Oak Beauty (one of four caught)
Dotted Border
Satellite
Mottled Grey
Had a good first mothing session of the year last night, with 39 moths of 13 species. 4 Oak Beauties were the highlight but also great to see Dotted Border, Mottled Grey, Satellite, Shoulder Stripe and plenty more including 16 Common Quakers.
#teammoth #vc50
A small black and white duck swimming on the water.
Nice to have second helpings of the Bufflehead over lunchtime today - this time on Llyn Coron, Anglesey. A bit further away than last time I saw it but great to see this smart little duck again. #birdingwales #ukbirding
A three second exposure of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) showing a clear green beam of light to the south-west.
A three second exposure of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) showing a red glow of light to the north.
A three second exposure of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) showing a clear green beam of light through trees to the east.
A three second exposure of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) showing green beams of light to the south-east.
Treated to an amazing show from the #auroraborealis here in Llysfaen, north Wales tonight. The best I’ve seen it here yet, with some lovely clear pulsating greens to the south and a red glow to the north. These photos were taken with a 3 second exposure on my phone. #northernlights
A Purple Sandpiper roosting on a rock with its beak tucked under its wing, showing a bright orange leg and purple sheen on the wing feathers.
One of six Purple Sandpipers that were showing well on the rocks at Rhos on Sea during high tide today. Love it when the winter sun brings out the purple sheen on their feathers. #ukbirding #birdingwales
A Russian White-fronted Goose showing its white forehead and pink bill
A family group of Russian White-fronted Geese grazing in a field
Two Whooper Swans grazing in a field, with Greylag Geese in the foreground
Nice to see 13 Russian White-fronted Geese during a walk along the Afon Cefni this morning - not often we get to see them in north Wales. 2 Whooper Swans, 3 Egyptian Geese and Great Egret were also notable on the walk #ukbirding #birdingwales
A Lesser Yellowlegs walking on mud, showing its yellow legs
A Lesser Yellowlegs walking on mud, showing its yellow legs
It was great to catch up with the local Lesser Yellowlegs on the Clwyd estuary this morning. My third in Wales but surprisingly my first in the UK since 2012! Top find by @alexhj.bsky.social and Bob
Bright orange witches’ butter fungus growing on a yellow and green lichen covered fallen branch
I like how witches’ butter fungus (Tremella mesenterica) always brightens up a winter woodland floor, shining up from the leaf litter. This was found growing on a fallen branch in the back garden today. Green woodpecker heard calling too, quite a scarce species in north Wales.
#gardeningforwildlife
Drake Bufflehead with the morning sun showing off the iridescent green and purple hues on its head
View west over the embankment pool, with the Llŷn peninsula in the distance
Drake Bufflehead riding the waves
Drake Bufflehead (foreground) and Little Grebe (background)
After being too busy to take time off work yesterday, it was great to catch up with the drake Bufflehead near Dinas Dinlle this morning. The smart little duck was busily feeding on small fish. Nice to see some familiar faces there too, including the finder Simon H-R! #ukbirding #birdingwales
A Shorelark showing its distinctive black and yellow head markings and black collar standing on some short-cropped turf.
View west from the Great Orme as clouds roll in and obscure the sun.
Enjoyed catching up with the Great Orme Shorelark this afternoon. Initially elusive it eventually dropped in to feed for a good spell in the usual spot near the cairn. Only the second one I’ve seen in Wales. Felt pretty fresh in the wind up there today! #birding #birdingwales
A juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper stretching its wing and showing its white rump
Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper taking a brief rest from frequent feeding in the mud
Enjoyed great views of the Malltraeth White-rumped Sandpiper this afternoon, feeding along a channel close to the path. My first one in Wales - the last one I saw was in Texas, 2016! #ukbirding #birdingwales
Figure of Eight
Pine Carpet
Satellite
A nice selection of moths last night despite the cold temperatures included Figure of Eight, Pine Carpet and a fresh Satellite (VC50). #teammoth
Two Bramblings having a drink in a little garden pond
Sure I’d heard a Brambling in the garden yesterday, so it was great that the pond cam confirmed it with these two taking a drink later in the afternoon. Several Skylark moving east too, and Redwings have arrived this morning. #ukbirding
A Caspian gull sat on the water amongst harbour reflections
Looking north from Scarborough castle towards Long Nab in the background
Anne Brontë’s grave
No needletail for me today, but it was good to see this Caspian gull in Scarborough harbour as we don’t get many in north Wales. Snow bunting showed well on the outer harbour wall too, and a skein of pinkfeet went south. #ukbirding
Large Wainscot
Dark Swordgrass
Rusty Dot Pearl
Pleased to catch my first Large Wainscot last night. Also Dark Swordgrass, Rusty Dot Pearl and 4 Feathered Ranunculus among the rest. #VC50 #teammoth
A juvenile Peregrine falcon (foreground) rests on a sandbank with Oystercatchers feeding in the background.
