Brief Hadham Hall wander

A quick trip to check the lagoon on a very cold day: gas gun still operating in an adjacent field, so nothing but the resident barn owl and a couple of skylarks overhead. Around Hadham Hall, goldcrests in the conifers, blue and great tits, chaffinches and bullfinches plus plenty of blackbirds and a few fieldfares. One lone buzzard over also.

barn owl at its regular tree

female bullfinch

festive robin

2 good bird walks today

I had to drop the car off at a garage near Stortford early this morning, (heater fan motor had packed up) Once left, I walked along for a coffee at Tescos before getting the bus home and then a walk over the golf course and along the Ash Valley. Highlight was a pair of ravens overhead. My 2nd view in 7 days and 3rd record, the first being near to where I saw them today back in April. Wonder if it the pair that bred near Stansted Airport and are now on wintering quarters. As very early breeders, need to keep a check on this pair. A breeding pair within Hertfordshire would indeed be a good record. Otherwise: winter thrushes a plenty but not a lot else apart from usual suspects.

Green woodpecker, early light.

raven

perfect diagnostic silhouette for raven. Check out wedge tail!

fieldfare

redwing (foreground) and fieldfare.

Having picked up the repaired vehicle and parted with a considerable sum, I headed off to Spellbrook to have the car washed whilst I went in search of barn owls at Thorley Wash Herts and Middlesex Reserve. None apparent between 3 -4 pm but an amazing 500+ black headed gulls overhead en route to roost; maybe Amwell? along with a few lesser black backed and 2 common gulls. 8 little grebe were on the River Stort Navigation, GSW and green woodpecker, wrens, tits, finches and a kestrel flying though a cracking sunset.

One of the 500 gulls heading south

sunset kestrel

More black headed gull flyovers.

Frosty wander gives up new parish bird

A wander around the west of the parish, the first for quite a while, proved most profitable. Upon leaving the house, a red kite flew low over Chapel Lane, before I had my camera ready! As I headed up the lane, fieldfare, redwing, blackbirds and corvids were evident along with the resident house sparrows at the local farm.
Down a muddy footpath great, long tailed and blue tits, a kestrel and great spotted woodpecker. Plenty of bullfinches called from the undergrowth, but none for a photo. A little further on I heard the unmistakable sound of ring necked parakeets. 2 birds, pointed wings, long  thin tails flew over the canopy, too fast for a photo. A search ensued but no further sign. Bird species number 106 for the parish and a bird I had eventually expected to come across. My 3rd new bird of the year, so most pleasing, following on from an April raven and August whinchats.
A woodcock flew from closeby, winging its way through the dense trees, a year lister, number 218. Around Westland Green and on to the golf course. More long tailed tits and then a solitary meadow pipit on the course. Along New Road (built in the 1800's!) were plenty of fieldfares, redwing, dunnocks, a party of linnets and a flyover goldfinch. Also, more bullfinches, an all female winter party of 4 birds. This was the 4th group I had encountered, totaling 17 birds in all; good local numbers. I shall now visit this area more frequently over the winter to keep an eye and ear open for the parakeets.

long tailed tit

meadow pipit

2 female bullfinches

fieldfare

Gloriously bright day in Norfolk

A plan was hatched on Friday night in the Prince of Wales that Gary would pick me up in Little Hadham at 6.30 for a Norfolk day. Gary was heading up to his new house near Holkham to drop off tiles for the builder so, for the first time in 38 years or so, I was a passenger for the trip to North Norfolk.
At his house the tiles were dropped off. We had been discussing potential garden list and I pointed out that red kite roosted at nearby New Holkham. As we pulled on to the drive a superb red kite flew over, low and giving great views. A pied wagtail on the wires, too.
We headed for nearby Lady Anne's Drive and a walk to Holkham Gap. Plenty of geese and wigeon in the fields whilst long tailed, coal, blue and great tits in the conifers associating with mobile goldcrests. 4 red legged partridge on the beach and plenty of redshank. Viewing the sea we saw only a raft of scoter, containing at least 2 velvets and a flyby red throated diver west. Back on the beach, skylarks and a party of linnets contained some twite. Gary got better views that previously when we saw them at Thornham. Back to the car, the sky was cloudless, light was excellent and the breeze freezing.

