Moths of Fraser's Hill

 

Vines Rustic

                                                         Vines Rustic

Funny how one minute its a mega rare and then next , it becomes a regular autumn species , only 2 years ago I got my first Vines Rustic , last night had 3.... Plenty good moths this week but could be the end of a poor year here in Northowram , mainly due to weather but also a lack of moth motivation from me. Next year will be better...14 Pied Wagtails , 6 Meadow Pipits , 1 Common Gull and 6 Black -headed Gulls this  morning a Tawny Owl in the night and Robins have got there voices back.......

COMMON DARTER in the garden on the 26th September,,,,,,

Northowram Cricket Pitch

 The first 57 Pink -footed Geese over Northowram this morning , Ive seen a few  V formations distantly but this was right over the house. A big move of Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipts the last few days with 38 Meadow Pipits and 18 Pied Wags this morning all on the deck this morning  . 3 LBBgulls , 27 BH Gulls , 41 Starlings , 6 House Sparrow ,2 Blackbirds and a couple of Swallows. 2 Raven over on the 19th and a Chiffchaff in the small trees. A few Jays heading south last few days as well....

   The sun has been good for butterfly's with 10 + Small Whites , 1 Large White , 3 Red Admiral , 1 Comma , 5 Small Copper , 10 + Speckled Woods , 1 Peacock and  a late Purple Hairstreak . Silver Y in the moth trap and the usual autumn fare..........

France .......The Dordonge..

 Although the main purpose of this trip was to play cards(Bridge) the garden was quite superb for butterfly's. If I would have had a net and a bit more time 50 + species would have been possible but very happy with 29 . On arriving at the Old converted barn I had to meet everyone as I did not know anyone there , there was an old apple tree right in the centre of the garden with a few  rotting apples still on the branches, on one of these apples was a Lesser Purple Emperor...ahhhhh do I say hello or try and get a phone shot of the LPM....hahahahah.......

  List of Butterfly's in the garden 

Swallowtail

Scarce Swallowtail

Large White

Small White

Brimstone 

Cleopatra

Clouded Yellow

Wood White /sp

Small Copper

Sooty Copper

Common Blue

Silver -Studded Blue

Holly Blue

Brown Argus

Adonis Blue

Chapmans Blue

Red Admiral

Southern White Admiral

Lesser Purple Emperor

Silver -Washed Fritillary

Meadow Fritillary

Weavers Fritillary

Knapweed Fritillary

Glanville fritillary

Gatekeeper

Wall

Speckled Wood (orange form)

Great Banded Grayling 

Small Heath

Also seen from Garden , Black Woodpecker , Great Spot W , Green Woodpecker , Short-toed Treecreeper , Corn Bunting , Alpine Swift , Cragg Martin , Pied Flycatchers , Spotted Flycatcher , Serin , Honey Buzzard , Kingfisher ,  Cattle Egret , GW and Little Egret, ....Also probably missed a 2 tailed Pasha , just flew through the garden at break neck speed ..very large with white band on wing....drat...

Snowdon Horseshoe

 

Raggalds Flood *******

It was great to see the 3 Lapwing chicks fly from breeding at Raggalds flood  , in the same area Little Owl , Wheatear and Curlew.......

Last few days

 I watched an adult male Merlin at Bridestones the other day , twisting and turning  just below the stones it was after a Meadow Pipit ,then a small group of Swallows were alarming and dive bombing the Merlin,It gained height and stooped , plucking a Swallow out of the sky. breath taking........Still plenty Snipe activity at Bridestones and  a good display of common Dragonfly's on the ponds. Adult female and juv Wheatear looked good for local breeders and Stonechats raised one young at least.

13 Pied Wagtails on the cricket pitch and a steady stream of BH Gulls over north.....White Letter Hairstreaks and Purple Hairstreaks have also been seen this week

Chambers Farm Wood

 Silver -Washed Fritillary x 15 + seen in display flights and a pair in cop. White Admiral x 2 , Purple Hairstreak x 5 + , Red Admiral x 4 , Large and Small Skipper , 3 common whites , Ringlet , Meadow Browns , and a few Commas , Small Torts and Peacock ......

A stunning adult male..................

Test

 

Cricket Pitch

 A busy morning on the Cricket pitch  , the Pied Wagtails are up to 9 birds 2 x adult male , 1 adult female and 6 juvs , 7 LBBGulls  4 adults , 3 juvs , 3 BH Gulls all adults  , 55 Starlings , 6 Blackbirds , 8 House Sparrows , 3 Woodpigeon and 4 Linnets ,2 adults and 2 juvs.....It was nice to bump into a Badger the other night and  loads of bats about........

