A new moth species for the year

March moth (Alsophila aescularia)

A visit to the garden trap this morning, in blustery and very wet condtions, was a success in as much as two moths were roosting inside. Firstly, a March moth as shown above. Secondly, an equally common moth, a hebrew character. This was the first of the year for the garden and will now probably be found in the trap every night through until the end of May. Hopefully, with the weather coming from the south and west there may be an increase in night time temperatures and therefore a wider selection of spring time moths.

Hebrew character (Orthosia gothica)

Year lister and uncommon bird

This morning, a walk to the car gave views of a solitary lapwing heading south over the house. Only 3rd parish record for this uncommon Hadham bird. First sighting since 2009.

2 yellowhammers

Later, a walk to Much Hadham to pick up the car after some repairs. A barn owl was noted at 4pm, hunting over fields to the south of the parish whilst also of interest 2 of the regular mandarin flock flew over fields. First sighting of this bird in 2013. Due to perpetual rain, no photos taken. Also, a flock of 12+ yellowhammers was good to record. Let's hope some stay to breed as this area is well populated with these buntings all winter, but only a few stay to sing and build a territory.

North side of the parish

A walk from Hadham Hall to town and then a bus ride back. Glorious weather, clear blue sky, light smattering of snow and reasonable temperatures. A fox was seen running for cover over fields whilst at the lagoon the resident barn owl was present along with 6 tufted duck (4 drakes) and 2 little grebes. A great spotted woodpecker was drumming as a song thrush flew through Newspring Wood. Skylarks were in both good number and good voice and a reed bunting (male) was seen briefly on the footpath to Hadham Lodge. Yellowhammers, robins, blackbirds and wrens were singing, so all in all, a wonderful walk.

Little Hadham Wander 13.03.13

A wander back along footpaths from the town to home this morning. Great light, slight breeze and freezing temperatures. Not too much on show, with a kestrel seen hunting over Brick Kiln Hill, a green woodpecker in Millfield Lane and usual tits, finches, corvids and dunnocks. A check on the River Ash in the village gave views of the pair of mallards that seem to have taken up residence but no sign of the recent grey wagtail. A bullfinch was heard near Plantings Wood whilst skylarks called from the sky and robins from the hedgerow. Although not many birds, a most pleasant wander.

male kestrel

Dunnock at The Ford

Mallards on the River Ash

Village pub, the Nags Head!

Footpath security

Round up from last weekend

Last Friday I set off from home at 4.50a.m. for a day's birding in Kent, before arriving in Sidcup to give an illustrated talk on The Camargue to the local RSPB group.
However, as I crossed the Dartford Bridge it was clear that the weather was going to be most unfavourable. I arrived at Stodmarsh Reserve, some 5 miles outside Canterbury at first light to be greeted with cold winds and thick fog. A short walk allowed me to hear reed bunting, water rail, lapwing, cetti's warbler and bullfinch whilst a hazy view of common birds such as chaffinch, great tit and wood pigeon. I packed up and went for breakfast. The weather did change........ for the worse. It began raining so off to Oare Marshes in the fog. Here redshanks called on the estuary and greylags, coot, canada geese, pochards etc could be seen on the reserve. I then headed off to Cliffe RSPB reserve but by now the rain was heavy and I was getting wet, so off to find the venue, have some tea and give the talk.

Stodmarsh Reserve. Great birding!!

 

 

Saturday found me checking Amwell Reserve in the late afternoon. Usual suspects, cormorants, grey heron, lesser black backed gulls, tufted , wigeon etc. This LBBG showed a ring but the fading light meant I was unable to read it accurately. In all, not the best 2 birding sessions this year.

Ringed lesser black backed gull

A few more moths

satellite moth. Note tiny white spots around the larger kidney spot. This resembles a satellite around a planet.

pale brindled beauty

A little more successful on the moth front last night. Surprisingly an, as yet unidentified plume moth, first satellite of the year along with several March moths and 2 pale brindled beauties. Still a disappointing return, but it does represent the best return for 2013!

Micro moth now identified as moth 1497: Amblyptilia acanthadactyla, beautiful plume. Only plume moth to be on the wing throughout the whole year, with over 300 records for Hertfordshire. Unfortunately, died whilst in pot and rolled up too tight for a worthwhile photo.

Moths, at last!

After a glorious day, where temperatures reached 15C, I was anticipating a good haul of moths. Several micros flew past the trap but weren't enticed to stop. One did and awaits identification. Apart from these, disappointingly, just 4 March moths were taken, one shown here. Hopefully, the warmer nights will continue and the expected early spring species will appear over the next few nights.

