First's of the year

The steely stare of a Grey Heron

Today, my friend Kerry and I took a walk around Llangattock, taking in the escarpment and a nature reserve. As we headed across to the canal and the start of the woodland we saw House Sparrows, Rooks, Robins, Woodpigeons, Starlings, jackdaws, House Martins (my first of the year), Blue Tits, Chaffinches, Collard Dove and Dunnocks. The above Grey Heron was feeding around the canal boats before flying further along where it was mobbed by an out-sized and brave Song Thrush which no doubt had young nearby. 

Entering the wooded area it was nice to see Bluebells, Wood Anemone, Lesser Celandines, Wood Sorrell and Greater Stitchwort in flower. The route takes us up into an open field that has never been fertilised and is only lightly grazed by Sheep at certain times of the year. As a result, there are a mass of flowers growing including Cowslips in large numbers, Lousewort, Marsh Valerian, Spearwort, Brooklime and Ladysmock.

 

Tiger Beetle with a blob of green dew on it's back and Lousewort in flower.

It was a pleasure to see a field full of tiny Spiders, and I got to see my first ever Tiger Beetle which had a blob of green dew on it's back. Nuthatches were calling and a Red Kite circled overhead with two Common Buzzards nearby. The first of numerous Blackcaps were singing away and the first of six Common Redstarts showed themselves. Wrens and Great Tits were also singing away and a distant Pheasant could be heard. Several Siskins were still flying in and out of the Alders. Soon we were back in the woodland area again, bordered to our right by an open field. We crossed a stile into this field where we watched a female Sparrowhawk circling higher and higher. Several Jackdaws were mobbing her but as she climbed higher they eventually gave up.

Craig y Cilau Nature Reserve

After a cup of tea and some nibbles, we continued onward, and watched several more Redstarts along the way before entering the Craig-y-Cilau reserve. This is one of the largest upland limestone cliffs in Wales and is one of Wales's most outstanding botanical sites with well over 250 species including some ice-age remnant 'arctic alpines'. The reserve also boasts six species of Whitebeam native to Britain.

Peacock butterfly resting on Blackthorn

Here we sat down amongst these limestone boulders, just below the escarpment listening to the calls of Ravens, and a Tree Pipit (my first of the year) called and then flew up to perform its display flight - but so far there are no females for him to entice. Around us however, were numerous Willow Warblers (also my first of the year), and as we sat down drinking tea and eating our sandwiches, we were entertained by warblers chasing each other within yards of us, and others singing from the tops of the Hawthorns and Blackthorns. 

Male Common Redstart - one of six delightful birds.

One of numerous entertaining Willow Warblers

Eventually it was time to continue with the last section of what had been a beautiful walk, with a good mix of birds, plants and wildlife. A pair of Long Tailed Tits were joined by a pair of Coal Tits in the Blackthorns as we left, and finally a Great Spotted Woodpecker called as it disappeared into an Alder copse, and a good number of fresh Orange Tip butterflies on the wing ended a fantastic day.

Pictures copyright N Davies. Note: private and group wildlife guiding available. Please email wildmajorca@gmail.com for more details