Thank you. And it is …
And that’s why the people in Coober Pedy live underground, as I understand it!
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Correct Many of them do as it can get to over 50C in Summer. They call the underground homes Dugouts.
Be sy´n bod ar y darlun ´ma? Mae ´na rhywbeth o´i le 
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To @Leighton They are all great pictures. I thought at first this thread was for wildlife in Wales, but @ramblingjohn made it clear - if it’s outside and it’s interesting/beautiful/rare/unusual or just quirky - it’s welcome here! I love yours and especially the ‘peas’ such brilliant colour!
to @HowlsedhesServices I would describe your picture as quirky! I am still not quite sure how it looks like that. although I think I’ve worked it out!
And finally - Diolch i ti for:-[quote=“HowlsedhesServices, post:1776, topic:971, full:true”]
Greater : The Lesser has only horizontal bars on its back IIRC.
[/quote]
You sparked me to start looking at names and I have come to realise that ein hen iaith (our old language) is rich and varied and can even be charming as well as very. very old.
Clearly, the name woodpecker was given by people looking at the birds and seeing them pecking and what they pecked.
But, thinkiing of our distant ancestors exploring north as the ice retreated, entering growing forests and hearing… not seeing… hearing …of course it was cnocio (tapping or knocking) they heard. Now I looked up names in all 3 of my ap geiriaduron, but it wasn’t satifactory. One given for greater spotted was actually commonly used for nuthatch, so I delved into my Geiriadur Mawr (real book with pages!).
And entered that ancient world.
cnocell brith mwyaf - as expected, but before that… as they heard that strange tap tap… industrious, purposeful… surely intelligent? So
my favourite name, the one I shall use…
coblyn y coed - a sprite, an elf… a goblin… tap tapping in the wood!
As they saw more and realised that it was always birds and that they enlarged or made holes we have
tyllwr y coed - holemaker
taradr y coed - augur (for making holes!)
and finally, after iron was found and how to work it and make nails, and nails and wood were seen to be usable to make really strong protective footwear - clogs - clocsiau that themselves tap, tap.surely the name of the maker and the other name of the bird
cobler y coed
came from coblyn?
Oh it is all dreaming, but it makes me happy and it is only due to you I found all this, for only the greater spotted had all of these names!
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@HowlsedhesServices - that took me a few minutes to realize what I am seeing, and why it looks “not quite right.” Well done!
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Nid hawdd bob amser gwybod y gwir oddi wrth y rhith 
(It´s not always easy to know the genuine from the illusion)
An idea that runs through everything from Celtic legend to, I suppose, The Matrix. For some reason this reminded me of the legend of Llyn y Fan Fach, check it out 
(Is there a version to be had in simple Welsh?)
I realise my original message included two useful idioms :
Be sy´n bod? means ´What´s the matter?´ or ´what´s going on´, or even just Be sy? ´What´s up?´
O´i le lit. ´from its (proper) place´ means ´wrong, not quite right´.
All the above and more.
this thread started as an idea to help me engage on a regular basis with the language in an area of interest to me (and hopefully some others),
It has grown more and lasted longer than i had thought likely, great images and interest from around the world, discussion on the origin of bird names and language history (thanks to all), because it’s great not knowing what will appear tomorrow.
Heddiw - today.
Gwyach fawr gopog - Great crested grebe.
Trilliw bach ar Mintys y dwr - Small tortoishell on water mint.
Gwenynen fel ar cedowydd - Honey bee on common flebane. (those pollen sacks look rather full).
Cheers J.P.
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I was realising yesterday that we have seen virtually no butterflies this year. The fact that the buddleia is only just flowering may be a hint as to why, but I’m not sure.
There’s a new butterfly house at the National Botanical Gardens of Wales. They have installed it in the hot house. They realised there wasn’t enough to attract children so have revamped their adventure playground, installed water zorbing (google it) and the butterfly house adds to the attraction of the place.
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Obeyed instruction! Wow! If that had been there when I lived in easy reach and was fit… is there an upper age limit? I’m not sure of the name, mind, I’d never have guessed what it was! Water Orbing might have been a better name to hint at what it is? At least, I presume they want people to know, not make it a surprise!!
First heard of it when my husband and then 15 year old daughter were in N India, escaping the heat, and she went zorbing there. No water, just a hillside. Quite glad I wasn’t there to see it. This said by the same mother who took the same daughter zip wiring in Thailand 4 years later. The longest ‘zip’ was 800 meters, quite long enough for me! And not a patch on the Zip World one here in N Wales (on holiday at present) which claims to be a mile.
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But you were there then and she was older!
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Is it St. John’s Wort (Cymraeg - Eurinllys)?
There seem to be slightly different varieties with small variations, but your pic reminds me of one a friend had on Gower.
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Heddiw - today (well one from today and two poor night photo’s).
Marblen coed yn datblygu ar derwen - Marble galls developing on Oak.
Siobyn benywaidd - Male vapourer (the females are wingless).
Rhywogaeth o pryf gwellt - species of caddis fly (Mystacides azurea - Latin name only).
This was a mystery bug last night which none of my expert companions knew, (quite the internet search to find what appears to be the correct ID).
Cheers J.P.
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Never seen an adult, just dressed up (camouflaged) larvae in our pond!
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Would make some good photo’s !
on i’n gobeithio cael llun o’r un arall heddiw - i was hoping to get a photo of another today.
one seen on a plant moving in the wind, when i tried to steady the plant with my hand, the insect left and so one blurry photo.
Dal gobeithio gweld un arall yn fuan - still hope to see another soon.
Cheers J.P.
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Wow! Look at those antennae!
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