Late May round-up

Most of the summer breeding birds are now in, looks like good numbers of Whitethroat, Grasshopper Warbler, Redstart, Tree Pipit and Wood Warbler. But as of yet have been unable to find any Pied Flycatcher. Also had a Spotted Flycatcher up Garnwen maybe a passage migrant or a breeder time will tell. Only 3 pairs of Swift were back at Caerau by the 21st, breeding population normally fluctuates between 8 and 15 pairs, this mirrors the late arrival and lower numbers seen throughout the rest of the country, which I hope is not a worrying trend and they can recover just like the Whitethroat did in the 1990's.

With a bit of fine weather 51 species of hoverfly have been recorded so far this month (66 - 2017), so still some catching up to do. New for the year includes Orthonevra nobilis, Xylota segnis, Platycheirus rosarum, Platycheirus grandipennis, Sphegina sibirica, Neoascia tenur, Pipiza austriaca and Pipizella viduata. There are still a few Epistrophe eligans lingering in the woods and Eristalis horticola are now out in force. Criorhina berberina was the best of 25 species at the beech woods at the top of Cwm Sychbant, but none of the 6 beech specialities were encountered (yet).

Finally other insects are starting to emerge with the butterfly Dingy Skipper at Garnwen, along with beetles species like Green Tiger Beetle and longhorn Rhagium bifasciatum. Dragonflies too are emerging with regular sightings of Large Red Damselfly and Broad-bodied Chaser. Day flying moths new for the year include Common Heath and Ancylis badiana, with masses of. Micropterix calthella and Glyphipterix simpliciella covering every Meadow Buttercup flower.

Late spring flowers are also in bloom including new for the year in Columbine, Welsh Poppy, Herb Bennet, Creeping Cinquefoil, Lesser Trefoil, Starry Saxifrage, Watercress, Brooklime and Mouse-eared Hawkweed. Trees are also in flower with Rowan being a magnet for hoverflies and the first of Hawthorn finally blooming.

 Green Tiger Beetle

 longhorn beetle Rhagium bifasciatum

 Broad-bodied Chaser-female

 Broad-bodied Chaser -male

 Rhingia campestris - was staring at this hoverfly for about ten seconds before I saw the Crab Spider feasting on it.

 Sericomyia lappona - seems to be having a very good year, it is being seen at most sites on the edge of both broad-leaved Woods and Pine forestry.

Speckled Wood - sunning itself on forestry path.