Thursday

Redwings and the first movment of Woodpigeon and Starlings today.
35 Redwing south(20 + 15)
100 + Woodpigeon west/south /west
4 Stock dove west
50 Stalings in small groups heading directly west
1 Grey wagtail south
2 Pied Wags south

Last few Days

A female sparrowhawk was watched taking a starling off next doors roof today which sent the local corvid population crazy,they immediately went for the hawk but it just flew for the nearest cover.The last of the Swallows and House Martins this week and Redwings were seen in the local wood and herd in the night heading south.Still a few butterflies kicking around with Speckled wood and Comma this week.

Friday morning Vis

No movement at all first thing with no wind at all.Then at about 9.15 a small ammount of drizzle dropped in
7 House Martin s/w
23 Swallows s/w
1 Grey Wagtail s/e
20 Goldfinch over
1 Jay over
Excellent moths last night with Black Rustic,Lunar Underwing,Silver Y and Secaceaus Hebrew Character.

An hours vis before the rainnnnnn....

7 Meadow Pipits
12 Swallow
10 House martin
2 Skylark
5 wader sp (not id'd)
all vis this year is from back garden or cricket pitch 100yards away.

First Mipits today 8.9.08

The first mipits over the house today with 5 s/w
15 swallows s/w
2 pied Wags south
17 Canada Geese south
4 Snipe s/w
200 BH Gull south
10 LTTits in the Garden and a small inflix of 4/5 Goldcrests

Lunar Underwing and Red Green Carpet in the moth trap means autumn is here.

a few holiday snaps

barred hook tip

blood vein

Rosy footman

Let the vis begin

30 house martin s/w
20 swallow s/w
1 grey heron high south
1 sparoowhawk chasing hirundines

Cornwall 2008

Black arches,canary shouldered thorn,4 spotted footman

Meadow Grasshopper(a massive beast)

cornwall / hols

birds
Corys shearwater 1,sooty shearwater4, manx's 700 + ,balaric 3 ,Bonxie,artic skua,med gulls,Bar t godwit,Knot,whimbrel,
Butterflys
Silver washed fritillary,small pearl bordered Fritillary,Brimstone,
Moths,
Privet hawkmoth(larvae),Maidens blush,Bloodvein,White speck,Four Spotted footman,black arches(25),Small wainscot,Fox moth (larvae),Feathered Gothic,
Barred hook tip,Coxcombe prominent,drinker .

Can I ask you to take 1 minute out of your day to help in advocacy for
the restoration of quarries to wildlife areas. QPA (Quarry Products
Association - the umbrella trade organisation) are running an online
poll until Thursday on their website (web address below) asking what
people would like to see quarries restored to.

Seeing as though most of Englands wildlife seems ever increasingly
dependent on quarries and brick pits then maybe we are best placed to
vote !

Thanks


Vote here
http://www.qpa.org/voting.php

August 1st

The first of the autumn gatherings locally and the first migrant heading off
30 Lapwing
48 Black Headed Gull
10 Pied wags
20 Goldfinch
5 LBBGull
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Swifts
25 Swallows (on the wires)
1 Willow Warbler

July - Vis

1 Golden Plover n/w
2 Common Gull s/w
10 Lbb Gull n/e
14 BHGull s/w
4 swift north
1 House Martin North

Med Gull Madness

On wenesday I found 4 Med Gulls at Jay house lane Clifton,2 Adults ,1 second summer and a first summer.On Thursday I found 3 near Horseshoe point in Lincs 2 adults and a second summer.Great stuff pity the photos rubbish.

Chambers farm wood

White admiral

Marbled white
A quick look round Chambers Farm Wood in Lincolnshire saw - 2 White Admiral,1 Marbled white,1 Purple Hairstreak,30 Meadow Browm,2 Gatekeeper,20 Ringlet and 3 Small White

Out and about over the Weekend

Northern Brown Argus(i think)

High Brown fritillary

Yellow Legged Gull

Last night about 7.10,I noticed a group of 14 LBBGull heading west,as I was watching/scoping a kestrel at the time I decided to have a closer look at the gulls immediately one stood out to be a grey backed gull, similar in shape to the LBBGull's,as it banked sideways the yellow legs could be seen.Its well worth looking at all groups of LBBGulls at this time of year for a Yellow Legged.!!!!Good luck

Vapourer caterpillar

Found this on bramble today.

Sunday

12 Curlew flew west at 8.00
3 LBB Gull west at 8.15
Green woodpecker and Great spot over the garden as well.

Last nights Moths

Dusky brocade

White Ermine
At least 30+ species on tuesday night with Dark Spectacle,Spectacle,Beautiful Golden Y,Small fanfoot being the best of the haul(100+moths) and also the first Dark Arches and Large Yellow Underwings.

Crowle moor

Ringlet

Large Heath(davus)
2 woodlark,1Turtle Dove,Hobby,Gropper,Marsh tit, grass Snake,Cuckoo,3 Ringlet,Small Copper and loads of small / large skippers and 10+ Large Heath

Bits and Bobbs

Loads of good moths about at the moment with this Mother Shipton,Small Yellow Underwing(another first for Calderdale),Small and Large Elephant Hawkmoths and poplar hawkmoth and the first migrant Silver Y.Mallard raised 7 young in next doors pond and the House sparrows are on with there second brood after having a bumper first brood.Managed Duke of Burgandy,Dingy skipper and Pearl bordered Fritillary at Silverdale.

Donna Nook

A walk from Donna Nook to Pyes Hall produced this beauty found and photographed also Barn owl,Lesser whitethroat,4 Grey plover,8 Dunlin,2 Little egret,6 cuckoo and 4 Yellow Wags

Linconshire

Barn Owl

Marsh Fritillary

2 Black necked Grebe

Centre Parcs..Whinfell Forest

6 Crossbill
2 redpoll
2 blackcap
plenty of Red Squirrel(nice to see ,shoot them Grey's)
Buzzards
And a White Stork flying west being mobbed by 2 carrion Crows and 3 Swallows(an escape ???)

Last Nights moths

Yellow Barred Brindle,V-Pug,Clouded Drab,Double Striped Pug,Hebrew Character,Early Grey,Common Quaker and eriocrania sup

Last week

Large numbers of Swift and Swallows have been seen this week along with Blackcap and the garden species are well into the breeding season

Covenham area Linconshire

2 Black Tern,2 Common Tern ,Little Egret,Lesser/Common Whitethroat,15 + Sedge Warbler,10 +Yellow wag,6 Common Sand,Cuckoo ,Wheatear and Yellowhammer

Moths so far this Year

This first for calderdale is a Tawny Pinion(above)caught at light on the 23rd April
Early Grey
Hebrew Character
Common Quaker
Small Quaker
Dotted Border
Twin-spot quaker
Clouded drab
Brindled Pug
double -striped pug

Whimbrel + Whitethroat

2 whimbrel flew noth east at 6.50 this evening infront of a very dark black cloud,excellent to see two flying together.Also one whitethroat back in.good numbers of Swallows over the last few days and up to 8 Linnets

The Locals

6 Linnets,5 goldfinch,Sparrowhawk (m+f)Swallow and Blackcap today 28th april