Hi,
As we enter the month of August the majority of woodland birds have finished nesting and small passerines have started to form mixed feeding flocks. Catching up with a mixed flock along a hedgerow or in a woodland can be particularly rewarding with resident birds such as Goldcrest, Blue Tit and Treecreeper hanging out with summer migrants like Redstart, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff. Another mixed flock which has been providing enjoyable viewing at present involves Swifts and hirundines (Swallow and House Martin) which hawk low over the dam at dawn and dusk.
Great Tit is another species which joins mixed flocks at this time of year (Many Thanks to Sam Constable for the photo)
This week the lake played host to 28x Canada Geese, 47x Mallard, 2x Teal, 11x Goosander, 1x Little Grebe (1st), 3x Great Crested Grebe, 2x Cormorant, 5x Grey Heron and 2+ Common Sandpiper.
Autumn wader passage is steadily gaining momentum across the UK. Lake Vyrnwy is unlikely to get the numbers and great diversity of waders that would be expected at a coastal site however, the exposed mud at the top end of the lake, viewable from the Lakeside Hide, is certainly worth a scan, especially after overnight rain. Waders such as Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover have been sighted in the past. Oystercatcher kicked off autumn wader passage at Vyrnwy when one was heard calling near the dam at dusk last week.
Earlier in the week we unveiled the following mystery photo on the RSPB Mid Wales Facebook Page.
Well done to everyone who correctly identified the creature as a Peacock Butterfly. It is believed that the bright blue eye spots have evolved to protect the butterflies from attacking predators. The predators are either startled when the eye spots are exposed or attack the spot which they believe is the creature’s actual eye, resulting in a greater chance of escape and survival for the Peacock Butterfly which can flee with its real eyes intact.
Peacock Butterfly was dominant in our weekly transect with 22 individuals counted
This fresh Small Copper was a nice find during the weekly butterfly transect
Other interesting sightings this week included, 1x Hedgehog (Llanwddyn War Memorial, 29th), 1x Goshawk (Red Trail, 31st), Hobby (flew over Llanwddyn, 2nd) 1x Great Black-backed Gull (flew over Red Trail, 28th), Kingfisher (Afon Vyrnwy, daily), Green Woodpecker (Llanwddyn fields, regular), 3x Sand Martin (flew along lake, 28th), Dipper (Afon Vyrnwy, daily), Wheatear (Dinas Mawddwy Road, daily) and Crossbill (Visitor Centre and Purple Trail, daily).
This Hobby perched up briefly in Llanwddyn during the week (Many Thanks to Gavin Chambers for the image)
Macrolepidoptera Of The Week
The bright red Ruby Tiger is top moth this week. The caterpillars of this species feed on the leaves of ragwort and plantains.
Cheers,
Adam