Holkham pink foots

wigeon

Just a few of the 100's of wigeon present

Distant Holkham Freshmarsh marsh harrier.

Then, off to Titchwell where we were aware of good reports of sea watching. A coffee and beef roll and we were on the trail. Waders were in good numbers around the parrinder hide and my first (only) year lister of the day, a water pipit on one of the few pieces of land still dry. The water levels were indeed high. On to the beach, the tide was out exposing the rocks and petrified tree roots beyond the pill box remains. Waders everywhere: black tailed godwit, sanderling, turnstone, redshank, curlew, knot, dunlin whilst out to sea, a single black throated diver, showing heavy bill and the diagnostic white patch at water level.

Redshank from the beach footpath

Black headed gull and oystercatcher, Titchwell beach

Gary checking the sea and feeling the cold having 36 hours previously, been in  Hong Kong

redshank and oystercatcher

turnstone

turnstone and dunlin

knot

dunlin with lunch, a razor clam

black tailed godwit

black headed gull and reflection.

Back on the reserve we tried for water pipit photos, but too far away. An avocet remained on the freshmarsh as the pipit called and flew in front of the Parrinder Hide. Hundreds of teal, lapwing, golden plover, brent geese plus shoveler, a drake pintail and more  wigeon.
We then thought a quick end of day trip to Holme where we might get lucky with an owl or two. More tits and crests in the conifers and a day tick little grebe, but no owls hunting whilst we were there over Thornham looking east towards Titchwell.
A super day, thanks for driving, Gary.
Gary's reports from his trip to Hong Kong and Thailand can be viewed here Well worth a visit, excellent photos and report from Mai Po Reserve, Hong Kong.

Distant water pipit

Species list:
red throated diver, black throated diver, little grebe, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, mute swan, pink footed goose, greylag goose, canada goose,(10 sp) brent goose, shelduck, mallard, gadwall, pintail, shoveler, wigeon, teal, pochard, tufted duck (20 sp) common scoter, velvet scoter, red kite, marsh harrier, common buzzard, kestrel, red legged partridge, pheasant, moorhen, coot (30 sp) , oystercatcher, avocet, golden plover, lapwing, knot, sanderling, turnstone, dunlin, redshank, black tailed godwit,(40 sp) bar tailed godwit, curlew, ruff, black headed gull, common gull, herring gull, lesser black backed gull, great black backed gull, wood pigeon, collared dove, (50 sp)kingfisher (heard) skylark, water pipit, meadow pipit, pied wagtail, wren, dunnock, robin, stonechat, song thrush (60 sp) fieldfare, blackbird, great tit, coal tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, magpie, jackdaw, rook, carrion crow, (70 sp)starling, house sparrow, chaffinch, linnet, twite, goldfinch, greenfinch,bullfinch, reed bunting. Total 79 species: 1 year lister takes me to 217 for a none twitching 2014 list. Should pass 220 with trips to Kent on Friday and then Suffolk (perhaps) on Saturday.

Amwell visit

 An early morning wander to check on the recent gull influx at Millfield Lane, Bury Green where recently up to 100 mixed gulls have been congregating on the polo fields. Today, I took my scope after news of med, caspian and yellow legged gulls at Amwell but after a quick walk to the site: nothing, just 5 fly over lesser black backed, so off to Amwell.
En route I stopped in Cappell Street to see if the little owl was showing. Indeed it was, so a few snaps in, yet again, poor light. A most confiding owl which, as the photos show, kept its eye on me wherever I went. I tried to read the ring on its left leg, but this was not possible whilst I was there.

Following a very late breakfast at The Village Cafe, always excellent and served by the wonderous Tracii, I headed off to Amwell. Cold and grey and nothing from the viewing point to warm me up. Off to the James Hide where a solitary marsh tit put in a very brief appearance and a reed bunting was keeping busy in amongst the trees. A kingfisher shot over but very little else. As I headed back to the viewing point a couple of siskins called from the alders. On the drive home, I chanced upon a low red kite just before Wareside, but by the time I had found somewhere to park and then walked back it was too far over the fields for a worthwhile shot. However, pleased with the little owl photos, so a worthwhile trip. Hopefully, we shall have a sunnier day soon when the camera can operate at better speeds for a hand held set up.

