A steady trickle

There's been a steady trickle of migrants this week following the stormy conditions. Across the peninsula there are numerous Redstarts (4-5), Whinchats (4-5), Wheatears (15-20), Spotted Flycatchers (7-8) and a few Tree Pipits. On Monday I checked out Ferry and Mill Lane Marsh and later went for a walk with the boys on the Pagham to Medmerry cycle path. Highlights included the juvenile Curlew Sandpiper and a Spotted Redshank on Ferry and 2 Greenshank, 6 Snipe, 4 Green Sandpiper, a few Blackwits and Water Rails on Mill Lane Marsh and we had a nice male Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechats and a couple of Cattle Egrets along the cycle path. Ebird lists HERE and HERE. 

Yesterday evening (the weather was warm and sunny with a southerly airflow) there was notable influx of hirundines over the garden with 95 House Martins, 45 Sand Martins, 35 Swallows and a single Swift. There were also about 15 Yellow Wagtails flying around and it looked like they were getting on the sheep fields. Ebird list HERE.

On the moth front there were around 250 of 60 last night including quite a few common migrants, 2 Dark Sword Grass, 6 Rush Veneer, 1 Rusty-dot Pearl, 9 European Corn Borer, 6 Angle Shades and 5 White-points. The first Spindle Knot-horn for the garden takes the garden list to 343.

Male Redstart

Hirundines on the garden wires

Roe Deer in the field opposite the house 

Yellow Belle- a NFG and also possibly a moth lifer.  I stringed this for a Powdered Pearl at first (it was in with a group of European Corn Borers so I started looking in the Crambids for an id), still getting my eye in on the expectants round here. 

European Pepper Moth, Duponchelia fovealis- classified as an adventive/ scarce immigrant in the literature, this species is regular in the garden with one or two on many nights

Pinion-streaked Snout 

Old Lady

A Phyllonorycter sp. Maybe one of the acer feeding species HERE