Stocksbridge

  Had a walk around an area near Hunshelf today , the first bird I saw was a juv Wheatear , closely followed by 2 Lesser Whitethroats in some brambles , it was an area of pretty traditional farmland and before long a few Skylarks could be hear calling from the fields. It was great to see Yellowhammers and Linnets in a flock of 35 + birds . Then a small group of 5 Tree Sparrows 2 adults and 3 juvs. A Red Kite drifted over and a few calls of Meadow Pipits going over...a great sound to hear and the onset of Autumn migration........

is that the first sign of Autumn

 Over the last few days , I have seen a flock of 6 Curlews flying west , failed non breeders or  flying family party bit high to get any detail ,a steady stream of Black headed Gulls west , no Juveniles yet , large numbers of Swifts heading mainly south and LBBGulls and Herring Gulls also west. The first family party of Pied Wagtails on the Cricket Pitch today and  as usual here an excellent breeding season for both Starlings and House Sparrow. The local Buzzards are seen every day as well as Sparrowhawks. 2 Juv Green Woodpeckers and and 1 juv Great Spot have been seen down near the woods. 

Spoonbill

 Back down in Nottingham last week , and my good run of birds continued with an adult Spoonbill along the river Trent near Gainsbrough heading north . Flushed a \Green Sandpiper ,Lesser Whitethroats everywhere , 1 female Widgeon was a surprise  among the Gadwalls , Shovelers and Shelducks . Plenty Little Egrets and a pair of very vocal Peregrines.

Bridestones

 Lots of Swifts over Bridestones over the weekend , and a lot of Snipe 'wing dipping' and some general display flight . Golden Plover ,Curlew , Oyck's, Skylarks , Meadow Pipit , and Red Grouse are all showing signs of successful breeding in the area. House Sparrow feeding in one of the fields was an on site tick. Pied Wags , Swallows , Common Heath , Northern Oak Eggar , and a couple of micros to sort out..

Barn Owls and Little Owls are both doing well in the area.

Twite......

 The Twite recovery project folded today , a very sad day for all . I remember flocks of them at Soil Hill , Whiteholme , back of Fly flatts , Langfield |Common held 20 + breeding  pairs when we used to go up and help out the Peregrine watch up there , and at Derby delph they were common...Well done to Tim Walker , Brian Leesey , Nick Carter , Andre Raine , Tim Melling , Steve Downing  etc etc.but Climate Change is upon us......

Swifts ,

 Swift migration is in full flow at the moment with many birds over Northowram and Bridestones the last few days . Swallows seem to have settled down to nest , a few House Martins about as well. Golden Plover , Snipe , Skylark, Kestrel , Fox Moth and Bilberry Hook Wing at Bridestones and55 + Starlings feeding on Northowram Cricket Pitch ,more young every day.....House Sparrows seem to be doing well also...

A dull evening at Bridestones

Lapwing , Curlew , Snipe , Golden Plover , Dunlin , Skylark ,Swallows , Fox Moth , Bilberry Hook Wing ...
 

Romania May 2nd to 11th 2024

4 Demoiselle Crane ..bird s of the trip.......

 May in Romania is an amazing ornithological bonanza, migration off the Black Sea is phenomenal. Last year we recorded 209 species and this year 202 ,(without going into the mountains).In total 231 species in 3 weeks . Goshawk , Artic Skua , Pallid Harrier , Lesser Kestrel , Scop's Owl , Levant's Sparrowhawk , Hen Harrier , Black-eared Wheatear , Quail , Corncrake , Greater Flamingo , Yellowhammer, Kentish Plover , Green Sandpiper , Icterine Warbler, Wood Warbler , Little Bittern , Middle Spotted Woodpecker , Caspian Tern , Cettis Warbler and Desmoiselle Crane were new to Romania for me..

This spring we managed to hit the passage of Black Terns and again Nightjar passage over the sea at Vadu.

A one and a half mile walk in Badabag Forest produced at least 30 Icterine Warbles singing  on territory , 15 Red Breasted Flycatchers and 10 Wood Warblers , Hawfinch were common , the highlight was a male Collared Flycatcher singing from a clearing in the wood . Common Glider was an excellent find and Glanville Fritillary showed exceptionally well . Lesser Spotted and Middle Spotted Woodpecker nests were found. and Syrian Woodpecker was commonly seen.

