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Friday, 25 October 2024

Hawfinch nailed

The plan worked this morning, I put the sound recorder on at dawn and within a few minutes a Hawfinch was flying around calling. Presumably it's a bird hanging around the area now considering I've had it two days in a row at the same time and a flock of 6 the day before at similar time too. 

I then went to Church Norton and did the church, up to the first severals and then the spit. The highlight was two migrating Bearded Tits which I also managed to get a sound recording of with the passive sound recorder which I have on constantly this time of year when out birding.  75 species of about 1500 individuals in about 4 hours. Ebird list HERE. Other highlights included 2 Red-breasted Mergansers, 2 Firecrest (at least), 10 Goldcrest and a Tree Pipit. Interestingly I only had a few hundred Woodpigeons but at the Bill (just a kilometer or so away) Andrew and Co they had 15,000! Obviously going over the Peninsula on a more westerly narrow line today. 

The moth trap was interesting last night- 36 species on a cloudy and mild night (didn't drop below 15 C). Highlights included Dusky-lemon Sallow, 3 Gem, 2 Flame Brocade  and also a couple of nice micros which may be gen dents. I've noticed recently that I don't even mention the more or less nightly Scarce Bordered Straws, Olive-tree Pearls, Delicates, Rush Veneers, Rusty-dot Pearls, Clancy's Rustics, Dark Sword Grass and Radford Flame Shoulders. Great to have them as the back drop now instead of the top hopes as seems like a good basis for getting more vagrants.  

Things are looking wintery out in Pagham Harbour- lots of Pintail, Wigeon, Teal and 16 Brents. Also 15 Avocets. 
Red-breasted Mergs 
Dusky-lemon Sallow 
Todays mystery moth for me.  Cosmopolitan ? The lines don't seem right maybe a worn L-album Wainscot or something similar? 011124 update- confirmed as Cosmopolitan by CMR team. 
Flame Brocade and Radford's Flame Shoulder 
Closest I can get to this is Rufous Stilt, Caloptilia rufipennella. 011124 update- confirmed by CMR.
Closest I can get to this is Garden Midget, Phyllonorycter messaniella.  011124 update- confirmed by CMR
Bearded Tit migrating over - distant chip calls, I didn't hear any pinging but saw good views of them too
Hawfinch flying around the garden. Tomorrow's mission is to get a photo!  

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