Real life, and not a bad day on the patch ...

27th September 2010

 

Not a bad morning at the two reservoirs, it started off quietly, but by the end of the day had some pretty good birds, including at least 3 patch ticks ...

 

I'd set the mothtrap overnight, but overslept, and since it was going to be gone eight before I attended the trap, I went birding first, instead of afterwards, since I figured anything good would probably have left by then anyway. Worked out well (although I'll never know what mega rare moths exited the trap before I got there of course ...)

 

Argal Reservoir 8:30 -10:00, College 10:00 - 10:45

On the waters themselves I was treated to the usual highly stimulating fare of a dozen or more Mallard, the Male Tufted Duck, a few Cormorant and a sprinkling of Black-headed Gulls. I was worried that the waders had gone and fully deserted me for the winter, but I was treated to Green Sandpiper outside the hide, and a Common Sandpiper halfway around. Spent a fair while grilling it's distant form for signs it might be a Spotted, but I failed. Also around the edges we were back to 3 Grey Heron, the Moorhen in its regular spot in the bay below the car park, more BH Gulls and a couple of Grey Wagtail.

 

Looking towards Mabe church from the west bank, a tidy flock of 50 or so House Martin, with maybe 5 Swallows dipped and cavorted above the waters, one moment high, the next streaming low in a seemingly confetti strewn panic. Possibly not long before a day or two go by, and you think 'I haven't seen one of them for a while', and then that's it until next spring ...

Around the banks I was regularly treated to the sight and sound of the odd Chiffchaff or two, some bursting into song in the sunshine, with 3 together at the Spot Fly site and another threesome by the car park; 13 in all.

 

Highlight of the day at this point was a Wheatear flying over (possibly two) and alighting in the top of a bushy hedge above the bracken. Patch tick, and I even got some pics. Also possibly a patch tick were 3 Mistle Thrushes (or they could have been Fieldfares (!) ) which also flew past at this point, white underwings flashing like beacons below the church. A Great Spotted Woodpecker flypast, with a couple of Ravens overhead and odd assorted corvids and other commoner birds completed the picture for phase one of my mornings birding ... almost.

 

I'd already left Argal and was walking down beside the steep (and dangerous) road  between the two reservoirs to get to College when I heard an unfamiliar call coming from whence I had just came. From Argal, and over the dam wall came the sound, and the bird. Aaah. A lark, must be a Skylark was my immediate reaction, but of course it wasn't - it was a Woodlark ... Not a bad bird at all. In fact a very good bird. A regularly wintering bird in the south west, but I'd never come across one of my own before, so a bit special, and on the patch too ... I watched it briefly through the bins as it flew overhead, and turned to the south, still calling, showing smart white tips to its tail and a complete disregard for a desire to have a trailing white edge to its wings. Excellent stuff!

 

On a relative high, as the morning was going better than I could have expected - think rare of course, but expect nothing, and you won't get disappointed - I'm quite used to seeing nothing ordinarily. Thus I wasn't really paying attention when a medium sized mustelid crossed the path just ahead of only 30 yards in on the footpath that leads to College Reservoir. Could have been one of about 5 species, but young otter seemed the most likely on the views I had of a greyish brown animal bounding across the path and slinking into the undergrowth. Crumbs!

 

The waters on College were still not yet heaving with winter wildfowl, although the Wigeon population had undergone a massive 500% population explosion since my last visit - from 1 to 5 birds. Heady stuff ... The Mute Swan family, Coots now more dispersed (including one nearly full grown youngster), and a different 3 Grey Heron etc mostly completed the picture. I walked a little further than I usually do, into the meadow area (the boardwalk and path disappear into the waters if you try and actually follow the path), and was rewarded with views of 2 Coal Tit and a Willow Warbler in the trees bordering the lake, 3 or more Bullfinch noisily proclaiming their presence too. 7 Roosting Cormorant, 30+ Herring Gull ... nothing new on the water. Walking back towards the car and I stopped for a pssing tit flock, mostly Long-tailed. Raising my bins to a Goldcrest which popped out of a holly bush near me, and I realised it wasn't - a beady eye below a huge white supercilium was staring me out - excellent - first Firecrest of the season. And of the patch. Not a bad bird to end the visit on ... I realised afterwards I had forgotten to check it out for Golden-crowned Kinglet, oh well, not really a missed opportrunity though to be honest, since it was never going to be one... And no vagrant Empidonax Flycatchers at all either, as I made my way around the reservoirs - quite a huge relief, all things considered ...

