Our Dorset 2023 holiday snaps in no particular order. Scroll down for my four new moths from the week’s mothing and for a ChatGPT “writeup”!
Selfie in The Square and Compass Worth Matravers waiting for live musicViewpoint looking out over RSPB Arne and PooleHay bales east of Kimmeridge Bay, Swyre Head – 5-mile clifftop hikeBrownsea Castle, originally known as Branksea CastleOur boat bound for an afternoon on a very wet Brownsea IslandHarbour-front properties, Sandbanks, the prices of some of these are in the millionsRed Squirrel, Brownsea Island. We saw at least half a dozenChain Ferry between Shell Bay and SandbanksChain Ferry heading to SandbanksCorfe Castle from RSPB ArneCorfe Castle phone snap from The Castle pub, Corfe!Corfe Castle station signal box, we didn’t take the train to Swanage on this tripWoodhenge, Worth Matravers, behind the village car park near the pubEdge of Lulworth Cove from cliffs beyond Kimmeridge BayWe saw a couple of Hares on the fields beyond the cliffsClavell Tower, above Kimmeridge BayLooking back at the Cliffs towards Kimmeridge Bay and Lulworth CoveOther cliffs – looking away from Kimmeridge BayAn old London Routemaster bus in the town square Corfe CastleBrownsea Island from the boat, photo by Mrs SciencebaseNo otters, we had hoped for otters on the shore at SandbanksSpoonbill, Brownsea IslandPied Wagtail, Brownsea IslandMartha Spencer and Archer performing at The Square and CompassRed Ensign on our boat to Brownsea Island in Poole HarbourRedshank, Brownsea LagoonOsprey, record shot over RSPB Arne, saw 2-3One of a couple of dozen Sandwich Tern with fish, Shipstal Point, no sign of the US Forster’s TernRinged Plover, Shell BayYet another Spoonbill, one of about 70 on Brownsea Island lagoonSpoonbills took flight from the Brownsea lagoon as the rain startedFemale Stonechat, there were lots along the cliff path east of Kimmeridge BaySunshine SpoonbillIntriguing Tree, Brownsea IslandAnvil Point Lighthouse, we didn’t dare get any closer, there was no safety fence along the clifftop at this point and it was very gusty!The recently cleaned Big Globe at Durlston Country ParkOut holiday cottage (on the left) and the taller neighboursSika Doe, RSPB ArneSmall Copper, RSPB Arne, spotted while we looked for an elusive Dartford WarblerSpeckled Wood, RSPB ArneRed Underwing that had been by the kitchen door after the trap had been on overnightThree very different Lunar UnderwingsHeath Rustic – new to me in the courtyard garden of our holiday cottage in Corfe CastleFeathered Ranunculus – new for meHedge Rustic – seen this species previously in Poulner in the New ForestAutumnal Rustic – new for me in CorfeCommon Marbled Carpet – a very varied species, not seen this form for a whileConvolvulus Hawk-moth spotted by Mrs Sciencebase on a sign on a gate, RSPB ArneEuropean Hornet – mothtrap intruder on a couple of nights during our week in CorfeDurlston Country Park’s Seventhwave café ticklist – part of the moth section
Meanwhile, I prompted ChatGPT with the captions for the above photographs and asked it to write an introductory blog post for my holiday snaps slideshow. This is the hilarious write-up with which it came back, perfect for a cheesy travel brochure or airline magazine, hahah.
Exploring the Natural Wonders of Dorset: A Photographic Journey
Dorset, a land of picturesque landscapes, historic treasures, and abundant wildlife, recently played host to my wife and me. Our adventure took us to the charming village of Corfe Castle, where we found respite in a lovely cottage, and embarked on a thrilling exploration of the region’s natural beauty and cultural heritage.
Our journey began at the heart of Dorset’s community spirit, The Square and Compass pub in Worth Matravers. Here, we revelled in an afternoon of live music and captured a joyful selfie to mark the occasion.
The lush landscapes of RSPB Arne and the sparkling waters of Poole unfolded before us at a breathtaking viewpoint, reminding us of nature’s grandeur. Meanwhile, the quaint charm of Corfe Castle, seen from both RSPB Arne and The Castle pub, left us in awe of the region’s rich history.
