Wednesday 31 May 2017

Anania Funebris - White Spotted Sable Moth

A tricky thing to get an image of as it wouldn't stay still. On the bank behind the cottage.

Tuesday 30 May 2017

Sunday 28 May 2017

Pen Anglas

Off of Pen Anglas this morning around 4 Common Dolphins picked up when I was watching a small group of Manx Shearwaters passing,on the sea ward side of the outer breakwater 8 Bottle nosed Dolphins including a half grown calf. A pair of Barnacle Geese flew over almost certain to be of feral origin.

Saturday 27 May 2017

Strumble Head 27th May 17.

From Andy Phillips ( Cardiff )

06.25 - 10.15

Common Scoter - 7

Risso's Dolphin - 4
Common Dolphin - 6

Good numbers of the regular species seen.

Thanks Andy.

Thursday 25 May 2017

Maesgwynne Moths





Top to Bottom:
Pale Tussock & White Ermine
Pale Shouldered Brocade
Small Square Spot
Brimstone Moth
Scalloped Hazel

Monday 22 May 2017

Med Gull

An adult dark headed Med gull on the breakwater Fishguard harbour yesterday .

Thursday 18 May 2017

Tuesday 16 May 2017

Swifts Goodwick.

Stopped to talk to Ken mostly about the excitement of the RFF & my first two swifts of the year obligingly flew overhead.

Sunday 14 May 2017

Humming Bird Hawkmoth

A walk round Llanychaer this afternoon produced a Hummingbird Hawkmoth,Holly Blue,Red Admiral and a few Beautiful Demoiselles. Bird wise 3 Spotted Flycatchers a male Pied Flycatcher and at least 4 singing Redstarts.

Strumble Head (14 May 17) - Bee-Eater!

My usual circuit around the headland saw me positioned at the old Coastguard and scanning (from the gateway) over the two seeded fields, fences and wires just in case the RFF had returned.

At 1054 I heard a call - twice - "quip", "quip".  Quite faint and I thought... is that a plover calling?  Then another "quip"... brain into gear, I know what that is!  Quick look up and there is a solitary Bee-Eater hawking towards me and not that high up.  It then circled around to the East of my position, heading north past me.  I then lost it as it flew around the back of the coastguard hill.  It may have been following the coastline westwards.

A thorough scan of the telegraph wires over the next hour did not relocate the bird.

(Oh and no sign of the RFF this morning).

Birding

A couple of totally brilliant day's, Thankfully all saw the RFF & it stares out from Ricard & Kens pictures, a rare & no mistake ( & a rather smart chap ) & as I said enjoyed by far & wide  especially  Peter & Simon Murray, very important great supporters of the Strumble effort throughout the years greatly appreciated. A fantastic bird.

Aye, Tidy Pics Richard.


Saturday 13 May 2017

Red footed Falcon

Fantastic photos Richard.

Red Footed Falcon (13 May 17)

Here are three of my pics from this morning...



Strumble Head (13 May 17)

Still no sign of RFF this evening.

Spotted Flycatcher in the garden - the first back this year.

Strumble Head (13 May 17)

Well it was a long day in the office yesterday - itching to get down here to see the RFF.

This morning I was out for 5am and parked myself on the road point where I could see the house and the first bare field and telegraph lines.  (I wanted to see if the RFF had been roosting in the garden!).

By 0720 still no sign and it was starting to look like a dip was on the cards.  Thankfully at that point Peter and Simon Murray found the bird at the top of the second seeded field.

It proceeded to show really well - down to 10yds.  After some time it moved down the field and into the first seeded field.  In there it did a few "hover and drop on prey" reps but then without warning gained height and started hawking.  It flew in a straight line towards my house so I legged it back to the top of the road where I could see it over the garden (another garden tick!).  However, I then lost it as it started hawking again (0920).  It was not seen again by lunchtime.

Also Red Kite around and Yellow Wagtail fly-over.

