New Patch

This lunchtime took me on a slighty different, and much more pleasant route. By turning left instead of right on Thurcaston Road it takes you down along the Soar towards the outdoor pursuit centre. Bit grey and damp today but singing Sedge Warbler and male Bullfinch were both good.

Spurn Baby Spurn - Disco Inferno.......

I think Spurn is one of those love or loathe places and personally I love it. I rarely get chance to go these days but have some fond memories. One autumn visit with Iain T was particularly memorable. I think the target of the day might have been Isabelline Wheatear but can't be 100% (so perhaps not that memorable!) but we witnessed the most incredible fall of Goldcrest that resulted in dozens of them hanging off our trousers, coats, tripod straps, you name it....Surreal stuff. We also were gifted a fly by White Tailed Eagle...Magic. But the whole point behind this rambling is they are having a real purple patch up in East Yorks at the mo. Check out the following sightings from yesterday

"Wednesday 28th

Migration watches, after heavy rain at first light which soon cleared and gave a mostly sunny day with occasional cloud cover.

Another awesome day with even more records broken and the highlight today was a singing Thrush Nightingale in the Crown car park, unfortunately it never showed itself very well. Icterine Warbler numbers increased even further with an amazing 10, as did Marsh Warbler totalling 6 by the end of the day. 2 Bluethroats – a female briefly at post 21 early morning and an elusive female at post 63 seen on and off. 2 Common Rosefinch (Point and Chalk Bank). At least 2 female Red-backed Shrikes still present in the Triangle and a male at post 60. The Red-breasted Flycatcher was seen again briefly at post 61, the Golden Oriole was still there and was even singing at one point, a new Golden Oriole was seen on Beacon Lane and later at Kew, a Wood Warbler at the Crown was the first of the year, 4 Grey-headed Wagtails were seen, a Crossbill at Wire Dump and late the Point, a Mealy Redpoll still at the Point, while common migrant numbers included; 9 Tree Pipit, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 1 White Wagtail, 1 Black Redstart, 9 Redstart, 6 Whinchat, 1 Stonechat, 24 Wheatear, 1 Fieldfare, 1 Redwing, 7 Reed Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 7 Garden Warbler, 8 Chiffchaff, 15 Willow Warbler, 1 Goldcrest, 46 Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Pied Flycatcher, 1 Brambling, 5 Siskin. A few birds started to move when the wind turned SE, incl. 32 Swift, 3 Sand Martin, 500 Swallow, 35 House Martin, 3 Jackdaw.

North of the area 3 Ortolan Buntings (a male and 2 female) were at Sammy’s Point with Icterine Warblers at Sammy’s, Easington Cemetery and Beacon Lane, 3 Marsh Warblers were seen – Willow Cottage, Easington Cemetery and Beacon Lane, 3 Red-backed Shrikes at Long Bank, a Serin flew south over Easington"

No Stilt or Marsh Sandpiper though!!

Marsh Sandpiper

Well, what a fabulous couple of days at Rutland Water. Although the Stilt Sandpiper didn't hang around BUT the discovery of a Marsh Sandpiper was just incredible. Obviously a county first and the first in the UK this year (the Abberton bird earlier this month was a mis-identified Greenshank). Compensation for missing out on the recent Red Footed Falcon glut that the UK has had (which unlike the above two species I don't need for my county list - that's the county list that I don't keep and doesn't interest me - honest)

Migrant Moths

Far more exciting that migrant birds. Discuss......Lots of things starting to happen (but not in VC55 unless you consider the records of Diamond-back Moth) Plenty going on in Scilly with Udea ferrugalis, Striped Hawk Moth, Dark Sword Grass, Pearly Underwing and Delicate. Please send some this way plus a week or so's warm, dry weather...........

Stilt Sandpiper

Worthy of mention. A cracking find at Rutland Water this morning. I'm not that big on county listing these days but even I would have been tempted to have a nose. I've seen a couple of Stilt Sandpiper in the UK before and very nice they are too. I'm assuming that this is the first record since the Dorset bird at Brownsea in August 2006 and is this the first Midlands record (excluding Cambs)? Surely it must be? On the subject of county listing I've had various texts/emails ranging from Dave Wright who would only be interested if it was at Thornton (good man), Rob Gill who's hoping it hangs around until tomorrow and a panic text from Chris Hubbard who's in Florida at the mo and not back until the weekend. Watch this space......

Tinea pellionella

Forgot to mention the discovery of the above rather drab, but nevertheless new, addition to the list on the lounge curtains on Sunday morning. Also known as the Case-Bearing Clothes Moth. Perfer its latin handle m'self........

Osprey

Typical......Somebody had an Osprey this morning at 08.15 on my lunchtime patch. Chances are if I had looked out of my office window I would have seen it. Except that I was running late and only just leaving Thornton at 08.15 and my office window looks out into a workshop. Other than that.......

