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
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