great crested grebe with gadwall from the viewing point

reed bunting

Micro Moth review

This year I have fully recorded all micro moths to the Skinner 125W garden trap, totalling in all 123 species, along with several more from outings to local woods.
Several species were good records for Hertfordshire and one a good record for the UK, so all in all, a pleasing year. I also have photographic records of micros for June 2011 - Nov 2012 and shall go through these to add to the list on the right hand side of this page.
The first and last micro of the year was the common plume, Emmelina monodactyla with Diurnea fagella being taken in March, along with Ypsolopha mucronella. A 20 plume moth was also taken on the last day of March

Ypsolopha mucronella

Into April and still very quiet for micros, Agonopterix alstromeriana, Agonopterix arenella, Syndemis musculana and Notocelia cynosbatella were the only representatives for the whole month.

Syndemis musculana

May started equally quietly, with plenty of nettle tap moths, bee moths, before a Phtheochroa rugsana was taken on the 19th. There then followed a flurry around the 20th with 4 species taken in one night, including Eulia ministrana. By the end of May, my micro total was up to a paltry 22 species, with nothing out of the ordinary

Phtheochroa rugosana

By the end of June this total had jumped to 47 species, with more unusual moths being: Lozotaenia forsterana, Parapoynx stratiotata, Ephestia unicolorella ssp woodiella, Hedya ochroleucana and plenty of the splendid Pseudargyrotoza conwagana.

Pseudargyrotoza conwagana

Into July, taking the running total to 104, with plenty of good moths:
Batia lunaris: 03.07.14

Carcina quercana 04.07.14

Argyresthia goedartella 05.07.14

Catoptria falsella 06.07.14

Oncocera semirubella: 21.07.14 a new moth for the garden and one that was reported in the 2006 Herts records as Herts extinct. A good moth indeed.

Lozotaeniodes formosanus 21.07.14 and another new moth for me.

Pandemis corylana 29.07.14 was the 100th micro of the year.

August began quietly with Yponomeuta plumbella being taken on the 6th, and then the excitement really kicked in with a moth I had not seen before and was confident it was not in any field guides I had. Eventually identified at 1.30 in the morning with Graeme Smith's help as a Diaphania perspectalis, the box moth an invasive pest originally from Japan. Nevertheless, a great moth to get in the trap. An Acleris rhombana on the 18th and by the 25.08.14 I had taken my 3000th moth for the year, a lesser yellow underwing. How unexciting!

Diaphania persectalis

Agriphila geniculea, common moth for August.

This was the period of the grass moths, Agriphila tristella, Catoptria falsella, Crambus pascuella and, whilst trapping in nearby Millennium Wood, 5 Agriphila selasella. these were shown to the county recorder for correct identification as a very good moth for the county. All 5 were identified as selasella

Agriphila selasella

Agriphila straminella

Identifcation of Ag selasella

Same scheme for Ag tristella
Both identification guides compiled by Graeme J Smith of Bishop's Stortford. Many thanks.

Agriphila tristella

Into September and Bryotropha affinis and Cacoecimorpha pronubana were the 115th and 116th micros on the 6th with Hypsopygia glaucinalis on the 17th.  Acleris sparsana on the 23rd and the month concluding with Clepsis consimilana on the 30th, this being the 120th for the year.

Clepsis consimilana

However, the probable real highlight of the year arrived on the 15th October and one of the last micros of the year, a Diasemiopsis ramburialis. A seriously rare inland migrant from North Africa, perhaps, certainly southern Europe.

Diasemiopsis ramburialis

Distribution map of D. ramburialis. Note Herts dot is only previous record: 1963 and very few inland records.

The final micro record of the year, the 123rd was another visitor from foreign shores, but a much more expected species, Udea ferrugalis, the rusty dot pearl. This was taken on the 26th October.

So, a fascinating year recording and, once I have trawled through previous records, I shall have a definitive number of species taken at the garden trap. Roll on July 2015! As Graeme pointed out: probably not too many micro moth-ers have taken both D. perspectalis and D. ramburialis in the same year, very lucky indeed.
Edit: spent the whole day going through over 340 archive photos dating back to 2011 of micro moths. Have added a fair few to my records of ones that I can definitely now identify due to more knowledge and better selection of texts. These have now been added to the records on the right. Just 17 left to identify.