Late spring in the hills above Aberdovey

The hills behind Aberdovey are always particularly spectacular on fine day, with broad strokes of colour given a bright sparkle by the sun. Eyes down, and there are wildflowers everywhere, tiny explosions of concentrated intensity. It always astounds me how such delicate little things can stand up to their exposed position and the extremes of the weather. Tiny pale butterflies replace the big, glossy garden species, and everywhere there is birdsong even though the birds themselves are often invisible.

Germander Speedwell (Veronica chaemaedrys)

A patch of Wild Pansy (Viola Tricolor), also known as Heartsease

Wild Pansy (Viola Tricolor)

Heath speedwell (Veronica officinalis)

It is difficult to see what this is, but it may be a whinchat (Saxicola rubetra). The colouring is right, with a flick of white at the base of the head (visible when I lightened the image in Photoshop), and its preferred habitat is open ground, moorland and mountain plains. It is found throughout most of Wales, but is a summer visitor, migrating to central Africa.

Stonechat (Saxicola Torquata). One of my books described its call as a metallic ‘whit sac sac’ which sounds like stones being smacked together.” It favours low vegetation such as gorse and thickets. I had never seen one before, so was particularly pleased to see it.

Small Heath (Coenonympha pamphilus). Double-brooded, appearing in early summer and then again in late summer. Found in unimproved grassland and coastal areas.