Back to Gilfach (West) twice

 With the continuing good weather by day (17c), I made a couple more visits to Gilfach . With the car park Sallow attracting a lot of hovers as it did last year, but it bloomed 2 weeks earlier giving me a better stab at finding Melangyna quadrimaculata. After about 20 minutes of staring at every blossom I finally connected with said species, a well coloured male and being new for the valley to boot (number 145). There were also good numbers of early spring species about as well including Melangyna lasiophthalma (41), Parasyrphus punctulatus (2) and Platycheirus scutatus (1). 13 species in all were recorded over two visits.

Other insects seen were Black Oil-beetle, the butterflies Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock, the tachinid fly Tachina ursina and Tree, Early and Buff-tailed Bumblebee. On the bird front the first Chiffchaff of the year was singing and a fine male Crossbill seemed to be defending a nesting area.

*** Update news - Paul Tabor photographed a Cheilosia grossa at Lletty Brongu woods, which was new for the valley (number 146). ***

Melangyna lasiophthalma

Meliscaeva cinctella

Platycheirus albimanus

Platycheirus scutatus s.l.

I also photographed by luck a couple of odd looking hoverflies which I think are one over-coloured T2 and one melanic Melangyna lasiophthalma - see below

Other insects

Black Oil-beetle

Peacock

Small Tortoiseshell

Gilfach (west)

 A fine sunny day peaking at 14c, had a few species of hoverfly feeding on the emerging Sallow blossom. Firsts for the year included Melangyna lasiophthalma (3), Meliscaeva auricollis (2) and Syrphus torvus (1). Also present were Eristalis pertinax (4) and Eristalis tenax (1).

Other insects included Honey Bee, Tree and Buff-tailed Bumblebee. Also 2 Roe Deer were on the edge of a forestry track. No summer migrant birds returning as yet. Ground flowers blossoming included Lesser Celandine, Opposite-leaved Saxifrage, Coltsfoot and Primrose.

Melangyna lasiophthalma

Meliscaeva auricollis

And we're off

 At Lletty Brongu sewage works and river today there were 4 male Eristalis pertinax  feeding on Sallow Blossom and a single male Eristalis tenax basking on the dead Japanese Knotweed stalks.

The only other insects were 3 Honey Bees and about 5 species of unknown flies and midges. The first blossoms have started to emerge in Sallow, Lesser Celandine and Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage. Very little on the bird front with Goldcrest being the best observation.

Eristalis pertinax

Lesser Celandine heralding the first signs of Spring

Hoverfly specimen records for 2021

 I have just received my specimen results for 2021 from Roger Morris of the Hoverfly Recording Scheme, who generously takes the time to confirm them for me, I had all of them right this year for the first time.

New for Valley

144.   Heringia vitripennis - 05 Jun 21   Garnwen (west) [SS8392]  This species although fairly common in Wales north of Aberyswyth has not been recorded in South Wales before and is therefore new for Glamorgan [VC41].

Important records

Eupeodes lapponicus - 3 Apr, 20 Jun, 22 Jun, 29 Aug 2021 @ upland forestry sites of Garnwen (west) and Gilfach (west). An amazing 35 records of this species this year and the Llynfi valley is still the only site in Wales where it has been located. 

Psilota anthracina - 22 Jun 2021   Blaencaerau. Recorded for the third year in a row and from three different locations within the valley. Again this is the only site in Wales where it has been recorded. 

Good records

Cheilosia fraterna (1), Cheilosia longula (1), Eumerus funeralis (1), Pipiza austriaca (1), Platycheirus clypeatus (1), Platycheirus peltatus (1), Platycheirus tarsalis (2), Sphaerophoria interrupta (2) and Sphaerophoria philantha (1).

Common records

Cheilosia bergenstammi (3), Cheilosia proxima (9), Cheilosia scutellata (4), Cheilosia variabillis (1), Cheilosia vernalis (1), Eupeodes corollae (1), Eupeodes luniger (1), Melangyna umbellatarum (1), Melanogaster hirtella (1), Orthonevra nobilis (1), Pipizella viduata (1), Platycheirus albimanus (1), Platycheirus scutatus (2), Scaeva selenitica (1), Sphegina elegans (1), Syrphus vitripennis (1) and Xylota jakutorum (1).

The only photos I took prior to taken a specimen are below

Eupeodes luniger

Eupeodes lapponicus - spring

Eupeodes lapponicus - summer

6 Ring-necked Duck at Margam Opencast

 Some 2 weeks ago Paul Roberts visited Margam Opencast and to his astonishment he found 6 Ring-necked Ducks, a species from North America seldom seen in Glamorgan. They are still present today and were approachable to within 30 yards. Spent most of the time sleeping with bouts of feeding and were the only ducks on the lake, although there were 2 Mute Swan and a Canada Goose present also.

