I’ll be happy to see lizards, too:)
I go down to Lymington on the train, it’s reasonably convenient from here and gives access to some great wetland, i walk about 5 1/2 miles west on the sea wall and return by a slightly different route crossing through some of the wetland. (more time would be better but i’m lucky to do what i do).
I can’t match the spider for being spectacular nor can i fulfill all the requests, but…
Heddiw.
Neidr ddefaid - slow worm.
Madfall ddwr gribog ifanc - Young great crested newt (no newt was harmed taking these photos).
Grifft llyffant - frog spawn (i did not see the frog). mae’n drw gen i @seren
Click on images for full size (more detail).
Cheers J.P.
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Oh, John, that’s the post of the month for me! Thank you, fantastic pictures! Newts are wonderful, I used to keep them as a child.
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Good thing it is only a picture. I will try to bear that in mind. I do actually have pic i took at home of a frog. Where i live is fairly wet, but where i work is 700km north of where i live and is usually very dry.
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Nice video here about moths and Oxford’s Wytham Woods (and links also to others about types of creatures found there) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGR4fvzj66U&feature=youtu.be
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As the Great Crested is a protected species, I was pleased to read this!!
[quote=“ramblingjohn, post:1324, topic:971”]
Neidr ddefaid - slow worm.
[/quote]I have always loved these. I got very cross with people who screamed “Snake!” and wanted to get violent with a poor innocent slow worm! There was a spot near a gate leading to Mewslade Bay, just merging from the woods, where I could virtually guarantee to see one! Lying in the centre of the path never seemed a very safe place to me, so I tended to move it to one side!
Diolch yn fawr for lovely pics!!
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This may well have been posted before, but anyway, I happened to notice it was on, and perhaps some people will appreciate the heads-up:
Goes out at 20:30 GMT tonight, 15 Mis Mawrth 2016
Not in Welsh, of course, but it’s Iolo, and it’s in Wales.
(Actually on BBC4 and then available via iPlayer for about 28 days).
(Looks like it was previously on BBC1 and BBC Wales).
(Apologies to those who cannot see it because of geo-restrictions).
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Awesome picks love the newt, fantastic colours!
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To me, it’s a bumble bee drunk on pollen, but I’m sure someone can tell me what type of bee it is and what ‘drunk on pollen’ is in Cymraeg
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I have been a bit cheeky in expanding a bit of your photo to try and get more detail. (of course I’ve lost quality in the process).
Here is another of what i think is the same species for comparison.
Cacynen cyffredin - buff tailed bumble bee.
I would think yours is a queen (these are what survive the winter (gaeaf cysgu - hibernate) but can’t see the rear end for evidence of a sting.
And please people don’t worry about the word ‘sting’ they are very gentle to handle.
As you rightly mention it is covered in Crocus pollen, a good example of how pollination works.
By coincidence i was looking for the same effect today on Willow but it is a few days from really showing a lot of pollen. da iawn a diolch am dy lun.
Cheers J.P.
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Wel, paill is pollen, but meddwi is to get drunk - drunk as a state is meddw - I can’t say I’ve ever heard anyone combining them, but you’d probably be kind of understood…
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dau trychfilod heddiw.
Pryf hofran s.p. - species of hover fly. (Eristalis pertinax).
Chwilen deigr werdd - Green tiger beetle.
Better photo than last year (something i hope to say often).
Just back from moth trapping which looks good so far, the traps will run all night so it’s early start for photos in the morning.
Cheers J.P.
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Firstly i have made a slight update to yesterdays post.
Having been given expert advice the hover fly is
Eristalis pertinax - Tapered drone fly (sorry no welsh name).
Neithiwr mae’r awyr yn glir gan golygfa dda o’r ser a’r lleuad.
Last night the sky was clear with good views of the stars and moon.
On i’n ychydig’n synnu pan roeddodd y thermomedr yn isel dros nos o Canradd -5.
I was a bit surprised when the thermometer gave on overnight low of -5 Centigrade.
Rhisglyn y derw - Oak beauty.
Carpiog cynnar - Early thorn (not a good photo).
Gwyfyn mawrth - March moth.
Crynwr amrywiol - Clouded drab.
Crynwr dau smotyn - Twin spot quaker.
Cheers J.P.
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Beautiful!
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All great pictures, but I love that Oak Beauty, and of course the Moon.
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Thanks folks, the camera is like getting a new pair of eyes for me (i can still see fine at distance).
and there is so many things outside to learn, doing so in a second language is just adding to the excitement/interest.
I have studied lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) along with fungi in the winter for many years.
But last year i found myself clicking anything that caught my eye and of course my interests have widened, this leads to the old problem of books (surely i have enough) today i find myself looking at those for hoverflies and galls.
There was a chilly wind this afternoon, it feels like we have slipped back into winter for a while (the forecast says it will last at least a week), but soon we are going to slip (comfortably) into spring and the wildlife abundance that comes with it. (camera’s ready folks, any day could reveal a new interest).
http://www.s4c.cymru/clic/e_level2.shtml?programme_id=526201856
Iolo in Lancashire (rather good - Braidd yn dda).
Cheers J.P.
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Dear John, How do you get pics of the moon like that? How would I photograph the Northern Lights if we ever get a decent view again? I tried to take a pic of our robin goch fach yesterday but the camera wanted so long to get enough light that I couldn’t hold it still. The moon? Forever, I should think!! 
We were given some instructions on my recent trip to Norway. I will try to dig them out.
(No luck with the NL for us though! I think you all had a better view in the UK!).
Essentially you would need a tripod or some way to keep the camera steady over a period of time.
Fixed focus on infinity. (Ideally you need a camera with full manual control).
Then either use remote release or self-timer (to avoid camera shake due to pressing shutter button).
Plus a few other things I can’t remember just now.
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Don’t worry, Mike, I’ll give up now! I know my limitations!!!