[Johnny Brown]

Reckon its a bit early for old Cordulegaster yet. Only site I know of is the Barbrook. Hot days in July are reliable.



Lots of Green Hairstreaks at Millstone. They seem to like the Bilberry/ birch scrub combo.

Good site, but I'm interested. Are sites publicising sitings of rare species not seen as potentially aiding egg collecters?

Thorough as it may appear, some sightings don't make it onto the SBSG list for that reason. The real rarities are vagrants and tend to get high profile on the net, whilst the threatened residents don't.

[cofe]

Reckon I clocked a further 3 woodcocks indulging in horseplay in the Plantation woods this morning. Hat trick scene!

[SA Chris]

How many woodcocks can a wood cock clock if a wood cock could clock woodcocks?

[fatneck]

How much cock would a woodcock chug if a woodcock could chug cock?
 

[dave]

Its crazy that birds get all the best smutty names compared to other animals. Tits, boobies, cocks, woodcocks, shags, thrush, and the ring ouzel.

Pretty much only rivaled by every species of beaver.

[SA Chris]

Although Lake Titicaca beats them all.

[jimbo]

Saw a Kingfisher on the River Don at Hillsborough yesterday. Seem to see them quite regularly now so not sure if it is good "sighting" or not?

[underground]

Its crazy that birds get all the best smutty names compared to other animals. Tits, boobies, cocks, woodcocks, shags, thrush, and the ring ouzel.

Pretty much only rivaled by every species of beaver.

But you miss the best one of all dave, the Cunt Bunting.

[fatneck]

Had a lovely weekend with Mrs Fatneck in North Wales and were lucky enough to see a Merlin at Caernarfon, then on a walk near Beddgelert we saw a family of Dippers which is always a treat and managed to get a shit photo of a female Red Breasted Merganser...



Also got a poor photo of a dragon fly of some description, any ideas what it's called? Adam?

[slackline]

Also got a poor photo of a dragon fly of some description, any ideas what it's called? Adam?

Can't quite tell from the picture but it looks like the wings are folded, which means its almost certainly not a dragon fly as very few species can fold their wings and at rest they lie perpendicular to the body.  May well be a damselfly of some description check the families listed to see if there is anything similar (if I remember I'll check my field guide when I get home).

[SA Chris]

There's quite a good guide here

http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/damselflies.html

Small red or Large red?

Depends on how far away you are?

[fatneck]

Good knowledge Slackers. I'm pretty hot on birds, mammals, fish and reptiles, but poor on insects and plants/flowers must get a field guide to cover these. Any recommendations?

A quick google says large or small red...

[slackline]

Good knowledge Slackers. I'm pretty hot on birds, mammals, fish and reptiles, but poor on insects and plants/flowers must get a field guide to cover these. Any recommendations?

I used Chinnery's A Field Guide to the Insects of Britain and Northern Europe for entomological stuff whilst studying Zoology.  Lots of colour plates, although some of the classification sections requires knowledge of insect anatomy (riveting stuff!).

[Johnny Brown]

It definitely a Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula - bigger, with brighter bolder markings than the Small Red (which has a limited distribution and habitat) - and black legs, which are diagnostic. One of the larger and more common damselflies and usually the first to emerge in spring. I'm pretty sure its a male.

Checked out my favourite dragonfly pond in Lleyn on sunday and was chuffed to find at least five or six species on the wing already, including an Emperor and a Broad-bodied Chaser amongst the hordes of Four-spots.



Four-spotted Chaser:


Emerging Damselfly (hard to ID until the colours develop)


Highly recommend this guide (best bought from here, but won't let me link) if you're interested - very good. They're quite an easy group to get to grips with as there aren't that many, and most show clear differences in appearance and distribution.

Strictly speaking Damselflies are a subset of Dragonflies, but the term Dragonfly is more commonly used for the big, fast Anisopterans and its more common to refer to the whole group as Odonata.

[fatneck]

Cheers for the recommendations!

They're quite an easy group to get to grips with as there aren't that many, and most show clear differences in appearance and distribution

That's what I like to hear!
Now anyone got any flower/plant guide suggestions?

[Johnny Brown]

I can't speak highly enough of that Dragonfly book. It took pretty much single-handedly took my interest in nature to a totally different level.

Flowers - two choices I'd look at:

Blamey, Fitter and Fitter. The most recent version of what is the standard by which others are judged. I use mine all the time, very good text and map although standard of paintings varies (artist Blamey was 86 by publication...)

Streeter et al. Latest in Collins' very good series of ID guides. Not sure its better than above, but certainly on a par. Text perhaps not as good but fewer weak paintings. I'm saving up for the large format version for home, whilst B, F & F will remain the one to take in the field.