March moth
 

The micro moth is thought to be Acleris heracliana, a common moth that flies throughout winter. However, this is a rather worn example and consequently, difficult to identify but the white spots on the forewing do point to it being this particular species.

 

Acleris heracliana

 

 

 





2nd Norfolk Day

My 2nd non birding day of the weekend break found me squeezing in a few early hours at Cley. A glorious barn owl greeted my arrival at the reserve, posing well, if a little distant before carrying on hunting. This was just before 8a.m.

Cley barn owl

barn owl

 

At the beach car park the purple sandpiper, present now for a fortnight, was still in situ at the large puddle on the Eye Field.

distant purple sandpiper

 

Other noteworthy birds from the morning were a splendid sparrow hawk from Daukes Hide, a marsh harrier, plenty of waders and gulls with 50+ avocets. A water rail scurried from a reedbed to another, too fast for the camera. A flight sequence of the sparrow hawk below, plus a wandering drake teal.

sparrow hawk

coming in to land

landing

teal

 

After this, we packed the car and popped to Salthouse beach car park so Wendy could see the confiding turnstones. Mingling with them were snow buntings. I was about to text fellow birders, Therese and Stuart that the buntings were on show when I realised that they were standing 3 yards away. They went off to successfully find the purple sandpiper, a lifer for them. Good stuff.

On the way home I added woodcock to the list, totalling 83 species for the whole 2 days non birding. This "non birding" phrase is a little misleading but basically it refers to the fact that I spend only a few hours maximum, birding and the rest of the time I am out enjoying a walk, meal, pint etc with Wendy. However, when out for a walk, I take binoculars and camera, but leave the scope, tripod etc at home. All photos are walk by shootings, with the only stop to get a photo was for the previous day's goldcrest.

snow bunting

turnstone at Salthouse beach car park

turnstones and snow bunting

Non Birding walk

A weekend in Norfolk, arriving last night. This morning a quick check on Cley beach where a long tailed duck was still on the River Glaven. Arnold's Marsh gave views of a year lister, a greenshank whilst a high hen harrier was watched drifting west. A coffee at NWT HQ and then a drive to Burnham Overy Staithe where we set off for a wander along the coastal footpath to Wells via the Holkham tearooms.

bar tailed godwit at Wells harbour

Burnham Overy Staithe beach view.

Wells harbour, brent geese

curlew, Wells harbour

 Brent geese, godwits, curlew and redshank were noted in the salt marsh whilst common gulls populated the beach towards Holkham Gap and Paradise beach. A wander up to the Victoria for a pint was worthless as the hotel is closed until May, so a coffee had to suffice. Back on the track a goldcrest, year lister #132 was photographed before we arrived at Wells harbour.

highly mobile goldcrest. Over 20 photos, all but these 2 missed the bird!

goldcrest

little egret

redshank in its element

skylark on path from Burnham Overy Staithe

 Loads of ringed plover, ruff, 4 bar tailed godwits, grey plovers etc were noted before #133 was seen: a black redstart near the Harbour Master's office. Several pints of Nelson's Revenge at The Edinburgh before a bus back to the car and a drive back to The Old Bakery, Salthouse. Our superb hideaway for the weekend. Tonight, a meal at Crofters in Sheringham, an Austrian based restaurant.
A quick count up gives 71 species for the day. Not too bad for a non birding day.
Finally, for comparison. Firstly a high silhouette of the hen harrier seen high over Cley, and secondly, a photo, also taken at Cley of a marsh harrier. Note the "fingers" or primary feathers at the wing tip. Hen harrier frequently shows 4 whilst the marsh shows 5. Good id guide for silhouetted harriers.

hen harrier

hen harrier

 

marsh harrier

Amwell and Bramfield

A morning visit to Amwell gave the usual suspects, plus a pair of pintails that are not a regular sight here. Plenty of lapwing, gadwall, shoveler, several teal and plenty of grey herons and little egrets. Having spent a while here, I thought it would be good to pop up to Bramfield village, where several hawfinches have overwintered in and around the churchyard.
I arrived to find several birders on site, nothing in the churchyard, but wandering along the lane past the post box I got good but distant views of at least 3 in conifers that were in the backgarden of the Old Rectory. Too far away for any worthwhile shot, but good to see both male and female birds. A lone nuthatch was the only photo of the morning.
The hawfinch takes my year list to 130sp.