Round Up

A few moths were new to the garden list one for this year, one micro new for me.. Firstly a lime specked pug and also a micro, Ypsolopha dentella



lime specked pug

Ypsolopha dentella

A walk round the north west of the parish yesterday gave some good views of the village set in the River Ash Valley, but a real paucity of birds. A common buzzard circled overhead, a few carrion crows, wood pigeons and a single green woodpecker were noted as well as a solitary yellowhammer. A common darter dragonfly was found near New Road. finally, a splendid full moon rose at the bottom of the garden.

The Ford from New Road

Looking north east

Ford Hill

common darter



Another North Norfolk Day

Another free day to get up to Norfolk, this time accompanied by Gary whom I picked up in Stortford at 5.30a.m. We arrived at Kelling water meadows before 7.30 and immediately had good birds at this splendid little quiet place. Wood and common sandpipers, greenshank and spotted redshank were in amongst black tailed godwits, with a few bar tails, too. 4 curlews flew in and a family party of whitethroats entertained us as we wandered further down the overgrown path. A few birders were met as we headed back to the car. Next stop, Salthouse beach. Here, a brief sea watch gave nothing and a wander to the pools was also fairly uneventful. In the car park, 2 juvenile pied wags begged for food from a parent. Few linnets, meadow pipits and skylarks.
From here to the East Bank at Cley and Arnold's Marsh. It seemed that the birds had all moved on from Monday, with just redshanks, a greenshank and black tailed godwits in evidence. A sandwich tern called as we drove off for a much needed coffee at Reserve HQ. On to the beach car park and swarovski hide. A fair few wheatear in the Eye Field and more meadow pipits. Very few birds on the North Scrape, compared to Monday, but a green sandpiper was new for the day.

Kelling Water Meadows

common blue

whitethroat

migrant hawker

juvenile pied wagtail

From here, next stop Stiffkey Fen where 14 spoonbill were roosting. Great to see. Also common sandpiper in with ruff, godwits, teal etc. 20 redshanks flew in along with another spoonbill. A juvenile spoonbill was working very hard to be fed by a parent, so presumed local breeding has been successful, maybe on Holkham Freshmarsh. A wander back to the car and a drive to Titchwell. We stopped for a much needed pint in the wonderful Red Lion at Stiffkey before arriving at Titchwell.
Into the island hide where ringed plover, little ringed plover, godwits, ruff and 100+ golden plovers were seen. A Mediterranean gull flew over as we wandered to the Parrinder Hide. From here, a whimbrel and a part leucistic golden plover. More spoonbills. On to the beach where a quiet sea watch gave views of a fulmar west and an arctic skua harrying a tern sp some way out. Both good birds before a coffee at the cafe and a quick wait for a few everyday birds at the feeding station to go on the growing list.

black tailed godwit

ruff

little ringed plover

ringed plover

After this we thought a quick detour to Ouse Marshes for the blue winged teal. Eventually we arrived, having bounced the car down the road to The Ship Inn. As we walked to the Stockdale Hide I got a message saying bwt had been seen. However, all the birders leaving the hide had not had a sniff all the time they were present and we couldn't find it. However, 3 crane and 20+ garganey, along with gadwall, wigeon, teal and ruff were great to see. A marsh harrier put the whole lot of birds up. We headed off home, arriving back at gone 8pm. Another great day out and in all 78 species of bird, with arctic skua going on to the year list, taking the total to 184 species for 2013. Good to have Gary along, who enjoyed a fair few year listers and supplied rolls and excellent mini pork pies. Now to plan our next trip.

crane fly past



marsh harrier

3 adult common crane. Great views.

Species list:
little grebe, fulmar, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, spoonbill, mute swan, greylag goose, canada goose, shelduck, (10 sp) mallard, gadwall, wigeon, teal, garganey, red crested pochard, marsh harrier, kestrel, moorhen, coot (20 sp) crane, oystercatcher, avocet, little ringed plover, ringed plover, golden plover, lapwing, knot, turnstone, dunlin (30 sp) wood sandpiper, green sandpiper, common sandpiper, redshank, spotted redshank, greenshank, black tailed godwit, bar tailed godwit, curlew, whimbrel, (40 sp) ruff, arctic skua, black headed gull, common gull, mediterranean gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, great black backed gull, sandwich tern, common tern (50 sp)stock dove, wood pigeon, collard dove, skylark, sand martin, swallow, house martin, meadow pipit, pied wagtail, wren (60 sp) dunnock, wheatear, blackbird, whitethroat, chiffchaff, great tit, blue tit, magpie, jackdaw, rook, (70 sp) carrion crow, starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, linnet, goldfinch, greenfinch, reed bunting. 78 species in total.

