Still no moths. Another visit to Dungenes in fine weather today made a change. However, we struggled to find much new. We saw 3 Great White Egrets and the Glaucous Gull on the reserve. There were good numbers of Tree Sparrows around the ARC car park and Boulderwall Farm. In the afternoon we tried for the Slavonian Grebe at Scotney and the Bewick's Swans on Walland Marsh but failed with both. On the way home I took a wrong turning while trying to get back to Lydd and stumbled across 3 birders who were looking at the male Hen Harrier on the ground. It was fairly distant but soon flew giving a good view in the late afternoon sunshine

 Tree Sparrow

.

I've been having some computer problems so a late post from last week. No moths to report but spent Friday at Dunge. In addition to Great White Egret and Water Rail on the reserve, we saw both Red-throated and Black-throated Divers at the patch. The highlight, however, was the female Scaup at Scotney which was a year tick for me.

 Feral Barnacle & Snow Geese at Scotney

 

Nothing in the moth trap lately. Yesterday lunchtime I went down to Hampton Pier, Herne Bay where there were 3 Purple Sandpipers with the Redshanks at the small high tide roost. The sun came out and I did get some pictures of them. Today I went to Dungeness where a very dull, foggy & chilly scene didn't bode well. However, we did pretty well in the circumstances. After failing with the Pallas's Warbler in the morning we saw 1 Great White Egret on the RSPB Reserve and then flogged around the North Pit at Lade where we found the Long-tailed Duck near the "Listening Ears". After lunch we finally had good but brief views of the Pallas's Warbler in the Old Lighthouse Garden, before ticking off the Glaucous Gull and Yellow-legged Gull on the list for the day. Finally 7 White-fronted Geese flew past the car park at the ARC pit.

 Pallas's Warbler

 Purple Sandpiper

 Glaucous Gull

Nothing this morning, but yesterday I had the second Feathered Thorn of the Autumn, Monopis obviella & 3 LBAMs. Photo from earlier.

Monopis obviella

Just 1 moth this morning: The Herald. This record is actually the latest I've had by about 3 months. However, as a hibernator, I suppose it's not that surprising. Photograph is of one earlier this year.

The Herald

For the last two days I've had a solitary November Moth (agg.) in the trap. This morning there was 1 there again, However, on the ivy next to the trap was a Mottled Umber covered in frost. This was only my 2nd garden record and the first for 4 years. Once it had thawed out it was still very much alive and it took some time to get to pose properly. Results below:

Mottled Umber

 November Moth

At last some moths. Yesterday a Light Brown Apple Moth was the 1st moth in November, and this morning, after a milder night, there were 2 new ones for year: a worn Yellow-line Quaker and Feathered Thorn.

Feathered Thorn

Yellow-line Quaker

Still no moths. Last year I recorded 16 species of moth in November. This year I've had none so far. Yesterday I did pay an afternoon visit to the Oare Marshes Reserve and found a Barn Owl hunting over some paddocks next to the reserve. It was slightly further away than ideal and a bit too much into the sun but the light was good for photography.

Barn Owl

No moths to report. However, I had a day at Dunge yesterday dodging the heavy showers. We were rather more succesful than usual with good views of the Yellow-legged Gull and Glaucous Gull near the Fishing Boats, with 3 Red-throated Divers passed on the sea, a Bittern in flight on the ARC pit, and 3 Great White Egrets around the RSPB Reserve. Nearby, on Walland Marsh, the 2 Whooper Swans were also present. These were the first I've seen in Kent since January 2005!

 Whooper Swan

 Yellow-legged Gull

 Glaucous Gull