 

And the mothing ...

A good catch, considering everything, 30 moths of 11 species, despite not getting to the trap until gone 11am. And there were even moths in it, despite it being in the sun! Had forgotten just how smart Black Rustics are ...

Sq Spot Rustic 9
Common Marbled Carpet 5
Autumnal Rustic 5
Beaded Chestnut 3 NFY
Set Heb Character 2
Brimstone 1
Rosy Rustic 1
Snout 1
Black Rustic 1 NFY
Small Square Spot 1
Sallow 1 Lifer

The Non- Empirical Approach to Empid Identification.

from 'The Random Approach to Bird Identification'.

With the occurrence of yet another Empidonax Flycatcher in the UK, in the somewhat unexpected location of Blakeney Point, Norfolk, I thought it might be a good idea to vaguely analyse the factors involved in identifying these tricky vagrants. Accepted knowledge in the USA, where they naturally occur, is that they are generally tricky all the time, but that come autumn (fall), and with non-calling birds, id is generally speaking impossible. To identify them requires capturing them (mist nets usually, shotguns generally frowned upon these days, in the uk at least), and carrying out a complicated in-hand analysis of wing length, comparing wing ratios and p-numbers ... Codswallop, as real birders in the field will testify ...

To satisfactorily identify your chosen empid, the factors included below (but not restricted to), and probably in the wrong order as regards importance, should be ascertained and taken into account;-

Bill length and shape

Wing and tail length

Apparent wing and tail length

Head size relative to body

Presence and position of crown peak

Overall size

Eye ring shape and strength

Upperpart plumage tone and colour

Underpart plumage tone and colour

Contrasts eg wings, throat to rest of plumage

Presence of shawl, breast band etc and degree

Throat colour

Lower bill colouration

Behaviour eg tail flicking

Age

Time of year

Which ones you haven't seen in the uk before

Etc etc ...

Jizz based id is perfectly satisfactory, in my opinion (which admittedly, counts for very little. But we won’t dwell on that minor point …)

Firstly, of course, you need to find your empid. This is the first tricky bit, admittedly. Prime spots are the extreme south west, and a blasted shingly bit of Norfolk, the only places where they can be guaranteed 100%. Iceland is good, as is North America. Good luck with anywhere else. They must be out there. Alternatively, butt in on the id of any rare empids which happen to be found elsewhere on the internet. To start with, everyone else will be as ignorant as you, so you have a reasonable chance of looking intelligent and genned up, at least initially. It will probably all go downhill pretty soon, but hey ...

If you are in the fortunate position of finding an Empidonax flycatcher, multiple photos should always be taken, avoiding direct sunlight if possible. Even better if they can be taken of calling birds on last years vacation stateside (although of course you may not want to overly emphasise this point should you decide to submit your sighting to any rarity committees, or release the news (late of course) to the general birding public (the Masses)...). Multiple observers, as long as they are suitably respectful minions, or at least on your side/with poor eyesight and equally overly keen to get a tick no matter what, may be of assistance/useful. Multiple discussions on multiple internet forums should be avoided at all costs, as differing opinions may well be received, and non-birding numpty killjoys will invariably come out with the line ‘but they can’t be 100% identified’ or similar whining drivel ...

Field experience is always useful, but so last year. The modern birder has an array of websites he can view at a moment notice (admittedly some may be of dubious use, and the bird stated as being in the photo you are looking at may not necessarily even be of the same genus/kingdom even. But 80- 85% accuracy is probably plenty enough ... ) And you can always over-emphasis what little experience you do have. For example, I have personally seen 33% of all the Empidonax flycatchers to be seen in the uk to date (50% of all species seen ... possibly ...), and if I include ones that birding compatriots have seen, and the remaining one I've read about, I can even stretch that to 100%. Impressive, huh? ... As always, careful avoidance of stating certain key facts and ambiguous turn of phrase can be useful in these matters ...

Getting the bird to call is obviously useful, given the reliance placed on this feature of bird id by some (possibly including the birds themselves), although some think it is highly overrated (deaf people?). There is always the option of getting a mate to attempt to tape lure the bird from behind the bushes the bird is frequenting. If you cannot see him/her, and they are directly in line with you and the bird, there is always a chance you can convince yourself that the bird in question is even doing the calling itself. Or it may even respond (same thing really, especially if it is partially obscured by foliage when it calls).

Willow - a thick whit
Alder - flat pep
Least - a sharp pwit
Yellow-bellied - a clear rising tuwee
Acadian - a sharp pyew or psee

(Be suitably wary of overflying Oystercatchers, Children etc.)

