Friday 30 December 2016

Eastern Black Redstart at Skinningrove - 30th December 2016

Today we went to Skinningrove in East Cleveland to see a 1st winter eastern Black Redstart. This bird has been present for 64 days and was giving birders good views whilst catching flies.





There was a juvenile Glaucous Gull on the sea and a pair of Stonechat feeding within the flood defences.




Sunset at RSPB Saltholme

Sunset photos from RSPB Saltholme cafe looking across the main lake.

The small Hawthorn trees around the lake were full of Fieldfare and Redwing, probably 200+ birds.




As we left there was a Starling murmuration over the reedbed of at least 500+ birds

Garden Birdwatch Update - Week Starting 11th December 2016

2 Dunnock
1 Robin
5 Goldfinch
3 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
1 Coal Tit
1 Starling
6 Feral Pigeon
2 Woodpigeon
2 Blackbird
7 House Sparrow
1 Greenfinch
3 Jackdaw
1 Wren

Food
Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts and Fat Balls
Water

Garden Birdwatch Update - Week Starting 4th December 2016

3 Great Tit
3 Blue Tit
5 House Sparrow
6 Goldfinch
1 Chaffinch
2 Dunnock
1 Blackbird
1 Robin
3 Starling
2 Coal Tit
2 Feral Pigeon
2 Woodpigeon
3 Jackdaw

Food
Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts and Fat Balls.
Water

WeBS - Seaton Sands - 11th December 2016

Seaton Sands Sector (52411) Count

4 Turnstone
6 Red-breasted Merganser
7 Cormorant
12 Great-crested Grebe
1 Red-throated Diver
3 Shag
21 Herring Gull
31 Black-headed Gull


Tweet of the Day

15 Snow Bunts, 12 Great Crested Grebe, 1 Red-throated Diver, 6 Red-breasted Merg. Off North Gare during WeBS today

WeBS - North Gare Sands - 11th December 2016

North Gare Sands Sector (52413) Count

54 Bar-tailed Godwit
6 Curlew
555 Dunlin
7 Eider
111 Grey Plover
234 Knot
64 Lapwing
552 Oystercatcher
5 Red-breasted Merganser  
9 Redshank
5 Sanderling
5 Shag
1 Turnstone
1 Black-headed Gull
1 Common Gull
2 Herring Gull
1 Brent Goose (Pale-bellied)

Twite Flock


Tweets of the Day

  1. ~68 Twite, 1 PB Brent goose plus largest number of Dunlin 555 at Seaton Snook WeBS since I have been doing the counts😀

Common Jellyspot & Bird's Nest Fungi at Flask Lake, Nosterfield

Seen on 3rd December 2016.
Common Jellyspot

Bird's Nest Fungus

WeBS - Seaton Sands - 13th November 2016

Seaton Sands Sector (54111) Count

3 Cormorant
52 Black-headed Gull
10 Common Gull
27 Herring Gull


Photo taken from Seaton Carew looking down the coast with the Tees Offshore Windfarm, South Gare, Huntcliff (Saltburn) and Staithes visible in the failing light.


WeBS - North Gare Sands - 13th November 2016

North Gare Sector (51413) Count

5 Bar-tailed Godwit
6 Curlew
96 Dunlin
2 Golden Plover
57 Grey Plover
108 Knot
130 Lapwing
555 Oystercatcher
16 Redshank
1 Sanderling
18 Shelduck
2 Black-headed Gull
1 Common Gull
1 Brent Goose (pale-bellied)


Tweets of the day

  1. Twite flock at Seaton Snook now approx. 25 birds
  2. Mixed flock of Twite & Snow Bunting at end of North Gare :50. Approx 3 male SB's inc



Garden Birdwatch - October 2016

Update of our garden bird records for our BTO Garden Birdwatch.

Week Starting 2nd October 2016
11 Goldfinch
7 House Sparrow
2 Dunnock
2 Greenfinch
2 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
1 Coal Tit
1 Blackbird
17 Starling
2 Jackdaw
1 Woodpigeon
3 Feral Pigeon
1 Robin

Food
Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts, Fat Balls
Water


Week Starting 8th October 2016
8 Goldfinch
6 House Sparrow
2 Dunnock
4 Greenfinch
2 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
1 Coal Tit
4 Blackbird
2 Starling
1 Wren
1 Woodpigeon
3 Feral Pigeon
1 Robin

Food
Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts, Fat Balls
Water


Week Starting 16th October 2016
7 Goldfinch
5 House Sparrow
2 Dunnock
2 Greenfinch
3 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
2 Coal Tit
4 Blackbird
7 Starling
1 Woodpigeon
3 Feral Pigeon
1 Robin
1 Magpie

Food
Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts, Fat Balls
Water


Week Starting 23rd October 2016
9 Goldfinch
9 House Sparrow
2 Dunnock
1 Chaffinch
4 Blue Tit
3 Great Tit
2 Coal Tit
2 Blackbird
17 Starling
3 Jackdaw
1 Woodpigeon
3 Feral Pigeon
1 Robin

Food
Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts, Fat Balls
Water


Week Starting 30th October 2016
7 Goldfinch
7 House Sparrow
2 Dunnock
4 Blue Tit
2 Great Tit
1 Coal Tit
3 Blackbird
24 Starling
3 Jackdaw
1 Woodpigeon
3 Feral Pigeon
1 Robin
1 Magpie

Food
Sunflower Hearts, Seed, Peanuts, Fat Balls
Water

Thursday 29 December 2016

Martin Mere Visit - 31st October 2016

A visit to WWT Martin Mere near Preston on 31st October 2016. It has been many years since I last visited this reserve, so target birds were Whooper Swan and also Pink-footed Geese.