As avid birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts, we made our way to Brownsea Island, a sanctuary for red squirrels, ospreys [over RSPB Arne], spoonbills, and more. The sight of these remarkable creatures in their natural habitat was a true delight, and we even spotted an osprey in flight, capturing a record shot.
Kimmeridge Bay’s dramatic cliffs, Lulworth Cove’s edge, and the tranquil beauty of Sandbanks added to the visual splendor of our journey. We marvelled at the historic treasures like Brownsea Castle and Woodhenge, offering a glimpse into Dorset’s fascinating past.
Our days were filled with the beauty of nature, from the intricate patterns of butterflies to the enchanting flight of spoonbills. Each moment was a testament to Dorset’s natural wonders.
Join us on this visual journey through Dorset’s landscapes and wildlife, as we share the stories behind each photograph. From quaint villages to pristine nature reserves, Dorset is a treasure trove waiting to be explored, and we hope our photos inspire you to embark on your own adventure in this remarkable corner of England.
We took a quick and easy flight to Menorca with an offsetting airline, first visit there since 2000 and first flight since our trip to Greece in the autumn before COVID…
Anyway, we half-planned a lazy week of traditional sun, sea, and sand, and maybe some sangria. Temperatures were high – well into the 30s – the sky was blue and clear every day and at dusk full of Common Swifts, and at least one or two Alpine Swifts as well as quartering Booted Eagles.
Swallowtail nectaring on Lantana camara
We spent some time by the pool, but the town of Cala’n Porter which overlooks a beautiful bay and is backed by a marshy gorge was irresistible in terms of hiking. Our first trek was pre-breakfast on the first morning after we arrived.
Looking back on Cala’n Porter
It was already almost 30 degrees before we’d reached the turning point to head back in time for breakfast. There were numerous Pied Flycatchers catching…flies…endless Cetti’s Warbler calling from the reeds, a Red-backed Shrike or two, and possibly a Black Redstart.
Cala Llucalari
Post-breakfast, I took a closer look at the large patch of bougainvillea opposite our hotel and spotted numerous insects nectaring, various wasps and flies, several Hummingbird Hawk-moth, two or three Swallowtail butterflies, a couple of Cleopatra, a Clouded Yellow, and a possible, but unlikely, Two-tail Pasha, Southern Blue(?). I managed to grab photos and video snippets of one or two of those with an old Lumix bridge camera.
Cleopatra butterfly nectaring on BougainvilleaCleopatra in flight
Second morning was a repeat trek, but the following day we headed further East and up into the clifftop garrigue (bushy scrub) in the hope of seeing, or at least hearing, a Hoopoe, Upupa epops. We were out of luck on that sighting for the whole week. Any boop-boop-boop call would’ve been drowned out by the cicadas in the pines, anyway. We were loaded up on water and got as far as we could go on this walk, the clifftop overlooking Playa de Cales Coves (8km round trip). The rocky cove is, we would learn later, more readily accessible, and ultimately swimmable, if you hike in along the Cami de Cavalls bridleway from our base in Cala’n Porter.
Balcony, Playa AzulLoungers
We turned back after watching and listening to several Booted Eagles over the cliffs and saw skittering lizards and hopping grasshoppers and crickets, some looking ruby red in flight (I’m assuming it’s the Red-winged Grasshopper Oedipoda germanica), another insect almost the size of a small bird (Egyptian Grasshopper, I think) but largely brown dashed about while we rehydrated along the clifftop. We inadvertently detoured a little too much heading back but eventually found our way back to the edge of Cala’n Porter and an astroturf sportsfield overlooked by a telecommunications tower. It was only another 20 minutes back to the hotel pool and we had the dregs of the water to just make it.
Swallowtail butterfly
The next expedition was westward. We started along the edge of the Cala’n Porter marsh heading in the direction of Cala Llucalari and Son Bou beyond that. We didn’t expect to get as far as Llucalari, it would seem like a long (18.6km there and back), trek in the heat more suited to undertaking on horseback given the rocky terrain and the ups and downs. On the way, we spotted Large Copper and the southern races of Meadow Brown and Speckled Wood butterflies as well as a species that has been ubiquitous in England during the summer of 2023, Red Admiral.
