Monday 16 April 2018

Peaceful morning wander

Set off early this morning to check for migrants and further signs of spring. New for year were comma and peacock butterflies, but nothing new on the bird department. Singing blackcap and several chiffchaff whilst overhead common buzzards and red kite, but nothing too noteworthy.
A check on the high ground of Ash Valley Golf Course for wheatear or ring ouzel was fruitless; both have been recorded here in the second half of April. Wheatear are annual and ring ouzel have put in two appearances since 2008, in 2010 (25th April) and 2012 (23rd April) so the search shall continue.
Great colours of this female yellowhammer matching the willow branches.

same bird

treecreeper


Comma, first of the year

The security guys were looking pretty mean by the kissing gate.

Wednesday 4 April 2018

New moth for parish records.

Set the portable 15 watt Heath type trap on footpaths over Ash Valley Golf Course on Monday night. A good haul of expected moths as the trap was placed under flowering sallows. 44 Common quaker along with a red green carpet which was a new moth for the year. In the haul of 66 moths was a small micro moth that, under the magnifier, looked to be Agonopterix ocellana. If so, a new moth for the parish.
I dropped it off at Graeme's for a 2nd opinion and he confirmed my suspicions. Moth species 708 for my parish records. 
Surprisingly, took a 2nd one last night so they are now established in Little Hadham which is not unexpected.


Sent from my iPhone

Sunday 1 April 2018

First quarter Moth review

Oak Beauty

Trapping began on 08.i.18 after a brief holiday but it was on the 11th when I took the first moths of the year: pale brindled beauty and winter moth in Millennium Wood to the 15watt heath actinic, my regular portable trap. Another pale brindled beauty followed the next night, this time to the 125W skinner in the garden.
An Early moth on the 15th was the 3rd species for the year, taken by netting with a headtorch in Millennium Wood whilst a catch of many winter moth from wanders through other local sites. 16th -22nd remained mothless before a Spring usher on the 23rd in the garden.
Pale brindled beauty

Early moth

Spring Usher

Another evening with a headtorch and net in Millennium Wood on the 28th gave records of Dotted border, Chestnut and the first micro of the year, Tortricodes alternella whilst at home an Acleris schalleriana. Another mothless period ensued for 10 days until a Satellite and Dark chestnut were taken, along with another Chestnut, in Stocking Wood to the Heath trap. 7 blank days followed  before a March moth was in a haul of 29 moths from Millennium Wood, including 16 Dotted border. The following night, 18th Feb saw the trap running in Pigs Green where a Small brindled beauty made the year list, as did Common quaker and Agonopterix heracliana in a haul of 27 moths. Things were looking up as I took a good selection of already noted species from Alder Wood the following night.
The Beast from the East arrived and no more moths for February, with the 12 days being my longest mothless period since 2014.
The weather warmed up on the 4th March and again, I ran the trap in Millennium Wood: a shoulder stripe being NFY in a catch of 7 moths.
Dotted border

Chestnut

Dark chesnut

On the 7th an Oak Beauty in the garden was new before a trip to a new site for me. I had been granted permission, not only to run a trap in a private wood, but also to be able to drive through the farmyard and along the private lanes. Temperature looked good on the 11th as I set up the trap, returning around 11pm. Twin spotted quaker, Clouded drab, Dotted chestnut and Hebrew character were all new for the year, along with 8 previous species. The best night of the year, with 37 moths of 13 species. A great habitat, one I shall be trapping on many occasions this year.
Things trickled along, with an Engrailed netted at Ash Valley Golf Course on the 16th, the last macro of the quarter. On the 17th  a cold snap returned. Final moth for the first quarter was a Diurnea fagella from the garden trap on the 23rd. Last 8 days of the month were ones where a a few moths were taken each night, apart from last night when again, no moths were recorded.
March moth

Common quaker

Engrailed

Hebrew character


Comparisons:
Jan - March 2018 326 moths 23 species 19 macros 4 micros
Jan - March 2017  393 moths 38 species 29 macros 9 micros
Jan - March 2016 266 moths 27 species 20 macros 7 micros

Note: No heath trap before 04.iii.16
Clearly, we have had a hard winter and moth numbers have been well below expected numbers. Forecast for April looks better but it may well be some species that are usually taken in good numbers have been missed. Ones I took last year that I have yet to see  in the first quarter are:
Mottled umber, Acleris ferrugana, Acleris cristana, Emmelina monodactyla, Double striped pug, Early thorn, Early grey, Streamer, Brindled pug, Water carpet, Lunar marbled brown, Caloptilia semifascia, Eriocrania subpurperella, Purple thorn, V pug, Acleris literana

This is me

This is me
At the end of another Norfolk Coastal footpath walk. 47 miles, 3 days 99 species of bird. September 2009

Caley Wood view

Caley Wood view
sunshine through the canopy 29.05.08

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007

A walk along the Warta Valley, Poznan, Poland. Feb 2007
Best birds on this walk: black and middle spotted woodpecker and short toed treecreeper

