the latter. Until Pam came into sight, absorbed in photographing a small toad. 

Expecting to see insects, it became obvious that there were a few bees and, even fewer Small White butterflies and that was it. Sad.

Spring Tides at the moment, Snettisham was nearly three hours past the main height but plenty of the commoner waders feeding busily on the wet mud. Dunlin, Sanderling, Great Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatchers a few Curlew and still red Bar-tailed Godwit and Turnstone. Distant flocks of Knot flew along the water's edge. Lovely under a spell of sun. Mainly cloudy to-day, the forecast rain held off.

The Shelduck were missing, probably moulting in flocks off the Netherlands coast. 

Most of the Common and Sandwich Terns were roosting on the pit islands, some adults carrying sand eels back for vociferous and noisy, well-grown, young.

Having ticked off Fulmar and Rock Dove as we drove along Hunstanton Cliffs, a quick and very bumpy drive to Holme for a Magpie (!), Brancaster Staithe   for an ice-cream, it was full of holiday makers, we drove home. 
To-day's mammal list was pretty average too. Rabbit, Roe and Muntjac Deer and a roadkill Hedgehog.

Yet to empty last night's moth trap, we were very tired but, set to immediately. Pam's idea of putting ice blocks on the top as welll as locating it in a cool place, works well. As long as it's carried and put down gently and I don't kick it...........

A new for the garden Reed Dagger, verified by Richard at Whitwell this morning, was lovely. We thought it was a Wainscot sp.but couldn't find a match.

Mainly Moth-ing

Friday August 10

Sara and Josh are safely home in Brisbane, I wonder what Josh is telling his friends - apart from the steak and chips tales. When I asked him about his impressions, it was the vegetation and green-ness that he immediately listed. Even in this drought. He'd requested driving down a road where the trees met overhead, easily achieved in Norfolk. Unknown in Brisbane and environs. The roads are wide there, trees set well back. Sara was horrified by the state of Norfolk roads and their lack of width. Gower's roads were even narrower, with high banks and hedges. Both she and the hire car survived unscathed.

We've put the moth trap out every night since our return and attended a group meeting at Foxley Woods on Tuesday and Cley on Thursday. 

We've had some lovely moths, with some new for the year.

Magpie

Dotted Footman

Fen Wainscott

Beautiful Plume

Argyresthia goedartella

It's actually rained at last. It started yesterday and we've continued to have some much needed showers to-day.

To-day was plannned as an all day birding trip along the north coast. But.......... We got home from Gower to find that the full length, shower glass screen had shattered all over the stairs, landing, bathroom and both bedroom doorways. Steve was there within an hour, cleaning it up for us and,  he's putting the replacement in to-day. So, I've had a busy admin day, catching up with emails mainly. Looks like a Monday trip now.

80 Years Ago

Friday August 3 

I have been thoroughly indulged to-day. Sharing my 80th birthday with Sara, Josh and Pam in this lovely area made it even more special. I had so many cards, messages and Emails from friends, I felt quite emotional that so many had bothered.  Sara has really put herself out to help and organise the celebrations, I am so appreciative. Bitter sweet in that she and Josh will leave to-morrow on the first leg of their long journey home to Brisbane.

After the openings, Pam and I opened the moth trap for the last time here. We have caught Sharp - angled Carpet every day and,  but for one Scarce, all the  Footman have been Dingy. 
This new to us Mayfly sp. appeared this morning.

Pam identified one small pale Carpet/Wave type moth as a Silky Wave. I did some research and agreed that it looked good. Townsend and Waring classify it as RDB, Manley states that it's only known from three areas in the UK, two of them on the Gower ! 
I posted the following photo on ''Moths UK  Flying To-night''.

Steve James Never seen one Ann but it looks good.

Leonard Cooper Seriously out of range for me .a species i would do many things for to see, i have no doubt it is a silky wave but ive never seen one and beleive it only fair that somebody who has confirms .but if i was a gambling man i wouldnt blink to stick £20 on it.we need a few recorders from around bristol area to confirm .this isnt a common moth its an rdb !
Ben Sale Small White Wave.. second gen this year, which doesn't happen hardly ever I must tell you.
Leonard Cooper Ah yes and dam it ! I now owe.somebody £20 .ben is of course time in field spot on the secnd generation thing is going to trip folk up this year , im seeing some very daft re visits .nice work ben 

Ben Sale I've never seen a second gen i don't think!