Mediterranean Speckled WoodLooking back while heading for Llucalari
Regardless of the terrain, we kept going and we espied the Mediterranean as we crowned a patch of “farmland” beyond some new olive groves being tended in the height of the heat. It was then downward to the rocky beach of Cala Llucalari.
Mrs Sciencebase admiring the “Respectar la Natura” graffiti
The beach was a sight for sore eyes but without beach shoes getting into the water was a little tough on bare feet but truly worth it once we were submerged. There were lots of Blue Rock Thrush darting about, Cleopatra butterflies, Small Copper, Large Copper, several of the aforementioned “blues”, as well as Scarce Bordered Straw, Silver Y, and Palpita Vitrealis moths. Highlight has to have been sighting of a pair of Egyptian Vultures, which circled overhead while we were swimming. I managed to get back to the shore and grab my camera for a snapshot just as they disappeared over the cliffs. A Lesser Kestrel came over minutes later.
Looking over the cliffs at a school of kayaks
The hike back from Llucalari back to Cala’n Porter was hard work, hot and tough on the back and ankles, but we made it in reasonable time to grab our evening meal. We decided to have the next day off from walking and the risk heatstroke.
Almost at Llucalari
Our next adventure/expedition was to take the “correct” footpath to Caya de Cales Coves, the Cami de Cavalls. We headed up and out of Cala’n Porter to the aforementioned sportsfield where we discovered that post number 1 on Stage 17 of the Cami is right there. It was a mere fifty-minute hike (6km there and back) to the beach via several lizards and a tortoise, The cove is flanked by natural and manmade caves that were used as a necropolis at least as long ago as 1500 BCE. It’s a beautiful beach, a kayak and yachting target, so a little bit busier than Llucalari, but we found a spot to swim from and to watch the Booted Eagles once again soaring above the clifftops. There was a flash of Kingfisher blue that darted through a rocky arch on the shoreline and almost collided with me before veering off across the water. We headed back after that for more…you guessed it…more pool time.
Yachts at Cales Coves
I should, at this stage, point out that afternoon pooltime usually involved a bit of swimming, at least a couple of cervezas as well as an occasional survey of that bougainvillea opposite the hotel. The cervezas and the hummers kept coming, but there was no second sighting of Swallowtails sadly.
Playa Azul hotel sunset
Evening entertainment was provided by the setting sun over the clifftop opposite our hotel balcony, the waxing moon, an evening meal at the hotel and an occasional foray into the relatively quiet bar and restaurant area of Cala’n Porter to take in some of the “interesting” musical artists. These included a “singer” called Niko (Megastars), who was by turns Elvis, Tina, and Freddie and on our last night ABBA Seagull who definitely did that band’s repertoire justice with just enough finesse and plenty of tongue-in-cheek. Acts back at the hotel included a solo singer with a stetson who strangled The Eagles and murdered Merle Haggard and Afrodiviac who enraptured at least one youngster staying at the hotel with her Gloria Gaynor.
ABBA Seagull
It spat with rain towards the end of ABBA’s performance and the forecast for Sunday was looking cloudy, potentially very wet, and with a serious risk of flight-delaying lightning. We packed up and headed for our last breakfast in the hotel, no more Spanish omelette, but plenty of fuet sausage to send us on our way.
Lots of Pine Processionary Moth came into the hotel when the weather changed on Saturday night
There seemed to have been something of an irruption of Pine Processionary moth in the hotel corridors, perhaps driven in by the change in the weather. There were various others hanging around too (Rush Veneer, Light Brown Apple Moth, Small Dusty Wave, Rusty Oak/Birch Button), and a roosting Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Our final morning awaiting transport was thus a bit of an ad hoc mothing expedition around the hotel lobby. There was always the tiniest of chances of spotting something big and squeaky, but no such luck.
