Local Yellow-browed

After the moths and a bit of a garden watch HERE I went over to Church Norton via Ferry considering what a calm and pleasant morning it was in the hope of a Yellow-browed Warbler which I was hoping might have made their way down to the south coast by now after arriving to the north and east a week or so ago. 

Within a few minutes indeed one appeared in the St Wifrid's Church yard tit flock, attracted by the tit flock 'tape'. I put the news out and a small crowd soon appeared and most people eventually saw or heard it within the next couple of hours.

Ian, Andrew and myself then walked round to the Severals HERE and had either the same or another Yellow-browed Warbler by the Horse Field conservation area. Other migrants included the first Siskin of the auutmn, a late Yellow Wagtail, 12 Stonechat in the Horse Field, 3 Song Thrush over (also 3 over the garden this morning, the first thrush autumn vis mig here), a few more Blackbirds, good numbers of Linnets, 10 Jay (a personal local record), 27 Skylarks and a few Skylarks and Mipits over, Goldcrest, Whitethroat, handfuls of Chiffs and Blackcaps and about 100 or so mixed Barn Swallows and House Martin. Also had the first two Brents in the harbour for the autumn and there were 6 Snipe on Ferry.

Highights in the moth trap (over 150 individual moths last night) included Silver-spotted Veneer (maybe one of the same ones from yesterday), 5 Vestal, Delicate, Portland Ribbon Wave and another Merveille du Jour. Also a Common Marbled Carpet. We have a couple of birders/mothers staying with us at the airbnb from North Yorkshire this weekend so they've had a good time with a few southern specialities and migrants. 

Yellow-browed Warbler in the church yard (above) and Conservation area (below). One or two birds, Andrew and Ian are strongly in the single bird only camp although if this was a common migrant such as a Blackcap or Chiffchaff we would definitely have counted it as different over the few hundred meters apart.  The 178th species for Pagham Harbour this year HERE and my 191th species for Pagham Harbour HERE. My 184th species for the Peninsula this year. The group Peninsula list is now on 211 for the year. 

Siskin- the first of the local autumn  

Silver-spotted Veneer- looks like the same dark one from yesterday. Only 12 previous records of these in Sussex according to the Sussex Moth Group website HERE and I've had nine here this year so if I keep this up, will double that soon. 

Portland Ribbon Wave- not seen one in a while 

Merveille du Jour

Deep Brown Dart- only the second garden record. 

Some really smart fresh Vestals around at the moment- becoming a very welcome near permanent feature of the catch