What a great morning to be out to do my early season BBS. A touch on the chilly side at 0 degrees but beautiful none the less. @btobirds.bsky.social

Poor photo of my first Dark-edged Bee-fly, from my lunch time walk round Cyfarthfa Park, Merthyr Tydfil. #beeflywatch

At the forth time of asking, the garden trap returned the first moths of the year. 3/2, but its a start. Oh the joy(?) of living in a large housing estate... #teammoth

Great to see signs that evidence for widespread unintended direct and indirect negative impacts of bird feeding e.g. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... is now informing conservation policy www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2589413... #UKBirding #Ornithology

Another week and another Goldeneye Lichen. This was one of two found today at Morlais Quarry, Merthyr @sewbrec.org.uk #panspecieslisting

Today's fairly mundane BTO WeBS and Winter Bird Survey was brightened up when @akeewales.bsky.social found Goldeneye lichen, Teloschistes chrysophthalmus on the ridge between Craig yr Efail and the giants tooth. I then found 2 more on another Hawthorn. #bto, #Sewbrec, #psl

The pseudoscorpion Neobisium carcinoides, collected from a grass tussock in Merthyr, yesterday.

A lunchtime walk doubled my ladybird spp count for the year with the first Harlequin (Harmonia axyridis) and Cream-spot Ladybirds (Calva quatuordecimguttata)

2nd Ladybird (and 2nd Beetle) of the year today. Orange Ladybird, found under a Hart's Tongue Fern

A morning I've been keeping my fingers crossed for, for a long time. Inspecting the usual hiding places around the back yard before opening the moth trap I spied a behemoth trying to blend in with the wall. My first Clifden Nonpareil. Pristine fresh, what a beauty

No more Beewashing please! Why beekeeping doesn't help conserve bees. Pls RT if you agree. youtu.be/fiBYBmlKSYU

In 2016, I did a psl big year. On 3 July I recorded spp no 1000. Roll on 9 yrs and my second psl big year. Last nights moth trap produced 7nfy, with Dark Spectacle being spp 2000 for the year. #panspecieslisting

Checking out a new Nightjar site near Treharris, not one of the BTO survey monads. Definitely 3, possibly 4, churring males. Best ever views of display flight. #birdingwales, @btobirds.bsky.social

First BTO nightjar survey square done. Expected a nil return and what is also my BBS square, so pleasantly surprised to record 1 churring male in the square and a second churring male + unsexed calling bird just outside the square. #birdingwales @btobirds.bsky.social

Todays guest on my lunchtime wander. One of two Hazel Leaf-roller's

Making a guest appearance on my lunchtime walk, one of two Hazel Leaf-roller weevils

An afternoon up at CCG looking for Ring Ousel was, eventually, successful, with this singing male. A ring-tailed Hen Harrier was a nice bonus. #birdingwales

Lunch time wander brought the first Black-headed Cardinal Beetle of the year.

Another night with the moth trap out in the backyard, and another lifer on the shape of a Spring Usher. Early Thorn, Early Tooth-striped and Clouded Drab were new for the years moth list.

Third outing for the moth trap this year and the first to pull in any moths. A pleasant total of 23 from 12 spp. 10 of them were Common Quakers. Highlight was a lifer in the form of Acteris literana.