Top Turdids! Autumn birding in Mongolia is crazily good for Sibes 😍

More Mongolian Magic: 'Calliope' the Goddess of epic poetry. 'Plesch'anka, a bald spot on the head and 'Isabella', who promised not to change her knickers until Spain was freed from the Moors!

A few of Mongolia's magical emberizids from a recent trip

#birdinggear For Sale. Swarovski ATX 65. Ace Optics and Swaro case, both caps. Purchased (as separates) May and June '24. Optically perfect, no marks on glass. Small scuff on side of eyepiece. £2100.00. Message me if you want it...

There's been a light trickle of commoner migrants into Gorseinon this week, including Gem, Olive Pearl, Small Mottled Willow, etc, but Chris Brewer, who lives a couple of streets away, caught this rather splendid Toadflax Pearl.

A boggy gulley near Arthur's Stone, on Cefn Bryn, Gower was busy with Keeled Skimmers and Golden-ringed Dragonflies today. Together with the heady scent of Bog Myrtle and the golden haze of Bog Asphodel in the humid, boggy air I almost felt poetic, but thankfully I wasn't!

The Last Chance for the Willow Tit? Hand-rearing Blue Tits is more than a trial - it could be the only way to safeguard the Willow Tit’s future, according to the WWT www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/T...

There were lots of juvenile Skylark at Margam Burrows today, some being chased by a group of 3 juvenile Kestrels, recently fledged from the steelworks.

The Small Scabious in the garden has been appreciated by a good variety of insect species recently

There were both male and female Four-spotted Footman in the Gorseinon garden trap this morning, though they were reluctant to be photographed as a couple. The darker orange left wing, shows this individual always tucks its left wing under when at rest.

There were 3 Double Kidney in the garden (Gorseinon) trap two nights ago, along with other wetland wanderers such as Small Rufous, Marsh Oblique Barred 3 and Brown-veined Wainscot. A total of 15 Scalloped Oak was higher than usual count

More Shrill Carder Bee activity this week, this time on the Gwent levels. They really, really love Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea, but were also noted on Marsh Woundwort, Bramble, Great Willowherb, Creeping Thistle and Spear Thistle. Small Coppers on the wing too

Noted a couple of Shrill Carder Bees today on Margam Landfill site (a capped landfill with an artificial dune system on top of it!), feeding on Yellow-rattle and Selfheal. Lots of Six-spot Burnets on Wild Thyme, also recently hatched Ringed Plovers, scoring highly on the cuteness scale 😍

2 Olive-tree Pearl and 2 Pearly Underwing were the best of the migrants last night in our Gorseinon garden, with Adelphocoris seticornis the best of the non-leps.

Dotted Sedge was noted in at least 4 locations at Kenfig rivermouth this week, so well established it appears. So surprised to find out has not been recorded at this well recorded site previously #wildflowerhour

If you absolutely insist on finding out more about the Best Oceanic Birds In The World / Best Birds Of Any Kind In The World, feel free to check out my recent book about them: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/stormpetr...

Our suggested event this week is a Coal Spoil #BioBlitz at Clydach Vale Country Park by Buglife: www.buglife.org.uk/events/coal-... Many other local and online wildlife events can be found listed on our website: www.sewbrec.org.uk/diaryevents #RCT #RhonddaCynonTaf #CoalSpoil

Coming over the next 2 weeks. Marsh Fritillary talk and flight season survey training across Wales. You can join me in Carmarthenshire (Thursday 5th June) & Rhondda Cynon Taf (next Friday, 30th May, including Welsh cakes!). Sorry, too late for the Ceredigion event.

With a bit of perseverance, we managed to locate two Wild Cats, such little beauties 😍

The Guggenheim, very entertaining, even for modern art philistines!

A few bonus birds seen during the Picos Wild Cat trip.

