Church Day

The local vicar is a Selsey Birder and we kept meaning to start the kids back at Children's Church so we got our acts together today and took them to St. Peter's in Selsey. I attended the Eucharist while waiting for them and Andy the Vicar Birder (and finder of the Nighthawk!) delivered a really nice service- first time I've been to church in years. 

After church we got a picnic from East Wittering and went to East Head for a picnic and walk. The walk was interupted by a few decent birds including 16 Whimbrel, 5 Golden Plovers, 3 Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail over. Full list HERE.

So clearly a few bits still on the move and elsewhere on the Peninsula today the Woodchat was still present and joined by a Whinchat and there was also a Cuckoo, Black Redstart and the first Swift around.

The temperatures dropped last night in the clear conditions with a northerly airflow but there was still a few moth migrants. 

Golden Plovers (above) in various stages of summer plumage and Grey Plover (below) that hasn't even bothered moulting a single feather yet. Most of the Grey Plovers in the harbour are still in 'winter' plumage so presumably has a different moult strategy to Golden Plovers. 

Whimbrels. Good numbers seem to build up at East Head in Spring. 

Male Wheatear- two males and a female today

Small Mottled Willows- three in one trap is probably a record if I remember right. The mild evenings this week have produced quite a bit of moth migration (and bird migration) across the country with a pretty good influx of Small Mottled Willows. 

Least Black Arches - NFY now on 58 for the year

Common Quaker- they will be over soon so thought I would honour this species with a blog pic before I see them again next spring- often the very first sign of spring so always welcome to see again. Also on the church theme today the Common Quaker was named after the relegious group The Quakers for reasons I can't recall now but something to do with the colour of the moth and the garments the Quakers wore.