Caerau Park moorland

A quick walk here after the Rugby and before dark was somewhat rewarding with 1pr Whinchat, 2pr Stonechat, male Willow Warbler, 6pr Meadow Pipit, 1pr Tree Pipit and 2pr Linnet. There was also a mix of silent pipits that prove difficult to ID (see below). No hoverflies and just one Buff-tailed Bumblebee as there was a chill in the air.

Whinchat and Stonechat males together.

With Tree and Meadow Pipit displaying alongside each other, there was also a small flock of mixed pipits feeding, I think the flock contained both species. The one above has a strong supercillium (continuing behind the eye) with a dark eye-stripe and the sub-moustachial stripe that is quite wide and the flank streaking is fine and the bill is also thicker and stubbier. Whereas the one below which is a Meadow Pipit is more heavily streaked on the breast and flanks, the bill is thinner and longer, it also has a weak supercillium (stops above the eye) with  no dark stripe through the eye and a thin sub-moustachial stripe.

This catchment bog area stays wet all year as the area is shaped like a bowl, and is the beginning of the stream that runs past the Park Estate  down to the River Llynfi. I have recorded Jack Snipe, Common Snipe and Dunlin here in the past, but now it looks like ideal habitat for the rare hoverfly Anasimyia lunulata so I'll be visiting it regularly in May and June.

Looking from Foel Fawr over the moorland Bog, with Foel-y-Dyffryn in the background. My house is less than 500mts from this area.