Cream-coloured Courser heading this way?

Yesterday, I made the visit to see the Cream-coloured Courser at Kington Golf Course which is located on Bradnor Hill , Herefordshire. It's a quite stunning bird which has been there for a few days. However, today it was reported to fly off high in a SW direction. If it follows a SSW direction that would bring it into our area! Seems very unlikely but you never know.

Also it gives me a great excuse to put the video that I took of the bird on here.

Cream-coloured Courser video

Reddish-bellied Swallow

Reddish-bellied Swallows are occasionally seen on passage and there is often wild speculation about the origins of such birds. I've seen a number of these birds before but I have never come across one that's been on breeding territory, so was interested to hear of this one photographed at Nantgaredig by Joyce Rae.

(c) J. Rae

Whilst initially this might look a possible candidate for transitiva, the largely non-migratory eastern Mediterranean race, Svensson states that occasionally the nominate form can be buffish-red below, especially so towards north-west Africa, this being the southern limit of the nominate form. The breast band is too wide for the N.American race erythrogaster, therefore, this handsome, long-tailed male is presumably just an example of the reddish-bellied form of the nominate race Hirundo rustica rustica.

Great Skua on Crymlyn Burrows beach last year

Great Skua with sheep carcass (c) R Ross

Late news of a Great Skua that was at Crymlyn Burrows towards the end of last year. Rob Ross came across this bird on 28th December 2011 on the beach at Crymlyn Burrows defending the remainder of it's Christmas pickings! On this same day I was down at Whiteford taking another look at the Arctic Skua which had spent the Christmas there. Earlier in December Steve Hinton found a Pomarine Skua at Gileston (16/12/11). Making for a good collection of "beached" Skuas in Glamorgan in a relatively short period of time.

Great Skua at Crymlyn Burrows (c) R Ross

Spoonbill at Penclacwydd

Spoonbill "yawning?"

The immature Spoonbill was still at Penclacwydd WWT this afternoon. While I was there the it spent 99.9% of the time asleep, luckily for me when it did raise it's head the Avocet was in the background. Happy days...

Fringecups

With forests of Western Hemlock, Douglas Fir, Sitka Spruce and the occasional Western Red Cedar, parts of the Neath Valley bear more than a passing resemblance to the Pacific North West. Unfortunately the fabulous native ground flora associated with these forests is missing, but for one exception. Fringecups (Tellima grandiflora) was introduced from the Pacific North West as a plant suitable for wet, shady spots in the garden and is found growing wild in suitable habitats. It does well in our mild, oceanic climate and it sets abundant seed. It loves cool, moist woodland and is very much at home along the streams in Glyn Castle Woods in the Neath Valley. It is also found in the Bishopston Valley. 

At the moment there are only a handful of records for this species in Glamorgan, but it is probably more widespread than we suspect and we'll probably see significant increases in its occurrence in the future.

Hoverfly Help Needed

(c) Ian Tew

Andrew Lucas wrote...
I'm coming into the second year of a study of pollinating insects, mainly bees and hoverflies, in Welsh grasslands. The study involves catching insects in pan traps - or 'washing up bowls' as they are commonly known - in different grassland types.
To protect the traps from grazing animals, I put up a small amount of fencing, and this is where I need some help. I'm looking for volunteers to help with the fence building. No previous knowledge or skills are needed. All the sites are on grassland SSSIs that are not open to the public, so this is a chance to see bits of Carmarthenshire and Swansea that you may not have visited before.
If you are interested, please email me as soon as possible at 599841@swansea.ac.uk The first weekend's work is this Sunday, 20 May, and will continue for the next two to three weeks.
Andrew Lucas
Swansea Ecology Research Team
Department of Biosciences
College of Science
Swansea University

Bryn Crwys 2011

Petty Whin in profusion

This spectacular display of Petty Whin (Genista anglica) near Tre-Forgan was buzzing with bees and other insects today. Now a very localised species, sights like this are quite special.

On a nearby tip, the diminutive Heath Pearlwort (Sagina subulata) was noted, this being a new species for Glamorgan...

Yesterday the petal-less Sea Pearlwort (Sagina maritima) was noted on the coast at Margam...