Eiders at Whiteford

After Neil Edwards and myslef counted a very respectable 130 Eiders at Whiteford Point yesterday, I decided to go back through Gower Birds and was amazed to find the largest count of this species was 313 in April 1990. Since 1969 there have been 19 years wheen counts have exceeded 100 and so far 2011 ranks 12th down the list of annual maxima.

There seems to be little pattern to the appearance of these larger numbers, although April can be a good month, so it may be well worth a trek out to the point over the coming weeks to see these spectacularly plumaged birds.

Afon Pyrddin

I'm sure this small but attractive waterfall on the border of Neath Port Talbot and Breconshire has a name, but I don't know it. The lower plant assemblage of the section of valley below the watercfall is not nearly as rich as the Nedd, but was still found to support a good diversity of lower plant species. 

Hard Shield-fern (Polystichum aculeatum)

 For more from this site check out http://moonmoths.blogspot.com/2011/03/afon-pyrddin.html

Filmy-ferns along the Afon Nedd

Wilson's Filmy-fern (Hymenophyllum wilsonii)

Tunbridge Filmy-fern (Hymenophyllum tunbrigense)

On Tuesday (1st March) Charles Hipkin showed me colonies of both of Britain's filmy-ferns along a section of the Afon Nedd just over the border in Breconshire VC42. Tunbridge Filmy-fern (Hymenophyllum tunbrigense) was more abundant with two populations growing as more-or-less pure stands on vertical cliffs, whereas Wilson's Filmy-fern (H. wilsonii) was noted in just one location amongst a weft of mosses.

Indusium valves smooth-edged on Wilson's

Indusium valves toothed on Tunbridge

Bryophytes were very prominent at this site with a good number of noteworthy species such as the curiously named Greater Whipwort (Bazzania trilobata).

For more bryophytes from this site see http://moonmoths.blogspot.com/2011/03/brophytes-along-afon-nedd-above-pont.html

Beewatching

Anyone who knows me is aware that I like a bit of seawatching! Well today I found a sheltered sunny area near Margam Park which was buzzing with activity. This area had a very large patch of Gorse Ulex europaeus fully in flower. I noticed a worker Honeybee Apis mellifera first of all, and then 10's of them feeding on the Gorse. There was movement to and from this patch, so I decided to sit down and watch what passed!

By far the most abundant bee, there were at least 100 Honeybees

A couple of White-tailed bumblebees Bombus lucorum passed by

One Early bumblebee B pratorum passed through

Three Buff-tailed bumblebee B terrestris also passed by.

Oxwich.

Shoveler, from the new hide.
Huge rock fall in Oxwich bay. These stones are about 20 foot high.

Mediterranean gulls in Bracelet bay yesterday.

Eristalis tenax in the Garden

It is not unusual to see Eristalis tenax flying early in the year, in fact it can be recorded on the wing in any month of the year. It's a common hoverfly and can be readily identified in the field by its bold, dark face stripe. The dark front tarsi also help identify this species.

It's often called the Drone Fly because of its very close resemblance to male hive bees or drones.