Trail mix - a popular misconception is that Alder and Willow Flycatchers are so similar that they can't be identified, even in the hand. Maybe autumn 1st winters can be a little tricky, but, as long as you are a properly enthusiastic observationally based birder, and not bogged down by excessive reliance on the need to only believe in biometrics (ie you're a bander/ringer/observatory warden from the 80's), then there is hope most of the time. These kind of wrinkled old fruits and other nuts encountered in the field should always be avoided/their opinions discounted out of hand. Identifying a bird as a Traill's Flycatcher (the former name for Alder/Willow) is a bit of a cop-out in all honesty.  From a uk perspective there should be no problem in assigning any particular individual to one or the other species, given the fact that the british list does not include 'possibles' or 'species-pairs'.

Conclusion.

Basically if it looks like a typical individual of one of the following; Least, Willow, Alder, Acadian, Yellow-bellied, then it probably is. Abberant  individuals of one species can look like any other. It’s things like this that make birding in the field rubbish, so ignore the fact that aberrant individuals can exist and everyone will be happy. Ensure that any photos showing ambiguous features remain on your harddrive, and write a glowing description of 'how the 'underside of the 3rd toe/extant of rectal bristling' etc actually appeared to you at the time', when you thought about it afterwards. The 'best fit' approach, or something like that. Easy peasy. Don't know why certain so-called 'bird experts' make bird id so difficult for themselves and others ...

(Hybrids? We most sincerely hope not ...)

Good luck!  (Not that you'll need it of course ... )

Lizard and Snake

Friday 10th September 2010 (c.10am - 8pm)

Went birding on The Lizard today.

Saw some birds and got knackered again (I know I'm unfit, but we did cover a fair bit of ground...)

Highlights - Cuckoo at Windmill Farm almost as soon as we'd arrived - a good sign, although it was quite windy and we saw very little else in the way of passerines.  1 Whimbrel, 7 Teal and 1 Mallard at Ruan Pool (most birds I've seen on it). Probable Grasshopper Warbler from the boardwalk.

Various fields and hedgerows and such on the Lizard between Church Cove and Kynance and Windmill Farm:-

There was a Spotted Flycatcher at Church Cove in the scrub were I hadn't seen Woodchat Shrike on a previous occasion. c.30 Alba Wagtails (mostly white), 5 Meadow Pipits and 3 Yellow Wagtails in cow fields nearby. Sedge Warbler and Stonechats. Lots of Wheatear (30+), 4 or 5 Whinchat and a few Chiffchaff dotted around, with a larger flock of 12 or so Chiffchaff, 15+ Long-tailed Tit, Blue and Great Tits and 2+ Willow Warbler in a roving flock. The odd Whitethroat too.

No Wryneck, despite extensive searching, Predannack airfield held no waders, and none of the other scarce migrants we were hoping to encounter were encountered. Highlight for me was a small (6") or so reptile crossing open ground on the moor - an Adder. A first for me. I was really tempted to pick it up to arrest its speedy departure into thick cover, but I was concerned I might damage it in the process (it really was little), and then Ilya reminded me that they do have a poisonous bite, so probably a good thing on all accounts that I didn't. Excellent find though! We didn't get time to take any pics, but I might produce a graphical representation to post on here when I get around to it...

We ended up with a half hour or so seawatch off Bass Point - 5 Balearic Shearwater (4 in one flock), 1 Manxie, 2 Razorbill and a fair few Gannets going through.

Some dirty filthy twitching ...

(Ok, so maybe there is some point to going to see birds ... Or is there... ? ).

Tuesday 7th September 2010, West Cornwall

For the second time since I moved down to Cornwall about a year ago, I succombed (succame?) to the pressure and moved out of my Falmouth comfort zone, fired up the motor, and helped the globe warm up a little bit more to try and add a few new species of birds to my meagre UK life list (still sub 220 or thereabouts (ish...ok, its a bit more, but not much) ...

The last time was this spring and only as far as the Lizard on an unsuccessful foray to get the two long staying Woodchat Shrikes (both 'species' - normal and balearic). Needless to say both had cleared out overnight. Anyway ...

