It is half time period this week so I have been squeezing in birding round work and household stuff. My dad got here to remain over for a few days (we went on wild goose chase making an attempt to pay money for my Uncle’s Zeiss bins- mine are in for restore) after which my sister came visiting too. Yesterday was a piece day across the Lodge with Matt in torrential rain and Tuesday was in London working.
A backyard birding session was okay this morning HERE with highlights together with a Brambling going over, 4 Egyptian Geese, over 700 Woodpigeon over, a few Redwing over, the Redpolls are nonetheless round, a couple of Siskins and Skylarks over and the Tawny Owl final night time. I am repeatedly failing to select up Crossbill going over regardless of them being picked up virtually day by day in appropriate circumstances on the close by coastal watch points- undecided what is going on on, perhaps they’re strictly following the coast. I am fairly certain I had a Woodlark however could not see it and could not discover it on the passive recording both so I am going to look ahead to a strong one for a backyard tick as they appear fairly common domestically so hopefully a matter of time.
After my sister left I popped over to Pagham Harbour and walked from Church Norton down west facet. A few first-winter Arctic Tern flying over the automotive park have been a shock and there was a pleasant collection of waterbirds out on the estuary compromising fairly a wintery scene HERE together with 70 Brents, 250 Teal, 100 Wigeon, 30 Pintails and numbers of Knot, Gray Plover and Dunlin. 3 Avocets have been presumably those from Ferry earlier on within the week.
The evenings have been gentle and the southerly air circulation began final night time so I am hoping for some extra migrant moths. There have been 12 Rusty-dots final night time and in addition had Clancy’s Rustic, Silver-Y, Rush Veneers and many others. Getting about 26 or so species of approx 70-80 people so fairly regular.
First-winter Arctic Tern over
A bit wintery out there- Knots, Dunlin, Gray Plover, Turnstone, Dunlin and Teals
Feathered Thorn- some beautiful late autumn moths in the mean time together with Merveille du Jours, Inexperienced Brindled Crescents, Sallow, Beaded Chestnuts, Darkish Chestnuts and Chestnuts, the odd Lunar Underwing nonetheless and some different ins and outs
Gray Shoulder Knot (proper) and Blair’s Shoulder Knot
I went for Chestnut on this one
Gardening spotlight this week was harvesting a water melon that I efficiently grew within the greenhouse. Additionally obtained some Raspberries nonetheless to select however principally it is all wrapping up on the market. We additionally did some hedge trimming this weekand and began planning the winter works that may embrace placing in an irrigation system for our wild hedge, planting spring bulbs, re-pointing the patio and doing a superb tidy up. Additionally have to plan some extra detailed planting to focus on sure moths and butterflies by including to our meadows and borders.