Hotel Playa Azul by night
The weather seriously broke as we sat at the airport, not sure we’ve ever experienced such bad turbulence before take-off. Thankfully, our departure was only delayed by a couple of hours. There was genuine turbulence at 36000 feet, but nothing too exotic. Landing, security, baggage reclaim, customs, and back to the car park were smooth. We were home not seven hours after the morning’s nothing. As the sun went down Mrs Sciencebase and myself were musing on whether to start packing for our next trip…
Poolside by moonlightSuperzoom view of Cala’n Porter cliff bar – Club MenorcaPoolside Playa AzulHummingbird Hawk-moth on BougainvilleaCales CovesCales Coves from the clifftop…no way downSkyfall VillaYucca
Superzoom view of hilltop villas, Cala’n Porter
BougainvilleaCala LlucalariOur balcony view of Playa de Cala’n PorterView of the hotel from the beachClouds!What’s the story, Morning Glory?Shoal of anchored boats by night
Mastic bushPassion flowerSmall CopperThe Cala’n Porter Gorge – apple and pear orchardsRustic fence shadowsSunset coloursPlumbago auriculataSouthern Common Blue, Polyommatus celina
Egyptian Grasshopper/Locust, Anacridium aegyptiumVilla WallBooted EagleBiker BlindsEgyptian Vulture (One of two over Llucalari)Cotton Bollworm moth, known as Scarce Bordered Straw in the UK where it is a rare migrantQuarter MoonMenorca Aeroport
Menorcan Sunset
Photos with the white, skew dB/ logo were taken on my phone. The ones with my “proper” dB/ logo were taken on a Lumix DC-FZ82, which I originally bought for that Greek trip but never used. Those with the tricia logo were taken by Mrs Sciencebase on her phone.
We took our first camping trip to Stiffkey for several years. Torrential rain and wind during the first night, but better, brighter, hotter days to follow, mostly. Mrs Sciencebase had spotted Spoonbills at North Fen Stiffkey on Tuesday night before the rain, so we headed that way the next morning and discovered a flock of around 16 or 17. Grey day so not bright bird photos. There were also Cormorant and Avocet on the same patch.
Spoonbill in flight
The next day’s walk took us to Wells-next-Sea where there was another flock of 14 or so on land before you get to the sailing club etc.
Spoonbill in flight, showing breeding plumage
In between those two sightings, however, we had headed for the quarry at Trimingham further along the North Norfolk coast to see the nesting Bee-eaters. There are three there this year (there were eight last year, but not nesting success, as far as I know). One of this year’s three is apparently one of the same birds, a male, that was at this site in 2022.
Bee-eatersEuropean Bee-eater in flightBee-eater departing the threesome’s burrow at TriminghamOne of The Trimingham Three Bee-eaters heading for their burrowBee-eater
Meanwhile, it’s always worth checking the utility blocks on a campsite for moths and I was pleased to see two species there that I’d not recorded before – Beautiful China-mark and Marbled Brown. Also, lots of Garden Grass-veneer, a Riband Wave, a Common Yellow Conch, and various other micros.
Beautiful China-mark
Interesting to learn that the campsite manager has also been turned to the mothside and was interested to know what I’d spotted and to show me some of her utility-block snaps. Apparently, one camping guest brings a trap and was hoping to snap up some rarities off the tidal marsh.
Marbled Brown
Last camping night, we also noticed an ironically uncommon sight, a Common Gull. It was hunting for crumbs and scraps with a solitary Pied Wagtail, numerous Wood Pigeon, and several Jackdaw.
With plans to visit Holt Country Park on the way home to potentially see Silver-washed Fritillary, White Admiral and perhaps Purple Emperor, it was a surprise to catch sight of a White Admiral flying low across the campsite as we decamped. We saw lots of SWFs and five or six White Admiral at the Country Park, but no Emperors, sadly.
Having spent Saturday morning with the Coton Orchard mothing team, I missed out on a Butterfly Conservation mothing and butterflying event at Chippenham Fen NNR, which overlapped. So, I headed up to the Fen on the Sunday morning.
I spent a couple of hours there after a horrendous number of detours to find the place. Once on the site, I spotted lots of very flitty and active Ringlet butterflies, numerous Skippers, and a single White Admiral high overhead. Unfortunately, didn’t see any Purple Emperor butterflies, which had been my primary target.
I hadn’t realised that this Fen is a site for Scarlet Tiger moth of which there were lots. Also spotted the fairly common Yellow Shell moth, a couple of un-ID micros, and I did catch a very fleeting glimpse of the Fen’s signature Lepidopteral species, the incredibly rare and fenland-only Silver-barred moth, which was one of the mothing targets for the group there yesterday.
And another nice sighting – juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker (red underparts and size separate it from the much rarer Lesser Spotted).
Food for the garden birds is rather pricey. Certainly not the tuppence-a-bag of the song from Mary Poppins. Admittedly, the bags you buy are a lot more heavily laden with various seeds and grains.
