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Showing posts with label common swift. Show all posts
Showing posts with label common swift. Show all posts

Monday, 30 April 2012

Flood!!

Well it was a rough one this morning! This was the view from the Beer shelter when I got there at 06:30...

Windy, wet and lots of white-topped waves!

Phil, Bun and Karen were already here, although all wished they hadn't bother because it was was quiet on the bird front. I had another look a little later from Seaton sea front, it was better with a Bonxie and a commic Tern, along with a strong passage of Manxies (70 in ten mins). The sea still looked as impressive...

I thought the remaining beach huts were going to get another bashing - but they got away with it today!

Up the valley, lots of flood water about. I love our valley when it is like this - the habbo looks superb for so many species. In this view you normally wouldn't be able to see ANY water...

Flood!

There were large numbers of hirundines and Swifts over the valley today, but for me the flood opposite Axmouth FC was the best spot. The Egyptian Goose James found yesterday was still present...

Our first one for several years - for a few years it was a guaranteed year tick on the Axe!

And this afternoon, a lovely flock of Whimbrel, Blackwits and Barwits were here. There were five of the latter, with two in stunning summer plumage...

In the top photo there's three species but five different plumages!!

The flood came over the A3052 at Colyford today. Not surprising, and not the first time I've seen this. But I thought it deserved a photo...

It was always passable though

Before I post this, I must just mention another new local patch blog! And I am already very impressed with the photography on show on it! Sue Smith has started a blog, and you just HAVE to check out her stunning Whinchat photos from today... http://bicyclebirderontheaxe.blogspot.co.uk/

Monday, 2 May 2011

Three Moth Nights

Well it's high time I got this blog back on track really isn't it!? So I shall tidy up all my mothing news since my return from Scotland (which seems like ages ago!)

There has been three Fridays since Scotland, so that's three nights of mothing for me.

During the night of the 15th I caught 40 moths of 14 species, and they were:

1 Scorched Carpet
1 Water Carpet
3 Double-striped Pug
2 Brimstone
2 Early Thorn
6 Brindled Beauty
1 Muslin Moth
1 Small Quaker
11 Common Quaker
3 Clouded Drab
1 Twin-spotted Quaker
7 Hebrew Character
1 Mullein Moth
2 Early Grey

Mullein Moth

Water Carpet

The variation in Brindled Beauties!

On the 22nd I caught 32 moths of 15 species...

1 Garden Carpet
1 Small Phoenix
1 Small Rivulet
1 V-Pug
2 Double-striped Pug
1 Waved Umber
4 Brimstone
1 Lunar Marbled Brown
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 Flame Shoulder
8 Common Quaker
1 Clouded Drab
6 Hebrew Character
1 Early Grey
2 Nut-tree Tussock

And finally on the 29th I trapped 17 moths of 13 species...

1 Common Swift
1 Red Twin-spot Carpet
1 Garden Carpet
2 Common Carpet
1 Waved Umber
2 Brimstone
1 Poplar Hawkmoth
1 Pale Tussock
1 Heart and Dart
1 Shuttle-shaped Dart
1 Common Quaker
2 Hebrew Character
2 Nut-tree Tussock

Poplar Hawkmoth

Common Swift

To round off all my insect news, I've had several looks around Lower Bruckland Ponds during the past few weeks hoping for a Vagrant Emperor or two - I've found Lesser Emp here so would love to complete the set! So far I have had no luck (and was VERY gripped tonight when I looked HERE), although there are good numbers of Odonata on the wing.

The highlight of my visits here was actually a butterfly - this Dingy Skipper...

A site first for me

I really hope I get to see a nice spring Pom this year... I suppose it would help if I actually looked at the sea though...