With fellow birder and Falmouth resident Will, we were on our way at the pleasant hour of 6am. First stop on the way was near Treverva in order to check out the moth trap. Unfortunately, with a clear sky overnight there was not an awful lot in the trap, although 3 were lifers for Will. More exciting for me was the presence of a young Wheatear on the windbreak fence around the veg patch - a long anticipated patch tick. A good sign for the day ahead? There were 3 or 4 lifers on offer for us in the far western reaches of the region - however, would the birds still be around? - Or would those same clear skies have led to a mass exodus for climes warmer? - nothing we could do about it, and in that slightly over-relaxed frame of mind we made a few random stops to check random field of gulls and the like... Realising this could become silly, we eventually pressed on and reached our first real birding destination, the car-parking valley of Nanquidno sometime after 8:30, with 18 or so species already on the day list. A walk southwards was then in order, and so we arrived at our first main destination; Tregifffiffian farm, where a couple of fairly good birds had been resident for the last 3 days ... would they be making it a fourth? We would have to see, fingers crossed ...

A single birder was set up and busy eating his breakfast as we arrived, but he did also report that he had a good contender for target bird no 1 - the bird had been on the muddy puddle not 20 yards away from our position, it looked good, but the light was bad, and it had then flown off into the middle of the field and was currently dodging cow legs ... (he didn't have a scope, and still couldn't confirm it's identity). However, his suspicions proved correct, it was one, as we and another group of birders were able to confirm. A first winter Citrine Wagtail - a very good bird and a lifer for us both. Smart! It continued to dodge cow legs and bodies, the second from our point of view at least, but after a while, and after most of the other birders had left, it flew back in to the muddy puddle where it performed brilliantly in all its stripey superciliumed beautyness. Five or so Yellow Wagtails further out in the field were nice, and additional to the 16+ we'd spotted in a field of cows on our walk up. Mr local birder without a scope then received a phone call from one of the other local birders who'd just been present to tell us that 2 of target species no 2 were performing well on a nearby roof of a house by the ploughed field they had been frequenting. How useful and friendly was that?! With due haste we left our new friend to its muddy puddle and headed out.

A distant stripey back was visible on one of the randomly dotted buildings roofs almost as soon as we left the farmyard, but it took the walk back to the beginning of the field and a quick disappearing act and return of 2 feathered parcels before I could confidently gain my second lifer of the day. Ortolan Bunting!! On the ridge tiles, eyering and submoustachial and all. Shortly afterwards they flew down into the field margin where they performed well along with the ubiquitous Wheatears, a Stonechat, Willow Warbler and the like. I recall seeing a pair in France maybe 15 years ago or more in my youth, but these (and there were now 3) were pretty good, and they were in Engerland. Part of a flock of 6 which had been present (almost unprecedented in recent times?) and especially nice considering their current declining status within the near continent as a whole (people eat them - not so good).

Moving back for the next course, we decided not to check out a report of a possible Melodious/Icterine (in hindsight we should have given it a go as well at least), and instead headed for Sennen along the coast path for the chance of Black Tern and more migrants. As it was we heard a good contender for Wryneck a short while ahead of us (spot on as compared to the sound recording on my phone, but countable?, and there had been a reasonable influx in the region...), and an exciting little scrubby flush filled with Whitethroats, Whinchats and Sedge Warblers (4,2,2, I think). Another field with 15+ Yellow Wagtails... More than either of us could recall seeing in a day ever before... Moving on, and terns were noticeable by their abscence in the bay, with a single Sarnie, and myself getting 2 Common Tern distantly. A Whimbrel calling, and one later seen, the most exciting bird of Sennen, and then we had the long slog back to Nanquidno and the car, were we ticked off Carbis Bay (wherever that is) resident and Cornish birder Ash for our respective day and life lists. Not very much else about at all, 4 sentinel Whinchats in a cornfield aside, and a possible heard flycatcher sp. (we later learnt a female Pied Fly had been seen at about the same spot earlier).

A quick step onwards by car and we were suddenly at Arden Sawah Farm near Porthgwarra. Lots of fields, of which we could see very little from the gateways, and it didn't seem very likely that the elusive Short-toed Lark reported from 2 of the previous 4 days was going to be seen. And it wasn't. Shame, as it would've been a UK lifer for me, and a second for Will. We decided to give Porthgwarra a go and try and boost our day list with a bit of a seawatch. This was very quiet too - 5 species in our half hour before we gave up included reasonable numbers of Gannet, 1 Fulmar, 3 Kittiwake, and then Will had a fast and dark auk which I couldn't get onto, and which he believed to be a Puffin, and I had a dark morph Balearic Shearwater (which Will couldn't get onto). Both relatively close in, but the light was poor, and it's hard to call the range accurately when you've just started a seawatch I guess. A thrash of the habitat, including 60 foot cover, merely resulted in lots of vegetation attacking us and us getting our feet wet.