Quick visit to Llanfairfechan this morning yielded 6 Brent geese, a late Sandwich tern and this juvenile Peregrine trying to blend in on the sandflats, perhaps eyeing up its next meal. #ukbirding
Nice chilly seawatch off Rhos Point this morning included Leach’s and European Storm-petrel, 3 Sabine’s Gulls, 2 Pomarine Skuas, Arctic Skua, 2 Manxie plus Whooper Swan and Golden Plover. Sandwich Terns still on the move too and plenty of Kittiwakes and Gannets. #ukbirding
A Bordered Straw moth on an eggbox, with a Large Yellow Underwing moth in the background.
Really pleased to have caught my first Bordered Straw last night. First moth I saw as I opened the trap! Thought I’d missed the recent influx. #VC50 #teammoth
Gold Spot
Frosted Orange
Feathered Gothic
A Gold Spot was a nice surprise this morning - seemed rather appropriate in the damp conditions though. Also Frosted Orange and Feathered Gothic were notable for the garden. #VC50 #teammoth
After hearing one calling close outside the other night it was exciting to capture this Tawny Owl on the pond cam in the early hours of the morning. The bird hung around for about 40 minutes on and off, even sitting in the pond for a bathe.🦉
Dark Sword-grass
Ruby Tiger
Rosy Rustic
Typical seasonal selection of moths (from left to right): Brimstone, Mullein Wave, Centre-barred Sallow
An eclectic catch last night included 2 Dark Sword-grass, a Ruby Tiger (scarce here) and 2 Rosy Rustics. Also 52 Setaceous Hebrew Characters in what seems like a good year for them locally, and 8 Centre-barred Sallows. #VC50 #teammoth
Scarce Bordered Straw
Canary-shouldered Thorn
Centre-barred Sallow
Finally caught my first Scarce Bordered Straw last night - great to get in on the action with these at last! A Canary-shouldered Thorn and 7 Centre-barred Sallow also added some autumnal hues to the trap. #VC50 #teammoth
A male (top) and female (bottom) Small Red-eyed Damselfly. The female was seen dropping eggs into the pond.
A male Small Red-eyed Damselfly on his pebble perch
Male Small Red-eyed Damselfly
After missing my chance there last summer it was great to see my first Small Red-eyed Damselflies today, with a few on the wing at Parc Menai - including an egg-laying female. Still rare in north Wales I think, but presumably overlooked. #ukodonata @cofnod.org.uk
Cloaked carpet
Barred Rivulet
Acrobasis Advenella
Setaceous Hebrew Character
After a quiet few weeks on the moth front it was nice to catch a couple of interesting geometers last night - Barred Rivulet (NFG) and the nationally scarce Cloaked Carpet. Also a new micro for me - Acrobasis Advenella. Plenty of Setaceous Hebrew Characters appearing too. #teammoth #vc50
An Oak Eggar moth
Nice to start the day with a lovely Oak Eggar in the moth trap this morning. VC50 #teammoth
Can’t edit the original post but note that the Barred Yellow is actually a Northern Spinach. Thanks for the corrections.
Thank you, yes Northern Spinach. Another new one for the year at least!
This juvenile Green Woodpecker was sharing the bath with a Blackbird in our garden this morning. Blackbird wasn’t too impressed but Green Wood are pretty scarce here in north Wales. Great to see what’s going on while I’m working!
Juvenile Green Woodpecker in a dead tree.
Juvenile Green Woodpecker in a dead tree
Nice to see a juvenile Green Woodpecker outside our house today. Still scarce in north Wales, I presume they bred somewhere nearby but no sign until now.
Nice fresh juvenile Redstart in the garden this morning. Didn’t notice any adults here this spring but presume they bred somewhere nearby (bird is on the left in video) #birding
Not on the Spoonbill - I submitted it but no reply. Looks like a Dutch or German scheme. The Knot were ringed in Scotland and Liverpool Bay and are summering 3cy birds.
