Red- veined Darters again at Gunton Woodland Burial

On Wednesday 3rd July, I went back to the cornflower strip along the Gunton woodland Burial, a male Red-veined Darter was seen very briefly, plus another brief encounter with a male Emperor Dragonfly, whilst the female Red- veined Darter showed well mainly on the south edge of the Cornflower patch.

Dinas comes up trumps again

A trip over to RSPB Dinas on the Monday 1st July and their were newly installed signs for Owen's cave, a kind of Welsh Robin Hood, nice to celebrate a historical figure but very sad when the RSPB put on their signage "RSPB Dinas home to Owen's Cave" instead of home to Pied Flys, Redstarts and Wood Warblers in the Spring & Dippers, Peregrines, Red Kites all year around??? Anyway walking along the boardwalk, I was surprised to hear a little sub-song of Wood Warbler and sure enough right in front of me was a Wood Warbler showing reasonably well. Perched mid way up on some branches, it then flew up and spent a lot of time in the canopy. Walking further along by the wood, A Spotted Flycatcher was seen perched on a fence and then an immature bird was heard nearby but not seen. Further along by the edge a cracking male Pied Flycatcher was seen by branches low down near the main trunk. Further along a fine male Redtart seen perched on a fence. Walking back and then looking along the main river, 2 Raven flew by on a distant hill top, by the woods, I could heard the trilling song of another fine Wood Warbler, although it wasn't seen. meantime a Dipper flew onto a rock and then flew and settled under a tree.

No boat to Skomer

On Sunday 30th June, I got up early and despite getting there for 8am, the car park was already almost full and joined a long queue, the first time I ever I literally missed the boat to Skomer, very, very disappointing. I did however get a boat trip around the island. Wonderful to see the first Gannets, the the auks, a razorbill, then 2 Guillemots then quite literally hundreds of Puffins in rafts on the water and literally dotted all around the greener grassy areas of the island, wonderful to see again (although it would have been better if I could seen them on land at Skomer). Calling Chough revealed 1 Chough flying over the cliff, several Fulmars seen on cliffs and at the end around 3 seen on the sea that flew by too. A walk around Marloes deer park revealed a family of 3 Stonechat, male female and youngster. A presumed Dark Green Fritillary butterfly was flying around but never settled, a female Common Blue seen plus an Emperor Dragonfly that flew down a path and briefly settled but didn't pose at all for the camera. Finally 5 Linnets were seen on gorse near the path on the walk back. As we disembarked up the steps a pair of Rock Pipits were very active along the cliff, the rocks and regularly perching on the hand rails and I managed to get some nice consolation shots of them at least.

Cymisfael stream birding, Llanddarog wildlife watching

On Friday 28th June, as I arrived at Mum's a Raven flew over calling. A look in the early evening at Cymisfael stream revealed both banded and Beautiful demoiselles plus a couple of Ringlets and Meadow Browns. On my next visit saturday morning, the Dipper was seen near Pennybanc bridge. 3rd visit no sign of the Dipper this time, but Grey wagtail seen fling over the bridge plus 2 Red Kites perched in a tree. 2 Buzzards also seen. 4th visit, again the Dipper was seen briefly by Pennybanc bridge, 2 Buzzards seen including 1 flying down the road by the streak, also a Nuthatch seen. Over the course of the days I was there House Sparrows sen, House Martins nesting on the new bungalow built next door and on the last day, a closish Buzzard seen on a telegraph pole, and 2 Mistle Thrushes in the field beyond, plus an immature House Sparrow perched on the gate post.

Tongue Orchids in Essex

On Friday 28th June, driving to X in Essex, after receiving excellent directions from Chris L and Jane F. I found the road turned right into it and parked up near the dumped farm machinery and went through the gate into a big meadow divided by a hedge half way back on meeting that I walked 20 yards north and by a flattened area I followed a small path for 10 yards before coming to the area barely 2 metres square where I counted at least 17 excellent Tongue Orchids or Serapias. Some had gone over but there a few lips in good flower which were well worthy of some pics. I had to use flash as it was cloudy.

Lesser Butterfly Orchid in North Norfolk

After receiving some excellent directions from Murray S for an LBO, perhaps the only one flowering in East Anglia at present. I drove up to North Norfolk on the morning of Saturday 22nd June. The directions were excellent as I soon found the area, but not the plant. I retraced my steps and noticed I had walked straight past it. The exquisitely subtle beauty of the Lesser Butterfly Orchid was caged and the subtle beaty of this magnificent plant was admired. It was one lone individual but it was flowering beautifully and at its very best only the flowers at the very tip were yet to bloom and I spent the next hour photographing from every conceivable view and angle taking care not to stand on any Spotted Orchids, around 15 that were flowering nearby. I was later joined by Chris L and another local. Chris then showed me a plant which was formerly known as Pugsley's Marsh orchid, a variant I had always hoped to see, ID'd by its narrow leaved sepal. Chris then very kindly showed me another spot nearby where 2 further plants variants formerly known as Pugsley's Marsh Orchids were seen. Plus a very pale Pink Spotted orchid. I went to visit relative and returned to the second site, where amazingly a sky- blued abdomen male Keeled Skimmer was flying around, I saw him 3X but he was very elusive and I didn't see him land. Fortunately, I saw a female Keeled Skimmer in flight, she landed and going in very carefully she was very tolerant as I took pictures and left her still perched on a weed stem.

Hummingbird Hawk Moth first in the garden for 2019

Also on Friday 21st June at 7.23pm, I saw a fine Hummingbird Hawkmoth hovering around the Red valerian flowers in the back garden, initially seen from the kitchen window, I dashed out with the camera and took around 2 dozen pictures, this was the best, after 2 minutes it flew off.