Few new moths for the year

A great tit managed to get into the trap this morning and munch a fair few of the inhabitants. It was breakfasting upon a copper underwing as I arrived at the trap, having enjoyed a brimstone and several silver y moths!

Invader: photo taken through the perspex of the trap.

However, a rosy rustic and square spot rustic were both new for the year. The number of silver y increased, well into double figures, as did the total of mother of pearl. A good micro: a Ysolopha dentella was also recorded along with small waved umber, a couple of yellowshells and riband waves. Need to get to the trap earlier to stop the invader scoring an easy breakfast.

small waved umber

rosy rustic

square spot rustic

Updated year list: 183 species

Previous birds for this year. Ones in red are birds that didn't make the 2012 list.
Ones in red were not recorded in 2012.
great crested grebe, cormorant, grey heron, mute swan, greylag goose, canada goose, mallard, gadwall, shoveler, teal (10sp) wigeon, pochard, tufted duck, scaup, goldeneye, smew, red kite, common buzzard, kestrel, moorhen (20 sp) coot, lapwing, black headed gull, common gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, greater black backed gull, collared dove, wood pigeon, dunnock (30sp) robin, blackbird, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, jay, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow (40 sp) house sparrow, starling, chaffinch, goldfinch, siskin, reed bunting, waxwing, fieldfare, redwing, pied wagtail (50 sp) egyptian goose, great spotted woodpecker, treecreeper, mistle thrush, wren, bullfinch, red legged partridge, yellowhammer, stock dove, pheasant (60sp) green woodpecker, nuthatch, marsh tit, song thrush, tawny owl, little grebe, barn owl, little owl, woodcock, sparrowhawk (70 sp) coal tit, little egret, red throated diver, guillemot, razorbill, common scoter, gannet, kittiwake, brent goose, turnstone (80 sp) great northern diver, tree sparrow, oystercatcher, shelduck, pintail, cetti's warbler, stonechat, marsh harrier, snipe, great white egret (90 sp) water rail, dunlin, golden plover, snow bunting, dartford warbler, linnet, greenfinch, redshank, ring necked parakeet, ringed plover (100 sp) pink footed goose, chiffchaff, lesser redpoll, meadow pipit, grey partridge, great grey shrike, merlin, caspian gull, green sandpiper, skylark (110 sp) grey wagtail, brambling, little stint, fulmar, curlew, spotted redshank, black tailed godwit, bar tailed godwit, knot, whooper swan, (120 sp) sanderling, grey plover, avocet, ruff, corn bunting, long tailed duck, purple sandpiper, shore lark, hen harrier, hawfinch, (130 sp)Jack snipe, .
Added since April
black redstart, greenshank, goldcrest, mandarin, kingfisher, swallow, yellow legged gull, water pipit, house martin, (140 sp) sand martin, cuckoo, blackcap, goosander, grasshopper warbler , little ringed plover, sandwich tern, arctic tern, rock pipit, white wagtail, (150 sp) yellow wagtail, wheatear, whinchat, sedge warbler, reed warbler, willow warbler,  lesser whitethroat, corn bunting, swift, common tern, (160 sp)garden warbler, turtle dove, hobby, bittern, golden oriole, savi's warbler, stone curlew, spotted flycatcher, little gull, little tern, (170 sp) bearded reedling, spoonbill, garganey, red crested pochard, common crane, curlew sandpiper,  wood sandpiper, grasshopper warbler, mediterranean gull, (180 sp)common sandpiper, whimbrel, red necked phalarope.

With a 3 day stay at Portland Bird Obs in early September, plus a two day stay at Sandwich Bay bird obs in October as well as day trips to Kent and Norfolk, should break 200 this year.

