Sunday, April 06, 2014

I can see clearly now....


After a week of darkness and poor visibility when everything looked like Beijing, the weather finally changed on Friday night. So, full of optimism, I was off out at 6.30 this morning to check for migrants at Low Newton. A lovely morning was had, but migrants were, as I expected, thin on the ground.


From the hide, the early sunrise was giving a nice glow to the wildfowl. Out on the scrapes, things haven't changed much with good numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Mallard and Shelduck all present along with Redshank, Oystercatcher and 9 Bar tailed Godwit. Only 2 female Goldeneye were left from the five or six present a few weeks ago.

As I left the hide, the sad tones of a Willow Warbler came from the scrub just to the south. Only one, the first of his kind through here this year flitted about singing from tree tops, sometimes being chased off by the now settled Chiffchaffs. A Fieldfare flew west high overhead, calling.


Next stop was along to Newton Point and Football Hole. A single Wheatear flitted about even more flighty than last week's bird, though this time it was a female.



 At home, the moth trap had done well last night ( see here) but I thought I would get a photo of this Ophion obscuratus ( I think). We catch several species of Ichneumon flies in the trap but I dont usually look at them closely. Check this out, it literally has eyes in the top of its head! They look a bit like chopper motorbikes to me...



4 comments:

Alan Tilmouth said...

full of 'optimism' - is that new from Cadburys?

Anonymous said...

Great composition with the Shelduck, Stewart.

Stewart said...

Alan - Like it :)
Dean - Its the artistic eye ;)

JWR said...

isn't it just fabulous, all of it.. nice one Stewart..