I am now back in Dorset following a very pleasant week in Wales. Sadly I couldn’t upload pictures from Wales (nothing to do with the country being behind the times...), I simply forgot my card reader! I haven’t actually got many pictures to post as the weather for most of my trip wasn’t conducive for photography but I did try.
One of the trips highlights was a couple of Common Terns fishing a local lake at Bryn Bach Park. Ok, anyone reading this from Dorset may wonder why this is a highlight. I have only ever seen Common Tern in Blaenau Gwent once before and that was a very brief bird passing through. I have seen more Black Tern than Commons in the borough!
Whilst I’ve been visiting Bryn Bach I’ve been catching a few Canada Geese which totalled 6 by the end of the trip. Also ringed a Mute Swan and a Mallard. Whilst I am on about ringing, I spent a few hours in my uncle’s garden ringing a few of these little beasts.
Next shot is of the Great Oak Beauty we trapped in the Forest of Dean at the RSPB’s Nagshead reserve.
We had wondered what caused the chunk to be taken out of its wing. My mate said a Wood Warbler whereas I was firmly of the opinion that it was the heel of a Treecreeper who must have trodden on it whilst foraging on the bark.
Lepidoptera made a trip to some local moorland quite interesting. Small pearl bordered Fritillaries were flitting about on some thistles but it was pretty windy which as any photographer knows make macro shots very hard to get!
Whilst photographing the Frits I noticed this Tree Bumblebee. This is relatively common in Weymouth but I was very surprised to see it up there! I need to do some research but I reckon this could potentially be a first for Breconshire?? Haven’t found out who to ask yet but will keep you posted.
Last up is this recently fledges Wheatear. They were in good numbers around various sites I went too so perhaps we might be seeing decent numbers heading south come the autumn.