Pink-footed Geese



Whooper Swans




WeBS - North Gare Sands - 16th October 2016

Tees Bay from North Gare Breakwater


South Gare lighthouse from North Gare Breakwater


Sector 52413 count

662 - Oystercatcher
73 - Curlew
72 - Redshank
4 - Ringed Plover
13 - Grey Plover
246 - Knot
2 - Cormorant
16 - Bar-tailed Godwit
3 - Black-headed Gull
11 - Turnstone
1 - Guillemot
2 - Sandwich Tern
86 - Dunlin
6 - Herring Gull
3 - Eider
2 - Teal
5 - Mallard
4 - Wigeon
123 - Lapwing
1 - Great-crested Grebe
1 - Merlin

WeBS - Seaton Sands - 16th October 2016

Seaton Sands sector viewed from North Gare Breakwater towards Seaton Carew



Sector 52411 count

4 - Cormorant
165 - Herring Gull
7 - Great Blacked-backed Gull
1 - Black-headed Gull

Hartlepool Headland 15th October 2016

Fieldfare, Redwing, Brambling, Goldcrest and Red-breasted Flycatcher were all seen during a short afternoon walk around Hartlepool Headland






Wednesday 9 November 2016

Migrant Hawker & Common Darter at RSPB Saltholme - 18th September 2016

Migrant Hawker

Common Darter

Garden Moth Update - 16th September 2016

A summary of the moths recorded on 16th September 2016 with an overnight low temperature at 12.5°C.

45.010  Beautiful Plume (Amblyptilia acanthadactyla)  1 (new for garden)
49.039  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  2
73.113  Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa)  1
73.342  Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)  1

Angle Shades

Beautiful Plume


Garden Birdwatch Update - 11th September 2016

Goldfinch 10
House Sparrow 4
Dunnock 2
Blue Tit 2
Great Tit 1
Coal Tit 1
Feral Pigeon 2
Jackdaw 2
Woodpigeon 1
Long-tailed Tit 3
Collared Dove 2

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed and Peanuts
Water

Butterflies
12/09/2016 - 1 Large White

Amphibians
Common Frog

Garden Moth Update - 12th September 2016

A summary of the moths trapped on 12th September 2016.

49.039  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  10
70.049  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  1
70.098  Dark Marbled Carpet (Chloroclysta citrata citrata)  1
73.062  Copper Underwing (Amphipyra pyramidea)  2
73.063  Svensson's Copper Underwing (Amphipyra berbera)  2
73.092  Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus)  1
73.228  Grey Chi (Antitype chi)  1
73.342  Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)  13

Mottled Rustic

Leighton Moss Visit - 11th September

There was a good selection of waders present at the Eric Morecambe Hide.

Black-tailed Godwit, Avocet, Dunlin, Grey Plover, Golden Plover, Common Snipe, Greenshank, Common Redshank, Spotted Redshank and Ruff.



Common Redshank feeding

Common Snipe feeding

Garden Birdwatch Update - Week starting 4th September 2016

Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 2
Blue Tit 2
Coal Tit 1
Great Tit 2
Greenfinch 1
Chaffinch 1
Dunnock 1
Blackbird 1
Feral Pigeon 2
Jackdaw 1
Woodpigeon 1
Collared Dove 1
Robin 1

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed and Peanuts
Water

Butterflies
5/09/2016 - 2 Small White & 1 Red Admiral
7/09/2016 - 1 Speckled Wood

Mammals
Grey Squirrel (first recorded visit in 2016)

Nettle-tap Moth at Sizergh Castle

During an afternoon visit to Sizergh Castle on 10th September, I was surprised to find a Nettle-tap Moth on a plant in the herbaceous border.


Large White

Small Tortoiseshell

Nettle-tap Moth

Greenshield Bug

Garden Moth Update - 2nd September 2016

For Week 27, I put my moth trap out on Friday 2nd September with a recorded overnight low temperature of 12.7°C.

