The Old Vic- waders in the garden

A few more new for years on the bird front with 70 species now for the garden 2022 HERE. The Noc-mig has picked up a couple more wader species- Oystercatcher and Golden Plover (see sound files below). Also had what sounded like another Whimbrel (but can't rule out Little Grebe for sure). The Tawny Owls have been very vocal recently (at least two males and a female around).  Blackcaps have now taken up territories properly with at least four singing males around . Still two Chiffchaffs holding territory in the area too. More sounds and pics from the garden this year HERE.

The moth diversity continues to slowly increase with 36 species for the year now. Also a couple of other new inverts and caught a Brown Rat on the camera trap too (also Red Fox most nights). 

Bryan has sowed carrot in the mini-farm and Tomatoes, Sweetcorn, Courgettes have been seeded in the green house.

In the mini-zoo we replaced the Angelfish and Platy that copped it in the aquarium and also bought a batch of tropical plants for the Paludarium. A Common Frog was hopping around the moth trap a few days ago so we brought it into the Paludarium as the first guest there - it has taken to eating fruit flies quite happily and seems pretty content inside the tropical house. 

 

Pale Prominent

A bit of Nut-tree Tussock variation (above and below) with medionigra above and avellana below

Male Muslin moth

Pugs are appearing now- probably Brindled and Oak-tree Pug but not always easy to separate (above and below)

Not sure about this either an Incuvaria sp or something like Esperia sulphurella . Yes confirmed as Sulphur Tubic, Esperia  sulphurella (thanks Dave). 

Pale Tussock

It's been a good year for Brindled Beauty so here's another photo before they are over

I've put this down as Misumena vatia- (a crab spider). Awaiting confirmation. This was in one of the tanks that we got from Exotics at Heart (which has an impressive insect and spider collection HERE so wanted to id it in case it was a tropical species that had got out. 

The Common Frog in the Paludarium 

The mini-zoo continues to grow. First task with the Paludarium is establishing a tropical environment so we've got an LED and UV light and basking lamp and measuring humidity and temperature to create various micro-climates within the enclosure. . Also added a range of plants including Muelenbeckia, Fittonia, Weeping fig, Creeping fig and Climbing Fig, Cryptanthus, Bromeliads and Bamboo Palm. Need to let this grow and create a living wall/backdrop, stabilise the conditions and then start creating a bioactive/ closed system before introducing larger animals. 

The mini-farm so far 2022

Thanks to Arjun for the Golden Plover sub-song suggestion