Last few days

It's still pretty slow going but there's been a couple of bits of news over the last few days. On Tuesday I picked up the new ducks from Steve's and they are now settling in the garden and the other bit of good news is that the House Sparrows are using the garden office sparrow apartment boxes and we can hear young birds calling from them- so pleased with that. 

A garden birding session this morning produced 34 species of over 70 individuals HERE with highlights including Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat still singing on territory and there's been a couple of juvenile Great Spotted Woodpeckers around too. 

The moth trap has been pretty steady going with the year list climbing but way behind this time last year due to more time away this year and also poorer weather this summer. Only on 217 for the year and a devilish 666 moths and butterfly all time list (was on 647 at the beginning of the year).  A few photo highlights below. 

On 252 pan-species for the garden now after a few more additions this week HERE. 

Other than that it's just been getting through paperwork, the printer driving me nuts, attended a talk last night about the Land Settlement Association HERE and a bit of history of this house and the social experiment it was a product of, a bit of garden work (after the talk on the LSA been inspired to align our homesteading with some of the historical hortiultural approaches for this estate) and getting ready to go to Yorkshire tomorrow for Simon and Niki's wedding this weekend. 

Small Elephant and Elephant Hawkmoth. There's also been a Hummingbird Hawkmoth around. 

Bordered Straw- a little run of these lately

Orange-tailed Clearwing- a couple of these to the Red-belted Lure 

Saltern Grass-moth, Pediasia aridella

Small Mottled Willow- up to six of these a night recently

The new ducks (above) and rounding them up at Steve's (below)