On Saturday morning a flock of 10 Fulmars headed off inland over the Village Wood to prospect around the local quarries. It always looks strange, such a pelagic bird flying over land.
I popped over the Longhoughton Spar to see if anything had been attracted and was pleased to find 1 Pale brindled Beauty, 1 Chestnut and, a new one for me, an Early Moth, below.
On the garden feeders today 2 male and 1 female Siskin were new arrivals with the usual 8 Goldfinch, 6+ Tree Sparrows, 30+ Chaffinches and 30+ House Sparrows. 2 male Great spotted Woodpeckers were fighting in a dead tree next to the garden.
Above - The niger feeder is busy...
A walk along the road with Bunty was quiet for birds but a Red Squirrel ran over the road and 4 Roe Deer were in the wood.
After this mornings moth success, I stuck the trap on from 6pm until 11.30pm. Only 1 Pale brindled Beauty for my trouble. It seems that the Spar is better than the trap!
Sunday.
Off to do two atlas tetrads but first I called in to the Spar. The same Pale brindled Beauty was present, Chestnut moths have gone up to 3 and another new one for me, a Dotted Border below.
The atlas tetrads were at Boulmer, Seaton Point and Field House Farm. Highlights were - waders, loads, 144 Curlew, 47 Redshank, 82 Oystercatcher, 44 Turnstone, 51 Grey Plover, 5 Purple Sandpiper, 83 Dunlin, 82 Sanderling, 9 Bar tailed Godwit, 5 Knot and 5 Ringed Plover.
22 Grey Partridges, 10 Stock Doves and 17 Tree Sparrows were good on the farmland too.
This Grey Seal youngster was in bad shape. At first I thought it was just sleeping but as I went closer I could hear it struggling to breathe. Many pups die in their first year. Poor things...
6 comments:
Get it above the tideline that's Ivory Gull bait! By the way are the Woodpackers visiting on a lunchbreak ;)
Siskin and Tree Sparrow on the same feeder, now that would be a dream for me!
Some nice Moths there, indeed Early Moth was new for me this year, after 3 years of Moth-trapping.
I'm pretty fond of those Dotted Border's, such a silky clean cut Moth.
All the best
Ben
The Spar shop does it again Stewart. 2 new species from it in two days. I`m sure the trap will come good, once the weather picks up.
Alan - Oh thats mercenary...
Warren - Yes they look good together. A bit of an unusual combo I think?
Ben - A bit poor compared to the hundreds you had the other night! Its still enough to keep me going...
Dean - You can take full credit for me checking the Spar. I would never have thought of it until your Matalan exploits surfaced. Cheers!
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