Wednesday 31 December 2014

I can hardly believe it but we've reached the end of another year. The moth trap had a mixed year with the highlights being 4 new macro species (Fox Moth, Barred Straw, Dotted Chestnut & Tawny Pinion) and 17 new micro species, which made 2014 the best ever for micros. A total of 270 species was better than the last 2 years but less than 2011. However, the most worrying statistic, is that moth numbers overall were down again. August and September were both disappointing months and the total of 3,202 moths recorded is only 50% of the 6400 recorded in 2010. Dotted Chestnut was the first new species of 2014.

Happy New Year!





2010
2010
2011
2011
2012
2012
2013
2013
2014
2014

Number
Species
Number
Species
Number
Species
Number 
Species
Number 
Species
Macro Moths
5090
180
4833
187
2972
160
2719
160
2273
164
Micro Moths
1310
86
1215
96
1348
97
945
96
929
106
Total
6400
266
6048
283
4320
257
3664
256
3202
270


Dotted Chestnut









Thursday 25 December 2014

The sunshine this morning tempted me out to see if I could get a better shot of the Great Grey Shrike at Chilham. There were no other birders there but the Shrike showed well on and off along the hedge by the sports centre and on the wires. Picture still heavily cropped but my best effort so far.

Great Grey Shrike

Tuesday 23 December 2014

Made a late afternoon trip to Stodmarsh yesterday. It was mainly overcast and very windy, but I did manage to see 2 Hen Harriers, including a very nice male, flying to east of the Lampen Wall. It was much too dark for any photography, so here's another image from Canada.

 Snowy Owl

Thursday 18 December 2014

Since my last post I've had a couple more Winter Moths and this morning there was 1 Light Brown Apple Moth in the trap. Made the usual visit to Dunge today. Saw the Great Grey Shrike again en route but in very gloomy/drizzly weather. At Dunge it was the same but more windy. Around the reserve we saw 4 Great White Egrets, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Goosander, 2 Smew, 2 Marsh Harriers and a Ruddy Duck. Down the Dengemarsh Road the Cattle Egrets (& the Cattle) were close to the fence, but the photographs would have benefitted from better light. On Walland marsh there were 100s of Fieldfares and Redwings. Finally, on my way home, I located the Bewicks Swans with the lone Whooper and at least 3 Tundra Bean Geese. Managed to miss the Caspian Gull yet again.

 Cattle Egret

 Fieldfare

 Great Grey Shrike
      

Saturday 13 December 2014

At last a Moth.......

Yes I've not had anything in the garden trap since 31st October so I was quite pleased to find a Winter Moth on the vanes this morning. Around lunchtime I made a brief visit to Stodmarsh, where I saw my 1st Bullfinch for 3 years-I must get out more.

Bullfinch

Winter Moth

Friday 12 December 2014

Made a trip to Dunge yesterday. En route I had a look for the Great Grey Shrike at Chilham, which was showing well at about 08.45 but not close enough for photography during my brief stay. At Dunge we spent some time, in very windy conditions, looking through a large number of Gulls near the Fishing Boats but couldn't find any Caspians. However, a  Razorbill landing offshore was a year tick for me. On the reserve we noted 2 Great White Egrets on Burrows and the Tree Sparrows were on the feeder. The 2 Cattle Egrets were with the cows not far down the Dengemarsh Road and another Great White was a bit further down. Finally a drive over Walland Marsh produced 20+ Bewick's Swans and a lone Whooper which was my 200th species in the UK this year. A modest total but one I've not reached for a decade. On my recent Canadian trip American Three-toed Woodpeckers were easy to see and very approachable. However, they never stop moving in their search for food in low temperatures, which makes photographng them quite tricky.

American Three-toed Woodpecker

Tree Sparrow


 

Sunday 7 December 2014

Canada part 2

My brother who lives in Calgary regularly gets 2 species of Nuthatch in his garden and occasionally Pine Grosbeak.
Pine Grosbeak
 White-breasted Nuthatch
 Red-breasted Nuthatch

Friday 5 December 2014

Just back from visiting my brother in Calgary where the plan was to try to photograph some owls. Managed to see 3 species including a very obliging Hawk Owl.

Northern Hawk Owl

Snowy Owl
 Great Horned Owl