So there we were, 51 or so species for the day, and target bird number 4 on The Hayle estuary to aim for. Obligatory stops at Drift and Marazion added a range of new species for the day, the highlights proabably being a distant scoped Common Sandpiper at Drift reservoir, and assorted waders on Marazion beach, with a briefly seen probable Curlew Sandpiper for Will. Reed burning was in progress on the other side of the road, so I don't think we even bothered to scan for Spotted Crake or Yellow Rail. And on to the Hayle for high tide.

Eventually parking up at Ryan's field (not actually in it of course) we joined the other birders present to be presented with no target bird no 4. Good numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Redshank, with Greenshank and singles of Knot and Black-tailed Godwit, but no Wilson's Pahalarope unfortunately. One had been found the afternoon before, but presumably it had moved on overnight (along with two Pectoral Sandpipers), so we were out of luck. We gave it a good go, checking out Carnsew Pool, and Copperhouse Creek, but only added Shelduck to the list, with Ryan's Field a positive melee of waders and gulls, Bar-tailed Godwit and Greylag Goose being new for the day. (I'm sure my expectations are going to be unfairly and disappointingly raised for my next visit ...)

And so the day drew to a close, although not quite, as we still had the premier birding hotspots of College and Argal Reservoirs to look forward to ... joke. Actually I did have high hopes of a Black Tern or ten, given the influx west Cornwall had received the previous day, but, sadly, it was not to be. We did add another 7 or so species to the day list, with a Great Crested Grebe on Argal probably the most notable in local terms (and the first Wigeon of the season on College too). My target prediction for the day had been 82, and we could have met that depending on which of the various permutations of heard only/subspecies/seen by all parties etc we included; Green Woodpecker and White Wagtail being two examples to play with.

Actually, achieving a good day list, or even accurately predicting it is a little bit besides the point (irrelevent?) ... we'd seen 2 Lifers apiece, good birds at that (common as muck I'm sure for some, but hey) ... Citrine Wagtail and multiple Ortolan Bunting. An excellent days birding, all 13 or so knackering hours of it. We'll both be a lot more confident when we find our own ones shortly ... ;)

There is no point in going birding ...

The plan was to walk around the prime birding habitat that is Helston Loe Pool, with a bit of seawatching thrown in, as I had to go to Helston anyway. Arrived up at the field at about ten this morning to drop a few things off on the way, a bird flew out of the hedge as I drove through the second field. A glance of red - brain says Bullfinch? - but no, it had a red tail ... Redstart. Excellent. I managed to stop, as it flew out into the field, and then back in to the hedgerow, never to be seen again. Field tick, and possibly a tad embarassing, if I were concerned about such things, a year tick too. (Had to be a Common, even given the brief flight views). In short succession, 3 Whinchat, a Sedge Warbler next door in the Jerusalem Artichokes and a Common Whitethroat gave themselves up. Major excitement, best migrant passage/fall at the field in the year of my tenure. What was the Lizard going to be like ... if my random field(s) 5 miles from the coast were this good?

It was rubbish.

Best birds were a heard only probable flyover Yellow Wagtail, 3 Chiffchaff and a possible Whitethroat. Only a possible. I even walked around coastal stubble fields in the hope of rare larks and buntings ... I was amply rewarded with a single Skylark. Seawatching was equally spectacular, with 3 Black-headed Gulls the highlight. Great Stuff, not.

Overall I guess it was ok, if a quiet time was what you wanted, but I had visions of Wrynecks springing up from the path in front of me, Lapland Buntings (and the odd Ortolan) in the coastal fields, and every bush dripping with common migrants. It was not to be. A flock of 4 Goldcrest, 3 Coal Tit and 2 Chiffchaff in the pines was actually the real highlight, with multiple sightings of two Sparrowhawks. The sewage works only held a single Grey Wagtail. Mallard was the most exciting waterfowl. The whole perambulation was pretty knackering too - it was hot, I had my wellies on in the mistaken belief that the circular path would be a mudbath (based on Argal and especially College Reservoirs), it wasn't, and I had to contend with cheery octogenerians and assorted sprightly walking members of the public seemingly every 50 paces - the place was heaving. Only had to contend with the 'Have you taken some nice pictures?' line twice (I'm carrying a telescope btw, not a camera).  Three elderly walkers waiting for their dogs to finish paddling in the stream back by the car park really took the biscuit. (Whatever that phrase means). This is exactly how the exchange occurred as I walked past the threesome

Male octogenarian with dodgy smile - 'You can take our pictures if you like'

Me - (polite chuckle) ' It's not a camera. I'm just watching some of the wildlife'

Octogenarian (about 50 yards later, and probably pretty pleased with the speedy riposte) -  'We're wildlife too'

Me (thinks - 'Whaaaaat??!! ). I probably just grunted at this stage, or politely chuckled again or something. At any rate I would have been out of earshot anyway, whatever I said. (Think of that dodgy old toothless guy from South Park, and that's one reason why I didn't hang about to chat...)

