Garden Moths

Warm, dry and sunny, light airs - Another cracking day of weather as summer appears to have returned. The garden moth trap was superb last night with five new for the year and over 200 moths logged of 33 species including Plumed Fan-foot, Jersey Tiger, Tree-lichen Beauty, Light Emerald and Gypsy Moth the highlights. Walking the local farmland with Ted these past two mornings has seen a noticeable drop off in passage Willow Warbler numbers, but the reed-fringed sewers continue to hold a good few Reed Warblers. The Reed Buntings seem to have moved on, while the horse paddocks have attracted small groups of Yellow Wagtails amongst the regular Pied Wagtails, plus flocks of Linnets, Goldfinches and House Sparrows with a few Yellowhammers and Greenfinches along Hope Lane.

                                  Light Emerald

                                 White-point

                                  Gypsy Moth

                                 Jersey Tiger

                                  Elephant Hawk-moth

                                 

                                  Common Buzzard

                                  Reed Warbler

I had a couple of hours on the bird reserve around midday today where a flock of 13 Black-tailed Godwits showed well in front of Firth washout. Singles of Garganey and Wigeon were on the water with the usual dabblers and a Greenshank flew over calling. Several Yellow Wagtails were beside Cook`s Pool while the asbestos workshop roof attracted a steady flow of sunbathing Swallows and Sand Martins.

                                 Black-tailed Godwits

                                 Hirundines on the workshop roof

ARC was superb with a wide array of waders and herons on view from Hanson hide. Amongst the numerous Lapwings were six each of Dunlin and Golden Plover, ten Ringed and five Little Ringed Plovers, two Common and a Wood Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit. Five Cattle Egrets were joined by singles of Great White and Little Egrets, a Glossy Ibis and to complete the suite, two Grey Herons. Also present four Mediterranean Gulls, Marsh Harrier over and several Willow Warblers in the bushes.

                                 Cattle Egrets

                                 Common and Mediterranean Gulls