Mwnt and the Dolphins of Cardigan Bay

We spent most of the Sunday doing some reading and jigsaw puzzles as Wales looked like living up to its wet reputation but by Monday we were able to take our first really good walk. We chose the headland at Mwnt (no spelling mistake!) partly so that my 8 year old son could visit the butterfly centre nearby for a look at the huge and colourful tropical species on show there (I just hope the trade in these creatures is sustainable as none of the species are overwintered at the centre).

Owl Butterfly (Caligo memnon) - Thanks to Coatlicue for ID assistance



Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)


The small beach at Mwnt is very popular and we were surprised to find the National Trust car park filling rapidly with visitors drawn to the clear water, sand and steep cliffs of the idilic little cove. As we walked out on the northern side of the hill and the sea came fully into view just about the first thing the binoculars picked out was the fin of a cetacean breaking surface. I quickly set up the scope and we sat down to enjoy a pod of Bottle-nosed Dolphins pass slowly by heading west towards Cardigan Island. The most we saw above the suface at once was eleven but there must have been 15 or more in total. There were several calves among the group and these showed up as much paler grey as well as being smaller than the adults.


Gannets, Fulmars and a few Shags were regular and there was a steady stream of Manx Shearwaters going north well offshore but a Sandwich Tern was just about the only other seabird we saw. Grey Seal heads bobbed up every now and then but mainy stayed hidden. Meanwhile the clifftop gave us the first indication of the large numbers of butterflies we were to encounter in the area. Gatekeepers were particularly abundant and there were plenty of Wall butterflies. Before we left we could still see the dolphins, now scattered and distant around Cardigan Island.

Wall Butterfly (Lasiommata megera)

To Wales then

So who would have thought that a week in Wales (notoriously damp even at the best of times) would mean avoiding torrential rain in Peterborough (the driest city in Britain)! We were to stay on the border of Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion at St Dogmaels near Cardigan and this would be our first visit to south or central Wales for 8 years.

Our reward for taking the tortuous route through Welshpool and Newport (where are the signposts in Newport BTW?) was the layby on the A44 at Bwlch Nant yr Arian just east of Aberyswyth. Pulling in here gave us entertaining views of up to 27 Red Kites wheeling around together including the partial albino/leucistic bird. I have seen pictures of this ghost of a bird but it was great to see it standing out among all the other Kites. As a bit of a bonus here a Golden-ringed Dragonfly belted past just maintaining sub-light speed.


We eventually arrived at the cottage and settled down to a sunny evening on the balcony overlooking a bend in the Teifi estuary.

Tanholt insects

OK so I was really looking for Pied Flycatcher but the local insects are a stunning bunch and more than adequate compensation. Others present but not illustrated: Wall, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Large White, Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker, Common Blue Damselfly.

Peacock (Inachis io)



Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)




Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)


Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus)


Brown Argus (Aricia agestis)


Small Copper (Lycaena phlaeas)


Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum)


Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)


Nikon CP995.

Orange Ladybird

Another visitor to the house.

Orange Ladybird Halyzia 16-guttata

Nikon CP995.

Keeper of the garden gate

Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)

Nikon CP995.

Speckled Bush-cricket

Found one of the nymphs of this species a little while back near the garden so it was nice to find this adult nestling among the Nicotiana.

Speckled Bush-cricket (Leptophyes punctatissima)


Nikon CP995.

Hoverflies galore

There seems to be an influx of insects going on at the moment especially involving Hoverflies. Large numbers of hoverflies and ladybirds have been reported from the Norfolk coast. Our garden normally does very well for hoverflies but it is swarming at the moment. Most are Episyrphus balteatus but I have noticed at least 6 other species some of which are pictured here. Shame it was a bit of a shaky-hand session. Hopefully get a chance for some sharper shots sometime.

Eupeodes corollae


Scaeva pyrastri


Volucella inanis




Sphaerophoria scripta.


A hoverfly - Eupeodes corollae/luniger?


The most common species, Episyrphus balteatus (Marmalade Fly), on Ranunculus lingua


Nikon CP995.

Many thanks to the folk on UK-Hoverflies for the help with IDs.

Gorse Shield Bug

An unexpected visitor to the office window. They feed on Gorse, Broom and other legumes.

Gorse Shield-bug Piezodorus lituratus

Nikon CP995.

More Barnack action

Another visit to The Hills and Holes, this time with the family. A cooler day with fewer insects active but still very interesting.

Six-Spot Burnets in cop (Zygaena filipendulae). This pair were very close to the exuvia shown below. Presumably the female was pounced on soon after emerging.



Meadow Brown (Maniola jurtina)


Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)

Nikon CP995.

Mega-blog from Barnack

Mike and I seemed to hit the Hills and Holes a on a perfect day today. Perhaps the wind could have been a bit calmer to make the photography a bit easier but there were few complaints as butterflies were abundant, particularly the Marbled Whites and Six-spot Burnets.

In addition to those pictured below we saw Small and Essex Skippers, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral, Speckled Wood, Common Blue, Large White, Small Copper Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Small Heath, Shaded Broad-bar and a Brown Hawker.

Male Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra coridon)





Female Chalkhill Blue (Lysandra coridon)



Marbled White (Melanargia galathea)



Six-Spot Burnet (Zygaena filipendulae)


Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)


Campanula glomerata



Nikon CP995

Svensson's Copper Underwing

A rather large and time-consuming moth catch overnight included some excellent moths among the 269 moths of 65 species. Cream-bordered Green Pea (Earias clorana) is nationally scarce and there are not that many records of Bordered Pug (Eupithecia succenturiata) in Hunts.

The other good find was a largish moth: Svensson's Copper Underwing (Amphipyra berbera). This is very hard to distinguish from the Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidoides) but close examination of the underside of the hindwing shows the copper colour extends fully along the length of the wing. On Copper Underwing the copper is restricted to the posterior third, the rest being cream coloured. The moth was chilled so it could be handled to inspect the underside and released unharmed.

The underside of the hindwing is only a guide (although a good one) but a diagnostic test is to take a close look at the palps. In the final two pictures the palps are visible and look largely dark with neat tiny pale tips. On Copper Underwing these are largely pale along the front edge and thus lack the contrasting pale tips.

This also helped take the garden moth list to over 300 species in just under a year of recording.

Svensson's Copper Underwing (Amphipyra berbera)




Nikon CP995

Juvenile Song Thrush

Mothing has its by-products. Often things are heard at night and many other species other than moths are attracted, all of which adds to the interest. In this case it was a barely fledged Song Thrush that had chosen a very exposed roosting perch low down and rather vulnerable to predators, especially illuminated by the moth light. I moved it to a less dangerous position after taking the photo where it soon settled back off to sleep.

Juvenile Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)

Nikon CP995 with internal flash.