On the way back Mynydd Ty-Talwyn held 4 Red Kite, 13 Linnet and unusually 19 Rook. 

Late record (04 Aug 2021)

Just had the tachind fly Linnaemya vulpina confirmed on irecord. My 12th tachinidae photographed in the valley. It is always located on or near Heather where it's host species the True Lover's Knot moth is found and is widespread throughout Britain where Heather and the Host occurs. Recorded from Garnwen on 04 Aug 21 near the top of the hill, where there is a lot of Heather around the small cliff-face.

Maesteg Welfare Park

The hoverfly season is all but over, all the Ivy spots in the lower valley have gone over. Only the park Ivy remains with a few flowers in the autumn flower bed still in bloom there. Maybe they will last another fortnight if we don't have a storm. I recorded 12 species of hoverfly with a very late Didea fasciata (1) amongst the common species which were all female  and most heavily laden with eggs. A Meliscaeva auricollis was seen egg-laying on Japanese Primrose (Daisy). The only other insects about were Harlequin Ladybird, Buff-tailed Bumblebee and Common Carder Bee and Common Wasp. No birds of note were seen.

This Syrphus vitripennis (checked in hand) was amongst the more numerous Syrphus ribesii (below)

Episyrphus balteatus

Eristalis tenax - very dark forms seem to predominate during the autumn

Harlequin Ladybird - another colour form

Insect highlights - Norfolk week

 

Caliroa cerasi sawfly species - confirmed on Irecord 

Helophilus hybridus

Helophilus pendulus

Ivy Bee

Myathropa florea

3 of the 4 Volucella zonaria feeding on Ivy at Warham Greens

Other birding highlights - Norfolk week

 Heacham Beach   -   Marsh Harrier (1), Mediterranean Gull (32), Brent Goose (9)

Warham Greens  -   Marsh Harrier (1), Little Egret (3)

Snettisham RSPB   -   Egyptian Goose (1), Brent Goose (20), Pink-footed Goose (1), Little Egret (3), Pintail (2), Mediterranean Gull (1), Wheatear (3)

Cley Marshes & sea  -   Marsh Harrier (2), Pink-footed Goose (20), Red Throated Diver (3), Brent Goose (6), Sandwich Tern (2)

Brent Goose

Eurasian Teal

Greylag Goose & Wigeon

Northern Pintail

Northern Shoveler

Eurasian Sparrowhawk

                                     

Wells area - Norfolk week

 Outer harbour and Sea   - Bird highlights included Black Brant (American rarity), 300 Brent Goose, 7 Red Throated Diver (2 calling), 2 Little Egret, 10 Sandwich Tern, juvenile Common Tern and 10 species of wader.

Northpoint Pools (new reserve)   - Bird highlights included 72 Egyptian Goose, 10 Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose and 2 Marsh Harrier.

Wells woods and fields   - Bird highlights were Marsh Harrier, Chiffchaff, 2 Egyptian Goose and 50 Pink-footed Goose.

Egyptian Goose

Red Throated Diver

Large Pine Sawfly (Diprion pini)

Titchwell - Norfolk week

 We visited Titchwell RSPB numerous times during the week as it was close to our caravan in Heacham and also had hides to shelter in during many periods of rain. As usual a wide array of birds were present in the marshes and on the sea. A list of the best included 5 Red Throated Diver, 9 Brent Goose, Pectoral Sandpiper (American rarity), 2 Little Stint, 50 Ruff, 10 Avocet, 3 Little Egret, 5 Marsh Harrier and 6 Bearded Tit.

There were quite a few hoverflies still on the wing with Didea fasciata, Sericomyia silentis being the pick. The Toilet block lights are always worth a check for moths and included Black Rustic, Green Brindled Crescent and Red Underwing also present was a Speckled Bush Cricket. In the dunes plants in flower that I could identify included Sea Rocket and Sea Spurge.

Pectoral Sandpiper - above and below

Ruff

Didea fasciata

Black Rustic

Red Underwing

Sea Spurge

Sea Rocket

Speckled Bush Cricket

Blacktoft Sands - East Yorkshire

 Last week  Paul Parsons, Colin Gittins and myself spent a week in Norfolk. On the way up we first visited East Yorkshire to see the long staying White-tailed Plover, which showed pretty well. Other tidy birds on show included 2 Marsh Harrier, 3 Spoonbill, Little Egret, 2 Ruff, 62 Pink-footed Goose, 3 Snipe and 2 Bearded Tit.