Anyway, discussion is ongoing in my Wild Fen Edge group about when to feed garden birds, so here are some thoughts.
Birds need to eat all year round. So, I put food out all the time – mixed seed peanuts, nyjer seeds, fat balls, flutter butter. Different places in the garden, different heights if possible, near obvious perching points, higher than cat access, some out in the open. Also, not too many feeders close together to avoid disease. Feeders should be emptied and cleaned thoroughly with detergent on a regular basis.
I also have a couple of bird baths of different sizes (one on the ground, one on a stand) and a pond for their drinking and bathing. Birdbath water needs to be changed frequently as the birds commonly add droppings.
I have written about attracting birds to your garden previously, so check out that for more tips and tricks. I’ve seen at least a couple of dozen species in our garden over the years, including the common birds, but also the likes of Grey Heron, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Fieldfare, Redwing, Chiffchaff etc.
An additional point about gardens, native wildflowers are great for insects and so the insectivorous birds. Leave your garden a bit scruffy. Let a few weeds sprout. Create some wild patches, don’t have gravel and lawn throughout and never, ever, ever put down astroturf, you Philistine! Let standing stems go to seed at the end of summer and don’t prune them back until they begin to rot or the birds have emptied them of seed. Stick to #NoMowMay and let it run into June. Also, do #NoPruneJune and basically avoid being overly tidy with your garden. The more scruffy bits, overgrown, weedy, diverse, the more chance of attracting and keeping invertebrates and birds. Let your bushes and ivy produce their berries, these will feed Blackbirds and the like in the winter. They might even attract Fieldfares and Redwings…maybe even Waxwings, if you Rowan (Mountain Ash).
The natural approach is perhaps best and maybe not even putting out food should be the way to go. But, there are two arguments about feeding garden birds one for and one against
The first says we shouldn’t really do it at all, as it brings birds together and can spread disease. Garden feeding can alter behaviour in terms of how birds feed so that some might become reliant on feeders rather than seeking out natural sources of food. There are also issues with the numbers of chicks Blue Tits and some other species are raising and out-competing other local species because they have adopted feeder feeding quite vigorously. Feeders are even thought to have altered migration patterns, viz the over-wintering Blackcaps we now commonly see in English gardens.
The second school of thought suggests that because we have removed the birds’ natural habitats and reduced greatly the numbers of insects on which they would feed through agriculture and development, we need to provide them with alternative habitation and food all year round. Our gardens can offer that.
So, personally, I feed all year round with a few caveats. Such as if I spot an obviously diseased or dead bird in the garden, I’ll remove all feeders, empty them into the bin and give them a good scrub in hot water with detergent. I’ll dry them and put them away for a couple of weeks, to dehabituate the birds to my garden for a while. It’s also a good idea to remove feeders if you see rats. Although rats are perhaps more attracted by bread and meat scraps or cheese. These are not the best choice for bird food anyway, so best not to put those out on bird tables or in feeders.
TL:DR – Record shots of the three Black Terns at a local RSPB reserve.
They say that one good tern deserves another, if you’re talking comic terns. So, when you go looking for one and three come along all at once it’s quite amusing.
As I mentioned in a previous post about processing low-light photos, we were camping, locally…so local in fact that when three Black Terns were mentioned as being present on Ferry Lagoon at RSPB Fen Drayton it was only a short hop from RSPB Ouse Fen where we were camping to get a view of them.
Black Tern on a pontoon
Of course the birds were fishing in the waters there at a distance from the closest viewpoint of between 250 and 300 metres. Quite a distance to look through even a 600mm zoom lens or binoculars, especially on a dull grey day. But, we saw them. regular readers might recall the American Black Tern we chased around Northumberland to see in 2022. The American is Chlidonias niger surinamensis and as far as I know there have not been any sightings of the sub-species in the UK this year. The Black Terns we were watching on Ferry Lagoon are the parent species Chlidonias niger.
Distant Black Tern in flight
As is the wont of vernacular names, there is often only an element of truth in them. Indeed, the Black Tern has a grey, if not blue appearance about its wings, a white rump and a sooty head and almost black bill, at least in its breeding plumage, it is perhaps blacker out of season.
Black Tern diving, although the books say they don’t dive for fish!