Pics to follow later tonight...

Friday 12 May 2017

Another Falcon ...nature red in tooth and claw!

So I was eating my lunch looking out of the window when a flock of about twenty or thirty corvids were flying about in a excitable manner which is unusual at this time of the year when they are generally paired up and attending to their own business. A pair of Buzzards were also flying around in an agitated fashion. Obviously something was up!

I grabbed my camera and went out to see the object of their aggravation was a  a big  female peregrine ,circling with fluttering wings and calling in a high pitched excited yickering. Obviously the peregrine was interested in something below it in the field opposite, and it then stooped. Just as it seemed as if it was going to crash into the ground it miraculously put on the brakes and landed.


Thwarted, it had circled around but regained its nerve and decided it was too good to leave & pounced again to deliver it's coup de grâce or retrieve its prize. Anyhow I took these pic's at 130 X at a range of about 120 metres and it was not possible to ID the victim without disturbing the peregrine.

This was confusing as there had been no obvious victim. It just sat there for a minute or two  looking around as if expecting trouble and then feathers started flying...   




I suspect it had taken out its victim  as is often the case if they do not manage  to "bind to" (grab hold of), their prey. The victim crashes to earth, possibly still alive but mortally wounded. At that time all hell had broke loose among the locals and it had lost its nerve. 


So this evening I went down the field to investigate...








It was all pretty gruesome...but whatever the backstory, one of our Jackdaws is missing...

RFF

Amazing pics below.
Thanks Ken

Red Footed Falcon Afternoon 12/05/2017

Hi Adrian,
 I couldn't resist having a go and joining in, so here's my efforts. Still at Strumble this PM. Conditions not good for photography with very poor light but I tries me best.












And again this morning... + a peregrine from my garden...







Wednesday 10 May 2017

Wood Warbler

Nice views of a singing Wood Warbler in the woods at Llanychaer this morning,also nice to see fledged Grey Wagtail, Dipper and Long tailed tits

Tuesday 9 May 2017

Purple Heron

Sitting out the front of the house relaxing after an afternoon gardening & a Crow is chasing a large very dark Heron at a distance of about 150 metres, bins up & it's an adult Purple Heron the Bosherston bird from a few days ago I guess. 

Siskins

A pair on the feeders this morning, would like to think they are breeding close by.

Sunday 7 May 2017

Wood Warbler

A singing Wood Warbler at Pontfaen this afternoon along with at least 4 male Redstarts.
The Bluebells were very impressive as well.

Saturday 6 May 2017

Hurrah!

At last! after watching several thousand swallows come in off the sea at Strumble, at last we have a pair prospecting our barns again! In the twenty one years we have been here they have graced us with their tuneful twitterings. Each year they produce two broods, occasionally only one, but i guess on average over the last twenty years that's about 100 fledglings.  Every year i pray they will return but never more than this year, Hurrah.

Friday 5 May 2017

Swifts

My first few Swifts this year feeding over the tops of the trees at Llanychaer.

Tuesday 2 May 2017

Pen Anglas

Probably my most unusual sitting of the year for me so far a male House Sparrow very near Pen Anglas Point, migrant wise fairly quite the best being a couple of Grasshopper Warblers.
Later at Pantmaenog 7 different reeling Grasshopper Warblers,a Cuckoo and several Redpolls.
At Rosebush Reservoir the pair of Great Crested Grebes were busy building a second nest,I would imagine the first has been predated,she was sitting on the first one about a week ago. Also there was a pair of Grey lag Geese and two pairs of Canadas.

Monday 1 May 2017

Flagpoles 16.00

A quick look turned into a longer one as bumped into Ray W so we had a bit of a chat. Fortunately the extended trip was fortuitous with a Common Tern flying in off the sea & a couple of Herons turned up.
Here's a point, the Tern flew over us & up the Valley. Can I put it on my garden list .....?