Good Evening

Top down: Curlew Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Arctic Tern, Wheatear, Kestrel

For some reason there seemed to be a lot of photo opportunities over the farm this evening- plenty of birds around helped. See www.diporglory.co.uk for more news.

Non-Stop Mothing

I do seem to be getting a bit obsessed with moths at the moment!
Few more pics here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.98398967517.114681.701232517&type=1

The Initiation

I went to my first ever real moth trapping session this evening with Derek, Andy, Roger and Grommit. 17 species , new ones for me being Orange Swift, Red Underwing, Flounced Rustic, Six-striped Rustic and on the micro front: Garden Pebble (in the obs), Light Brown Apple and Bramble Shoot.

Before we started Derek read a prayer

Red Underwing

Orange Swift

A few more migrants

Looks like a small fall of warblers last night-with 25+ Willow/Chiffs (Chiffchaff top pic), 8+ Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroat, 8 Sedge Warbler and a small hirundine passage including 15+ House Martin, 30+ Swallow, 10+ Sand Martin also 10+ Swift moving South. Also a Mistle Thrush, 2 Grey Wagtail and looks like more Dunnocks. Three Hobbies (pic 2) were particularly busy- watched two birds huntiing together successfully catching a Swift.

A few Migrants

First winter Wheatear

Adult male and female Wheatear

First winter Whinchat

Juvenile Ringed Plovers

View from the mound which has recently been cut

Juvenile Kestrel

Common Buzzard and Carrion Crows

Large Wainscot?
A few migrants about. 5-7 Wheatears on the mound, 1-2 Whinchat, 15+ Swallow over, 2 Ringed Plover on enclosed beds, 2 LRP on lake, 50+ Shoveler, 60+ Teal, 5 Gadwall, 9 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 20+ Linnet. 20+ Goldfinch, Hobby, 2 Kestrel and 2 Sprawk.
Quite a few moths recently more here: http://peteralfrey.blogspot.com/

Common Kestrel

Went to check on the reed planting earlier (bottom pic) and came across this photogenic Common Kestrel.

A FIRST FOR BEDDINGTON

On 28th August I had this moth at the obs which Steve Gale identified as a Dewick's Plusia. I checked with Derek and this is a first for Beddington!

I've only been mothing for a couple of months and haven't even got a proper moth trap yet- just been using a garage light I bought from Lidl for a fiver. I've ordered a trap which should arrive tomorrow.

That is the third first for Beddington now from the obs (in two years)- Common Crane, Black Kite and now Dewick's Plusia.