The jury's out...

Pam then drove us all to Ystradgynlais and the Ynyscedwyn Arms for lunch. Lovely position by the river Tawe, plenty of hanging baskets etc made the exterior  look very attractive, BUT, the food was disappointingly average. The occasion was enjoyable. 

Ystradgynlais is a very different looking place from the one I remembered, understandably. Much more prosperous in appearance and, in common with all other towns we have driven through, festooned with colourful hanging baskets and tubs. Great. That and the wild flower meadows.

Now for the destination of the day. On to Cwmgiedd. Along the Tawe, past the now pedestrian only Teddybear Bridge, a much bigger and modern looking Cynlais Primary School, crossing the Swansea/ Brecon A road which was the Swansea/Brecon Canal in my youth. 

Following the small, mountain, Tawe river tributory, the Giedd,  soon reaching the stone cottage of my birth - and my mother's too.Waw. Looking very well kept, the front hedge three times as high, new front door and windows, an extension where the garage used to be and trees reaching down the graig to the back of the house. This used to be bare.

Everyone wanted to see where our ancestors were buried so we entered Yorath Chapel graveyard. I knew that my father had bought a new plot as both his family and my mother's were full !  Shallow soil and large families.

I soon located that of my parents.

Sara went off and found the Griffiths plot (Mam's family) near the road. 

Sara wanted to visit Pontynystwlc, where we picnicked when she was a child. An unmade road at the top end of Cwmgiedd - which is a dead end - led us to a comparatively manicured area with, again, very overgrown trees. A large information board was photographed by all but me.

Sara and Josh wanted to re-visit Dan yr Ogof as they had missed the Crazy Golf course and the petting area ! Pamand I stayed in the car. Sara won again, much to Josh's good natured chagrin.
An Indian Runner Duck which kept on running in its upright stance kept us amused.

A short rest back at the cottage before going for a meal at the Beaufort Arms half a mile up the road. We had a good meal - all different -  and a really enjoyable evening before retiring to pack ready for the morning. Sara and Josh have to leave early in order to return the hire car, which they have loved having.

As dessert, Sara produced a Chocolate and Apricot Fudge Cake which she'd ordered from Betty's of Harrogate. She put so many candles on it that the firework tulip in the centre set fire to one of its petals as the flower opened and fell onto one of the '80' candles. General kerfuffle, melted plastic removed etc before I could blow out the candles. 

 

Boats and Moths

Thursday August 2

All we achieved this morning was opening the moth trap. 50+ in number, of over 40 species. We continue to get new species every day. I believe that this is a Chevron.

Lesser Cream Wave

Brimstone

Lychnis

 Pam also discovered a Speckled Bush Cricket half way up the stairs. The latter is attracted to light and we do have the patio door and curtain partly open.

Josh and Sara left earlier in the morning in order to get to Oxwich for their booked  trip on a rib type boat. They were warned that they'd have to wade up to knee height and then step onto a platform in order to board - no jetty. We'd have loved the trip but could not manage the boarding. Sara had been told that they were fully booked but two cancellations saved their day.

We then decided that it would be good to be there for their return so drove to Oxwich, finding a parking spot near the departure and arrival point. We didn't have to wait long before the rib appeared from around the headland. The boat then spent ten minutes wallowing off some rocks. They were looking at crabs in a pot, obviously caught earlier in order to entertain the customers. 

The boat then made a swift turn before an impressive, surging wake, raised bows, return to the beach. 

We watched our two step off into the sea and wade to shore. Knee high for Sara, calf level for Josh.

Her short steps and offloading of life jacket, waterproof etc to Josh indicated an urgent and very necessary toilet stop. 

They both then registered our presence and we got a lovely smile from Josh.

Greeted by the paperazzi.

They'd both thoroughly enjoyed their trip. 