Missing Micro's

The area around my lunchtime patch is literally awash with both nettle sp and buttercup (ranunculus) but both Nettle Tap Anthophila fabriciana and Cocksfoot Moth Glyphipterix simpliciellaare nowhere to be found.....Both are extremely common but strangely absent, and I'm getting fed up of bending down and staring into bright yellow flowers. It's making my eyes go funny.

Swithland & Cropston Reservoirs

Not a great deal today. Highlight was a Reed Warbler off the causeway and Grey Wagtail from Kinchley Lane. 100's of Adela reaumurella in the wooded area approaching Rabbits Bridge. Cropston was largely devoid of anything..................................

Trap Result 10/05/08

A good night with micros Alucita hexadactyla and Tinea trinotella being new. Other highlights were Pale, Coxcomb and Iron Prominent, Sallow Kitten, Flame, White Pinion Spotted and a few other bits.

Trap Result 08/05/08

As the season progresses it becomes very time consuming to detail every moth so from now on I will stick to the highlights (assuming that there are any). Last night was actually very good, even by my modest standards. There were newbies for the garden in the shape of Water Carpet, Lunar Marbled Brown and Least Black Arches. 3 Waved Umber were good, for a moth that I normally only record as singletons.

Belgrave Butterflies

We're out in full force today. Large White, Small White, Green Veined White, Brimstone, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood. Oh, and Brown Rat (not a butterfly)

Lunchtime, Skuas & Lunar Marbled Brown

All the commoner ones are on the wing on my lunchtime patch now including Speckled Wood and Green Veined White. A really quite glorious afternoon bearing in mind the recent temperatures. Holly Blue was a notable absentee though. Had a small number of Swift as well since seeing the first fo 2008 over the weekend. Dave Wright has done the double over me with three dark phase Skuas over Browns Wood on Monday and Lunar Marbled Brown in the trap on Sunday night. Gripped.................

Trap Result 06/05/08

Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth
Brindled Beauty
Double Striped Pug
Grey Pug (new to garden)
Brindled Pug
Yellow Barred Brindle (new to garden)
The Streamer
Early Thorn
Lesser Swallow Prominent
2 Early Grey
Hebrew Character

Holly Blue

First Holly Blue on Monday morning near Markfield but went on to see dozens thoughout the remainder of the day.

Rutland Water

Two days running at RW this weekend. Burley Fishponds gave us a solitary Osprey, drake Goldeneye and 2 Egyptian Geese. A quick peek at Lagoon 1 revealed one of the 55 Black Tern that day!! plus Yellow Legged Gull. Thanks to Adrian for an excellent meeting (Leicestershire & Rutland Moth Group Annual Recorders Meeting 2008). The review of 2007 was very good, as ever, even though it had been a particularly poor season and we also had our appetites whetted with a trip report from Gambia. Trap is on tonight so fingers crossed.............

Trap Result 03/05/08

The Streamer
2 Double Striped Pug
Common Pug
Currant Pug (new to garden)
Hebrew Character
2 Clouded Drab
2 Early Grey
Lesser Swallow Prominent

Saturday May 3rd

Browns Wood was the first port of call. No sign of the Gropper but Lesser Whitethroat, Stock Dove were good as were the first Peacock, Brimstone, Large White and Speckled Wood of the year. 1 Little Owl was showing well at the usual site at the reservoir. Picking up Rob Gill we moved on to Rutland Water. The female Osprey was on the nest at Manton and we nipped into the visitor centre and mopped up the 13 Black Tern plus a few other bits. Eyebrook supplied us with the long staying Green Winged Teal, another Osprey, Yellow Wagtail, Tree Sparrow, Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. The day was topped off with a cracking pint of Adnams in the Rose and Crown at Tilton. Cracking afternoon birding.....................

First GVW

A pristine Green Veined White today plus male Orange Tip and Small White along the banks of the soar in Belgrave.

Thornton Res

Rather ambitious I know but ran the trap last night with no moths this morning. As I had a little time on my hands I called in at the dam and bumped into Dave. Common Sandpiper and Grey Wagtail were good compensation (for no moths, not bumping into Dave). A five minute pull at Lea Wood, Ulverscroft was disappointing with only Chiffchaff and an obliging Kestrel of any interest

Bank Holiday Weekend

Monumental cock up by yours truly. Dave Wright and Rob Gill were going to join me for an afternoons birding before heading of to this year's Annual Moth Recorder Meeting at Rutland Water. The other night I realised that the meeting was Sunday not Saturday. I'm still having a few hours out and about on Saturday afternoon and going to the meeting on Sunday but not combining the two. More care needed when reading emails m'thinks........I think I just assumed it would be Saturday. That's what happens thought when you assume, you make and ASS out of U and ME.............Still looking forward to some hopefully good birding and a good meeting on Sunday.