Norfolk: Bad, better and best

Yesterday, a whole day in North Norfolk. Unusual for me to do a twitch but I thought I would begin with the roller at Horsey. En route, marsh harrier and common crane had been seen over the road, along with usual road side birds. A 5a.m. start saw me at Horsey before 7 and a walk down to the area where it has been seen daily for a few weeks. I met up with another chap and we searched all the way to the beach and then along the track to the trees where it was originally found. Here we met another chap who was sure it wasn't where we were heading, so back to scour the north side of the track. After an hour I had had enough. All I had seen were goldfinches, wren, yellowhammer, 3 kestrels, wood pigeons, carrion crows and a quick sea watch had given up little, sandwich and common terns and a solitary gannet heading north. I left, bumping into fellow birders as I headed back to the car.

Off to Salthouse for the temmincks stint and purple sandpiper that had been present over the weekend. Nothing!! Not a good start to the day, so off for a double espresso at Cley and, hopefully the red necked phalarope. In the car park, I bumped into the chap I met at Horsey and then 2 others. After I had left the roller turned up within 2 minutes. They shouted into the wind for me as they could still see me talking to a couple of birders. Oh well, can't win them all. He had great photos, too. Into Dawkes hide for green sandpiper, ringed plover et al before a drive around to the beach car park and the swarovski hide. A confiding meadow pipit showed well and a little egret lazed across the Eye Field. The hide was busy, all looking for the rnp. It turned up, at distance, puddling around and continually feeding. I wondered how many of these strikes actually provide food? A few photos here, through a 300mm lens and then cropped!!

green sandpiper



Spot the red necked phalarope. Answer at end of article.

rnp

Another distant red necked phalarope.

meadow pipit

meadow pipit

After this, I set off for Arnold's Marsh. Always a great place and I wasn't disappointed. Black and bar tailed godwits, terns, cormorants, a solitary very red, red knot, redshank and a single curlew sandpiper. Always like it here and stayed a while just enjoying the spectacle and chatting to a couple who have been to a few of my RSPB talks. Then, off to Stiffkey Fen, a gem of a place.

Here, more of the same waders, checking the juvenile ruffs to make sure they weren't buff breasted sandpipers. Another good selection of birds and med gull went on to the day list. From here I stopped off, in torrential rain, for a coffee at Holkham tea rooms before a late afternoon jaunt to Titchwell. The test match appeared to be going in the wrong direction, but my day was getting better, so I thought Titchwell would crown the day. I wasn't disappointed.

The light was superb with avocets, lapwings and moorhen right outside the island hide. On the scrape a garganey and off in a smaller water, red crested pochard. Plenty of godwits, ruff, dunlin and a wood sandpiper, another year lister. Snipe probed, moorhen messed about, avocets swept and black headed gulls called. Superb. By the time I had got back to the car, the Aussies had collapsed and I had  enjoyed 2 very peaceful hours alone on the reserve. Dark clouds and increasing breeze encouraged me back to the car park rather than the beach. I'll be back for this habitat in a couple of weeks. Returned home at 10.15pm, a long but wonderful day.

In all an 82 species day, with 9 year listers.
Finally: the juvenile red necked phalarope in the picture quiz is between the 2 mud piles to the left. Got it? Tiny, compared to the dunlin to the right of the photo, not to mention the 2 black tailed godwits in the foreground. Photo taken from over 100 yards away. The bird took some finding.

feeding avocet

black tailed godwit

distant knot in good plumage

lapwing

juvenile avocet

female mallard keeping an eye on her brood

pile of mallards

adolescent moorhen

moorhen and follower

ruff

Amazing light

snipe

Moth night

Last night took the sheet and light out to Millennium Wood, setting up at 9.00pm and lights on at 9.30. After a very slow start, an orange swift came in almost immediately, things continued to be slow. By 12.30a.m. I had had enough. 12 macro species in all was a very disappointing return. The cloud cover had gone and the temperature had dropped to 11C so I packed up and returned home. Only year lister was a scarce footman. Several micros have been potted and await identification, most were crambids, particularly Cr lathoniellus and Cr perlella as well as Acentria ephemerella (Water veneer)
Macro list, for what it's worth: orange swift, brimstone, willow beauty, riband wave, dingy footman, red twin spot carpet, lesser broad bordered yellow underwing, clouded border, scarce footman, magpie, silver y, dunbar.

Garden: painted lady

house: scorched carpet

orange swift

willow beauty

Agapeta hamana

riband wave

 

underwing of red twin spot carpet

red twin spot carpet

dingy footman

clouded border

lesser broad bordered yellow underwing

scarce footman

T.B.C.