Windy Monday

The prevailing southwesterly wind has re-established and its set to be a wet and windy week (there have been widespread floods across the UK last night). We had an important doctor's appointment for Isaac this morning so I only had a few hours in the afternoon to go birding so I decided to check East side and North wall as I haven't been there for a while. Ebird notable bird list here . Highlights were a Spotted Flycatcher, Whinchat and 4 Stonechat around the paddocks (they've been there a while), a Spot Red in White's Creek, 2 Marsh Harrier over the Breach Pool and a Peregrine. Also the smaller waders seem to be hiding out in this part of the harbour with 120 Ringed Plover and 65 Dunlin. 

The moth trap was somewhat more exciting than the birding today with a pretty decent haul of migrants including a nice Convolvulus Hawkmoth, 3 Small Mottled Willows, 3 Crocidosema plebjana, 6 Delicate, 5 Clancy's Rustic, 8 Rusty-dot Pearl, 4 L-album Wainscot, 1 Palpita vitrealis, 1 Dark Sword Grass, 1 Dark Spectacle, 1 Blair's Mocha and also had Cypress Pug and Black Rustics which were new for the new garden list. Garden list is now on 372 (since July).

Juvenile/first winter Spotted Flycatcher

Juvenile Marsh Harrier

Female Stonechat

An obliging Curlew (Barwit in background) 

A Curlew thinking it's about to meet it's maker- the juvenile Peregrine decided it was a bit too big to try it's luck 

Small Mottled Willow- the fresher looking of three last night

Crocidosema Plebjana- one of three presumably migrants

Convolvolus Hawkmoth (with the newly painted shed in the background)

Gold Spot- two of these last night (haven't seen one in a while). What with Frosted Orange, Centre-barred Sallows, Sallows, 3 Brindled Greens and Canary-shouldered Thorns there was a nice bit of colour in the trap this morning. Fortunately there wasn't too many wasps for the first time in ages (hopefully that keeps up as I had about 100 wasps in the trap a couple of nights ago)

Seal sp out in the harbour. I think this is Harbour Seal (Been told that's the most likely one here too). Also saw a Weasel on the reserve recently and Holly saw two along the lane this morning. The European Moles are causing plenty of mess in our garden but they are most welcome here.