A bit better

The warm southerly airflow from yesterday (now more of a typical south westerly) delivered a bit more last night with 150 moths of 31 species in the trap. Elsewhere on the south coast 2 Maize Wainscots were caught (7th and 8th for the UK) but no such lofty heights here with 'migrants' including Dewick's Plusia, Scarce Bordered Straw,  Blair's Mocha, Spindle Knothorn, 10 Small Mottled Willow (rallying again),  6 Rush Veneer, 3 Rusty-dots, 2 Beet moths and a Vestal. A couple of expected NFYs also occurred including Merveille du Jour and Chestnut and there was also an unseasonal Swallow-tail Moth. 

While doing the moths a Redshank flew over the garden calling and there was also a bit of Mipit, Skylark and 'alba' Wagtail vis mig so I decided to bunk off work and have a look at Church Norton and the Severals. The highlight was a Muntjac, a Peninsula mammal tick, which basically says it all about the birding with 9 Stonechat in the horse field (and another 12 in Ferry area) and single Spotted Flycatcher, Firecrest and Lesser Whitethroat the highlights with 16 Chiffchaff and 10 Blackcap. Only 2 Barn Swallow on my circuit. I tallied up 8 Jay including 2 vis-miging high over the fields. Large numbers of Jays have been moving down the east coast and there is an ongoing irruption of Nutcrackers on the continent (apparantely the northern acorn harvest has been affected by the summer droughts) so good to have some signs of that movement here. 

In the afternoon I popped back to Ferry, Long Pool and Church Norton and had Hobby and Marsh Harrier. 19 Barwits roosting at high tide was a noteable late autumn count. Todays Ebird list HERE , 72 species of nearly 800 individuals seen from the bits I covered. 

Now with Siberian Blue Robin, Syke's Warbler, Eastern Bonelli's and stacks of less mega eastern rarities and scarcities on the east coast and northern isles it seems like we are a long way from action down here. Our best hope (as the Maize Wainscots declare) is for a decent moth at the moment. Here's hoping while enduring the grippage. 

Muntjac- the fact that this is the best thing I've seen today while there are Siberian Blue Robin and Syke's Warblers in the country is a sign from the birding heavens to abandon the patch. I've got some free time from next Thursday onwards so hoping to brew up a plan nearer the time. 

Stonechat (above and below). Still the migrant of the moment with 21 between Ferry and Church Norton that I recorded and then 12 along North Wall area and 39 at Medmerry HERE , so 72 in total not including any birds at East Head or anywhere else on the Peninsula. Graphs of recent influx at Pagham Harbour HERE.

Jay- continuing the birds and grave stone theme 

Spotted Flycatcher

A confiding juvenile Barwit. There was a group of 19 roosting at Norton at high tide, a good count for the late autumn. 

Merveillle du Jour- the first of the year deserves a couple of photo angles (above and below). Always stunning to see. 

Chestnut- the late autumn theme is beginning to take shape. 75 Lunar Underwings made up half of the trap yesterday. Now on 552 for the year. Last year I got to 573 in a year so hoping might be on track to beat that record. Still got the July and August dissections to come in yet which should add a few more plus a few late autumn/early winter species and hopefully something decent. 

Another colourful Vestal 

Quite a dark Scarce Bordered Straw