Spring in the Brecon Beacons.
13th April 2019
In February this year we had a very mild spell of weather here in the Brecon Beacons, then we experienced a few weeks of really vicious, wet and windy weather in March, which brought damage and tragically, some fatalities. Trees were blown down and areas of the country were flooded badly which were the causes of the aforementioned tragedies. The water levels are now thankfully receding on the rivers, but Llangors Lake will take about another month to get back to normal, if we have no more heavy rain.
Wildlife, however, just like the rest of us has to get on with it and as the Daffodils start to die back the grassy areas around the Beacons and indeed my garden, are now covered with masses of Lesser Celandine and Primrose. The woods are full of Wood Anemone and Ladies Smock is now appearing with the Forget –Me - Not, a few early Bluebells are also showing through in sheltered places.
I have spent a few hours down at Llangors Lake over the last week and there are signs of spring appearing, Cetti’s Warblers are becoming more vocal - these are such a difficult bird to photograph!
Great Crested Grebes are performing their courting rituals, frustratingly at a distance.
A Mandarin Duck at the north end of the lake is looking particularly colourful.
Wrens are singing from everywhere – such a noisy - but still endearing little bird!
While all these birds have probably been in the area all year round, they liven up, as indeed we all do, as the weather improves.
Arriving over the last week or two Ring Ouzels are back on territory in very small numbers at Craig Cerrig Gleisiad in the Beacons, lovely to hear a male singing last week very early on a bitterly cold morning. There are Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps singing everywhere, along with a few Willow Warblers. Sand Martins and Swallows are now flying and one or two Common Redstarts are just arriving, while the Blue Tits in our garden tentatively explore the nest boxes.
However, there is one sign of spring that I like to look for in particular and that is the Orange Tip butterfly. This small but beautiful insect is the first butterfly to emerge from a pupa/chrysalis in spring, as opposed to other early spring flying butterflies such as Peacock, that have over-wintered as adults. Today Susan and I saw five of these little gems, it was lovely to see them flying around the bramble patches near Llangors Lake.
Another lovely Butterfly which is just taking to the wing is the Green Veined White,
and like the Orange tip, at this time of year, these butterflies have also emerged from an overwintering pupa/chrysalis.
Let’s hope we have a nice spring and summer again this year!
Wildlife, however, just like the rest of us has to get on with it and as the Daffodils start to die back the grassy areas around the Beacons and indeed my garden, are now covered with masses of Lesser Celandine and Primrose. The woods are full of Wood Anemone and Ladies Smock is now appearing with the Forget –Me - Not, a few early Bluebells are also showing through in sheltered places.
I have spent a few hours down at Llangors Lake over the last week and there are signs of spring appearing, Cetti’s Warblers are becoming more vocal - these are such a difficult bird to photograph!
Great Crested Grebes are performing their courting rituals, frustratingly at a distance.
A Mandarin Duck at the north end of the lake is looking particularly colourful.
Wrens are singing from everywhere – such a noisy - but still endearing little bird!
While all these birds have probably been in the area all year round, they liven up, as indeed we all do, as the weather improves.
Arriving over the last week or two Ring Ouzels are back on territory in very small numbers at Craig Cerrig Gleisiad in the Beacons, lovely to hear a male singing last week very early on a bitterly cold morning. There are Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps singing everywhere, along with a few Willow Warblers. Sand Martins and Swallows are now flying and one or two Common Redstarts are just arriving, while the Blue Tits in our garden tentatively explore the nest boxes.
However, there is one sign of spring that I like to look for in particular and that is the Orange Tip butterfly. This small but beautiful insect is the first butterfly to emerge from a pupa/chrysalis in spring, as opposed to other early spring flying butterflies such as Peacock, that have over-wintered as adults. Today Susan and I saw five of these little gems, it was lovely to see them flying around the bramble patches near Llangors Lake.
Another lovely Butterfly which is just taking to the wing is the Green Veined White,
and like the Orange tip, at this time of year, these butterflies have also emerged from an overwintering pupa/chrysalis.
Let’s hope we have a nice spring and summer again this year!