Mothing

Not sure what this is. Can any one Help?

Was able to help with the moth trap this morning. Now - I know nothing about moths so Ids are either wrong because I got confused or because I wasnt listening. The pics are tagged but if you know any different please let me know.

Tophill Gull Massive and other things

Yesterday I went to Tophill to do some more dissertation work - no interesting birds on Watton - the Smew were absent but I did see somewhere in the region of 50,000 Common Gulls and 10,000 BHGs (but only 2 1st winter Herrings in amongst em). Amazing. Today ive been volunteering and have seen a Siskin on the feeders, a Barn Owl on the drive, a handful of Hare, Redwing, singing Song Thrush, Red-legged Partridge and a pair of Goosander. Have been sticking nest box cameras up today. Hopefully Tree Sparrow and Spotted Fly. Also helped with the moth trap and will come to that after.

Grip Back

Today I had the pleasure of a quick gripback of a bit of a bogey. Last April the first King Eider in Yorkshire for 163 years appeared. Obviously I feared my chance of a county tick had gone. Fortunatly a first winter male appeared at the same location, Breil Nook, on Flamborough Head yesterday and I was able to get good views of this between 15.15 and 16.30 this afternoon. It hung about offshore wandering over about half a miles distanceeast west along the head, occasionally joining up with a pair of Common Eider. I grilled the female intently just in case and checked the male for sails (none) or strange bill colouring (bog standard) after reading Frontiers in Birding. The King Eider seemed pretty typical of a first winter with a uniform grey brown colour across the mantle, hindneck and crown with a dirty cream foreneck and breast and a plastacine like orangey-yellow bill without a significant knob. It dived occasionally but mostly steamed about on the surface. Viewing was hampered by a strong breeze but it came in close enough to appreciate its smaller size and build than the common eiders. It wingflapped at the same time as the female Common Eider showing a marginally shorter wing length but considerably narrower wings. Enclosed is a nasty record shot (windy, distant, poor technique, optics, ability etc) and a pic of the location.

Sleepy tired

No birding sadly but have got right into my new copy of Frontiers in Birding by Martin Garner (& friends). Its a proper bird book with good stories, great politiking & some magic ID articles. Tonights night shift will be dedicated not to the care of my patients (note to lawyers - this isn't true, I will as always be the diligent super nurse of the night) but to finishing this superb addition to birding & ornithological literature. Buy it, it will inspire you.
Another book I have been reading ***PREGNANCY STORY ALERT**** has been Jon Smith's Blokes Guide To Pregnancy, which for a first timer like myself has been massively reassuring and illustrated all the strange feelings and beliefs I have had are held by most blokes everywhere. For all you veterans out there im sure there is a smug smile but due to the lack of bloke aimed pregnancy books (for good reason no doubt) I wanted to be sure my experience was 'normal'. All very reassurring and i can recommend it heartily.

Springing to life

Back at tophill (not again i hear you say) this morning to be greeted by a wall of bird song. The snow drops have been on the go for a few weeks and the celandines are out. Song Thrush, Dunnock, Great Tit, Greenfinch and Chaffinch all singing away with Great Spots drumming and ducks displaying. It all felt very spring like. Had a Buzzard wheeling over O reservoir as well. A couple of reminders of winter persisted in the form of the two redhead Smew, with the female on Borrow Pits and the juv male looking super flameheaded on South Marsh East. Sadly no sign of the Bittern for me but I did manage a small party of Pinks headed over the car park. Also the Pochard are behaving like its time to get jiggy. My research went by the by as all but 7 of the 113 Teal on Borrow Pits were asleep and those seven were 6 males fighting over a female. Nevermind. Heres hoping for better on thursday when i head back.

The Rakes

Today was spent at Tophill as part of the volunteer gang. Was great weather and good company. We had to clear the banks of ditches of cut grass to enable the various Orchids to emerge over the spring and summer. We did this by raking piles and then loading the hay onto the tractor trailer. After this we broke up hay bales so that grass snakes could get into them. Believe it or not this filled the entire day. Interesting bits and pieces (all relative) were the return of the breeding Oystercatchers to South Marsh east. Also a Common Frog in the ditch was a rare site record where Pool/Marsh Frog hybrids predominate. A hybernating toad was dealt with sypathetically and placed back in the compost. At lunch the wings of a Tawny Owl were noted behind the shed. Couldnt be a mammal predator as one was in the tree so it was presumed that the Goshawk that was seen on the reserve last week was the culprit. On my way home a Barn Owl showed to 6 feet from the car in good light and a Sparrowhawk cruised over the fields. Tomorrow I have to do some dissertation fieldwork.

A Day of 3 Halves

Orginally today I was going for an amble about East Yorkshire prior to my appointment with the bacon at a speed conference but a Marcus Conway (eBirder) suggested joining him and Michael Flowers for some birding in the Patrington area whilst he searched for Barn Owls to photograph. All to keenly I accepted and an early meet of 6.30 was agreed.

Marcus met me at McDo's next to Comet in Hull and a swift brekkie was purchased. Marcus picked up Michael in East Hull 10 minutes later and we were soon looking at a Barn Owl on the way to Paull. I dropped my car at Paull Holme Strays and we started cruising the roads toward Stone Creek. c40 Roe Deer were seen plus a couple of very obliging Grey Partridge, as well as some less obliging Golden Plover, Hare a couple of Kestrels. Some Fieldfare were on some overhead wires. Curlew were seemingly everywhere. It was soon full daylight and very pleasant. Marcus picked a (very) distant Barn Owl on a post. Another was soon seen beside the road showing very well. We pushed on to Stone Creek where a lot of Knot were in the distance plus a few Shelduck and 3 Common Seal hauled up.

Time was pushing on and we headed back to my car so we could have a quick look at Paull Holme Strays. Black and Bar-tailed Godwit were soon self found year ticked with plenty of Sanderling, Dunlin, Lapwing and a couple of thousand Golden Plover. A skein of 100 or so Pink-feet were overhead, part of the large national movement. The time had come for me to head to my seminar which was very educational and worthwhile.

Afteran early finish I headed to Keyingham marshes seeing very little except what was perhaps Marcus and Michael headed back (unconfirmed at this point). Heading home the back way I chanced upon a few Grey Partridge, 2 Merlin and 2 Barn Owls. The Merlin both shot across in front of me near Brandesburton in the half light. Magic! Thanks guys for a great day.