Rain: 29.04.12

Heavy rain throughout the night meant I cancelled the planned dawn chorus walk, rearranging it for 4.45a.m. next Sunday. All welcome. Few photos here of the River Ash flowing through Hadham Ford. This used to flow all year but over the last 4 years is now no more than a storm drain. Certainly flowing rapidly through the village at present.

Morning wander. 27.04.12

A walk from Much Hadham to home via the Ridge footpath as from 6.30. Due to the paucity of bird life (2 chiffchaffs, 7 yellowhammers being the highlights!) My attention turned to the wild flowers in the hedgerows. As shown from the top:
Herb robert
Greater stitchwort
Ground Ivy
Cowslip
Jack in the hedge
White dead nettle
Primrose
Only 3 moths in the trap, but at least that is 3 more than the whole of the week so far. Firstly clouded drab and then a photo of 1 of 2 hebrew character.
Finally, a camera shy male yellowhammer,

Weather!! 25.04.12

Hose pipe ban + cricket season starting = constant rain. Another damp walk around the local patch. 42 linnet and 2 adult lesser black backed gulls were somewhat unexpected on the 6th green at the golf course but otherwise, as you were. Blackcap (3) and chiffchaff (4) were singing but the none arrival of whitethroats, lesser whitethroats and other associated warblers is now becoming cause for concern. Reports from Portland Bill Bird Observatory notes lack of whitethroats as unexplained. Usually by this time they would have counted over 1000, so far, not even 10!
Greater stitchwort now flowering along New Road and Chapel Lane, along with Jack in the Hedge. Latters leaves make a great pesto when crushed with pine nuts and olive oil and add extra clove of garlic and a little fresh basil for stronger flavour.
Photos show a view along the Ash Valley, a carrion crow in poor light and greater stitchwort.

Portugal Trip 16 - 19th April

Leaving Stansted at 6.45 and landing at Faro before 9.00 a.m. meant I was birding from Faro train station before 10. From this vantage point I clocked whimbrel, grey plover, little egret and white stork. The train journey of 70 minutes to Lagos gave views of, amongst others, black winged stilt, hobby, beeater and a superb caspian tern at Portimao harbour.
Once a room was organised I set off for a wander to the cliffs and local wooods, seeing thekla lark, azure winged magpie, serin, alpine swift, red rumped swallow and sardinian warbler along with many more common residents. The next day a train to Mexilhoeira Grande and a wander through cork woods and open fields offered more views of the previously recroded birds, plus a common sandpiper, bonellis eagle, short toed lark, cirl bunting and a distant short toed eagle. By the end of day 2 species total was well over 50. Day 3 and after an early morning wander around the Rio Alvor a coach to Sagres and walk to Cabo da Vicente, the most south westerly point of Europe. Great birds including black redstart, stonechat, pied flycatcher, chough, cory's shearwater, gannet, rock dove, peregrine, yelkoan shearwater, spotless starling and blue rock thrush, a new bird for me. Finally, day 4 and a train journey back to Faro, some birding around the airport saltpans and beach before a flight home, in all 89 species of birds seen and over 250 photographs, a few of which are attached. I have a series of talks for the RSPB to give, including ones at Gravesend, London, Norwich and Luton on the Algarve. Should be good fun.
Photos from top:
Chough
Peregrine
Black redstart
Black redstart
Stonechat
The busy station at Mexilhoeira Grande
Blue rock thrush
Azure winged magpie
Beeater

Westland Green moths 12.04.12 + year list birds

I set the trap up in a wooded area in Westland Green last night as I wanted a selection of moths for a group of children that I was taking on a nature day at Hatfield forest. The trap took over 30 moths mainly quaker, twin spotted quaker and small quaker. Also a couple of clouded drabs and a single lunar marbled brown. The latter, a common April moth was new for the parish list. A photo of a rather battered specimen here along with 2 of the clouded drab.
On the nature wander we saw and heard plenty of birds, including both swallow and house martin over the lake which have been added to my year list. A super day with enthusiatic children.

Rewarded: 12.04.12

An early start again, being at Much Hadham at 6.30a.m. for a walk along the valley and over the golf course. Usual fare, with a singing blackcap being particularly pleasing. However, as I was just leaving the G.C. I noted a bird in a tree some 100 yards in front: orange tinge to breast plumage led me to id it as a female wheatear, a bird on migration passage and heading for northern moorland. Only the 3rd time I have recorded this species in the parish. Good views and some distant photos. Soon after, a singing willow warbler at The Ford. 5 photos of the wheatearn plus a green woodpecker and singing dunnock.

Morning Walk: 10.0.12

Clear skies arrived early after a night of strong breeze and rain. Consequently, no notable moths, just a small quaker and a hebrew character. I thought the weather may have put down some migrants, but this appeared not to be the case. Several chiffchaffs, a few common buzzards were highlights along with linnets and yellowhammers on the golf course. Photos of a chapel roof pied wagtail and a golf course hare. In all 27 species for the walk.

Moths 09.04.12

4 species of moth in the trap this morning: 2 hebrew characters, 2 twin spotted quakers (shown), 1 Emmelina monodactyla and 1 chestnut (shown.) It looked to be a good night for moths, with the temperature around 7C, but rain throughout the night limited flights to the light. Roll on a warm and dry night.

Long wander 08.04.12

A long Easter Sunday walk covering the golf club, Westlland Green, Hadham Hall and Millennium Wood. It was hoped to catch up with some of the more seldom seen migrants, but this was not to be. New to my yearlist were goldcrest and willow warbler with the 1st blackcap of the year for Hadham being recorded. However, in total, 40 species for the day, which is good. In all, I recorded: linnet, Great spotted woodpecker, goldfinch, skylark, robin, collared dove, jackdaw, lesser black backed gull, great tit, bulfinch, wood pigeon, chaffinch, pheasant, mistle thrush, blackbird, carrion crow, mallard, blue tit, fieldfare, blackcap, nuthatch, jay, song thrush, dunnock, green woodpecker, greenfinch, goldcrest, pied wagtail, yellowhammer, long taied tit, magpie, house sparrow, skylark, coot, moorhen, rook, reed bunting, starling, willow warbler
Photos: 2 chaffinch, 1 blackcap, 1 hidden goldcrest, 1 local scarecrow and 2 of the bumble bee Bombymus terrestris, a common bee. Plus 2 more of last night's purple thorn.

New moth 08.04.12

The only moth trapped last night was a new one for the garden list, a Purple thorn. Similar to the early thorn but easily distinguished by the fact the purple rests with wings half open whereas the early thorn closes its wings when resting. Both are common Hertfordshire moths, but still a colourful specimen. First three photos of purple thorn and last one early thorn for a comparison.