The bird generally fishes on inland water in Europe, Western Asia, and North America. It has a couple of old names, “Blue Darr” (Blue Tern) and “Carr Swallow” (Lake Swallow). The genus name comes from the Ancient Greek, khelidonios, for swallow-like, while the species name, niger means shining black.
I had seen one once before, but briefly, perhaps summer of 2018, flying over the Reedbed Trail area of RSPB Ouse Fen. As I check Birdguides for sightings there are others present in ones twos, and threes all over England. The bird was once common in the Fens, but drainage led to its local extinction by about 1840. It’s wonderful to see it flying here where gravel pits have been morphed into nature reserves as with Ouse Fen and Fen Drayton.
TL:DR – Photos taken in very light with an old camera are never going to come up to snuff unless you use a denoise app like DxO’s PureRaw 3.
We were up early from our camp bed near Ouse Fen on Bank Holiday Monday. The aim was to get on to the RSPB reserve and observe at dawn. The Bitterns had boomed through the night and one or two were still calling when we timorously made our way through the chill (just after) dawn air, it was 5am.
Mrs Sciencebase spotted a solitary Bittern crossing from reedbed to reedbed, the wont of females I believe, homing in on the blown-bottle sound of the males cryptically tucked away among the reeds. So, here she is, the unprocessed shot on the left saved from RAW format from the camera and untouched.
To get the image on the right, I applied the denoising abilities of DxO PureRaw 3, which I think cuts about three “stops” of ISO. I exported it from that app as the portable RAW format known as DNG. This allowed me to open it as if it were a file straight from the camera in PaintShopPro and so start afresh with the denoised file.
PSP has a RAW importer that does what the likes of Lightroom do so you can rescue blownout areas in photos with that issue or correct overall exposure. In the case of the Bittern shot taken with very low light levels, it needed a maximum lift from the dark and dingy DNG file. Once in PSP, I did my usually tweaks, raising brightness a tad, adjusting shadows a little, a spot of highlight boost, a tiny bit of a vibrancy bump, a little application of an unsharp mask, and then a crop.
It’s not too bad a record shot. I have better images of Bitterns in flight taken on sunny day on this and other reserves.
TL:DR – Modern-day equivalent of the holiday snap slideshow a record of our most recent trip to Wales, specifically the Isle of Anglesey, Ynys Môn.
May 2023, we finally got around to visiting Anglesey (Ynys Môn, sometimes referred to as Môn Mam Cymru meaning “Môn, Mother of Wales”, for its agricultural productivity) just off north-west Wales (Cymru). We stayed in the seaside town of Rhosneigr right next to RAF Valley and with beach views of Snowdonia, Yr Wyddfa. Thankfully, we only really had airbase activity and noise on the last day of our week there. Although that in itself was fun to watch as trainee pilots did their thing.
Here are a few snaps from the trip in no particular order…
Rhosneigr Beach
First thing we noticed aside from the fact that it was warm and sunny was an abundance of wildflowers in bloom at RSPB Conwy on our trip in, many of the species there had not yet bloomed when we departed Cambridgeshire. Oh, there was also the pleasant realisation that the evenings are long because we were that much further west than where we live.
Mrs Sciencebase running up that hill: Harrison Drive, Rhosneigr
We tried to visit as many places on the island as we could during our short stay including the rocky reserve behind Rhosneigr with its lakes, RSPB South Stack (for Chough, Puffin, Guillemot, Kittiwake, Razorbill, Fulmar, and Raven), Llyn Parc Mawr (for Red Squirrel) and Niwbwrch (Newborough), Cemlyn Bay for Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, a pair of Merganser, and Black-headed Gull. We missed seeing the Roseate Tern that had set up residence there though. We also took in the seaside resort of Beaumaris for a boat trip to Puffin Island (Puffin, Razorbill, Guillemot, Shag, Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gull, seals).
The Menai Suspension Bridge is one way on and off the island.
I know the numbers are irrelevant, really, but we saw at least 83 species of bird on this trip. We were chuffed to finally catch up with Chough and I think it’s the first time we’ve seen Raven in the UK. I think this is probably the most species we’ve “ticked” on a single trip in our six or so years of being a bit serious with the birding.
