Our Colourful Osprey

This is going to be a pretty busy post! I've dusted the moth trap off and have news of a bird that nearly sneaked through unseen, as well as what I've mentioned in the post title...

I have done very little birding over the last two days. Yesterday morning, just from the garden it was clear there was some pretty impressive 'vis mig' underway. Meadow Pipits were streaming through, and in half hour I also logged singles of Tree Pipit, Grey Wagtail and two Siskins.

This morning, the Osprey entertained me for half an hour whilst I was parked up alongside the Estuary. It was nice to finally see it settled...

What a top bird!

After this morning's views, I can reveal some surprising news regarding our Osprey - and I cannot believe I haven't noticed this before today. It is colour-ringed! And looking back through all of everyones photos - it (well obviously) always has been! I took these flight shots today...


And let's have a closer look....

Colour-rings!

In the field, the only one you can really see when it's flying is dark blue, but from photos it is clear there are four rings. I have sent the details off and will update as soon as I hear back.

Now time to feature something on this blog that (some say) haven't featured enough lately...

I've had one of my moth traps out over the last two nights. On Tuesday night I caught 43 moths of 11 species, and last night trapped 24 moths of 12 species. One of last nights moth was a new species for the garden..

A rather moth-eaten (no pun intended...or maybe it was!) Copper Underwing

The fulls lists are as follows, Tuesday night:

23 Setaceous Hebrew Character
6 Square-spot Rustic
3 Lesser Yellow Underwing
3 L-album Wainscot
2 Snout
1 Garden Carpet
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 Large Yellow Underwing
1 Large Ranunculus
1 Common Wainscot
1 Silver Y

There were also two Western Conifer Seed Bugs in the trap, vermin...

You can read more about these non-native beasties HERE

Wednesday night:

7 Setaceous Hebrew Character
5 Large Yellow Underwing
2 Lesser Yellow Underwing
2 Square-spot Rustic
2 Vine's Rustic
1 Light Emerald
1 Dusky Thorn
1 Copper Underwing
1 Large Ranunculus
1 Angle Shades
1 Black Rustic
1 Snout

Lastly, Tim White has become a regular fixture besides the Estuary over the last few days - and he has taken some excellent snaps of the (quite blatantly colour-ringed!) Osprey. There is a link to his blog 'Colyton Wildlife' on my blog list to the right.

Anyway a couple of days ago he snapped another ratpor that flew high over the Estuary... http://timwhitewildlife.blogspot.com/2010/09/surprise-when-looking-through-todays.html