Scaeva selenitica at Nitten

Back on the 16th July, I set a few light-traps in the Nitten Field at Mewslade in the hope of trapping some migrant moths, as the weather looked favourable. It transpired that it wasn't especially good for migrants, although there was an excellent selection of resident moths along with a selection of non-lepidopterans. Perhaps the pick of the crop were a couple of Scaeva selenitica, an uncommon partial migrant hoverfly, which looks superficially like the much commoner S. pyrastri. It's the first time I have seen this fly in Gower, so I assume they were immigrants rather than from a resident population.

Sparrowhawk & Goldfinch movements

I have today received details of a juvenile male Sparrowhawk ringed at the Nitten Field (Mewslade) on 14th September 2009 that was controlled on three occassions during October on Lundy Island by the Lundy Field Society. Also a Goldfinch ringed at Nitten on 13th October 2008 was taken by a cat on 17th November 2009 at Great Wakering, Essex.

Hen Harriers over the Nitten Field

Mark Newton and Rob Taylor saw 3 different Hen Harriers over the Nitten Field yesterday afternoon (1 male and 2 females) plus a Merlin which made a kill. There were also 2 Merlins seen here in the morning. Mark managed to get a couple of shots of two of the birds. They also saw at least 8 Woodcock flying around. For more of Marks photos check out http://www.welshwildlife.com/

It is difficult to judge how many Hen Harriers are around at present, but for the BTO winter atlas here are the records collated to date from the last 3 winters (red dots). All other records shown as small dots.

Mewslade & Nitten Field

This Garden Warbler in the valley was the highlight of a relatively quiet ringing session with only small numbers of migrants noted, other than overhead passage of c.400 Swallows through the morning.

I also recieved details today of a Goldfinch ringed in the Nitten Field (SS423875) on 3rd Oct 2005 that was recaptured and released again at Crennes-sur-Fraubee, France on 23rd Feb 2008.

Nitten Field, Mewslade

The sacrificial crop in the Nitten Field (SS423875), which lies at the eastern end of Rhossili's mediaeval field system kown as the Viel, is replanted annually for farmland birds by Gordon and Beryl Howe. Again, one or two interesting accidental imports in the mix appeared; last year there were a few spikes of Purple Viper's-bugloss (Echium plantagineum), this year there was a solitary plant of Scorpionweed (Phacelia tanacetifolia) [photo above]. The main crop species planted this year were Cultivated Flax (Linum usitatissimum), Barley (Hordeum vulgare), Gold-of-pleasure (Camelina sativa), Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and Triticale (x Triticosecale), with a stand of Chichory (Cichorium intybus) established around the field boundary.