The Britannia Bridge is another connection between mainland Wales and the Isle of AngleseyLighting Rig, StarVAtion Bar, RhosneigrThe Holiday House View
As you might have presumed I took a portable mothtrap and ran the LepiLED off a USB battery pack for a few hours after dusk for three or four nights of our visit. I had little success, but it’s been a weird year with low moth counts across the country. That coupled with the tiny, secluded courtyard of our holiday house with no nearby trees or other vegetation and chilly nights meant very few moths. There were a couple of Garden Carpet, several Carcina quercana, a few Light Brown Apple Moth, and Red/Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, or Xanthorhoe sp. Several female Adela reaumurella on plants adjacent to Llyn Parc Mawr.
Red form of Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet to lepiLED in RhosneigrLooking towards Rhosneigr from RAF ValleyWylfa Power Station, Cemlyn Bay
In daylight moth news, on the dunes adjacent to the airbase Mrs Sciencebase noticed Ruby Tiger (adult), I spotted a larva of the Six-spot Burnet, and numerous Grapholita lunulana.
Lots of Grapholita lunulana in the RAF Valley dunes
There were also Common Heath out there and a tiny micro moth which I didn’t ID. The Ruby Tiger moth was spotted ironically while we watched the training exercises of a pair of Beech T-6C Texan T1 – turboprops and a flock of BAe Systems Hawk 128 T.2 jet aircraft with not a Tiger Moth in sight.
Talk about loud – Three BAe Systems Hawk 128 T.2 coming into land at RAF ValleyHawk trainer, coming into land at RAF ValleyBeech trainer landing at RAF ValleyRAF Valley fire trainer
There were also lots of Wall butterflies on the railway cutting that runs through the golf course adjacent to the airbase and Small Copper butterflies, a pair of which I snapped in copulo. There were also Small Heath on the footpath through the golf course and the fly Rhagio scolopaceus, the Downlooker Snipefly, cavorting with the Wall on the railway tunnel wall. Elsewhere in the dunes, Fever-fly, Dilophus febrilis.
Wall butterfly, RhosneigrWall butterfly showing cryptic camouflage of underwingSmall Coppers in copulo on the Anglesey golf courseSix-spot Burnet larva on the dunes near RhosneigrFever-fly, Dilophus febrilis, in the Rhosneigr sand dunesMeadow Pipit and food, Cemlyn BaySandwich Tern and food Cemlyn BayMerganser, Cemlyn Bay lagoonMale Orange Tip on Cuckooflower, NewboroughRed Squirrel on a sunflower feeder at the car park in Llyn Parc MawrRed Squirrel, Llyn Parc MawrRed Squirrel, Llyn Parc MawrRed Squirrel up a tree, Llyn Parc MawrRedhead shot, Red Squirrel, Llyn Parc MawrRaven preying on Guillemot eggs at RSPB South Stack…and the takeRaven with Kittiwake egg, RSPB South StackEgg-stealing Raven, South Stack cliffsPuffins and Razorbills, RSPB South StackPuffin, RSPB South StackChough flying across South Stack cliff faceOne of numerous Chough, RSPB South StackOne of hundreds of Razorbill on the cliffs at RSPB South Stack
In terms of flowers, there were lots of wildflowers in bloom that were not showing at home when we left. Also Sea Thrift (Armeria maritima), Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris), Cuckoo Flower (Cardamine pratensis), Sheep’s Bit (Jasione montana), and Spathulate Fleawort, unique to South Stack and also known as the South Stack Fleawort, Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. maritima. At NT Plas Newydd, Bistort (Bistorta officinalis).
South Stack FleawortSheep’s Bit, Jasione montanaLots of Bistorta officinalis at NT Plas NewyddForeground Thrift over South Stack LighthouseSouth Stack LighthouseSouth Stack Lighthouse lampNewborough PicnicTable Pebble, No. 16, RSPB South StackMrs Sciencebase, rocksBoats and beach, RhosneigrEn route via SnowdoniaBeaumaris CastleThe pastel-painted, three-storey houses of The West End (1869), Beaumaris, AngleseyMrs Sciencebase “promenading” on Beaumaris PierSnowdonia viewed beyond the rocky beach at Penmon and the Menai Strait. An artisanal gift shop in Beaumaris had the marvellous name Echo BeachBarn Swallow in flight at Plas NewyddFemale Great Spotted Woodpecker takes flight, NT Plas Newydd
On our way off Anglesey, we also visited National Trust Plas Newydd House and Garden and then once back on the mainland, NT Penrhyn Castle.