 On the coat near Istria there were apox 5000 + Black Terns (100's of White Winged Black and a few Whiskered mixed in) feeding just above an area of arable fields and a flock of 400 + Ruff and 10 + Red footed Falcons  in the same fields,  100+ flock of Little Gulls were on one of the nearby lakes.30 Red throated Pipits , 2 Honey Buzzards Drifted over and in the bushes Barred Warbler , Wryneck and Lesser Grey Shrike. White Pelicans were moving north and this is when Gary picked out the birds of the trip 4  Demoiselle Cranes , a lifer for all of us. Even those old buggars who saw the dodgy one at Spurns many years ago  (AC,AZ and NCarter). Gary also picked out a Lesser Kestrel that if accepted will be only the first for  21 years....

 No let up in the birding as we headed to Vadu , Lesser Spotted Eagles ,lots of Monty's Hen and a couple of  Pallid Harrier , Isabeline , Black -eared , Pied and Northern Wheatear , a small flock of 4 Woodchat Shrike , Rollers , Bee Eaters , Red Backed Shrikes ,waders on every small pool , mainly Wood Sands , Curlew Sands , Ruff and Little Stints but occasionally Temminck's and Kentish Plovers. Palla's Gull can be seen flying overhead most days on the coast.

  Vadu was birding heaven , same as last year with many highlights , but 57 + Nightjars in two days was exceptional. Broad billed Sands .

 Great views of Levants Sparrowhawk displaying was another highlight.

 

Romania Moths and Butterflies

 Mallow Skipper

Grizzled Skipper

Scare Swallowtail 

Small White 

Large White 

Green -veined White 

Eastern Bath White 

Eastern Dappled White

Orange Tip

Common Blue 

Small Blue 

Eastern Baton Blue

Brown Argus 

Silver -studded Blue

Clouded Yellow 

Pale Clouded Yellow

Large Copper

Small Copper

Small Heath 

Red Admiral

Wall Brown 

Comma

Queen of Spain Fritillary

Glanville Fritillary

Spotted Fritillary

Common Glider

Lasts years Butterflys not seen this year ,Swallowtail , Camberwell Beauty , Black -veined White , Silver Washed Fritillary and European Map (32 species)

Moths

Four - Spotted

Romania..10th May 2024...Vadu sea watch and migrant search

 An amazing day at Vadu , Romania 

Seawatch 10.00 - 11.30 and 16.50 - 18.00

Nightjar ,x 40 , mostly female singles , 2 x 3(3 f + 2f + 1 m) )and 2 x 2 (3 f and 1 male) l , mostly very low to the sea north , but a few in off...

Artic Skua 4 north and 1 south 

Black -throated Diver  x 4 ,,3 north and 1 blogging

Little Tern x 5 

Hoopoe 1 in off

Bee-eater ----small groups north and in off

Black Tern x 150 + north

White winged black tern x 20 north 

Whiskered Tern x 2 north 

Sandwich Tern x 20 north 

Common Tern x 10 north 

Pallas's Gull x 1 adult summer north

Slender billed Gull x 2 north

Little Gull x 2 north 

Med Gull x 20 + north

Yellow legged Gulls ---30 +

Baltic Gull x 1 adult north 

Pygmy Cormorant x 6 

Greater Cormorant x 10

Great Crested Grebe x 8 north

Grey Plover x 25 north 

Sanderling x 2

Curlew Sands x 10 north 

Dunlin x 8 

Swallows , 100's in off east

Red throated Pipit x 1 (landed on beach then off north)

In the dunes and bushes and small ponds 

Lesser Grey Shrike x 9 , Red backed Shrike x  21, LEO x 2 , LRP x 2 , Quail x 3 , Stone Curlew x 2 , 5 Nightjar in bushes.. 

Spotted Fly 20 + , Barred Warbler x 1 , RB fly x 2 , Pied Fly x 1 , Redstart x 2 , Garden Warbler x 2 , Willow Warbler x 20+ , Blackcap , Paddyfield Warbler x 2 , Icterine Warbler x 1 , Savis Warbler x 1 ,  Whitethroat x 1 , 1 Lesser Whitethroat, Red footed Falcon 30 + , Marsh Harrier x 20 , Bittern x 1 , Roller x 2 , Night Heron x 2 , Purple Heron x 7., Tawny Pipit x 2, Northern Wheatear x 8 ..Crested Larks..Yellow Wags , Dombrowskii , feldegg and supercilliaris

On the main Pond

Broad -billed Sandpiper x 7 , Curlew Sandpiper x 30 , Glossy Ibis x 25 , White Pelican x 20 , Dalmation Pelican x 2 , Black Winged Stilt x 20 , Garganey x 21, Ferruginous Duck x 8  , Little Stint 150 + , Wood Sandpiper x 15 , Spot red x 4 ,  Collared Pratincole x 15, GWEgrets ,Litlle Egret , Lapwing , Ringed Plover