After an ice-cream for Pam and I, a cup of tea for Sara and a carton of freshly cooked chips for Josh, they left for Rhossili, Pam and I drove to Mumbles which was very crowded. We drove through, past the pier and out to Langland and Caswell where Mam, sister Marion, brother Geoff and I, once spent a rainy week in a small caravan. I must have been about eight years old and remember spending a lot of time with coloured pencils, until the final day when we went to the beach. The road out has some very splendid houses and flats.

We'd arranged to meet at Cwm Ivy for a cream tea - Josh loves them. We got there first and found nowhere to park apart from at the top of the hill. We met Sara driving down and told them to go whilst we drove home. A shame but, it turned out that it was very disappointing. Dry scones. Always the possibility with unknown cream teas. 

No cooking to-night, chip shop meals all round, plus the remaining cottage pie. Sara bought faggots, my mother's were legendary, sister's not bad either. These were surprisingly good. Last full day to-morrow and my 80th birthday. Doesn't seem possible........

First of the Month

Wednesday August 1

Where could we bird in South Wales in August? How about the WWT Wetlands Centre on   the outskirts of Llanelli,  a 450 acre site of lakes, scrapes, pools, streams and lagoons adjoining the salt marshes and shore of the Burry Inlet. We'd been there once before, when it first opened, a very different place from to-day. 

Sara had booked me a buggy, the only one left was a bijou three wheeler. I did fit but, my knees were shoe-horned in. 
As is usual with WWT sites, they are a mix of captive wildfowl from all over the world and hides from which wild birds can be viewed. 

Unsurprisingly, and to Pam's horror, the place was full of families with many small children. So many good activities laid on for them including canoe and cycling safaris for the older ones. 

I kept to a circumspect speed so that Pam could keep up............past the Caribbean Flamingos and their grey young, Nenes, Ross's Geese, Canvasbacks and Moorhens, until we reached the British Steel hide overlooking the estuary. Pam had nine steps up, I had a long, dogleg ramp with tight corners. Interesting. From this tower hide we viewed not a lot. More Redshanks with a few Greenshanks, our first undertaker modelling Grey Heron and two Spoonbills.

A strong gusting wind tempered the very pleasant sunny day and an enjoyable few hours. I prised myself out of the buggy, toured the shop. Pam shopped for supper at a Tesco garage in Gorseinon and we parked at Penclawdd to eat the other half of our sandwich lunch. The tide was actually in this morning, it was good to see the inlet full of water. By the afternoon it was mostly mud again but strangely attractive - for those who love Snettisham.
Pam took lots of photos at the Centre - I didn't bother carrying my camera, I don't know why. Couldn't be bothered I think.

Back to The Granary to drop off the frozen food shopping, to fuss the tabby cat (Sara has christened her Tinkerbell) before leaving for an insect hunt on the moors. 

Small Copper

One Stonechat, Chaffinch and Blue Tit added to the total and an enormous flock of chakking Jackdaws swirling beneath the clouds.
Road blockade, reminiscent of Dartmoor.

One of the highlights of morning moth-ing on the patio is the kronking local Ravens who do a morning fly-by. Green Woodpeckers and Great Spotted Woodpeckers call from the Oak trees, the resident Buzzard pair soars overhead on morning thermals.

Not as many moths to-day, a few new species, nothing notable. Apart from a possible re-identification of two caught yesterday to White-line Dart. Not too disappointing but surprising, that we haven't managed a new species so far.

Sara took Josh to Dan yr Ogof Caves, near Craig y Nos castle, which they both enjoyed. A new experience for Josh . Nearly as good as his steak lunch in a local pub !
Optional Reading....
Dan yr Ogof (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈdan ər ˈoːɡɔv]), located at the National Showcaves Centre for Wales, is a 17-kilometre (11 mi) long cave system in south Wales,about 5 miles (8 km) north of Ystradgynlais and 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Brecon, in the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is the main feature of a show cave complex, which is claimed to be the largest in the UK and is one of the major tourist attractions in Wales.^[2] The first section of the cave system is open to the public, but the extensive cave system beyond is scheduled as a national nature reserve and is open only to bona fide cavers.^[2]
The bones of some 42 humans, as well as numerous animal bones, have been found in one of the nearby chambers of this cave system.^[3] In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, Dan yr Ogof was named as the greatest natural wonder in Britain.[