About Me

My photo
A primary school teacher for 30 years, I retired from teaching in July 2009 to set up my own science enhancement and communication company. The Primary Works offers science clubs, workshops and staged science shows nationwide. I have always been interested in bird watching since my early years. Apparently my first tick was after inquiring about a chaffinch and then receiving the Observer book of birds. By the age of 9 I had moved on to Tory Peterson's collins guide and was now involved on YOC birding holidays to Northumbria, Essex coast, Slimbridge and Yorkshire. My twitching rule is that I will willingly travel 1km for each gram the bird weighs. However, I have had many rarities just by being in the right place. I have travelled widely throughout Europe and also visited Australia and Sri Lanka. In 2016 I spent time at Portland Bird Obs and two trips to Aviero, Portugal. 2017 found me back in Sri Lanka in Feb/March, then July and back for New Year's Eve celebrations in December. Also returned to The Camargue in May for a 4 day trip. Few plans for 2018, but nothing yet booked apart from a trip to the IOW.

Grey heron

Grey heron
Over the allotment 28.09.08

Southern Hawker

Southern Hawker
Ridge footpath 27.08.08

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)

Juvenile green woodpecker (17.08.08)
Note the stripes, denoting a bird fledged this year.

common blue

common blue
Ash Valley G.C. 15.08.08

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)

Indian balsam (impatiens glandulifera)
River Ash

azure damselfly

azure damselfly
River Ash 28.07.08

marbled white

marbled white
Discovered at Westland Green 22.07.08

ruddy darter

ruddy darter
Bush Wood 21.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08

honeysuckle 19.07.08
growing in hedgerow in Chapel Lane

cinnabar moth caterpillar

cinnabar moth caterpillar
Photographed on ragwort 19.07.08

Bittersweet

Bittersweet
Study of petals 11.06.08

male yellowhammer

male yellowhammer
08.06.08

common blue butterfly

common blue butterfly
06.06.08

River Ash

River Ash
looking south from the bridge at Hadham Ford

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)

Common poppy (papaver rhoeas)
in rape field 29.05.08

Caley Wood sunshine

Caley Wood sunshine
29.05.08

Millenium Wood fox

Millenium Wood fox
24.05.08

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)

common comfrey (symphytum officinale)
06.05.08 banks of the River Ash

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)

Garlic Mustard or Jack by the Hedge,(Alliara petiolata)
flowers, leaves and fruit edible . Good in salad and pesto

April showers

April showers
Double rainbow 30.04.08

Caley Wood bluebells

Caley Wood bluebells
22.04.08

Yellow Archangel

Yellow Archangel
Chapel Lane (20.04.08)

sunlight 16.04.08

sunlight 16.04.08
looking south west from Bush Wood

snowy buds

snowy buds
06.04.08 in Bush Wood

Looking north west

Looking north west
05.04.08 evening shower approaching

Back Garden

Back Garden
Easter Sunday (23.03.08)

Brick Kiln Hill

Brick Kiln Hill
Looking east (23.03.08)

No play today

No play today
The 2nd hole at Ash Valley golf course

Teasel head

Teasel head
Bush Wood (21.03.08)

Reflections

Reflections
daffodils at Bush Wood pond (21.03.08)

Swollen River Ash

Swollen River Ash
The river at the bottom of Winding Hill 16.03.08

Daybreak over the chapel

Daybreak over the chapel
Thursday 13th March

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)

Wild daffodils (narcissus pseudonarcissus)
growing in Bush Wood

January snowdrops

January snowdrops
Banks of River Ash, north of Much Hadham

Good Moon

Good Moon
From garden 24.01.08

Village Green

Village Green
Looking east towards Acremore Street

Looking south before Hadham Ford

Looking south before Hadham Ford
rare January blue sky

Useful sites

The following are some useful websites that may interest readers of this blog.
Firstly, Bishop's Stortford Natural History Society http://bsnhs.webplus.net/

Fellow birder, Gary Whelan's blog. Gives reports from our trips out together plus reports from his trips abroad. http://hairybirders.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.hertsbirdclub.org.uk/ The official herts bird club website. Frequently updated, listing bird sightings around the county. Offers links to many other websites. Both of these sites also offer links to yahoo discussion groups.
http://www.birdforum.net/ An international site. You can enter as a guest but become a member( free) to post comments, bird sightings and just about anything to do with wild birds. Good news updates, classified section for binoculars, cameras etc.
http://www.guidedbirdwatching.com/ A new site set up where you can contact people worldwide who will help you find good birds in their country. UK section being set up presently.
http://www.britainsbirder.co.uk/
Fellow birders blog. Strtford resident, Graeme Smith regulary birds the area south of Stortford as well as around Spellbrook and the River Stort from Spellbrook to Twyford Locks. Some superb bird photography: Graeme uses a digital camera attached to his powerful telescope to get detailled images of the birds he sees. Well worth a browse.
Two local sites that may be of interest can be found at
http://www.thehadhams.com/ www.thepelhams.net/content/section/12/139/

South Easterly walk

South Easterly walk
black, normal, red extended walk

South Westerly route.

South Westerly route.
Black usual, red extended

North Easterly walk

North Easterly walk
black short, walk. Red, extended

North West Patch

North West Patch
black route regular. Red route the extended wander