Wednesday
The mornings moth trap was typically sparse with 30 individuals keeping the average for the previous five years in the mid twenties. But at least that featured three hawkmoths, Elephant, Small Elephant and Privet plus three new species for the garden.
Later the drive to Pulborough was hideous taking twice as long as normal due to more than usual road traffic due to no trains operating.
So, arriving mid -morning and a little frazzled, it was good to see one of the IOW eagles in the big tree at the bottom of Upperton's Field. It sat up for a while having arrived here just after dawn but eventually rose up, circled where it was harrassed by Kestrel, Avocet and Black-headed Gull and disappeared into the blue.
This photo courtesy of @sussexwarblers and the flight map from them via @mostlyscarce.
A Cuckoo did a close flypast and landed calling from a dense tree finishing off its 'cuckooing' with that strange coarse chuckle.
Invert-wise few hovers, Anasimyia lineata the best, and a couple of Painted Ladies.
Local walks during the week produced a few more butterflies along the rough path between the field and road with Essex Skipper becoming more numerous, only one single Small Skipper, a few Meadow Browns plus single Marbled White and the first, pristine Ringlet. Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedisquum was the best-of-the-rest.
Today was a quick coffee at SC in windy and cloudy conditions with just Marbled White, Ringlet and Meadow Brown plus this tatty Emperor Dragonfly hunkered down and hoverfly Eristalis nemorum
So, arriving mid -morning and a little frazzled, it was good to see one of the IOW eagles in the big tree at the bottom of Upperton's Field. It sat up for a while having arrived here just after dawn but eventually rose up, circled where it was harrassed by Kestrel, Avocet and Black-headed Gull and disappeared into the blue.
This photo courtesy of @sussexwarblers and the flight map from them via @mostlyscarce.
It was a nice day for catching up with PW and chatting to visitors. The 'Wednesday Gang' pointed out Green Sandpiper and Little Ringed Plover and just one Nightingale heard.
Lunch was spent in company of Richard, Michael, Ruth and other staff. The closed-for-refurb restaurant ensured no lunchtime non-birders.
Later a stroll to Black Wood produced a single White Admiral but little else.
(The three hawkmoths were released at dusk to keep them safe from the gangs of marauding sparrows).
Thursday
Another moth trap was very thin but included the first Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing of the year plus Snout and an unexpected Bloxworth's Snout, the latter being only the second I've ever seen. A non-birding outing ensued, Hilliers.
Lunch was spent in company of Richard, Michael, Ruth and other staff. The closed-for-refurb restaurant ensured no lunchtime non-birders.
Later a stroll to Black Wood produced a single White Admiral but little else.
(The three hawkmoths were released at dusk to keep them safe from the gangs of marauding sparrows).
Thursday
Another moth trap was very thin but included the first Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing of the year plus Snout and an unexpected Bloxworth's Snout, the latter being only the second I've ever seen. A non-birding outing ensued, Hilliers.
Friday
A visit to TH in hope of seeing the previous days Roseate Terns bore fruit with MF putting out a WhatsApp message that they were still present. Luckily, despite 'losing' my breakfast order the birds remained until after I'd finished it and were being watched by MF and others well offshore with a gull and tern feeding flock. They then started back in, flew directly towards us and were usefully calling, something I don't recall from previous Roseates. They couldn't settle on the reserve and headed back out but must have repeated this circuit as they called again and appeared low and directly overhead just prior to the west gate ten minutes later.
A visit to TH in hope of seeing the previous days Roseate Terns bore fruit with MF putting out a WhatsApp message that they were still present. Luckily, despite 'losing' my breakfast order the birds remained until after I'd finished it and were being watched by MF and others well offshore with a gull and tern feeding flock. They then started back in, flew directly towards us and were usefully calling, something I don't recall from previous Roseates. They couldn't settle on the reserve and headed back out but must have repeated this circuit as they called again and appeared low and directly overhead just prior to the west gate ten minutes later.
Photo courtesy MF.
The south scrape is now stuffed with fledged juvenile gulls so less stuff for the bigger gulls to wolf down!! A couple of colour ringed Common Terns were present with the closest being readable - just waiting for info via the BTO. The second bird was too distant but was yellow ringed on its left leg so presumably from the same source.
A Cuckoo did a close flypast and landed calling from a dense tree finishing off its 'cuckooing' with that strange coarse chuckle.
Invert-wise few hovers, Anasimyia lineata the best, and a couple of Painted Ladies.
Local walks during the week produced a few more butterflies along the rough path between the field and road with Essex Skipper becoming more numerous, only one single Small Skipper, a few Meadow Browns plus single Marbled White and the first, pristine Ringlet. Hoverfly Xanthogramma pedisquum was the best-of-the-rest.
Today was a quick coffee at SC in windy and cloudy conditions with just Marbled White, Ringlet and Meadow Brown plus this tatty Emperor Dragonfly hunkered down and hoverfly Eristalis nemorum