One additional wildlife point, an Orca was sighted off the Llyn Peninsula in Pwllheli Bay. A bit too far to twitch while we were in Wales. And one final word, a long one…
The station sign at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch (The Church of St Mary in the hollow of the white hazel trees near the fierce whirlpool and the church of St Tysilio by the red cave)
TL:DR – The origins of the aphorism about solitary swallows and the summer.
In his writings on ethics, Aristotle had it that:
One swallow does not a summer make, nor one fine day; similarly one day or brief time of happiness does not make a person entirely happy.
Usually, we abbreviate it to just the first part of the quotation, suggesting that seeing an early swallow in the spring may well not mean that the good weather of summer is about to arrive.
Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica
Indeed, in Aesop’s fable, The Young Man and the Swallow, we learn of a fellow who spends most of his money on gambling and good living, when he arrives peniless and sees an early swallow in the spring he sells the coat from his back to feed his habits and when the weather turns for the worse, tragically dies of the cold.
It is most likely that Aesop was inspired by the proverb written in Aristotle’s work, Nicomachean Ethics, rather than Aristotle providing us with an executive summary of the fable.
Either way, the Swallows have been in these here parts for at least a couple of weeks now and as you’d expect, it’s a bit chilly at the moment and pouring with rain. We always knew they weren’t great weather forecasters, I suppose.
Footnote
Caught one in low flight over a lawn at NT Plas Newydd in May. Denoised with DxO and motion blur sharpening with Topaz Sharpen.
I was asked to offer some advice on how to attract more birds to the garden. (Here’s my garden tick list, by the way). I wrote a rather long article with lots of detail and added some bird photos of species we’ve seen in ours. I then asked ChatGPT to summarise the article and give me ten bullet points. This is my heavily edited version of the algorithm’s output:
Attracting Birds to Your Garden:
Provide water: Place shallow bowls or birdbaths with clean water at ground level and/or on a stand. Create a wildlife pond and extend it to create spillover area that becomes permanently muddy and diversifies habitat. [As of early 2024, I’ve attempted to create a spillover for our pond]
Offer bird food: Use a variety of feeders and food to attract different bird species. Use feeders designed for specific types of food such as suet and seed balls, Nyjer seeds, mixed seeds, sunflower hearts, peanuts, and dried mealworms. Move the feeders to different parts of your garden every week or so to avoid too much guano and waste accumulating in one place.
Plant native bushes and trees: Bushes that produce berries in winter can provide a food supply for birds such as Blackbirds, Mistle Thrushes, Fieldfares, and Redwings. Ivy flowers and berries can also attract insects and provide food for birds in winter. Bushes and trees also provide shelter and potential nest sites for birds. Create a multi-levelled environment with diverse planting, perhaps terraced, and with lots of nooks and crannies, hiding places, and perching points
Install bird boxes: Place bird boxes fairly high up on posts or trees, with a line of sight from a perching spot opposite and several metres away if possible. Also, look into installing Swift boxes or swift bricks.
Avoid shiny, moving ornaments: Hanging or installing shiny, moving ornaments can startle birds and discourage them from visiting your garden.
Don’t trim or prune too hard: Leaving bushes and trees to grow a little wild and allow wildflowers to bloom, this will encourage insects, which in turn provide food for birds in the form of adults, larvae, and caterpillars. Moreover, don’t be too keen to keep your garden tidy, if you want to see wildlife, it has to be a little wild.
Avoid pesticides and herbicides: There is the potential for harm to birds and their food sources in your garden.
Don’t scatter bread or cooked products: These can be high in sugar and salt and are not suitable for birds. They can also attract rats.
Monitor birds at the feeders and birdbath for signs of illness: If you notice birds looking ill or with lumps on their heads or bodies, remove all feeders, discard uneaten contents, and clean thoroughly. Wait a couple of weeks before putting the feeders out again to allow diseased birds to disperse.
Avoid Astroturf and excessive paving or gravel: Basically, don’t design your garden to limit natural habitats for the wildlife.
At the last count, I’d ticked more than 50 bird species in and above our garden. You can find the more or less complete list here.