Back at the field (and Corrrnwall Farmerrrrrs didn't have the 8' stakes I wanted in stock - so a wasted journey on that score (too)), and the 3 Whinchat were still in the same hedge I'd left them in. Performing brilliantly with their ariel sorties for flying buglife. I then took on another long walk of 5 miles plus, as I had to leave the car off road for various insurance reasons, but via the reservoirs. Birding-wise this was not that interesting either, although 3 Blackcap in an Elder bush within the first 100 yards had me getting my hopes up. 2 Green Sandpiper, 1 Greenshank, 1 Great Crested Grebe were probably the highlights on Argal, with 40 Curlew in the field below Mabe church. I don't think there were any highlights on College. I then set off through virgin territory, and the rolling fields of Cornwall, in the hope of reaching Falmouth. I think I was even more knackered by this stage, as I kept getting lost, even though I had the OS map with me. A field full of frisky cows and calves notwithstanding, I made it back eventually and only 3 and a half hours after starting off.

Moral of the story - don't go birding, cos you'll wear yourself out, and it's extremely doubtful that you'll find anything good. Especially if your birding plan for the day involves walking miles and miles. Much better to let the birds come to you  ...

Wader heaven, plus another Osprey ...

Thursday 2nd September 2010

The day didn't start off well when I overslept by an hour or two - the moth trap had to wait until 8am before I could check it, instead of first light. The day took a whole turn for the worse though, with a real disaster striking when I realised that I'd forgotten to put any milk in my thermos tea mug ...

Anyway, realisation of that disasterous event came slightly later. The moth trap held 80 moths of 12 species, a good number of moths, unfortunately nothing very exciting. Frosted Orange and Green Carpet were the highlights I guess, with Large Yellow Underwing the most numerous. The distinctive calls of a Raven kept me company, with Green Woodpecker heard too, and the local large flock of Linnet (c.100) minor distraction as I put in a couple of tea-less hours of gardening up at the field.

Argal Reservoir seemed quiet as I started to walk around it at about 11 am, with for example, a dozen or two Swallow at the most hunting above the surface. However, nearing the southern end, two noisy waders flushed from the shore - 2 Green Sandpipers. Patch tick! Shortly, after, the constant cawing of a Rook above the water drew my attention, and moving out of the heavier cover around the pathway, I realised that it was mobbing a large raptor - an Osprey. Another one! This was an adult, and whilst it sallied around briefly, it seemed as if the attentions of the smaller corvid were too much for it, and it gained height before heading off and out of view. At the 'nature reserve' end, I re-encountered the Green Sands, with a heady mix of waders including a Greenshank, and wonder of wonders, a juvenile Redshank. All in the same field of view at the same time. It doesn't get much better than this (actually it probably does, just waiting for it to happen. Or maybe the Osprey was better...). The Teal was still present, and continuing on around, I encountered 2 Common Sandpiper. In the bay nearest the car park, the resting flock of BH Gulls  included a smaller grey shape amongst their number - a juvvie Common Tern to be precise. Along with the 2 Whitethroat and 2 Blackcap I had encountered alongside the pathway around, this brought the number of local patch ticks (Argal) to 6 for the day- a bit unexpected to be honest, and some of them a tad embarassing.

College reservoir did not hold any surprises, 33 Herring Gulls comprising mostly juveniles, with a single adult GBB Gull on one of the platforms. And so on to home - where a minor surpise did await me in the shape of a Speckled Wood Butterfly on the back door - commonest butterfly around at the moment it seems, but still a garden tick, and nice enough.

Moths:

Large Yellow Underwing 26
Setaceous Hebrew Character 12
Small Square Spot 12
Flounced Rustic 11
Flame Shoulder 5
Brimstone 4
Common Rustic agg. 4
July Highflyer 2
Frosted Orange 1
Rosy Rustic 1
Green Carpet 1
Common Carpet 1