CymryamByth

Thursday, June 24   We've had a rather long, and generally unremarkable day. It's not often that I am at a loss for something to write about. Why? I can't answer that either.  We started with the moth traps, more leps in number this morning, more species too, three of them as yet unidentified. We wanted to drive south down the coast, so we didn't stop to check the books. This lovely Bloodvein is our first this year and looks  newly hatched,   It was drizzling, with very low cloud when we set off, the low cloud became thick mist as we passed Criccieth, its clifftop castle barely visible. It's a 50+ mile drive to RSPB Ynys Hir reserve. Not far in distance, yet a difficult drive on busy roads through several conurbations. No views to admire, all was low cloud grey. Shortly before reaching our destination. Dyfi, (No V in the welsh language, a single F makes the V sound, the Y is pronounced uh,) Ospreys signs kept appearing. An enormous roadside sign pointed the way to t

  Wednesday, June 23 Back in the sixties, the Ogwen Valley in Snowdonia was a favourite weekend destination for the North London Climbing Club. The base was known as Williams' Farm, rough pasture at the foot of Mount Tryfan. This is what the mountain looked like to-day - it's distinctive summit obliterated by low cloud.   A single lavatory, one cold water tap, and a barn in which the tent-less could  sleep, were the only amenities. Where to pitch a tent was a free choice  -   just find a patch of flattish ground where running water didn't use the tent as a drain. The sign is relatively modern.    Sheep were the extras. Quite an eye opener for the minibus load of 14 year old outer London students which we took there for their Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition training. Leaving London at tea time on a Friday, buying milk from a machine at Shrewsbury station, pitching tents in the dark. If we were lucky, overlooked by more stars than any of them had seen before. In the mornin

  Tuesday, June 23 Pwllheli was the birth place of  Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Nationalist Party. As a teenager, I belonged to Urdd Gobaith Cymru, known as the Urdd. It's a national voluntary youth organisation set up to provide opportunities for 8-25 year olds through the medium of welsh. I joined because there were three residential centres where one could go on holiday, and join in sports not available at home. I took part in two of them at two different centres, age related. Criccieth was swimming and hiking. There we South Wales girls shared a room with four North Walians. We were meant to speak Welsh all the time. Ironically, neither group understood the welsh of the other, English became the common language - and that was difficult enough. Both accents and dialects are very different. Bala was an enormous, rambling house beside the Lake Bala, accessible only by a boat across the lake from a specially commissioned train stop. Very Harry Potter. There, I learnt to row in proper ei

Monday, June 21  Ynys Mon, Anglesey to the English, has long been a favoured destination. A refuge from the rain for our students, during Duke of Edinburgh camping expeditions in the Ogwen Valley . It always seemed to be dry on the island. In search of rare birds. The first, a White-billed Diver off Caergybi, a day trip from Hertfordshire. Another for  a Black Lark at Ellin's Tower, a Sooty Tern at Cemlyn.  A Leach's Petrel, blown in by a tremendous storm, somewhere near Red Wharf Bay was accidental during a stress busting weekend away from house clearing and selling (Pam's mother's). So many happy memories.  To-day's journey was different in that we travelled the whole of the island from the Britannia Bridge to Caergybi on a fast two lane highway, the A55, instead of the single lane A5. It did mean missing the coast , but served its purpose. To get us to South Stack (Ynys Lawd), as easily as possible. Nearing the cliffs, a Raven flew by, missing feathers showing th

Sunday, June 20, 2021 Cae Glas in Pwllheli, on the Lleyn peninsula in North Wales was booked for 2020 - before Covid 19. We made the decision to defer it to this year, retaining all the money paid. Not ideally situated for our birding and mothing needs, our requirements are such that they leave very little choice of accommodation. Single storey with a walk-in shower, and a good garden, are the basics. Here we have all that.   The bungalow has three bedrooms, one en suite, one with a large bathroom attached. Ideal. Despite being overlooked, we put a moth trap out last night, in as good a situation as was possible. If curtains are closed, the light is too far away to disturb. Opening the trap is always a Christmas morning occasion, enhanced by a new location. The best of this morning's 30+ species (some yet to be ID'd), were: Scarlet Tiger   Shark   Common Emerald and   two micros. Lozotaenia forsterana and   Hypochalcia ahenella That made it a late morning start for Glaslyn Osp