Riaño, at the heart of Wild Cat country

It's been a good day for Cats: Wild ones in the Picos de Europa and Black ones on Wearside (pretty wild also, I suspect!). Sandra's pic from today 😍

Clover: Invert associates Trifolium pratense, Red Clover: 83 species; T. repens, White Clover: 72 species; 29 of them Lepidoptera. Both may have a late flowering fling – they will resume growth after a Lammas cut in a meadow. 📷Amédée Masclef, Atlas des plantes de France.1891 🌱 #invertebrates

Our very own Queen of the Bog Myrtle is moving away to pastures new. Dedicated & passionate, Laura has made a huge difference to all the conservation projects she's been involved with. Wishing you the very best of health and happiness in your next adventure Laura. 🌱❤️ We miss you already!

41 spp in the garden trap this morning here in Gorseinon. It's not that often we get a new species these days, so 2 new macros in one go was unexpected, namely Light Knot Grass (which seems early) and Chocolate-tip (long overdue) @sewbrec.org.uk

Some nice urban moths in the garden trap here in Gorseinon this morning: 33 spp in total, including Alder Kitten, Pale Pinion, Puss and Mullein

Please check out and consider supporting @inccymru.bsky.social crowd funder for an investigative journalism project focused on Wales - www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/stop-the-w... The scrutiny this would bring to environmental decision making in Wales is sorely needed. Nightjar image 🤷‍♂️ but why not!

We’re all anxiously awaiting the planning inspectorates decision for this site to find out if it’s going to be stripped for a housing development as according to the applicant there is no peat here, only ‘organic saturated topsoil’ which isn’t worth conserving. Fingers crossed this place is saved

GET YOUR GARDEN BUZZING – Encourage pollinators into your garden. Pollinators in Crisis, on Spring offer bit.ly/4it13o5 tells you which plants to grow to help bees, butterflies & other pollinators @bsbibotany.bsky.social @bbowt.bsky.social @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social @plantlifeuk.bsky.social

Carmarthenshire County Council - Creating a carbon capture wildflower area. Stage 1 - Seed sowing at Festival Fields, Llanelli. 🌱 Re-purposing BOS Slag for nature conservation. All seed of local provenance. Barry and Paul Aubrey raking in the rain! ☔️ #carmarthencouncil

This Marsh Harrier in the Burry Inlet was fixated on something in the reeds this evening. @gowerbirds.bsky.social

Late to the party, but I saw my first Wheatear today at Margam Burrows. Plus, great views of Lapwings, which in full sun are just sublime. Lots of fruiting Bladder Moss and more fruiting Drooping Thread-moss than I can ever recall seeing, with swathes of it in the dunes.

Primroses and Common Dog-violets are simply made for each other. With a male Brimstone bouncing around on the bank and Willow Warblers in song, Spring truly feels like it's arrived.

Good morning, from the back page of Private Eye magazine!

Awkward! Sandra's photo

Iberian Lynx magic after 7.5 hrs waiting today. 3 generations reunited at one point 😍

Iberian Lynx in Andujar, with some nice bonus birds.

Highlights of the week: Little Gull, Hoary Fringemoss, Yellow Whitlow-grass & Banana Pancake!

The lingering Little Gull at Loughor

This rather splendid Bonaparte's Gull came my way this morning when I was counting Shelducks on the Burry Inlet. It stuck around for a while for a few others to enjoy.

Adders and Wall Lizards were out and about on the Gower peninsula today, plus finally, my first butterfly of the year

Little Egrets into roost. If you couldn't see them, you'd be forgiven for wondering it was not a flock of pterodactyls calling to each other!

Sulphur-firedot Lichen (Caloplaca flavovirescens) growing happily on lumps of concrete at Fairwood Airport, Gower. Maybe something nice to look for next time you're passing a lump of concrete, if you're so inclined! #Lichens

Big thanks to Greg Adventures for arranging a flawless trip to Kenya & Tanzania 🐘

Nice sunset on the Burry Inlet this evening

A few more familiar species that winter in Kenya/Tanzania

Some Tanzanian sky traffic

There are lots fabulous brown birdies in Kenya and Tanzania too, providing plenty of identification challenges

Some the many colourful Kenyan / Tanzanian birdies seen this month