A week at home

I'm off to Bulgaria tomorrow for a week on the project there, mainly to complete the wildlife pond but also to do a bit of autumn birding too.

It's been a busy week back at home, had two days in London quoting and then lots of paperwork to catch up with too and also made a bit of progress in the garden (looking forward to this winter's planting project here). 

Managed to get out birding yesterday and a proper session today, starting off at Church Norton and then checking out the first several area before doing the spit. 81 species in nearly 5 hours, Ebird list HERE. Highlights included finally catching up with one of the local Spoonbills, four Firecrests, a fall of about 14 Stonechats, Marsh Harrier, Peregrine, the autumn's first flock of Golden Plover (50+), winter wader and duck numbers building and some nice vis mig (mostly moving east) including totals today of 36 Brent Goose (west), 200 Woodpigeon (south- it has begun), 27 Skylark, 150 Barn Swallow, 2 House Martin,  24 White/Pied Wagtail, 35 Meadow Pipit, 1 Rock Pipit, 13 Chaffinch, 2 Brambling, 65 Linnet, 62 Siskin and 12 Reed Bunting. 

Last night was cold but there were some milder nights in the week with up to 24 species of moth. 

Shame I couldn't stay on Corvo longer as a Warbling Vireo was found on Wednesday- only the 2nd for the WP. The Little Blue Heron is also reliable on Terceira again. Might just have to re-visit later in the month. 

Spoonbill 

Stonechats (above and below) along the Spit 

Dunlin, Grey Plover and Knot- numbers of winter waders are now building

Male Brambling- still in summer plumage 

Merveille du Jour- always a treat and the first one for the garden here . Moth list now on 378. 

Green Brindled Crescent- a NFY. Also recent additions to the moth list include Yellow and Red-line Quaker and Beaded Chestnuts and another Feathered Ranunculus. Radford's have been up to 8 a night, Delicates (up to 6) and the odd Clancy's Rustic, Scarce Bordered Straw (up to 4), one Blair's Mocha and a few Rusty-dot Pearl and Rush Veneer. 

Holly and Isaac and the now complete Garden Office and Shed

Main achievement this week was getting the log sheds full and getting the fire going (above and below). We also got the compost bins in and cut all the meadows/lawns. Will be planting over 200 trees in the first week of November so looking forward to that. 

The Northern Lights were showing (to the i-phone) last night 

View over the Selsey Peninsula from the plane on the way back from Corvo last weekend