Cwm Sychbant

A warm fine day (18c) with very little wind was rewarded with 22 species of hoverfly. New for the year were Platycheirus peltatus, Cheilosia illustrata, Sphegina sibirica and Sericomyia silentis. Again the most common was Melanostoma scalare (15), with other good species being Platycheirus tarsalis (6) all on Bluebell, Parasyrphus punctulatus (2) including a melanic female, Baccha elongata (1).

Butterflies were back out in numbers with seven species being seen today including Brimstone (3). A very large Nursery Web Spider basking on sun lit leaves was a first for me and the first Brown Silver-lines of the year was noted. Usual bee and beetle species about that I can identify and many that I cannot particularly bees. A few Large Red Damselfly around the water courses. This area is best between 1300-1500hrs to get direct sunlight.

A Cuckoo was constantly calling and other summer migrants included Whitethroat (1), Blackcap (8), Willow Warbler (10), Chiffchaff (5) and a pair of Swallow inspecting a local barn. Resident breeders were 1 pair each of Siskin, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting, Raven and Green Woodpecker.

 Nursery Web Spider

 Cheilosia illustrata

Xylota segnis