Inspired by this thread this morning, got out today and finally got amongst some Broad Bodied Chasers today. Great looking insect:



Got a bit closer to a Large Red Damsel too:

[underground]

Fantastic JB. I have to concur on the Brooks / Lewington guide - I bought this along with Richard Lewington's 'Pocket Guide to Butterflies' and the concise guide to Moths all on the same site. The paintings are consistently good, and far superior to photographic guides in that respect.

I must say though, I'm absolutely rubbish at Moths, it's impossible to know where to start!

Chinnery is a good option for an insect overview though, I like it for having a lot of stuff in that I see in passing.

[SA Chris]

Great pics JB. What's the lens?

[Johnny Brown]

The Dragonfly shots are all on old Olympus 135mm/f4.5 macro+65-116 zoom tube combo, (stopped down with a rubber band and mounted to the camera with a home-made adaptor), except for the Broad-bodied Chaser, which was with a Nikon 300mm/f4.  For the bigger insects the 300mm is cheating really, it focuses down to 1.4m so you get to work from way back. That shot will have been with the focus right on its limit - often I end up moving the tripod back to get focus. Even the Oly 135 doesn't go close enough for some stuff (maxes out at ~1:2), a Sigma 150mm/f2.8 would be the ideal really.

I've also used standard telezooms a fair bit. The better ones tend to have reasonable close-focus, adding a 1.4x convertor or extension tube helps for anything smaller.

[slackline]

  with Chris, great shots JB

[SA Chris]

And great you are going for the heath robinson approach with the Oly lens.

[dave lamacraft]

Hi Gents, my first post here.....

Johnny - lovely photos - looks like the pools on Cilan to me - my favourite local dragonfly spot too, nice to know someone else is looking

Mr Fatneck - I think your female red-breasted merganser may be a goosander - mergansers are pretty rare in the breeding season in N Wales, especially on freshwater - this is classic goosander habitat really, and they're quite common on N Wales rivers these days.

Plant books - my favourites are Francis Rose's Wildflower Key (excellent field guide) and Garrard and Streeter's Wild Flowers of the British Isles (large format, beautiful illistrations) for checking again when I get home.

The quarries at Llanbedrog (Ty'n y Tywyn?) were pleasant this evening - several scarlet tiger's and a small pearl-bordered fritillary were flying in the late afternoon sunshine.  First time I've seen either species here.

[FruityPebble]

I saw a large Adder at Curbar today, it went across the path in front of me, just after the gate near the Trackside Boulder.
It let out the biggest hiss ever.  Never seen one before, awesome!

Have seen quite a few interesting things this year and would be interested to hear what others have seen lately. So here's a thread to post onto when you see any noteworthy wildlife whilst out at the crag.
 My top 4 this year so far are:
 A large male (at least Adam tells me it's a male) Adder at Curbar, taking in some rays beside the top path, a couple of weeks back.
 A flock of Bramblings about a month ago at Froggatt whilst all the snow was still down.
 A Barn Owl flying beside the road near Cratcliff on Saturday eve.
 A large flock of Curlews (have never seen them as a flock before) overhead at rivelin yesterday.

 Hit me with some nature.

[Johnny Brown]

Alright Dave, nice of you to join in! How long have you been lurking?

Yep, those pics were up on Cilan. Must be quite a good species count up there - was surprised an Emperor was out so early. It was quite pleasant paddling about with the camera until two horses arrived and wanted to cool down...

Will check out Ty'n Tywyn for butterflies next time I'm down. We walk down there quite a bit but a Small Pearl-bordered would be a treat. The climbing guide has stoires of giant Adders but I've never found any. Got any good spots for Marsh Fritillaries?

Other treat last weekend was the Henbane growing above Ceriad. I daresay its not so rare but it was a first for me. Wierd plant.

I saw a large Adder at Curbar today

Nice! There are a few about around there but they're pretty shy. I've seen loads but I've yet to hear one hiss. Maybe I'm not looking at them right?

[dave lamacraft]

Lurking on Lleyn for what must be 14 years now, lurking on the forum for about half an hour (a climbing friend pointed the way).

Those pools are v good for plants too.  Not really started on dragonflies yet this year - does seem early for emperor.  Saw my first golden-ringed today too (Denbigh moors).

I've got a feeling I've seen adder in the quarries, but can't think when that was.  Saw a big one on Mynytho Common a week or so back, and a small pearl-bordered frit there too - this and the quarry one today are the first I've seen on Lleyn for about 12 years.

Marsh frit I've never seen on Lleyn, but there is good looking habitat, especially at the eastern end - Rhoslan/Bryncir/Pantglas area - don't know any specific sites though, just hope to bump into it one day!

Henbane - I think it is pretty rare (in Caernarfonshire at least) - were there many plants there?  There are some other interesting things around Ceiriad - rough clover in the same area as the henbane, portland spurge on the beach etc.