Taxa
41.002  a moth (Blastobasis adustella)  1
49.039  Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana)  3
70.049  Garden Carpet (Xanthorhoe fluctuata)  1
70.097  Common Marbled Carpet (Dysstroma truncata)  3
71.012  Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius)  1
73.342  Large Yellow Underwing (Noctua pronuba)  17
73.345  Lesser Yellow Underwing (Noctua comes)  1
73.357  Square-spot Rustic (Xestia xanthographa)  1
73.358  Six-striped Rustic (Xestia sexstrigata)  2

Six-striped Rustic

Iron Prominent

Blastobasis adustella

Garden Birdwatch Update August 2016

It seems such a long time since I posted my weekly records for our BTO Garden Birdwatch, so here is a summary for August.

Week Starting - 31st July 2016
House Sparrow 6
Dunnock 1
Blackbird 2
Blue Tit 1
Goldfinch 3
Chaffinch 1
Feral Pigeon 2
Magpie 1

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed and Peanuts.
Water

Butterflies
2/8/2016 - 2 Small White & 1 Large White
3/8/2016 - 3 Small White & 2 Large White
4/8/2016 - 4 Small White & 1 Large White


Week Starting - 8th August 2016
House Sparrow 5
Dunnock 1
Blue Tit 3
Goldfinch 5
Woodpigeon 1
Feral Pigeon 4
Magpie 1

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed and Peanuts.
Water

Butterflies
8/8/2016 - 3 Small White & 1 Large White

Other Insects
Buff-tailed Bumblebee
Red-tailed Bumblebee
White-tailed Bumblebee
Common Carder Bee


Week Starting - 14th August 2016
House Sparrow 3
Dunnock 2
Blue Tit 3
Coal Tit 1
Great Tit 1
Goldfinch 10
Chaffinch 1
Blackbird 1
Woodpigeon 1
Feral Pigeon 2
Jackdaw 1

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed and Peanuts.
Water

Butterflies
15/8/2016 - 7 Small White & 12 Large White
16/8/2016 - 1 Small White & 8 Large White
17/8/2016 - 3 Small White & 9 Large White
18/8/2016 - 2 Small White & 4 Large White

Other Insects
Red-tailed Bumblebee
White-tailed Bumblebee
Common Carder Bee

Amphibians
Common Frog

Mammals
Wood Mouse


Week Starting - 21st August 2016
House Sparrow 4
Dunnock 2
Blue Tit 3
Great Tit 2
Greenfinch 1
Goldfinch 5
Chaffinch 2
Blackbird 1
Starling 8
Woodpigeon 1
Feral Pigeon 3
Jackdaw 2
Robin 1

Food: Sunflower Hearts, Seed and Peanuts.
Water

Butterflies
23/8/2016 - 9 Small White, 1 Peacock & 7 Large White
24/8/2016 - 3 Small White & 1 Large White

Amphibians
Common Frog

Friday 14 October 2016

Moth Evening at Nether Kellet (VC60) - 26th August 2016

A took my Actinic light 30W to Nether Kellet and trapped a variety of moths on a calm mild starry night.

73.359 Xestia c-nigrum Setaceous Hebrew Character
70.045 Scotopteryx chenopodiata Shaded Broad-bar
73.357 Xestia xanthographa Square-spot Rustic
73.348 Noctua janthe Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
73.342 Noctua pronuba Large Yellow Underwing
58.013 Gonepteryx rhamni Brimstone
70.097 Dysstroma truncata Common Marbled Carpet
41.002 Blastobasis adustella a moth
73.015 Autographa gamma Silver Y 
73.162 Apamea monoglypha Dark Arches
70.061 Epirrhoe alternata Common Carpet
70.049 Xanthorhoe fluctuata Garden Carpet
49.077 Acleris variegana Garden Rose Tortrix
70.053 Xanthorhoe designata Flame Carpet
20.022 Argyresthia bonnetella a moth
49.038 Clepsis consimilana a moth
28.010 Hofmannophila pseudospretella Brown House-moth
70.079 Thera britannica Spruce Carpet
70.098 Chloroclysta citrata citrata Dark Marbled Carpet
73.329 Ochropleura plecta Flame Shoulder
49.039 Epiphyas postvittana Light Brown Apple Moth


Garden Rose Tortrix

Unidentified 'yet!'

Setaceous Hebrew Character

Shaded Broad-bar

Spruce Carpet


Thursday 13 October 2016

Week 25 & 26 - Garden Moth Update

On Thursday 19th August 2016, I put my moth trap out with an overnight low of 13.9°C.

1 Diamond-back Moth
1 Brown House Moth
1 Dark Fruit-tree Tortrix
1 Agriphila tristella
1 Udea lutealis
1 Garden Carpet
1 Canary-shouldered Thorn
1 Willow Beauty
22 Large Yellow Underwing
4 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing
3 Square-spot Rustic
1 Common Rustic agg.

On Thursday 25th August 2016, I put my moth trap out with an overnight low of 12.7°C for Week 26 of the Garden Moth Scheme.

2 Light Brown Apple Moth
1 Flame Carpet
1 Garden Carpet
2 Willow Beauty
27 Large Yellow Underwing
3 Lesser Yellow Underwing
3 Square-spot Rustic
1 Marbled Minor agg.

Flame Carpet (worn)

Willow Beauty